I am 14 years old and got addicted to fishing couple of months ago. I mean i love it. I live in iowa so i don't have very many lakes near my house. Any way ive been fishining only a couple times after i got addicted. I tried many things and nothing seemed to work except using a worm on bobber. I dont like that kind of fishing. But i was at Wal-Mart acouple days ago and i bought some jigs and a crank bait. So on Aug. 9 i went to a party that had a private pond. i went fishing there. i tried some lures and crank baits first. Nothing. Then just to experement i tried these jigs. It never seemed to me that bass would take a jig. But they did! Five bass did.  ;D. I was amazed. Ok i'll tell you what i did and used. I used a berkly power bait or grub. i swan the jig about mig depth near structure. The grub was tan headed and white tailed. They have a stench that works. So if you have any jigging tips or addice feel free to write.

well i am 15 years old and just this year i became a fishing addict. a texas rigged plastic worm kills bass. use a 3/0 offset hook and use a long plastic worm, texas rig it, and fish it very slow. let it settle to the bottom, and give it a twich. let it sink again, and repeat. its hard to tell when a bass bites it by feeling it, so watch your line. this is one of the cheapest baits around, and is very affective when fished slow.

My advise is to keep getting out there and throwing that jig.  Learn different ways to fish it and and figure out what the bass want.   a jig is one of the best baits to build confidence in.  Read the seasonal articles on the bassresource homepage, too, for great tips.

When you fish a jig you want to have a slow very subtle movement. You can catch bass on a jig by swimming it but the most effective way is to just "jig it". I fish a jig by letting it sink all the way to the bottom and keeping the line tight but also slack enough to let the bait fall naturally. Once the bait hits the bottom I will let it set for about 10-20 seconds and then either drag it across the bottom or jump it. Then let it sit for another 10-20 seconds.

Bass are lazy and they want an esy meal. I have seen some of the largest bass ever caught on a jig. I would try a football head jig with a rage tail craw on as a trailer.

Good Luck!!

Welcome aboard!

Spend some time in th BassResource.com Library,

"Fishing Articles" at the top of the page. We have

extensive coverage of all techniques, including

fishing jigs. This will get you started:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1189609782

8-)

Maintain contact with your lure at all times, allow the lure to free-fall unrestricted, but without letting slack form in the line; follow your lures down with your rod tip.

Pay close attention to the depth you're fishing, any sudden change in the amount of line you're using could mean you've been bit. For instance, if you're fishing 10 feet of water and the lure suddenly stops at the 7 depth, it's possible a bass has taken the bait. If you're fishing 5 feet of water and 8 feet of line sinks, chances are good a bass is traveling with the bait. This is extremely true on the initial cast and no line movement maybe noticed.

Strikes will sometimes be so subtle with no line movement that they can go unnoticed if you feel is a spongy sensation, as if the line suddenly got heavy set the hook

Always remember bottom contact is critical!  

I'm 25 years old and I've been addicted to fishing for 22 years ;D.  What I've learned is that if it works, keep doing it until it doesn't work anymore.  Then find something else that does.

Those articles that RW talked about are a great place to start digging for more information.  Check those out.  Highly recommended.

When you fish a jig you want to have a slow very subtle movement. You can catch bass on a jig by swimming it but the most effective way is to just "jig it". I fish a jig by letting it sink all the way to the bottom and keeping the line tight but also slack enough to let the bait fall naturally. Once the bait hits the bottom I will let it set for about 10-20 seconds and then either drag it across the bottom or jump it. Then let it sit for another 10-20 seconds.

everything he said is good stuff  8-) x2

Bass are lazy and they want an esy meal. I have seen some of the largest bass ever caught on a jig. I would try a football head jig with a rage tail craw on as a trailer.

Good Luck!!

Hey I just started jig fishing, too, and they are awesome. The place I fished them was thick with weeds and I always got the hit after I ripped the jig out of some weeds. I don't think my jig ever made it to the bottom once that day, but we still caught a ton of fish.

The best way, and most common way to fish a jig is to cast, and let it sink to the bottom, and bonce it up and down always keeping a tight line. However, they do have specially made jigs used for swimming, it's made by strike king bait company, and designed by Kevin VanDam, he's a pro bass angler that has won tournaments  using the swimmin' jig. You can most likely pick them but a Wally World (Wal Mart).

But their is a a lure that is like a swimming jig, but better, it's called a spinner bait, it looks like a big, but it has a spinner on it! It's gives it flash and vibrations! you can get some smallish ones a Wally World, for a buck.  If you need a pic here's one:  

http://www.mikescustomlures.com/spinnerbaits.jpg

To pick a spinner bait you fist must look at the waters you most fish at, If the water is clear, than use a natural color and a small willow blade it will give of less flash, and vibration.

Willow blade: http://www.basscraftlures.com/WillowBladeColorsChartOrangePearlWhiteNickelGoldBl.JPG

It the water is murky than use a bright color, and a large willow blade, with a Colorado blade, such as this one: http://www.secretweaponlures.com/images/SB_Diagram.gif

Colorado blade: http://www.xtackle.com/index_files/image134361.jpg

All this info should start you off good, email me at g.snapper@yahoo.com if you need some more help.

However, they do have specially made jigs used for swimming, it's made by strike king bait company, and designed by Kevin VanDam, he's a pro bass angler that has won tournaments using the swimmin' jig.

Your right SnapperG and Kevin always uses Rage Tail Chunk or Craw as a trailer. I kinda like'em too

Big O

Then just to experement i tried these jigs.

If you could be more specific about just what jig you are using.  The answers are geared toward the typical rubber skirted w/brushguard jig that is a classic bass bait.  but from your post it could be a non skirted ball type jig.  I don't mean to sound picky but in time you will come to realize that there are dozens of jig designs out there.  Alot of the guys here often fish with jigs.  The advice will almost certainly be different depending on the particular jig you are using, and the conditions you fish.

Have you heard about the bait monkey?

Stick around, if you are truly addicted then he and you will become goooooooooooooooooood friends.

.

Have you heard about the bait monkey?

Stick around, if you are truly addicted then he and you will become goooooooooooooooooood friends.

the biggest X2 ever! jiggin is so much fun. stick with it

the hard part is detecting the strikes .... this takes a while to learn ... the best advice i can give you ,,, use your rod to fish the jig .... never fish a jig on a slack line or with your reel .... you have to learn how to control the jig with your rod ,, while keeping that line as tight as possiable ....this way you will feel all your strikes ...