Fall 2020
T
he Great Lakes, Upper Midwest fisheries, and
waters in Canada are considered to be the
birthplace of fishing tiny jigs for big smallmouth, but they are just as effective anywhere smallmouth swim
when the conditions line up right.
Anglers everywhere are now learning how effective
marabou jigs can be and even though they are tiny, they
have a knack for catching giant smallmouth bass.
THE WHEN AND WHERE
A small hair jig will catch fish in various situations and most of the year, but it is not always the best choice. Often, a different lure will work just as well, or better, than a hair jig. When the fish are more aggressive, faster-moving lures with bigger hooks will allow you to cover more water and be more efficient.
Fishing lightweight jigs and retrieving them slowly is not always the most effective way to cover water, but they are hard to beat in certain conditions. When smallmouth are cruising, inactive, or suspended during the post-spawn and summer and into the fall, a small marabou hair jig can be one of the best ways to fool them to bite.
Location wise, there are plenty of places where the hair jig shines. Flats, grass lines, and around shallow rocks and boulders are good places to start as they are classic shallow water smallmouth locations. They can be fished in deeper water, but 10-feet and less is the prime zone for fishing a small marabou hair jig.
Since smallmouth bass are sight feeders and because these jigs are so small, clear water is another critical component to having success with a hair jig.
Bass will follow the jigs for a long distance before deciding to bite and having cleaner water will enhance this. Many times, you will watch the bass stalk your bait before slurping in the easy meal.
THE RETRIEVE
One of the most critical parts of fishing these small jigs is a standard cast and steady retrieve back to the boat. Like fishing a spy bait, hair jigs do not need any action imparted by the angler to entice fish. They simply flow through the water with little effort and get the attention of smallmouth.
Fishing them can seem tedious at times as there is not as much action as other techniques. Most of bass fishing allows anglers to work the bait and stay engaged during
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