American outdoorsmen and women have become very specialized in how they fish. Some anglers fish primarily for bass, while others are addicted to walleye, panfish or another species. In our busy world, there just isn't enough time to pursue every species or for that matter to become skilled at catching them. It makes the most sense to be good at something you enjoy and that has lead anglers to become more specialized than ever in how they fish.
All anglers may not target the same species, but what these fishermen do have in common is the need for specialized lures. Special purpose lures are a great way to catch more of just about any species.
Of all the special purpose baits available, jigs are produced in the widest assortment. Designed to target a range of species and also to fish efficiently among different environments, putting special purpose jigs to use is a great way to take jig fishing to the next level.
WEEDLESS FLIPPIN' JIGS
Designed to penetrate dense weeds or wood cover, weedless style flippin' jigs are heavy, compact and they feature a 60 degree hook that allows the eye tie to come out the nose of the lure. The 60 degree hook is an important feature that allows the jig to pull through dense cover with amazingly few hang-ups. Weedless flippin' jigs also feature a stout hook with an extra wide gap and of course a weed guard that allows the jig to be fished among a jungle of potential snags.
Most flippin' jigs come dressed in a living rubber skirt. A flippin' jig is also best when tipped with a soft plastic trailer bait or a natural pork frog. The addition of the plastic or pork trailer helps to bulk up the jig and make it more visible to fish, increases action, slows down the sink time and provides an opportunity to add scent to the presentation.
Fishing a flippin' jig isn't finesse fishing. Stiff rods and heavy line are the best ways to present these jigs in dense cover. Deadly on largemouth bass, a flippin' jig can also be a great way to catch weed bound northern pike, musky and even walleye.
TEXAS RIG JIGS
The trick of Texas rigging a plastic bait to make it more weedless has been taken to the next step. A number of jigs now feature a lead head molded onto a wide gap style hook that allows a variety of soft plastic baits to be Texas rigged for fishing among weeds, wood and other cover.
Easier to rig and fish than a traditional Texas rig, these special purpose jigs come in sizes and hook types suitable for crappie all the way to trophy class musky. Some of the plastic baits that end up on these jigs include curl-tails, shad-tail grubs, soft plastic jerkbaits, worms, centipedes, lizards and just about any other soft plastic lure you can think of.
These jigs use different means of keeping the soft plastic baits in place on the hook shank. Some use a lead collar molded onto the jighead to secure the plastic lure. Another popular method is a spring molded into the leadhead that requires the plastic to be twisted into place. Yet another way to secure the plastic is to use a keeper that's pushed into the nose of the plastic. Each of these methods works well to keep the plastic lure positioned properly on the hook.
LIVE BAIT CASTING JIGS
The soft plastics used by anglers these days almost rival the real McCoy. Almost. There are still times that casting a jig tipped with live bait is the best way to tempt crappie, walleye, pike and even bass into biting. Live bait can be used on just about any jig design, but jigs that have special features incorporated to make them more efficient for casting applications make fishing live bait an even more rewarding experience.
One of the most important features in a jig designed for casting with live bait involves the hook gap. A slightly larger hook gap is essential when casting to insure that fish are hooked securely. Ordinary jigs with modest hooks tend to miss many of the fish that strike.
The second feature critical to a casting jig is having a 60 degree hook with the eye tie coming out the nose of the jig. This eye tie configuration helps to reduce weeds or other debris from getting caught on the line and fowling the jig. Also, this style of jig swims in the water better, making for a more natural presentation.
A few of these unique live bait casting jigs also feature standup heads that keep the business end of the hook upright where it can do the most good. Collectively these jigs are among the most useful for casting all kinds of live baits.
JIGS WITH SOUND
Sound is an important part of attracting fish. Various means have been tried over the years to add sound to jigs. Probably the most useful technique is to add a sound chamber made of glass or brass to the jig. Most of these mini sound chambers feature a couple steel pellets inside that click or rattle when the jig is moved. These sound chambers are molded into some jigs and added to others by means of a soft rubber bracket. Either way, a little sound goes a long way towards improving jigging presentations.
One of the nice things about after market sound chambers is they can be added to just about any special purpose jig design. Sound can improve any jigging presentation, but these trick is double important when fishing in deep water or off color water conditions.
FLASH POINTS
Flash is something that all fish respond to. A minnow darting away from another fish creates a subtle but important flash in the water that naturally attracts other fish. Jigs benefit from flash in several ways. Because jigs are normally fished slowly, they don't do a good job of covering lots of water. Flash helps jigs attract fish from greater distances.
Props that rotate on the hook shaft and small blades that spin on a swivel are the two most common ways of adding flash to a jig. Both of these methods work well. The important thing to remember is the jig has to be moving to benefit from the flash these blades produce. When using this style of special purpose jig, be sure to select a size that's slightly heavier than normal. The extra weight allows the jig to be kept in contact with bottom while moving and keeping the blade doing their stuff.
SUMMING IT UP
These categories of special purpose jigs are just the tip of the cane pole. The design and application of special purpose jigs are limited only by the innovative spirit of anglers and the manufacturers who produce them. One thing is for sure; no matter which style of special purpose jig you use, someone somewhere is working on making it even better.
American outdoorsmen and women have become very specialized in how they fish. Some anglers fish primarily for bass, while others are addicted to walleye, panfish or another species. In our busy world, there just isn't enough time to pursue every species or for that matter to become skilled at catching them. It makes the most sense to be good at something you enjoy and that has lead anglers to become more specialized than ever in how they fish.
The trick of Texas rigging a plastic bait to make it more weedless has been taken to the next step. A number of jigs now feature a lead head molded onto a wide gap style hook that allows a variety of soft plastic baits to be Texas rigged for fishing among weeds, wood and other cover.
Flash is something that all fish respond to. A minnow darting away from another fish creates a subtle but important flash in the water that naturally attracts other fish. Jigs benefit from flash in several ways. Because jigs are normally fished slowly, they don't do a good job of covering lots of water. Flash helps jigs attract fish from greater distances.
