LMB & Crappie

[jiggin4bass]

Going up fishing tomorrow morning for LMB and Crappie I just tied these 1 /32 oz mini puffballs
We're going to crack them tomorrow no dought.

[jiggin4bass]

Mini puffballs

[JVGondal]

Fishing for guppies I see

[jiggin4bass]

Ive been building these jigs since the mid 80s for Spotted bass at Millerton Pineflat and Mcclure and Smallmouth at Tulloch & LMB & Crappie at Hensley and Eastman. Add a 1" curly single tail grub trailer and 4,6,8 Maxima green mono
And 6'6" MH spinning outfits you will have more fun than you can imagine. During the spawn Spots and LMB will eat them from March thru July.The Smallmouth will eat them also. Feb thru May are best for the Smallies. You can make them with Round rubber reg grade or fine grade. Round rubber with silicone accent or you can use Flashabou and bucktail accents.
The Smallies and Spots like the bucktail accent jigs
I also make them in 1/64oz. or about the size of a dime or nickel with the same accents.
Trout plants at Eastman and Hensley are also fun on the red and white or red and pink jigs
The fall rate will drive you insane
The bass bit at Eastman is good right now on jigs in 25 to 35 feet of water. Blk/Blue Bro/Purple Grn/Pumpkin/Blk green crystal jigs in 1/4oz. Bullet head or 1/4oz. & 3/8oz. Arkie & Football head jigs

[JL]

Well? How did your fishing trip go? Report!

[jiggin4bass]

Last Friday was kinda tuff I only had 9 bass biggest was 3 1/2 lb I caught two on Fire craw four on Black/ blue three on Bro/purple all 1/4 oz bullet head fish on spinning outfits 6 lb Maxima green most fish were in 25 to 30 feet on isolate structure.
Water temp still not cold enough for me surface temp was 57 I want it down mid to upper 40°s to low 50° the bass bite better here during that type weather. Traffic was light.
Lake is currently at 11%

[WRB]

Mark I have changed my finesse tackle to BFS this year using straight 5# Max UG, lot better casting control and enjoying catching average size bass
Tom

[jiggin4bass]

Finesse is the way to go I've fished this way for years. 4,6,8,10 lb Maxima green I've also used 5 lb Maxima green some.

[jiggin4bass]

What make me laugh is when I lay out my 7' casting rods out on the deck with 6'8 lb line and have 1/2oz. Finesse Football head jigs.
1/2oz Finesse Viper head jigs & 1/2 oz. & 3/4oz. Finesse Arkie head jigs.
I use these setups from mid Dec through mid March.
Angler can't grasp using such light line. It all about controling the baits and keeping them in the strike zone when fishing deep structure. Wintertime finesse fishing there nothing better.
What the hell do I know about jig fishing

[WRB]

Spinning outfits with 6 lb line is what was posted.
Tom

[jiggin4bass]

I've been fishing Maxima line 4,6,8,10 lb for better part of 35 years now.No need to fish anything heavier than that no matter where you fish or what structure your fishing. Better control while fight fish no matter how big they are and targeting fish in and around structure keeping your lure in the strike zone is why I've always stuck with the lighter lines.

[JL]

Question for you Jiggin! Using light line as you do, can you explain to me what type of hook sets you do with your jigs in brush and timber? I am very interested as I personally have lost big fish using heavy line in brush and timber. Thank you!

[WRB]

My question is about today’s BFS casting rods and reels. I used spinning rods and reels with line under lb test because 35 years ago the spool tolerances could pinched line under .009 D. Don Iovino’s “tuned” 2500C with Phenix Doodling rid was the combo I used for decades for light line bait casting.
Today I have given up on spinning and gone to BFS casting and 5 lb UG line for better strike detection. My question was are you considering BSF?
Controlling big bass (relative term) can be done effectively using 10 lb to 12 lb mono or FC if the rod can control the bass from burying into brush or trees. 8 lbs of pulling force will max out 5 to 6 or MH to H power bass casting rods. When the rod is fully loaded not much more you can do.
The harder you pull the harder the bass fights back, so you need a plan before casting which direction the bass wants to escape to and that is out of trouble not into it.
I have caught 5 giant bass between 17 lbs to 19 lbs using 10 to 12 lb line on 6 power rods. If the big bass freight trains you they win! Plan ahead!
Tom

[jiggin4bass]

I plan on looking at the BFS casting rods and reelsand I get what your say about the cover and big bass.

[JL]

I plan on looking at the BFS casting rods and reelsand I get what your say about the cover and big bass.

So again Jiggin! Please explain your HOOKSETTING techniques using light line on spinning tackle in brush and timber! I am EXTREMELY interested as I have caught numerous bass on light line, but not that many in brush and timber!!!

[WRB]

Don’t know about marks hooking setting technique, mine is a reel set and rod sweep. When I detect a strike I tend to keep my rod tip down feeling the line for any changes in pressure or movements. When I think a bass has my jig my 1st move is reeling the line tight to start the hook point penetrating some tissue followed by a firm rod sweep to finish the hook penetration. The bass tends to follow the initial pressure in lieu of bolting from a hard cross the eyes hook set.
The reel set / rod sweep moves several feet of line whereas a rod only hook:set moves very little line and often results in poor hook penetration.
Tom
PS, hook is Gamakatsu #114 size 5/0.

[jiggin4bass]

I tend to keep my rod tip up and when I detect a bass load up on my jigs I reel down and sweep the fish away out of the cover. I can control the bass better with the lighter line.Just keep pressure on the fish and adjust to conditions your fishing in.Hook sets with light line not the tough.even in heavier cove just pick the right jig for the cover your fishing
For timber or brush piles 99% of the time I use and Arkie head jig but with light wire hooks hooking up a bass and getting the fish outta cover Is way easier for me with the lighter hook smaller diameter hooks
Set easier for me and adding the right weedguard you need a 30 or 40 fiber guard to get into heavy cover. I like using 9,11 and 18 fiber fiber guards in all my jig .018 .021 and .024 fibers take your pick the all work.

[jiggin4bass]

Rock Structure. Football head jigs. Viper head jigs. Round head jigs. Bullet head jigs. Arkie head jigs
Isolated Structure rock and brush mixed. Bullet head jigs Arkie head jigs Viper head jigs Football head jigs. Round head jigs.
Best Timber and Brush pile jigs Arkie head jigs.
Everything light wire hooks and light fiber guards.
Flats Dropoffs Ledges Road beds. Bullet head jigs Arkie head jigs Standup head jigs Walleye head jigs
Flats and long points Football head jigs Arkie head
Bullet head jigs Walleye head jigs Round head jigs
Finesse Finesse Finesse
You make any size jig finesse from 1/64 oz to 3/4 oz
It how you tie the patterns up.

[WRB]

Arkie head design with fiber guard is the traditional jig for brush cover.
In 1971 I designed my Viper jig to work in steep rocky sparse cove lakes where I fish. The Viper head doesn’t have a weed guard! What I use is a spring to hold a 1 1/2” split tail finesse worm to protect the hook point attached to the jig hook with Hitchhiker spring, this works as a weed guard plus adds some movement and color to the hair jigs.
I do work the jig with the rod tip up through cover and shake it. Working the jig through rocks the rod tip is down to have a very fast reaction to any perceived strike. Giant bass rarely swim off they just engulf, crunch and reject….you better be fast!
Tom

[jiggin4bass]

Im liking the Viper head jig more as I fish it around rock what a jig it is perfect for that type of fishing easy to work around and through the rock piles
I just poured up another 100 last week and going to tie up several skirt patterns. I have some piano wire I'm going to tie in some wire loop guards before I tie the skirts on I use the loop guards on my bullet head jigs also they really work good.

[WRB]

Good upgrade
Tom

[pd]

I gotta see a real photo of a real bass that’s eaten one of these puffballs. Jiggin, let’s see it!

[jiggin4bass]

Pd as soon as I go fishing again I will do that
But if you want quicker result I can sell you 25 jigs (minimum order ) and you can go do it yourself since your the jig expert in the forum. When it come to fishing finesse jigs and light line in both spinning and casting outfits that's my specialty. And that a fact no matter what time of year it is. Big bass are nothing new to me using my techniques I've been using it for the last 30 or more years. Your not going to bust my chops won't happen. I sell enough jigs every year to keep me busy through out the year.

[Addicted Fisherman]

I gotta see a real photo of a real bass that’s eaten one of these puffballs. Jiggin, let’s see it!

They look like the fuzzy dice, or fuzzy ball baits. Jiggin was ahead of his time with these beauties.

[jiggin4bass]

Brawley bug was the first to come out with there finesse jigs but nobody remember them. I've been building these little finesse jigs going on 40 years now. And brawley was building jigs before that in the early 70s I remember them well. The dice baits are a hot item right now everybodys making them they will be around awhile.
I've keep jigging simple been doing it since 1977

[jiggin4bass]

WRB I will have the viper head dialed in by winters end it's going to be a very good choice for the bigger bass in the heavier structure in deeper water. Im going to fish them 8lb Maxima I have two 7' MH casting rods I'm going to use for heavier structure. I've tried them in and around heavy rock it's crazy how they move in and out and around the rock. What I like is you can move the jig through and over the rock very slow. My next venture is get into the wood structure. With 6'6" MH spinning outfits and 6lb & 8 lb Maxima. It's and impressive jig head for sure.
Im going to be tying bucktail jigs with it also and have to invest in some uncle josh pork.