Photos: Tyler Brinks
If you have been following the pro bass fishing trails, you may have noticed a recent resurgence in the use of hair jigs, especially in deep water on ledges in the south. For some of us, the hair jig never went away. As the water begins to cool in the fall, smallmouth bass in particular are suckers for a hair jig.
When, Where and How
My tournament partner Wes Henry turned me onto this technique several years ago. He uses it across several seasons and has had success with both largemouth and smallmouth bass. It works all year long, but the cold water periods of fall, winter and early spring are great times to be throwing the jig because of its’ unique action and finesse presentation. It also has a much better action in cold water than a rubber skirted jig because the silicon skirt material tends to clump and not move as much in very cold conditions.
When fishing these hair jigs, rock is the first thing to look for. They work around all cover and anywhere any other jig will work, but rocks and smallmouth go hand in hand.
One of the great things about hair jigs is you can fish them like any other jig. The difference lies in how the jig looks and how well it works in colder water temperatures. A standard retrieve, bounced along the bottom is an excellent choice and they also work well when swimming them just above the bottom.
Types of Hair
The three most common types of hair jigs are bucktail, marabou and synthetic. I use all three of them and have found they all have similar properties, but also act slightly different than each other. Here’s a quick rundown of the top three materials for hair jigs.
- Bucktail –Bucktail is very lifelike and creates a lifelike baitfish appearance. If you have ever used them you know they have a great action and work well in all water temperatures while being very durable.
- Maribou - This material is very popular for trout, steelhead and panfish jigs, but works great for bass. The marabou has a fluffy appearance and creates tons of action for your jigs.
- Synthetic - The synthetic craft hair that is used on many hair jigs acts most like marabou, but in my experience it is more durable.
Rod, Reel and Line
“The great thing about the jigs I like to use are they are 3/8oz and you don’t need any special rod or reel for them and can get away with the same baitcasting gear you use for the rest of your jigs,” says Henry. His jig of choice is the Punisher Hair Jig by Punisher Lures in a 3/8oz size. It is made of a craft hair material and the head was designed to keep it from getting hung up as much. Henry prefers the all black color and pairs it with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver, also in black, as his trailer.
When it comes to line, standard jigging gear with 12 to 15lb test fluorocarbon works well for these jigs. “The only time I use light line is when I downsize to the 1/4oz or smaller jigs and then use spinning tackle,” adds Henry.
As the water begins to cool each fall and again as it starts to warm in the spring, hair jigs are an excellent choice for smallmouth. The finesse presentation and excellent action in all water temperatures make them a great choice for any smallmouth angler.
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