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Fall 2020
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74
stark contrast to most of the lures we use to catch bass that shine, flash, and make a commotion.
HAIR JIG GEAR
Since most of these jigs weigh less than 1/8-ounce, spinning gear and light line are a must to cast them effectively. As the technique has become more popular, rod manufacturers are developing longer rods with light actions to help the cast. But, most drop- shot setups will work well for this technique.
My gear of choice is a medium-light spinning rod with a 2500-sized reel spooled with 15-pound Flash Green Seaguar Smackdown braid with a leader of 8-pound Seaguar Gold Label leader. The high visibility line dramatically helps to detect light bites.
the retrieve. Fishing jerkbaits, topwaters, and other moving baits are much more fun than fishing a hair jig, but their effectiveness is hard to argue with.
As they move through the water, they appear to look like a small baitfish, worm, or leach swimming through the water column. When you first start to experiment with fishing these little jigs, the tiny look of the bait and lifeless action is a
PICKING THE RIGHT JIG
The hair jig is a popular option
for multiple different species of
fish and is relatively common
lures. They are popular for panfish,
salmon and steelhead, and more.
Because of this, they are easy to
obtain and can be purchased at
low costs at just about any tackle
store. The cheaper versions have
lesser quality hooks, but some
bass-specific jigs come with sharp
hooks and better-quality marabou.
One of the best I have found
is the Outkast Tackle Feider Fly. It
comes in three sizes: 1/16, 3/32,
and 1/8-ounce and a handful
of colors. For colors, solid black
always seems to produce, but
shades of brown and green are
others that will get fish to bite.
Since these jigs are so light,
adding a small piece of plastic from
a stickbait like a Yamamoto Senko
onto the hook’s shank will make things much easier for you. This does two things; it aids in casting distance and helps to bulk up the jig’s look and help to add flow to the marabou.
The use of marabou hair jigs has increased over the years and the secret is officially out. These light jigs are one of the best ways to catch big smallmouth bass when it seems like nothing else will work. •