Which is more productive, conventional or plastic jigs?

[jigtosser]

You are absolutely correct. It all runs in cycles. I was in the bait shop yesterday and the owner was wondering what to do with all the remaining tied jigs as they do not sell and he is trying to get rid of them below cost and they are still not moving. It is all plastics and it seems like there is a never ending new one coming out daily.

[skiptomylu]

There is just so much more you can do with hair, like rabbit and feathers that can never be done with soft plastics. I had a guy call me last year and needed some of his favorite jigs. I had never tied any like he wanted and never seen any like he wanted, but he claims that he catches the big ones in Miss on these jigs. I tied him a bundle of 1/16 & 1/8 that all had #6 regular bend hooks and he wanted black chenille (I used Nylon) and then he wanted a black hackle palmered from the bend of the hook all the way to the head with lots of hackle and all with no tail at all.

I did send some to a few other customers to try and every one of them were very happy with that jig.

You just can't do this with soft plastic, but you can do the same thing with rabbit and I did, here is one, but I couldn't resist putting a few barbules of Amherst Pheasant for a tail, LOL! Here is a pic if you want to look.
http://thumpitjigs.com/images/DSC04776.JPG

Skip
PS there is just so many things that you can do with hair and feathers that no soft plastic can do. This is not to say soft plastics don't have their place and work very well at times, but you sure can forget water temps under 50?

[snake River]

I am still with you on this one skip. There are things you definitely cannot do with plastics that you can do with hair and feather though I make a lot of plastic baits but I prefer to fish with my hand tied jigs. Most the time. One reason and one reason only is that I've caught more fish on them. And I do not put my faith in plastics awful lot though I've caught a ton of fish on plastics I still lean towards my hand tied jigs and you probably know as well as I do skip that the action that we get out of some of these materials that we hentai far out do any plastic baits in that is speaking of experience over 40 some years that I've been in tying jigs. I still stand behind my hand tied jigs, bar none.

[jigtosser]

Skip isn't that a wooly booger on a jig? Did you bullet proof the hackle?

[jusanothajoe]

Snakes jelly jigs best of BOTH worlds

[jigtosser]

I agree 100%

[skiptomylu]

Skip isn't that a wooly booger on a jig? Did you bullet proof the hackle?

Well not really, it's just rabbit wrapped around the hook and no chenille. Oh and no feathers at all except the tail.

Skip

[shipahoy41]

It is what you have the most confidence in. There is something to say for both types of jigs. Hair feathers and chenille hold scent longer than plastic alone. Weather will sometimes dictate how much action you get with plastics too. On the other hand there are some pretty good imitations of bugs and minnows in plastic.

My current "Go to" bait is a combination of soft plastic for the natural feel and a contrasting marabou tail for attracting qualities. This way I have the best of both worlds. Again it is what you have confidence in and what the fish are wanting that day. I am always fishing a double rig to give the fish choices in depth, color, lure, and size until they tell me something based on water clarity and weather conditions.

[skeetbum]

First of all, it's First Out Race Day for the Ford guys. Lately I've been vertical jigging with 2 rods and trying many different approaches. I sometimes use a plastic on one and a feather on the other. Same jigs, different days produce differently. Sometimes plastics on top, others not. I have 3 boxes of plastics, and 2 boxes of hand tied, one of those is hard to keep full cuz everyone wants to buy straight from my box. Maybe I need a bigger box. Point is that narrowing yourself to one style might also narrow your catch. You've already heard this a bunch, but let the fish tell you what the buffet needs to have on it. If you know where some fish are on a given day to start out, you can drop a few different colors and styles and find out pretty quick what the day will probably be like.

[njones]

I've tried using soft plastics but it always seems like I end up using a hand tied jig. I think there is something to say about the "Natural" Feel of fur,feathers, and hair in a fish's mouth. Plus I feel I get more for my money when Tying my own jigs VS pouring or buying Plastics.