SEALING THE DEAL
Here’s a roundup of finishing points that can elevate your winter jig game.
Trailer Tamer: FLW Tour pro Terry Bolton likes the Zoom Big Salty Chunk for his winter jigs; but he knows that if the hefty trailer rides up the hook shank, it might turn outward, cover the hook point and impede hook ups. Bolton prevents this by biting an inch off a discarded plastic worm and impaling it on his jig’s hook shank. This prevents his trailer from riding up and thereby eliminates the risk of fouling his hook.
Spread Out: When the bite is tough, Elite pro Casey Ashley often turns to a mop jig or a natural hair jig. The benefit, he said, is a tantalizing display with nearly no angler- imparted motion.
Smell That?: Anything that helps winter bass find your bait and hold on longer is helpful. Smearing scented pastes or gels adds that extra appeal, while scented dyes (orange for winter) double the benefit with a visual enhancement.
Patience Pays: Elite pro Brett Hite offers this tip for winter presentations: “This time of year, you’re going to want a silent entry because fish are more skittish. You’re not going to have 20 bites a day; you’re only going for 6-8 bites. But you’re going to have the opportunity for quality. “Also, let the jig soak in that piece of cover for a while. Let the fish go over there and find it. Don’ just flip it in there, let it go to the bottom and reel it up — fish slowly. Fish are cold and they’re not going to move over there really quickly and aggressively bite right away, so you want to give them a slower presentation.”
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one go. Answer — cut it into quarters and feed ‘ em a little at a time.
WHAT’S ON THE WAIST?
Now, whether or not you step down in jig size, you can whittle away at the overall profile by removing a few skirt strands or trimming the length. Finesse jigs are often pre-trimmed, but even full-size flipping jigs can benefit from skirt reduction. Remember, more mass equals more water drag, so a full skirt falls more slowly than a shorter, trimmed skirt.
Elite pro Jason Christie starts by holding his jig vertically and pinching the skirt between his index and middle finger (similar to a barber trimming your hair) and snips the strands just about even with the hook bend. This reduces the profile and frees up even a subtle trailer for more visual appeal.
“ If I stop there, that doesn ’ t look very good, so the next thing I do is trim the sides of that skirt
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