Jigs vs. Spider jigs

[Lance]

I was wondering what you guys thought about the differences between Spider Jigs and Jigs. When and where does one of these jig styles have an advantage over the other or is it even necessary to have both of them. I've heard that Spider jigs are a cheap mans version of the regular jig but clearly both have a specific function, what are they. I would appreciate any input on this matter.

L

[Kelly Ripa]

Well Lance,

Nine replies on the northern side Vs. Zero from Socal.....368 hits/130...... I personally tended to agree with all of Cooch's statements however with this side note "We" don't even qualify for pathetic when it comes to helping our fellow anglers out guys.

[ash]

I will piggy back Cooch's sentiments from the NorCal Board. I typically have both tied on when fishing a resivior. I use the Hula Jig as a search and destroy or when I am fishing steep dropoffs and ledges. I will also throw a Jig N Pig in the same areas, the better fish usually eat the jig N pig but large bass will eat that Hula too.

I find the hula to be more cost effective when working through snaggy nasty areas I also have a tendancy to work the Hula faster then a jig N pig.

To me the Jig N pig as a structure bait is slower and more methodical.

They do not take the place of each other as I believe they are complimentary in nature from Clear Lake to El Salto they both will take home monster fish!

[mark poulson]

Kelly,
Some of us don't know enough about stuff to chip in.
I use the spider jig with either a football or standup head a lot, because of the rocks at the lakes I fish. I usually use regular skirted jigs with trailers when I'm fishing brush and wood. Shallow.
I think I have less snags, and lose less rigs, with the lighter football and standup heads. I throw the Ika a lot, because it's a much less snaggy finesse jig, and I hate losing jigs. But that could be because I'm not a good jig fisherman. I watched Ray L. wack them on a jig at Castaic, where I couldn't get bit on a jig. So I don't think I can be a good person to give advice on the differences.

[Ray L.]

Well I called Lance last night. I am not going to be giving to many tips or going on this forum to often anymore after what I have seen in the last month or so.There is some very hatefull things that I have heard about and also read and I am not real proud to say I go on this board.

[DanWarme]

Being an old fart now (apparently), when you say spider jig, I think of the version invented by Bobby Garland in the first place.

A 2 piece jig, skirt + twin tailer trailer. A far smaller, sparser jig than the Hula grub or the Yamamoto jig with the bulkier skirt. Only place you can still get them is Canyon plastics and last I heard they were gonna drop them. Gonna have to close out the stock I have and then hoard my personal stash like a miser.

To me the original spider jig is probably the best clear water jig you can throw. The reason being the sparseness of the skirt. There are far fewer legs on the jig and I feel it is more crawdad like as far as the legs go than the bulkier varieties. It doen't overpower the fish in clear water.

With the original spider, I like to Swim it, crawl it, and will pitch it.

The bigger Yamamoto Style, I like when they seem to want more action or a bulkier bait. Love playin' "football" up against the steep walls. Have a technique I call "deep Pitchin" that I love to do under those situations. Also like hoppin and swimming it down 45 degree banks, covering water in the summer. Will also crawl it on the bottom, particularly in the winter.

For the Jig & Pig, this is bass fishing 101. Flip it, pitch it, swim it, crawl it, hop it, jig it, skip it, soak it. Its all good. Clear to muddy water and everywhere in between. Summer it gets a little hard to keep the pork wet and soft, but still good. Generally with the Jig & Pig you can work it slower, the curl tail baits, the fish seem to lose interest when they stop. I usually go curl tail when the fish want a faster bait.

These are my general views, your mileage may differ. Only real rule is change up till you find what the fish want.

[Ron C]

...is EXACTLY what I was talking about. Great info from a veteran angler. Yes, Dan, you are an old fart (too). Man, you sure can tell us Iovino trained guys, that's for sure!

Lance - Info like that is hard to come by and priceless. What Dan just gave you is GOLD!

I sure would like to hear more from Dennis T., Jim W., Stan and Ken V., Jay P., Jerry B., Bob Apger, and some of the other old farts. These are some of those guys who have forgotten more about bass fishing than most of us will ever know!

[DanWarme]

Thanks Ron.
(I think)

Hey you left yourself out of that old fart status!
You got some gold nuggets yourself!

[Ron C]

...long in the tooth. Har Har!

[Rob Cummings]

Well this isn't exactly a comparison, but something I've been doing with jigs recently with some pretty decent results. As jig fishing goes, I don't get a lot of bites but the quality has been great. It's a little thing I wrote up for my partner to put on his website. I call it my "4x4 Jig" technique, here's a link to it: http://www.daves-california-big-bass.co ... m#98303637

It may be a little unorthodox, off the wall (literally) or against the grain...but I don't care since it works for me. It also lets me fish a jig while covering a lot more water.

[DougH]

Here's another way to think about it.

Imagine you're a big fat ole goober bubba sitting at your favorite watering hole. (not to hard for me to imagine) You know that momma has a big a$$ steak a fryin away in the pan at home. You don't order a steak cuz yer not real hungry yet, but if ya see a peanut bowl next to your beer, ya go ahead and munch a peanut or two wif yer road soda.

Skinny bear = peanut. mmmmyumyum

Pig and Jig = Steak

[Lance]

LOL Now thats something I can understand

Doug get you behind to Casitas this weekend 26th!

[Lance]

I want to thank everyone for replying to this thread, it has help clear some of the fog that's in my head. But honestly, thanks you guys, it means alot.

Lance

[vinnybass]

[quote= Only place you can still get them is Canyon plastics and last I heard they were gonna drop them. Gonna have to close out the stock I have and then hoard my personal stash like a miser.[/quote]

FWIW, Canyon Plastics isn't planning on dropping the spider jig. But don't let that stop you from stocking up.

[DanWarme]

Then I stand corrected. Haven't talked to Garry Garland in awhile but the last time we chatted he said they were phasing them out. Glad to hear he changed his mind.

Bobby's Spider jig got copied a hell of a lot, almost as bad as his gitzit, but Garry still makes it the original way and I really think it's tough to beat. Best clearwater jig you can throw. IMO. Other advantage is mixing the colors, tails one color, skirt another. Can't do that with a one piece unless youu do some cutting and modifications.

[Dave Wilson]

Good question: here's my input. I love fishing jigs, at Cachuma I fish downhill on cobblestones and cliffs with a light jig, and parallel with 1/2oz. jigs. I use light line for a jig tosser, and never use a weedguard.(easy to set hook). My jigs all are custom made with light bronze hooks, so I can sometimes bend the hook when snagged. At Casitas I fish uphill. I use Hula grubs too, but always fish them texas rigged. Yamamoto has bags of the hula part, so you can mix and match colors if you like. I have fished grubs carolina also, and am going to try downshottin' them too. A hula grub texas style is easier to catch fish on then a jig most days- I think it's less of a commitment on the bass' part.
I usually fish jigs during low pressure when fish are more aggro.
Good luck, and have fun!(also don't use any of these ideas if fishing a tournament I enter. )
PS I basically suck, so my advice may be useless.

[buddy brown]

Spider Jigs:


I like the med hvy or med action rod and lighter line (8-10lb) for keeping a 1/4 oz yamamoto hula grub/football jig head on the bottom while working it in the same places I would throw deep cranks. I keep the grub moving (mostly downhill) while maintaining contact with rocks. These little obstructions pause the bait momentarily causing it to dart after being freed like a crankbait. The lighter action tips of the rods allow the bait to be paused more frequently and by smaller pebbly sh-t. little or no wind slower than with wind and current. Bites tend to be pressure bites, sweep set to the side.

jigs

heavy rod hvy line. A lot more deliberate. I'm not trying to cover as much water, more of a drop bait on isolated cover or drag over underwater structure points rockpiles. pausing a lot more and for longer intervals, bigger rocks.

I don't no jack though. This is just the way i approach these two baits. I saw some crackhead rig the hulagrub backward and he stuck a toad. So I guess it all depends. I got an aquarium and put a local crawdad in there. I don't know if it has helped but its cool to look at.To get better try to fish with people that will smoke you day in and day out, continue to gather info/experience from yourself and others adn trust your intuition. As a classically trained musician, I remember my teacher saying something along the lines of " Grasshopper(jk), everytime you approach your instrument, you improve or you get worse, it never stays the same".

[vinnybass]

Just to clear up what I posted earlier: I talked to Bob Brown (He & JL Pennington bought Canyon Plastics) & he told me Garry had discontinued them for a while but since Bob & JL took over those jigs are in regular production in 13 colors. Some of you who aren't Las Vegas locals may not know me, but I've been fielding questions & handling promos for Canyon on BassBoatCentral & would be happy to answer any questions here if I'm able.

[Rob Cummings]

Here ya go Lance, I just wrote this in another jig post but I wanted to be sure you saw it.

There is one other thing that I forgot about, but tagged a lot of real good fish on it at Casitas over the summer. Just remember as I've been told countless times, "you can't catch jig fish on Casitas".

I used the Mann's Stone Jig (tacklewarehouse) in the Mike's Special color, 1/2 & 3/8 oz. I think that's the name of the color, it's blue/white/silver with a couple strands of brown in it. For a trailer I used the Sizmic Floating Pop'n Toad in the Southern Toad color, sliver and white. Bite the head off the frog and rig it silver side up. When you swim the jig, those little toad legs are kickin it like a 4 legged ninja in a karate tournament! The combination of the 3/8 jig and floatin toad trailer were great for swimming around tulles and chunk rock where the fish were on shad and I couldn't get them to eat anything else.

That also made for a deadly 1-2 punch with my partner and I. He was up front with a topwater bait and I cleaned up behind him swimmin that jig. There were quite a few fish that blew up on a topwater bait, but didn't get hooks and I plopped that Stone Jig in the same spot and got smashed by the fish.