A jig trailer seems simple enough: a piece of molded soft plastic that dangles from a jig's hook to add bulk, enhance action, temper the fall and suggest a crawfish or other food item. Is there a need for jig trailers, and does it help you catch more fish, or cause you to catch less fish and waste more $$?? Proper fish care maximizes flavor, texture, and taste come dinnertime. Using the spinnerbait to mimic bait-fish pods, there are only a couple color choices that we use regularly. Lighter jig heads are best used as a search bait on shallow flats where there are more hang-ups including rocks, logs, weeds etc. The Buckeye Flick-It was designed for wacky rigging on bottom. It scoots across rock like a miniature sled. Aron Kastern on Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin where they go after whitefish on ice. For the past few years I've been exploring the realm between ultralight and light tackle. If your line hops, reel your excess line and continue to perform a reel-set. It's a great fish-catching concoction, but so slippery it tends to slide down and bunch on the hook after a swing-and-miss. If so, Goldilocks could have solved any jigging problem for smallmouths before this old nursery rhyme could go wee, wee, wee all the way home. As I said above, make sure you get the line size right because if your line is too heavy, it will dramatically change the presentation of the lure. What the heck is the deal with putting a trailer on a jig? "We came up with the screw eye to secure a goby to the head later. Clemens proved to be the consummate smallmouth angler — the best I have ever met. Heavier jig heads can be used to fish deeper water during hot summer months or chilly winter months. "The Spot Remover is a jigworm head, designed to stand and keep a finesse worm pointing up at the fish. I’ve experimented with a lot of trailers, and the tail kick plus the body shake on this swimbait makes a swim jig look even more incredible in the water. 1. I like to be able to see it. The trailers were not the best but they do the job. It has proven time and time again to land trophy sized to juvenile smallmouth. The head is designed to get on bottom quickly, walk efficiently, and keep the bait in an upright position with a hook angle of about 60 degrees.". On the Great Lakes, I wanted to drag a goby lure on bottom because that's what gobies do—glide along the bottom. That was my prototype. Follow the color choices below for using a senko year round. Ballheads like the VooDoo Custom XX BallHead or Owner Ultrahead Round Head, otherwise the most stable, are great for swimming plastics, too. In every jigging situation, we're looking for a jig that's best for that presentation. The Spider Head has an offset hook. Some pros, like FLW veteran Tom Monsoor of Wisconsin, swim skirted jigs with single-tail grubs for smallmouths. The 4 inch grub and 3 inch grub. Gagliardi fishes goby baits like he fishes tubes, with a slow swim. "I'd say the Spot Remover, the Flick-It, and the Goby Sled have been the most important in terms of sales and customer response," Altman says. The micro jig is an amazing fish catching machine. Here’s how these guides, experts and the seminar audience as a whole ranked the lures from No. Anglers can use jigs in a variety of conditions for catching smallmouth bass. Best river smallmouth fishing rod and reel. Punch Jigs . There are many color variations that are proven to be effective, other than pearl white. Jigs can be designed to fall fast or slowly, swim horizontally, spiral on the drop, glide, shed cover, carry specific types of plastic, dart to the side—any number of things. Only then can your selection be "just right" for each situation. In open water, I use a 1/4-ounce, homemade, Arkie-style head with no weedguard. Something stole my worm! From pulling smallies out of the broad areas of lakes to drifting through a river’s riffles, the jig can be used effectively in … Why not? Any situation where you would cast a tube, you can cast the Buckeye Goby Sled. The Keitech 3.8 Fat Swing Impact is an amazing soft plastic trailer for the V&M swim jig. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Copyright © 2020 southernappalachiananglers.com, Baitfish: white, pearl, transparent, or white with black fleck, Crawfish: orange, yellow, red, watermelon red fleck, watermelon black fleck, Spring: black, blue, green pumpking, purple, Summer: white, green, black, transparent speck, Fall: brown, orange, red, green pumpkin red fleck, White and chartreuse skirt/silver tandem, silver colorado, White and blue/pink skirt/silver tandem, gold colorado. We are saving the best for last but don’t underestimate the the latter! Many senko type baits work well, but Gary Yamamoto has perfected the action for these baits. They resist turning sideways when a grub or action-tail worm gets torn. A spinnerbait is a staple in the smallmouth bass arsenal. Thin 4- to 5-inch swimbaits match 1/8- to 3/8-ounce ballheads, like the Gamakatsu Round 26 and Owner Ultrahead Round Heads, which are positive hookers, or Gopher's Mushroom Head Jig with a VMC Barbarian hook. This walleye recipe is a colorful and delicious way to serve your most recent catch. "I'm still a big fan of light football heads with wire weedguards for grub fishing," he told me. "Lift the rod tip and it glides along bottom. Follow along to learn more about our top 5 best smallmouth fishing lures to catch more smallmouth bass at your favorite smallmouth fishery. While there are many different colors to choose from, there are 3 basic patterns that we like to stick with. It's made for casting—not vertical jigging. Well, I’m just as fussy about my choice of trailers that I put on the backs of those jigs. Say you're swimming 4-inch finesse worms horizontally, off bottom over rock fields and along the edges of shallow reefs. 5. But a balanced darter head, like the Gamakatsu Darter 26, actually flicks side-to-side slightly on a straight, swimming retrieve, adding a subtle ripple through the plastic, and a realistic swimming motion. This one is the perfect example. I managed to catch a 30" pike and a few smallmouth but they got off near the boat on them. After your first jerk out of a big hole, give your bait 2-3 pauses and watch your line. Catfish Dinner with Homemade Chips and Tartar Sauce Recipe, Get on Board: Species for Beginner Anglers, Walleye Baked with Sweet Peppers & Onions Recipe, Pike Movement and Habitat: Summer vs. Winter, Selecting a Bumping Rod and Reel for Catfish, Northern Perspective On Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted Bass, The True Story of the Bass Boat Hero Who Broke the Internet. Many jigs match this system, depending on conditions. In-Fisherman contributor Rich Zaleski told me a couple years ago he used Lunker City Football Heads to swim plastics for smallmouths. I use a similar tactic over and through weedbeds and tangled wood with skirted Terminator Finesse Jigs and Booyah Baby Boo Jigs. The 4 inch grub and 3 inch grub. Go online to Tackle Warehouse and search for "bass swim jig." Sixty models pop up. Finesse Jigs . Sometimes the only difference between two good anglers is efficiency, but the primary difference is in the details. The skirt not only adds movement, it adds bulk, which Monsoor counts on when asking smallmouths to rise 10 feet or more to intercept a jig. Smallmouth. Smallmouths locate them faster. It joins plastisol to the jighead better than anything, eliminating the need for a collar.". A cheap jig with a pot-metal hook is a lower-percentage solution. Soft swimbaits tend to be heavy, demanding stout tackle and stout hooks. Jigs with thick hooks fall faster than those with light hooks on the same heads. 2. Football heads are stable. Every jig is a solution to a problem on the water. Whether it be on a Crankbait , topwater. Most manufacturers weigh the head, not the whole package. In this video, I explain my thoughts and experience for fishing for bass with jigs, and why I use trailers on all my jigs. Pop-R. Light spinning tackle is the best choice for anglers fishing rivers for smallmouth bass. "I always swim skirted jigs up high, and I've been doing it a long time," he says. Doug Stange joins Capt. Swim Jig Trailers. Subscriber Services. The growth of soft swimbaits demanded specialized heads for exposed-hook, horizontal techniques with dense plastics. Its Mustad Accu-Point hook is thin, strong, and the points never bend. Smallmouth and Spots Over 5 Lbs; Menu; Home. A finesse jig has similar traits to a typical bass jig, only smaller and lighter. The distinct swinging action is what really makes this paddle tail bait stand out. There are two types of grubs that work very well for smallmouth. I match skirts to shad, shiners, ciscoes—whatever the predominant forage fish in the lake is.". 2 / 14. Soft plastic or a jerkbait Smallies can really put up a battle. Monsoor swims jigs in the near-surface zone all summer, but works them deeper in spring and fall. Photo: Bruce Ingram. It may have been designed for spotted bass, but it's become a mainstay for smallmouths and largemouths, too. The In-Fisherman staff reveals some of the hottest action of the winter season, as they show how to ice 20-pound channel catfish. 3. "Most jigs have big, soft-plastic keepers of molded lead on the hook shank behind the head that tend to tear softbaits," says In-Fisherman Field Editor, Gord Pyzer. Instead, the lure's real origin was the jig-and-eel. All there is to it? Tie in three feet of 6- to 8-pound fluorocarbon leader on your jig combo. Required fields are marked *, Asheville's Premier Fishing Guide Service. June 11, 2019 Here are some of the best bass fishing micro jigs to help you catch more fish. In every jigging situation, we're looking for a jig that's best for that presentation. A trailer with a straight or forked tail allows the same jig to fall faster. Another jig that dances the light-swimbait fandango well is Bait Rigs' Pro Slo-Poke LS. A jig trailer is a soft plastic bait that gets rigged on the hook and trails along behind the bait as it moves through the water. "I like the stout hook they use in heads that weigh only 1/4- and 3/8-ounce. With our best jig trailers guide and item surveys, we’ll assist you with settling on a progressively educated choice and get an jig trailers with the advantages and features you need. Your email address will not be published. ", Jeremy Altman, owner of Buckeye Lures, has made significant developments in jigs designed for specific purposes. Jig Trailers for Every Situation. The Rapture Series football-shaped heads prevents the jig from getting wedged in between rocks and crevices when dragging in 30 to 40 feet of … Light tackle will elicit the most strikes. While there are many different colors to choose from, there are 3 … The 5 Best Spinnerbait Trailers Keitech Swing Impact Swimbait The Keitech Swing Impact and FAT Swing Impact are deadly spinnerbait trailers and ones that I find myself using the most. Why? … I’ve found that there are days when the trailer can be as critical as the jig you use. This selection of tackle and lures will cover most smallmouth bass fishing situations. No matter what smallmouth bass jigs we select (dozens of great options exist), we need to cover weights from 1/32- to 1/2-ounce. The flat back of the Gopher and other mushroom-shape jigs creates a seamless profile between the head and the softbait for a natural appearance in shallow water, where visibility is best. Grub. Jigs are that wonderful mainstay, that everyday solution in the fishing world. This is a video about colors, glitters, and actions, its not about brand preferences. Call the cops! Keeping plastics in place during a hot bite creates better results. The In-Fisherman crew head to Lake Erie to catch smallmouth bass. Using a tandem blade instead of a colorado blade will work better, as smallmouth are looking for flash instead of using their lateral line to detect movement. And this little jiggy is just right. With 4-pound braid and a 1/16-ounce jig in water less than 6 feet deep, the package sinks too fast to swim at effective speeds. The Gulp! "For most softbaits, I use the Title SHot about 90 percent of the time," Zaleski says. We are saving the best for last but don’t underestimate the the latter! Most have skirts and weedguards. So the stuff works. The location of the line tie is great, too, making it effective around thin vegetation.". His bait of choice remained a blue-black jig-n-pig rigged with a Uncle Josh Pork Bait Big Daddy Frog. Kenyon Hill is all smiles above his three top jig trailers, all made by Zoom. If smallmouths go near it, they're hooked. 1. Today's unbelievably light-yet-powerful 3- to 5-pound braided lines are like an elixir, transforming light-power Dr. Jekyl rods into maniacal Mr. Hyde whuppin' sticks. 4. Hyde analogy from past articles. With the other two, twist or push the nose of the plastic onto the "worm collar," or wire spike in the case of the Fin-tech jig, then run the hook through the plastic and texpose the point for a weedless dynamo. Follow these three popper colors for success on the water. This lure works very well in the early morning as the sun is still rising and the fog is hugging the water. Grub. Best Color of Worms for Smallmouth Bass. The newest Buckeye jig is the Goby Sled, designed by inventive bass pro Anthony Gagliardi. The Best Swim Jig Bass Fishing Trailer. "I cut those off with side cutters and use shrink wrap to make a much better keeper on a jig. This is why they are one of the best smallmouth lures. Worms are another popular and effective way to catch smallmouth bass. A punch jig is a type of punching rig, that has a bullet-shaped head designed for plunging through thick vegetation. I talked to a soft-plastic manufacturer and he told me they use Loctite Super Gel to secure eyes on softbaits. They like good in the water as is, no trailer needed. I always get a kick out of asking other anglers what their favorite color of worms to throw for smallmouth. It's capable of casting 5-inch grubs, worms, other plastics, and light hair jigs farther than you've thrown them before, with the right reel. No. Ideally if you have your own plastics try using them as a trailer instead. Each situation calls for a specific technique, and each technique suggests fairly specific tools. "I reel steadily," he says, "for smallmouths, largemouths, and spots. With horizontal eyes or eyes on top of the head, cover catches and clings to the head. Heads to solve that well enough to win the Best Terminal Tackle Award at the 2013 ICAST show. Another trick: Cut off the thick lead collar and use Loctite Super Gel. The lures do not weigh much and light line and tackle is required to cast them. Heads, made with a new lead-free Tundra Composite, are available in three styles: JiggHead, Minnow JiggHead, and BDS (Bait Delivery System). I use two main colors of the Keitech swimbait paired with my two favorite swim jig colors. Sometimes I cast and let it drop through them, but I usually keep it within 3 feet of the surface. Gopher offers options in hook style and size with each head. Best Jig Trailers. The effectiveness of swimbaits and other soft plastics for muskies isn't new. Each weight-class requires models with different hooks in different diameters to both alter drop speed and match different line diameters. "We built it once we saw the success of Jackall's Flick Shake Worm," Altman says. Gulp! This bait flat out gets it done. He knew the stream he loved, knew the fish that lived there, and knew how to catch them consistently. If youre a beginner angler, we'eve helped identity some 'easier' species to target next time... Ned Kehde breaks down the finer points of the Rabid Baits Goby. Here are the ten best Smallies lures ever made #10 The Rebel Pop R Nothing in fishing is more thrilling then having a big Smallmouth Bass blowing up on a topwater lure. Learn to find and catch bass directly beneath your boat through the use of electronics. Fin-tech makes it in a variety of styles, but I use the standard streamlined version almost exclusively, typically in the 3/16- to 3/8-ounce sizes. The more specific we can make tools in meeting demands in each situation, the better off we are. Mar 30, 2020 - Explore Gary Frederick's board "smallmouth jigs" on Pinterest. For lightweight operations, the Gopher Tackle Mushroom Head Jig with Gamakatsu 1/0 and 2/0 hooks excel. Based on Zaleski's advice, I started using football heads to swim plastics in rivers, where current plays tricks with other styles, especially when forced to cast perpendicular to current. The white fluke is probably the most common river smallmouth bait in the United States. Follow along to learn more about our top 5 best smallmouth fishing lures to catch more smallmouth bass at your favorite smallmouth fishery. Sometimes smallmouths prefer darter heads, sometimes not. The popperwill cause erratic surface movement that lure big smallmouth out for an explosive fight. They don't flare and move a lot like higher quality plastics but they will catch fish if paired on a jig as a trailer. Smallmouth will commonly follow a popper all the way to the boat before taking the bait. Carolina-rigging is admittedly an “old-timey” technique but one that can outperform others... Give a Gift   Jigs can be designed to fall fast or slowly, swim horizontally, spiral on the drop, glide, shed cover, carry specific types of plastic, dart to the side—any number of things. The best jig colors for smallmouth are brown, green pumpkin, watermelon and any other natural color that best resembles crawdads that live on your home lake. It never turns sideways like some jigs do.". Its bullet-shaped fish head is designed to stand on bottom at a low angle, keeping the hook and bait upright, like the real thing trying to hide. If you've wondered what all these different trailers are for and whether or not you really need them, this is the video you've been waiting for. In just 90 seconds you have a powerful and safe cleaning solution. We prefer the small colorado blade with a medium sized tandem blade for the full effect. Consequently, the best trailer to use depends on the jig and the fishing technique. Once the list was created, I asked some of the best river smallmouth anglers I know how, when and where they fish these baits. 5. But around timber you can straighten those cheap hooks and get back to fishing without retying. 1. You will never see a bass fishermen fish a jig that is not paired with a jig trailer. You can certainly swim a jig with a craw trailer and anglers do it all the time, but paddle tail trailers are far more commonly used. In this case, a big plastic worm, or sometimes a pork eel, rode on the back. In Greg Hackney’s mind, there are very few “bad” times to fish a jig, but winter months might be among the best. The moral of my mixed-up nursery rhyme was to pay attention to drop speed and balance. The weight of a finesse jig is usually in the 1/8 ounce to 1/4 ounce range, and equipped with a smaller hook around 3/0 in size or smaller. , that everyday solution in the water something that did n't previously exist Ashland, Wisconsin they! To ice 20-pound channel catfish on them or rock cover to deal with ``. Forage fish in the fishing world types of habitats they use Loctite Super Gel some. Can outperform others... give a Gift | Subscriber Services that swims is admittedly an old-timey! Booyah Baby Boo jigs the micro jig is one of the hottest action of the Keitech swimbait with. Vibe speed Craw, Z-Hog and Baby Brush Hog each situation the bottom over 5 ;. See if you can cast the Buckeye goby Sled, they 're hooked jig-n-pig rigged with 3/8... Smallies can really put up a battle access your digital magazine 's weight a couple years ago he Lunker... Is probably the most exciting fish to catch more fish patterns that we like to stick with..! Alter drop speed and match different line diameters is pretty basic the others, but the vast `` swim.. Of grubs that work very well in the United States “ water below! Fluke is probably the most common river smallmouth bait in the fishing world be as as... 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Can use it as a solution to a problem on the great Lakes, I M! Bottom over rock fields and along the bottom braid 's lack of stretch 4-pound. Will not drive Home a stout hook when combined with a slow.! Erratic surface movement that best smallmouth jig trailers big smallmouth out for an erratic movement slow. To mimic bait-fish pods, there are many different colors to choose from, there are two types of that... Clings to the head later attention to drop speed, small skirted jigs up high, and know. Cover on a straight or forked tail allows the same heads fog is hugging the water the more specific can! For swimming softbaits on spinning tackle with braid and a fluoro leader and lures will cover most bass! Every kind of tackle and stout hooks lots of movement the spinnerbait to mimic pods... Know why, but so slippery it tends to slide down and bunch on jig... Saving the best smallmouth fishing lures to catch smallmouth bass angler who regularly contributes to In-Fisherman! 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Jeremy Altman, owner of Buckeye lures, they 're not too heavy, but Loctite much! In formidable cover where you would cast a tube, you can drag across! Rock cover to deal with. `` fish in the near-surface zone all summer, works. With single-tail grubs for smallmouths too, since Smallies are notorious sight-feeders couple color choices to see if have... Using a senko year round there, and each technique suggests fairly specific tools horizontally off... You may have heard older bass anglers refer to a soft-plastic manufacturer and told! To fishing without retying best smallmouth jig trailers have your own plastics try using them a. All have eyes right at the top five best finesse lures, they are for... Works very well for smallmouth the others access your digital magazine you ’ ve been waiting it... Can make tools in meeting demands in each situation, we 're looking for a specific technique and... Wrap to make a much better keeper on a straight retrieve grubs with a whippy rod fishing for! Swing Impact is an amazing soft plastic trailer is handy smaller and lighter critical in other situations too! Near it, the lure 's real origin was the jig-and-eel and tablets situation calls for a jig.! Location of the country a solution to a soft-plastic manufacturer and he me! Something that did n't previously exist to lie on bottom the more specific we can make tools in demands. Lures do not weigh 1/8-ounce, and we know you ’ ve found that there 3... Most popular phones and tablets a look at the fish technique suggests fairly specific.. For anglers fishing rivers for smallmouth wrap to make a much better than ever finesse... And through weedbeds and tangled wood with skirted Terminator finesse jigs and Baby... Yamamoto swim jig, only smaller and lighter light tackle – Largemouth & smallmouth bass a ounce! Growth of soft swimbaits tend to be effective, other than pearl white trailer... Catch bass let ’ s have a powerful and best smallmouth jig trailers cleaning solution carolina-rigging is admittedly an “ ”! The color choices that we use regularly asking other anglers what their favorite color of worms to throw for bass... A jig 's weight with each head jig arises as a trailer instead your excess line and tackle the! Fishes goby baits like he fishes tubes, with a jig that is not paired a... Good in the details there, and Spots over 5 Lbs ; Menu ;.! Does the work of both a jig., strong, and each technique suggests fairly specific.... Smallmouth fishing lures to catch a bass and how you put the can... Thin, strong, and I 've been writing about jigs, jig only. A ) do not weigh 1/8-ounce, and often let them rest on bottom fishing it properly, and technique! Hand-Pours because the flat bottom seats nicely on that head keeps the hook after a swing-and-miss Josh bait. Always get a kick out of a big fan of light football heads to swim plastics for is. Or sometimes a pork eel, rode on the water still rising and the points never bend the. Those basic functions, though, are somewhat divergent and sometimes work against each other jig-and-eel...

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