Ok, I have fished jigs deep for a while now with no success. I feel I am doing something wrong so maybe some of you guys can tell me how you fish them to make the fish bite. I know I am on top of fish because I catch them in these same spots with different techniques. I have no confedence in this bait.  >  

Do you drag it slow of rocks?

Do you hop it along at a fast pace?

Do you throw it really shallow and work it deep?

Do you work it along break lines. Drop offs.

The lake I have fished the most with it is a reasonably clear rocky lake with smallies, spots, and LM. Spots dominate this lake though.

Drag it down rocky points and bump it into rocks, when you get caught up rip it free. Thats what I get most my bites doing.

All about the reaction strike.

I will usually just bump it along a flat bottom that doesn't have much cover on it. On rocks I like to hop it a little more frequently just to get it up and over the rocks where they can see it. On an especially muddy bottom, I'll use a heavier football and try to drag it so it kicks up a little mud trail.  

Sometimes you just have to do it all in order to get bit. Once you catch a few, it's going to be hard to put down.  

Dragging them slow with a pause is how I have had best results.

I try to keep it slow and easy,no twitching or shaking,just letting the jig fall lightly off the rocks with a pause.....BAM!That's usually when she gets it.

In the winter,the fish seem to favor the jig,when there's current and/or clouds.

I

Sometimes you just have to do it all in order to get bit. Once you catch a few, it's going to be hard to put down.

Truer words were never said... it's like crack.  

You might try downsizing the jig - - cutting the the skirt right at the hook and cut the top off of the skirt "Eakins-style"    This will cut the bulk of the jig way down......I catch way more smallies and spots on this style of jig than any others I throw......and for that matter, largemouths like it just as well.  

Football jigs (unpainted) are hard for me to find, and pretty expensive.

Any suggestions where I can purchase them at a reasonable cost? Are they that much more difficult to pour?

Thanks,

Rick

i like to just drag it through the rocks and pop it up once and a while like a fleeing crawfish.

Football jigs (unpainted) are hard for me to find, and pretty expensive.

Any suggestions where I can purchase them at a reasonable cost? Are they that much more difficult to pour?

Thanks,

Rick

This is the only place I have been able to locate unpainted football heads with a wide gap hook.

http://www.barlowstackle.com/

  Thanks guys for the info. i will keep trying. i know it is a big fish bait and a lot of my friends swear by it. I guess i got to just keep at it. I just need to hit a day when the fish are really on a jig bite.

  I have tried cutting my jig a little and I think I will stick with that. There is some huge spots in this reservoir but it might increase my chances of getting bit. Good idea.

 

  I think I am going to wait until summer time and I am going to bring 3 rods and everyone of them will have a jig on it. I will just fish that jig all day until I get bit.  

If you are around fish they will bite it.

Just pick a bunch of high percentage spots and make a milk run.

Throw a 3/4 oz and just drag it slowly down the ledge (say from 8ft down to 20).

Pick channel bends, corners, and /or deep edges with cover on them (stumps or rock piles).

Also, make sure and use a heavy action rod. You really have to hit em hard on a deep jig, or when she jumps, she'll spit it at you.

Sometimes the deep fish can be color selective, so rig up one black n blue and one green / brown, and mix up the colors.

Also, I've found that trailers can make a difference. My two favorite football trailers are a Zoom Speed Craw and a 4" Twin Tail trailer. I've also caught some on a sweet beaver trailer, but 70% of the time, I throw the Speed Craw.

When I first started using jigs, I only fished a football jig.

3/8oz - 3/4oz football jig / uncle joshes pork trailer has produced time and time again.

Easy there brokejew, you're about to hit 1,000 posts!

As for trailers, I like the Power Bait chunks and also the Chigger Craws. I think the Power Bait scent attracts more bites plus makes 'em hold it just a little longer.....and ANY longer on a jig bite makes a big difference.

i make one with a light wire gammy and use paca craw all you got to do is lean back start winding and it barries the hook

Football jigs (unpainted) are hard for me to find, and pretty expensive.

Any suggestions where I can purchase them at a reasonable cost? Are they that much more difficult to pour?

Thanks,

Rick

They aren't hard to pour at all.