A bass fishing jig is a versatile lure designed to mimic the movement of prey, making it an excellent choice for enticing bass, especially those elusive bass in ponds and small lakes. Whether you’re a novice angler or a seasoned pro, a strong jig game will help make your next fishing adventure a success.
SUMMARY: Master the nuances of bass fishing jig setups for ponds and small lakes. Choose your jig style based on how you fish; a football jig or swim jig will meet most needs. And opt for a universal color such as black and blue, green pumpkin, or brown. Adapt your approach based on seasons and time of day, and fine-tune your jigging technique of choice for maximum success.
Bass professionals suggest a jig as a viable option in even the thickest cover, like lily pads and downed trees, prioritizing hooking the bass before worrying about how to land it. This aggressive approach can lead to some lost jigs, but that could be worth the trouble if you’re hauling in bass. In relatively shallow ponds and lakes, the bass fishing jig is a go-to, especially in late spring and summer when lots of vegetation is present.
Understanding the Bass Fishing Jig
The bass fishing jig has a lead head with an eyelet for line attachment, along with a skirt made of silicone or rubber strands to simulate the movement of baitfish or crawfish. Many have a weed guard that consists of sturdy bristles running interference for the tip of your hook. An optional trailer, typically a soft plastic or rubber bait like a Strike King Rage Craw, can add realism and increase your chances of a strike. You’ll also find jigs with rattles (the Strike King Pro-Model, for example), which serve as an added attention grabber.
The jig works by imitating the natural motion of prey as it sinks in a fluttering manner, and its design allows it to penetrate through vegetation and reach bass in their hiding spots. The lifelike skirt and trailer create a tempting profile, triggering the predatory instincts of bass. And as a bonus, jigs are usually heavier than most common bass lures, allowing for longer casts that cover more water.
Choosing a Jig
If there’s a knock against the jig, it’s that there are just so many darn jigs on the market. A fisherman could drive himself crazy picking one, or drive himself broke trying to have the complete set. There are different heads (football, ball, etc.) and tons of different sizes and colors. Some of these variations have names, which might help you navigate the confusion, or possibly add to the confusion. For the record:
- Football jig: A wide football-shaped head is good for maintaining contact on the bottom, with the added benefit of fewer snags on rocks, stumps, and other underwater items, unlike pointed heads that can get jammed in crevasses in rocks and whatnot.
- Finesse jig: The football jig’s little brother, this one has a ball head. And like its brother, it’s designed to drag along the bottom, but with a little more finesse
- Casting jig: Often called an all-purpose or Arkie jig, with a lighter head that is not quite as wide as the football head.
- Swim jig: The pointed, bullet-like head is designed to travel through cover well, both weeds and wood. If you’re dealing with thick cover, this is your choice.
Easy as 1-2-3
As always, I like to keep it simple. And the experts agree that it can be as simple as 1-2-3:
- Head shape: You can get by on a single head shape, and the one that’s most universal is the football head. Though if you expect to do your jig fishing in heavy weeds, a bullet-shaped jig head will pick up fewer weeds and gunk. And if your primary technique will be swimming the jig, again the bullet shape will serve you better.
- Size: You only need two sizes (3/8 ounce and 1/2 ounce);
- Color: And you’ll do fine in most cases with just three colors (black and blue for stained or murky water; green pumpkin or brown for clear water).
You don’t have to rush out to get every combination. Just look at your current situation as far as season and conditions, and get that lure. You can add others later.
Swimming the Bass Fishing Jig
When to Use This Method: Ideal for the fall when lakes and ponds are covered with grass. When the fishing is tougher and/or the water is colder, the ball-head finesse jig could be a better choice than your standard football head.
Your Choice of Jig: A heavier jig is the play here as well because you’ll want your jig to contact the bottom often during a slow and steady retrieve. This is a good time to use a trailer, likely something with a swim-style crawfish or paddle-tail minnow profile.
Your Technique: Cast the thing as far as you can and let it fall to the bottom. Maintain a slow and steady horizontal retrieve back to the bank holding your rod roughly at the 5 o’clock position. No need for any fancy twitching or hopping; some experts say this added action may even cause bass to turn away. Remember: This is a time when the bullet-shaped head will serve you best, traveling through the water without collecting weeds and gunk from the bottom that can alter the lure’s performance.
Other Techniques When Jig Fishing for Bass
Bomb and Drag: Your football jig is the most common type of jig, and this technique is the most common way to fish it. And it’s effective all year round. Let’s throw in a caveat here: We talk a lot about pond fishing, and many ponds have soft bottoms and/or hydrilla, making for a mucky situation that ruins the allusion of dragging your jig. On the other hand, this is ideal for a rocky bottom. Having said that … this technique is exactly what it sounds like: Cast the thing as far as you can, let it settle on the (ideally non-mucky) bottom, and slowly drag it back to shore using side-sweeping motions, maintaining contact with the bottom at all times. Between sweeps, let the lure sit for a few seconds. The bite often will come during these resting times or immediately after the lure moves again.
Rip and Fall: This is an aggressive presentation that works better with a heavier jig (1/2 ounce if you’re following the guidelines above). Again, you’re casting as far as you can, letting the lure hit bottom, then “ripping” the lure from the bottom, having it jump somewhere between 3-8 feet before letting it fall back to the bottom. (Picture sweeping your rod from the 9 o’clock to the 12 o’clock position.)
Hopping: A little less aggressive than Rip and Fall, this technique favors gentle lifting and dropping of the jig to mimic the motion of injured prey.
For any of these techniques, a sweeping hookset is more appropriate and effective than the upright worm-style hookset. For best results, reel up the slack until you feel the weight of the bass then lean into the hookset.
Best Seasons, Time of Day, and Conditions
Understanding when and where to use bass fishing jigs is crucial for success. Spoiler alert: You can use them anytime, in super shallow water or water as deep as 40 feet; in thick weeds or in open water; and in any season. There are a number of ways the fish the jig, and that’s when seasons, time of day, and conditions come into play.
Seasons
- Spring: Bass are often in shallow waters during the spawning season, making jigs effective in enticing protective or hungry fish.
- Summer: When vegetation is abundant, a jig is a go-to option to target shallow bass that are tucked back in the grass and weeds.
- Fall: As temperatures drop, bass become more active, and jigs imitating crawfish or baitfish work well.
- Winter: When fishing colder water, slow down your retrieve to target bass near the pond’s bottom.
Bass are more active during low-light periods, such as early morning and late evening, increasing the chances of a successful jig presentation. Low light conditions due to cloud cover also make bass less wary, making it an ideal time to use jigs.
Conclusion
Armed with this knowledge, you’re ready to tackle bass fishing from the banks using jigs. Remember to adapt your approach based on the season, time of day, and prevailing conditions. Experiment with different colors and techniques until you find what works best for your local pond or small lake. Tight lines, and happy fishing!
Sources
- Football Jigs: 3 Simple Jig Tips To Help You Stick More Fish – shopkarls.com
- How to Select the Perfect Bass Fishing Jig – wired2fish.com
- Jigging For Largemouth Bass – onthewater.com
