i have a question......i just recently started using jigs this fall, and i prefer the smaller ones 1/4 oz. i caught a few fish this fall, and wanna catch some more this spring on the jig. my question is what are your best all around spring (pre spawn, spawn, post spawn) jig techniques? the jig i like, the only one with any luck is a pumpkinseed bitsy bug with a strike king pork trailer which is bout the same color
thanks
patrick

Well,I don't know where you fish but i'll give you a few of my favorites and try not to let them blow your mind. I use huge jigs in comparison. I fish Cachuma and Lopez and in the fall I'm useing 1/4--3/8 oz "Skinny Bears" ,but the color schemes are very vanilla. Brown with a brown pork or green weinnie type plastic craw or a brown 3 inch power craw,or black and black pork,power craw etc. In the winter I use 1 oz black rattling football jigs with black and blue pork way out in 40-50 feet and pull them off the ledges and well, "speed makes them stupid." It allows me to reaction fish just like a spoon in the nastey weather and cold hands assosiated with winter. Prespawn I'm flipping with 40lb spiderwire with super glued knots a 5/8 oz double rattle back black with a 4 inch black blue craw power craw or black/blue uncle josh #11 or a brown with brown power craw or #11 brown pork or something almost brown/orangish in color . Spawn, What you discribed would be perfect, a more diminutive type of bait. I don't fish beds at least not on purpose "sight fish" but it would be a good bet. I like small jigs "Skinny Bears" for the post spawn as I think they match the hatch. Try fishing your jigs uphill when useing the smaller ones as it will appear more natural and you'll keeep contact better. Gotta go I at work and the boats hooked up for Chasing some fish around on Sunday. I'll post my results as always. Just my .02 however one thing I do know. I think we all have a bunch of jigs but they are not our go to baits until you get in a lot of practice. Try just taking jigs out a few times a year. Later!

On the subject of jigs, I just received the latest copy of In-Fisherman last night and there is an entire 2 part feature section devoted solely to jigs (Feb 2002).

If you're just getting into jigs, I would recommend reading this article as it goes into great detail as to this subject and different ideas on fishing them for bass.

Here's a link to the latest issue with the article I'm referring to:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/asp/p_current.asp?PubID=1&PageID=3

Vince
vince@theblankslate.com

What brand jigs do you guys use ?

Tight Lines ,Ryan Bearden

Rob's assalt jigs look pretty good. I basically just use the regular jigs with a round bend hook and possibly a rattle. Rob convinced me that the weird shaped hooks like on proline jigs do nothing but scrape the inside of the fish's mouth where as the roundbend hooks actually penetrate. I'd reccommend just going to the tackle store and finding some good looking jigs with roundbend hooks. Jigs are one of those things where it doesn't really matter what brand it is or how much it costs (like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.). A jig is more or less a jig.
-Brian

Rob where can I hook up on some a assalt jigs ?


Thanks ,Ryan

id like to know too

I was talking to Pete at Wilderness Outfitters in Arroyo Grande and he said that he will be getting in the Assault jigs this week. Give him a call (805)489-9417

Ryan and Patrick, like Ken says, Pete at Wilderness Outfitters in Arroyo Grande, CA should have some in soon. I believe Waltons Pond in San Leandro, CA also has them. If you would like to order direct, send me an email (so I can get your email address) and I will forward you the sizes/colors and ordering info.

-Rob

What technique were you using the other day with all those giant bass?
Dragging or hopping?

Nothing fancy. I was hopping the jig along but keeping it very close to the bottom as I moved it downhill. If you have ever seen a crawdad in the water scooting and then stopping that is kind of what I try to emulate. Move it about 6 inches to a foot but keep it close to the bottom as it movesm then pop it a little as it comes to rest to make the trailer pop up off the bottom. Sometimes they like that :-)

Yeah, they like the hop. That was the trigger I believe on my Cachuma fish on Sunday. Pop it over little rocks drag a little,then dead stick. The water is really cold 49 degrees is surface temp,imagine 5 feet deeper she's really cold.

I have been meaning to work on my jig fishing, the only bass I have caught have been short range flippin and pitchin and have hit on the fall or sitting still on the bottem. Its hard for me to put down a spinner or buzzbait.