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⚡ Quick Answer: A jig is the one lure many bass anglers won’t fish without. What a jig is, how to work it, and the simple gear that makes jig fishing click.
Ask a room full of bass anglers for the one lure they’d keep if they could only fish with a single bait, and a lot of them will say a jig. Jigs are versatile, they catch big fish, and they work in almost every season and cover type. They also take a little practice, which is exactly why beginners benefit from a quick primer. Here’s how jig fishing works.
What Is a Jig, Anyway?
A jig is simply a weighted hook, usually dressed with a rubber skirt, that you pair with a soft-plastic “trailer” for extra bulk and action. The weight lets you fish it on the bottom where big bass hold, and the skirt-plus-trailer combo imitates a crawfish or baitfish. Flipping jigs, football jigs, and swim jigs each shine in different situations, but they’re all fished with the same basic idea.
How to Work a Jig
The classic retrieve is a slow “drag and hop” along the bottom: let the jig sink on a semi-slack line, then lift your rod tip to hop it, reel up the slack, and pause. Most bites come on the fall, so watch your line — if it twitches, jumps, or swims off sideways, reel down and set the hook hard. Fishing a jig is really about feeling the bottom and staying in contact with the lure.
The Gear That Makes It Easier
A jig is a heavier, bottom-contact lure, so a medium-heavy baitcasting combo with a bit of backbone gives you the sensitivity and hook-setting power you want. Start with a small selection of jigs in green pumpkin and black-and-blue, add a pack of craw-style trailers, and you’re covered for most water.
- Complete All-in-One 5-Piece Jig Set 5 premium weedless jigs (2.76in / 0.35oz) in vibrant, high-visibility colors. Packag…
- Premium Materials, Built to Last Each jig features a corrosion-resistant metal head and hand-tied silicone skirt with mi…
- Irresistible Lifelike Action Mimics fleeing, wounded, and wandering baitfish with pulsating skirts that flash and vibrat…
- ABU GARCIA MAX X 2-PIECE BAITCAST COMBO: Engineered for peak performance, this lightweight baitcasting rod and reel comb…
- 7′ GRAPHITE COMPOSITE ROD: These durable fishing rods feature Medium Heavy power and are built for freshwater environmen…
- LOW PROFILE BAITCAST REEL: Designed for Right-handed anglers, the reel has a Power Disk drag system for consistent press…
- Compact 3.5-inch profile suited for finesse and all-purpose applications
- Twin flanged appendages deliver consistent kicking action at any speed
- Ribbed body enhances water displacement and natural presentation
Want the bigger picture first? See our bass fishing for beginners guide and the Best Fishing Gear roundup.
Written by Tom Rivera · Fishing & Hunting
Tom has spent four decades outdoors — on lakes, rivers, and treestands — and still fishes most weekends. These days his favorite catch is watching his grandkids reel in their first bluegill.
