Thread: Tipping the jig

Originally Posted by MacJig

I enjoy making my own jigs (especially marabou) for crappie. Question for my fellow anglers and jig enthusiasts, when you fish your marabou jigs do you ...

1. tip your jigs with live bait ... ?

For bluegill, yes. For crappie, no.

I tip with wax worms or meal worms for gills.

2. like using a bushy tail or do you prefer a tail less bulky? Less bulky. I've heard of some guys cutting off the tail entirely. If you're tipping, the fish are focused on the bait, not the tail.

3. use different presentations and if so which works best? always use slow swimming retrieve

4. use with a heavy or lighter jig head? 95% of my jig fishing is 1/32 oz or lighter.

5. use a variety of colors? a few basic colors

Thx Disco . I really appreciate the response. I am new to both jig tying and hair jig fishing. So responses are appreciated.

I tip all my flies and jigs with bait. I use black soldier fly larvae and super worms (big mealies). I also tip my bass, stripped bass flies with a thin strip of salted bluegill. Some people get mad when you tip an artificial with a bait. But those people don't pay my rent, buy my gas, or catch and cook my fish. I use flies more than jigs, but the principle is the same.

1. tip your jigs with live bait and if so what works best (minnows, worms, maggots, etc.)? Again superworms and black soldier fly larvae, basically maggots

2. like using a bushy tail or do you prefer a tail less bulky? I tie flies and all my streamers are sparsely tied.

3. use different presentations and if so which works best? All I do is drift fish. Sometimes it's in the swift current below the dam sometime it's further down stream with the wind. I use a Paternoster rig with two streamers tipped with bait almost all the time. The only difference is the size of the fly and the bait itself. The presentation is almost exactly the same.

4. use with a heavy or lighter jig head? I have some that I have made with a 1/64th ounce head and figure it would be good in shallow, weedy areas on the slow fall. Again I use a 2/3 ounce weight at the bottom of my Paternoster rig. The flies are weightless.

5. use a variety of colors? I match the hatch of what I fish, golden shiners, threadfin, gizzard shad or crawfish

6. ever use finger nail polish for jig heads and if so do you think it has any advantage/disadvantage to your fishing success? I have. I currently use super glue on ally my flies. Let them dry for a day, and it won't matter. If you're tying and fishing the same day, then don't use anything.

I used to use crappie nibbles...now I use Slab Sauce

Originally Posted by MacJig

I enjoy making my own jigs (especially marabou) for crappie. Question for my fellow anglers and jig enthusiasts, when you fish your marabou jigs do you ...

1. tip your jigs with live bait and if so what works best (minnows, worms, maggots, etc.)?

2. like using a bushy tail or do you prefer a tail less bulky?

3. use different presentations and if so which works best?

4. use with a heavy or lighter jig head? I have some that I have made with a 1/64th ounce head and figure it would be good in shallow, weedy areas on the slow fall.

5. use a variety of colors?

6. ever use finger nail polish for jig heads and if so do you think it has any advantage/disadvantage to your fishing success?

TY all !!!

For sacalait with a marabou jig I don’t tip the jig.

I like a marabou tail no more than half the head and body length. Flash another 1/4” longer.
Everyone ties different. Find what works best for you, but I will say I don’t like to cut anything of the end unless I’m on the water.

Long jig pole. Usually pitch 10-15’ of line an watch the line until it’s vertical. If I don’t see the line go limp or “tic”, I work it vertical over the structure using my line holding hand.

Use the weight you feel comfortable-with. There’s fallbacks to em all and advantages to em all.
If you’re pitching jigs anc catching fish on a falling pattern, we’ll shoot, the longer they fall the better chance ya have, right?
But then again, if you’re catching fish around one submerged tree top at a certain depth, wouldn’t you rather feel it with a slightly heavier presentation?

Ask guys where you fish about color and narrow it down to 5 shades.

Originally Posted by "G"

I used to use crappie nibbles...now I use Slab Sauce

Yes and when you’re not using jigs, Pico cranks do the job.


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