By Bob Jensen
When a person goes fishing, there are several decisions that need to be made. Where to go, when to go, who to go with, those thoughts all enter the picture. Then when we arrive at the body of water that we’ll be fishing, there’s more decisions. Should we chase bass, walleyes, panfish, or something else? What bait or lure should we start with? Some baits are better for particular species, but when it comes to just catching fish, it doesn’t matter what kind of fish, you can bet than a good number of anglers will have a jig of some sort on the end of their line.
In my early days of fishing I used a lot of marabou and hair jigs that my dad made. I caught many, many fish of various species on them. As I got more into fishing, I experimented with other styles of baits and drifted away from jigs. At some point, I learned that drifting away from jigs was a bad idea. I didn’t drift back to jigs, I ran back to them at full throttle.
A jig in some form is an outstanding bait choice for a wide variety of fish and for anglers of all skill levels. But there are a lot of different forms of jigs. Some jigs were designed for bass, some are better for walleyes or panfish.
Some anglers believe that jigs are best when a slower presentation is desired. And it’s true, jigs are very effective when tipped with live bait and crawled across the bottom in search of a hungry fish. But they’re also outstanding when tipped with an action-tail plastic and hopped quickly across the bottom or worked with a steady retrieve similar to how one would work a crankbait. You can cover water quickly and appeal to a wide variety of fish.
So, when it comes to using a jig to catch fish, here is how many very successful anglers go about it. For largemouth bass, you can’t beat a weedless, rubber legged jig like a Hack Attack tipped with a plastic trailer. A Rage Craw in many situations will be an outstanding choice for a trailer. There are personal and regional favorites when it comes to color combinations, but a Hack Attack/Rage Craw will catch largemouth bass wherever they live.
Now for walleyes. If you want to use live bait, go with a jig with a short shanked hook. That’s a walleye catchin’ combination. However, more and more, walleye catchers are using plastic baits. If you’re using plastic, go with a long-shanked hook and thread on a Rage Swimmer.
When crappies are the goal, there are lots of choices. Start with a jig tipped with a Mr. Crappie Tube. Usually a jig/plastic will get a crappie to bite, but if not, tie on a Shoo Shiner Jig and tip it with a small minnow. If there is a crappie or other panfish in the area, it will eat this offering.
When we’re just looking to get bit, a jig with a long shanked hook and a Rage Tail Grub is as good as it gets. This is the set-up that can be fished similar to a crankbait. Cast it out, let it sink a bit, then start reeling. Start with a straight retrieve and experiment with different retrieves until the fish show you what they want. When they reveal their preference, repeat that retrieve and you will quickly see why so many anglers, when they’re just looking to get bit, will tie on a jig and plastic.
Photo Caption—When it comes to catching fish, it’s hard to beat a jig of some sort. This bass ate a Hack Attack Jig.
