Selecting Jigs and Trailers: By Jay Stiklickas

Selecting Jigs and Trailers: By Jay Stiklickas - 2012
With such a wide variety of jigs and trailers to choose from
maybe this article will help take some of the mystery out of
your lure decisions and get you on the water catching fish.
I can tell you from personal experience that it will take
some testing with a variety of jigs, trailers, colors, sizes,
and manufacturers to find a combination that you will feel
comfortable and confident using. Let me help narrow
down your selection. To get started in the right direction,
begin using both large and small zoom chunks. The super
chunk and super chunk juniors are a smart choice at $3.00
a pack. Try the black, green pumpkin, and black/blue colors. Occasionally I use a different color trailer on the jig.
Ex: a black and blue jig with a pumpkin trailer.
If you feel adventurous try Uncle Josh’s pork chunks,
which last a lot longer then other brands because there
is very little wear
and tear on the
Jay Stiklickas: Long Island Bassmasters
2010 and 2011 Angler of the Year
pork. Talk to any
jig fisherman and
they will probably tell you that pork is the way to go. Always
remember that pork chunk must remain moist. You can hang
the pork off the side of the boat in the water or put your stash
in a chunk pouch, which will keep your supply moist. When
you’re done for the day take the remainder of your pork chunk
supply and place in its original container for your next fishing
trip. Soft plastic trailers and pork have worked well for me.
Now let’s find a rig
that will work for you.
I have used a local manufacturer of these jigs. Most of my
fellow anglers know that I use Jim’s Jigs*. I find them to be
a useful tool for angling bass. I have used many other jigs as
well. I also use MTO jigs* which have a special purpose for
me. I use the buck and rubber jigs. With the buck on the jig
I can get a slower rate of decent for a different presentation
with the weights I like to use.
Jigs come in different style heads. You have football, Arkie, bullet, round, oval, stand up and other
styles as well. You have the eyes that sit at 90, 60, and 30 degrees. How do you choose? I like the
90-degree heads for dragging and popping along the bottom. I’ll use the 60-degree eye to swim
through weeded cover and the 30-degree eye to punch through weeds. You will have to try these
types and styles to fit with the cover and waters that you fish.
Try a jig with a 60-degree eye and a quarter pound
weight, black and blue skirt with a black and blue
zoom super chunk trailer. This will be a very versatile
set up that will put good size bass into your live well.
I recommend that you use a quality baitcasting reel
and jig rod. I use a Shimano Crucial rod paired with
a Shimano Curado reel.
Tie on your jig using a polymer knot. Vary your retrieve by popping the bait off the floor with a couple
of seconds worth of dead sticking. Keep your line
taught and watch for any unnatural movement of the
line when the bait is sinking or sitting on the bottom.
You can vary how long to wait before you pop it again.
On slow days you’ll want longer times between pops.
Small pops though. Raise your tip from a ten o’clock
to an eleven o’clock position with a twitch or lift your
rod tip slowly without a twitch to drag the jig along
the bottom. Depending upon the presentation the
bass want you will find it usually works for that day.
You may want to try twitching, dragging or even
swimming it in. You can also use all these methods in
one retrieve. The fish will let you know what they like.
Jigs catch BIG bass. If you master this technique
there will be no stopping you. You can even earn the
title of Lunker Man.
Football Head
Bullet Head
Stand Up Head
Round Head
• Jim’s Jigs- (ny4bass@yahoo.com)
• Bill Alexander - Made To Order lures (billysmtolures.com)
© Jay Stiklickas 2012 • All Rights Reserved