I was wondering what is your favorite football jig and why. Though I have been a jig fisherman for a few years I have been slow to come around with the football style until this fall which has been a real eye opener. I was struggling at a local SW Michigan lake with water temps in the high 40's until I pulled off the skirts on the few football jigs that I had, put on a Watermelon color Yamamto Hula Grub, threw outside the main weedline in app. 12' of water and then caught eight 2-4 lbers in a little over an hour. I fished it super slow, I waited app 30 seconds after the cast and then would try to rock the bait for a few seconds, inched it along then repeated the rocking motion and then Wham! I learned why on that day that the pro's fish these so much. Unfortuneately, the 3/4 oz head got bit off by a Northern Pike, I believe it was the Bass Pro brand that had an EWG Gama hook with a flat spot on the head, when I tried a couple of others that were 1/2 oz. heads w/o the EWG my hook up ratio went down and it didn't seem to rock as well as the heavier jig (this was on a revisit to the same lake). I am now planning on buying several football jigs this winter. I obviously am going to fish unskirted jigs with the Hula Grub next year, but when fishing the Skirted versions what trailers do you like and list your favorite brand and why you favor the one that you use. Also, if you have used the Skinny Bear or Kietech brands what do you think of theirs since they have caught my eye as potential options. Thanks.

I mainly use handpours for this purpose. I've tried both the EWG and the regular hook gap. As for which one I prefer more, I haven't really been able to make that much of a difference. I really like the Mustad black nickel hooks. I fish mine all with skirts and use either rubber, silicone, or a combination. For trailers I use everything from whole brush hogs to rage craws and paca craws to sweet beavers and ugly otters. I pay more attention to my trailers most time than my skirts.

I have just recently gained a lot of confidence in this technique as well.  I tend to fish the Jewel Heavy Cover Finesse 1/2 oz jig.  In the warmer months and clear water I like a double tail grub with a small, thin profile like the Zoom Creapy Crawler or Berkley 3" Double Tail grub.  But this past weekend in Va I had a lot better luck with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. which has a less agressive action than the grubs and I think that was key in the cooler water.

Primus,try G-man's jigs. He can make them for you without the skirt as well.He's an awesome dude and he's got the only jigs i use for these Michigan waters.

They worked awesome last year for me...this year i had problems locating fish so not much worked for me this year.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments. I'll have to try a few of Gman's jigs next year, they look like they are well made.

Primus, for trailors, keep using your Hula Grubs.  The skirt from the grub adds more color to the skirt on the jig, and adds more bulk.