Verticle Jigging: Hair Jigs vs. Plastic

[arrookie]

Quick question: Is choosing hair jigs/hand tied jigs vs. plastic jigs just a matter of fisherman preference ? Or do you guys that fish with both have a "reason" to fish one over the other ? Like, is there a particular time of year that crappie seem to prefer one over the other ? Or, is it just like choosing color combinations, where one day they want one color, the next day they want another. Curious to hear what you have to say on this one.

Thanks,
AR

[creekslick]

I like hand tied jigs but I may be prejudiced.

[bayoumonster]

I like hair jigs for cypress trees/stumps and such during the spawn, or vertical jigging while trolling in deep water. But, I prefer plastic in fast water such as below dams and such, when the fish are tightly grouped, hungry, and aggressive due to the lower cost of plastic. I also like a curly or split curly tail plastic for the action it gives for aggressive fish. Keep in mind, I'm probably the worst crappie fisherman on the forum, so my opinion is worth less than .02$
JBJ

[Crappie Greg]

I'd say that hair jigs do have a place and are preferred at times just as certain colors , but I like plastics most of the time, just my 2cents!


You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take country out of the boy

[arrookie]

I like hand tied jigs but I may be prejudiced.

Slick, prejudiced for what reason though ? That's what I'm trying to figure out ? Prejudiced because you tie your own ? Because you've fished the two side by side and one outperformed the other ? Because of the lake you fish ? What caused your prejudice-ness towards hand ties ?

I'm trying to justify increasing the size of my arsenal. I already carry 4 different jig-head colors (red, pink, orange, chart.) for plastics. I also carry each color in 3 different sizes (1/32, 1/16, 1/8). To compliment that, I carry probably 20+ plastic tube jig color combinations. So, with the head size/jig color options I have, I could easily have over 100+ options to offer on any given day. But, just like any other fisherman, I want to be successful, so I'm looking into hair jigs now !! Ha !!

Anytime you increase the size of your arsenal, you have to have some rules of thumb that help eliminate some of the baits to know which baits should be productive on that particular day/body of water/etc. A lot like eliminating dead water. You have the whole lake that you "could" fish... And on some days you may have to cover a big percentage of it to find fish... But, if you have a few good rules of thumb you can usually eliminate the vast majority of water to find the fish.

I'm trying to take the same approach to my tackle... I want to have access to the whole arsenal, but I wanna know how a particular piece (such as hand tied jigs) fits in, and when should be the most opportune time to use it !! Ha !!

Thanks for the reply !!

[ski trip]

Now that seems like a good analytical approach to me, rookie!

[creekslick]

Slick, prejudiced for what reason though ? That's what I'm trying to figure out ? Prejudiced because you tie your own ? Because you've fished the two side by side and one outperformed the other ? Because of the lake you fish ? What caused your prejudice-ness towards hand ties ?

I'm trying to justify increasing the size of my arsenal. I already carry 4 different jig-head colors (red, pink, orange, chart.) for plastics. I also carry each color in 3 different sizes (1/32, 1/16, 1/8). To compliment that, I carry probably 20+ plastic tube jig color combinations. So, with the head size/jig color options I have, I could easily have over 100+ options to offer on any given day. But, just like any other fisherman, I want to be successful, so I'm looking into hair jigs now !! Ha !!

Anytime you increase the size of your arsenal, you have to have some rules of thumb that help eliminate some of the baits to know which baits should be productive on that particular day/body of water/etc. A lot like eliminating dead water. You have the whole lake that you "could" fish... And on some days you may have to cover a big percentage of it to find fish... But, if you have a few good rules of thumb you can usually eliminate the vast majority of water to find the fish.

I'm trying to take the same approach to my tackle... I want to have access to the whole arsenal, but I wanna know how a particular piece (such as hand tied jigs) fits in, and when should be the most opportune time to use it !! Ha !!

Thanks for the reply !!

Prejudiced because I tie and sell them. All joke aside, I catch more on tied than I do with plastic but I use tied more than I do plastic. A lot of the time it's what you have confidence in that's make the difference.

[arrookie]

Now that seems like a good analytical approach to me, rookie!

Ski Trip, there's nothing like fishing, period. But, more so, there's nothing like fishing with the "wrong bait" when the guy fishing the same area has the "right bait" ..... Or vice versa...!! Ha !!

[jackie53]

Still learning myself!!!!!!What I have learned from these guys(crappie.com.pro's) when your in fish the quality hair jig will catch fish in cold water better and stays together better after a missed strke or fish.The plastic will slide down on jighead blocking hook.The good quality hand tied jig will last longer than plastic.Espically when you hit the honey hole brush pile!!!!With a good quality hook the hair jig will last until it hangs on a stump or a big hybrid striper or flathead catfish wants it more than you!!!!!! You can't have too many!!!!! Plastic you can change colors eaiser and faster!!!! hope this helps!!!!!

[Splitshot82]

Both! :D

Good points by all. I fish plastics a good bit because I can change colors quickly, but I always have some hand ties in the boats too. I'm beginning to believe more and more that lure size, presentation, and location are bigger factors than color though (especially in stained water). Subtle differences in bites can guide you to what works best that day. How many times have you overheard folks talking about similar success rates, but different methods, colors, etc.? Happens alot IMO. Sometimes it just boils down to your confidence in what you're using and being in the right spot at the right time.