Whats on the end of your Jig? Trailer Tricks & Tips

The one thing about jig fishing that makes it different then most other forms of bass fishing is that it provides us with the ability to quickly and easily change our baits presentation on the fly, making  adjustments for the mood of the fish as well as weather/water conditions. Jigs are kinda like a Barbie Doll for fisherman.. yes we too get to accessorize! 

There are multiple ways you can accessorize a jig, like simply adding a rattle, or trimming the skirt. But the most versatile accessory of all is the jigs trailer (or chunk). This quick and easy accessory  gives you the ability to change the way your bait looks and performs in the water. Here are a few trailers I lean on as the conditions dictate 

The Reins Ring Craw is one of my favourite jig trailers, its a small compact bait that still manages to give you jig some added bulk/profile while not effecting the fall rate. It's ringed body and claws help disperse water on the fall an its little claws flap up a storm.

I use this trailer mainly while flipping docks, timber and sparse pads. Because of its smaller profile I don't often use it in situations where long casts are needed or a lot of water needs to be covered.

But don't take my word for it.. Paul Mueller credits this bait for helping him quality for his first Bass Master Classic 

"I like using the rein craw as a jig trailer in the cold water months especially. The material floats so it looks like a crawfish in the defensive position when at rest on the back of a jig. My favorite way to rig the reins ring craw is Texas rigged and use it as a compact flipping bait. This is my go to bait for punching mats when conditions are tough. It comes easily through mat when matched with a 1oz. Or 1.2 oz reins tungsten weight and has a unique shimmy on the fall. I qualified for my first Bassmaster Classic using this technique on lake Dardanelle to punch hyacinth mats and caught my 3 largest fish of that event on it" - Paul Mueller

The Perfect Chunk is a large profile chunk that causes quite the disturbance on the fall all while helping to to slow your jig down.

Perfect for larger baits or situations in which you need to cover a lot of water I often use this trailer while ripping jigs through sparse to medium weedbeds. Its a hardy chunk that holds up to abuse well, the claws will stay in tact for multiple fish and you won't find yourself having to replace chunks constantly

Again, don't take my word for it, Brendan Knaggs the creator of the Perfect Jig knows what he is talking about...

The Perfect Chunk Trailer comes in sizes 2.75" and 3 1/4". It is poured with soft, durable plastic infused with Bio Edge scent. Bio edge is a natural scent made up of real crawfish oil that is extracted from the craw. When paired up with any Perfect Jig, the Perfect Chunk Trailer helps bring the Jig/Chunk combination to life!  The swiming action and life like feel makes any fish fish hold on longer for a better hook up.Available in 10 different colors, there is a Perfect Chunk Trailer color to match every Perfect Jig - Brendan Knaggs 

Although not technically a trailer or a chunk the Zoom Speed Craw is number 3 on my list and it gives my jig a slender speedy profile that really stirs things up while crashing to the bottom. 

The Speed Craw is my go-to trailer when using a swim jig or when ripping jigs through thick nasty cover. Its slender body pulls through the weeds with ease while providing a steady rippling effect. 

This bait serves as a double threat in my arsenal and when not on the back of a jig you will often find it Texas rigged and pegged with a tungsten weight doing battle with fish hiding in the pads and slop. 

I specifically saved the Pit Chunk for last on this list,  not only because it is currently my overall favourite trailer, but also because it shares characteristics from each of the above trailers.  Here's what I mean...

the Pit Chunk like the Reins Ring Claw has a ribbed body to help churn up water on the fall. Like the Perfect Chunk Its 4-legged tail helps to give this bait a large profile while only slightly decreasing the jigs rate of fall. Like the Zoom Speed Craw this baits legs churn up the water, and can be ripped through cover with ease. If your adventurous you can also trim off the out legs to give your jig a smaller profile without compromising on the action.

I honestly use this trailer in almost every situation. Its great for flipping docks, hopping bottom and ripping through weedbeds over long distances, it holds tight and even when it becomes a single or double amputee it is still a  fishable bait.



Last Minute entry..

Ok, so I have decided to add the  Jackall Darts Hog as a late addition to this list. I have never fished this bait, but it caught my eye late last season and Ive picked up a few for this year. The Darts Hog is a short compact bait that is heavily salted and the tails are dipped for added colour accent. Im looking forward to fishing this bait, thought I do have a concern on how easily they tear. I ripped mine just putting it on the jig for this photo opp.. I guess time will tell

Now that we have covered my Trailer choices, lets here from Rich Lindgren on how to apply your trailer as well as other tips that will help you in a pinch

(BassTek Jig slings are a trailers best friend!)

Tips from a Jig Junky (Rich Lindgren)

When it comes to jig trailer, the first thing to know is that I keep it pretty simple from a color standpoint, I basically carry variations of Green Pumpkin & Black/Blue, with a few shad colors for my swim jigs

Try to match the action of your jig trailers to the mood of the fish and the forage I am trying to imitate.  So for those simple color selections, I have a wide variety of grubs, chunks, craws, beavers, swimbaits and more as trailer options.

Keep a bin of used plastics from texas-rigging to use as jig trailers after the heads are torn up.  Simply cut the head off and thread onto the jig and hold it in place (with a BassTEK Jig Sling)..less time fixing your trailer means more time with your bait in the water and more fish!

Couple trailers to highlight, when flipping, my top trailers for my BassTEK Flipping jigs are 2.75" Chunk for all around, a 4.25" Beaver for big fish hunting and cooler water and either a Rage Bug or Craw when the water heats up in mid summer for

active bass and dirty water.

On my Super K swim jigs, I almost always either use a single tail grub as my subtle presentation and either a Evolve Dark Swimmer or Keitech Fat Impact for swimbait trailers when i want more action and roll.

Last for my BassTEK Tungsten Football jigs, it usually a craw imitator of some kind, either a double tail grub, rage bug or a Evolve Kompak craw in really frigid water for smallmouth

Test Drive - BassTEK Tungsten Jigs and Slings

This past weekend I got the opportunity to test drive a few jigs from a company called BassTEK. Although you may not have heard of them (yet) they are an US company owned and operated by two long time anglers. Their vision for BassTEK was to provide quality baits at prices that all anglers can afford. So far I believe they have met that goal, on top of introducing come unique new products to the industry.

This test drive will be 2 fold, starting out with a review of their skirted Jig line-up and then followed by a product I'm very excited about called the Jig Sling.. here we go

Tungsten Jigs:

BassTEK currently offers up both a flipping and a football jig in their skirted line-up. I gave both styles a serious workout this past weekend while flipping docks, timber as well as  dragging rock and gravel shoals.

Pros

Lets start off at the top shall we.. BassTEK jigs are made with Tungsten, a material that is getting used more and more in the fishing industry, and for good reason. Tungsten allows you to downsize the overall size of the jig head while still offering up the same weight. It is also a louder and more sensitive material making you feel every little bump, nick and thump.

The enamel painting used on these baits is quality, I spent a good deal of time dragging these jigs over rocks and gravel and by the end of the day the jig only shows minor signs of wear and tear

The shirts on all BassTEK jigs are 100% silicone and in my opinion are cut to the perfect length. I had no need to alter/trim either style and was able to fish them straight out of the package. I like a medium to short skirt (insert joke here) that allows my trailer to impart some additional action. Longer skirts can cover this up, and it makes me wonder why guys use a trailer at all?

BassTEK has a pretty nice colour selection available. I usually stick to one or two colours focusing on darker more natural choices, but I have to admit after seeing their Missouri craw colour, I just have to have one

Hooks on these baits are crazy sticky and I never once had a fish come un-stuck. I did from time to time  bury one in a submerged piece of wood, but at the end of the weekend the hook point was still sharp. I actually passed one BassTEK jig to my partner to use, and thought it was pretty damn funny to listen to him say "ouch" over and over as he would stick his hand while prepping to flip. It was his first time using a Jig in 10 years! but seeing the success I was having he quickly tied one on.


Cons

There is not really anything that stands out as a con. I would like to see more colour and size options, but then again as mentioned above I only fish 1-2 sizes (3 max) and a usually throw a couple standard colours, so I'm not sure this would deter me from buying in any way, we just seem to be pampered with colour choices nowadays

Jig Slings:

The jig sling has to be one of the more simple but extremely useful pieces of  fishing gear that I have come across in the past while. When I first looked at them I was confused, I though they were a jig rattle holder missing the rattles, but one quick google search later and I was saying.. "Why has nobody thought of this earlier!"

Yes the Jig Sling is in a sense a simple bait keeper, but with that said it is the best bait keeper design I've seen and used. This past weekend I caught 10 fish on my first trailer without once having to adjust it after a cast.. the 10th fish ripped one of the trailer legs/arms off so I was forced to replace it, but all in all this little piece of rubber will take a lot of the frustration out of jig fishing with soft plastics.

(Photo from the BassTEK website)

There is not much I can say about how easy it is to apply a Bass Sling to your jigs. The above photo stolen from the BassTEK website shows you just how the Sling sits on your bait after being applied. As you can see the dense rubber slides over the hook point and up over the jigs natural bait keeper, once your trailer has been added you simply grab the tab end of the sling, pull it over your hook and your done.. the sling stays firmly in place applying pressure to your bait to ensure it stays just were you want it. These Slings are not a one time use either, chunks/trailers can be changed out simply by lifting the tab and sliding the back end of the sling back over the hook. I will be loading up on Jig Slings and applying them to my jigs prior to hitting the lake.

If you want to check out a short how to video, click on this Hyper link to see it in action: BassTek Jig Sling Demo Video


to learn more about BassTEK products check out their website (HERE) and swing on over to their Facebook page (HERE)  and click "Like" to follow them and be notified when new products become available.

Where to Find:

TackleWarehouse

TackleSmith

TackleTrap

The Year of the Jig: Ganns Performance Tackle

As an angler Im constantly looking to improve or hone my skills by trying out new techniques and forcing myself to fish water or situations I would not normally fish. In doing so I have kinda started something similar to a new years resolution and that is each season I pick a bait or technique and spend time attempting to learn or even perfect it. 2013 is the Year of the Jig

Being an angler born and raised in the Kawarthas I was taught to fish many shallow water techniques, like worming, punching and of course frog fishing. But those who taught me were not jig fisherman (though jigs are now common place on Kawartha lakes). So I have spent most of my life fearing the jig.. not any more


One of the great things about learning a new technique like Jig fishing is that it allows you to buy new equipment. When I started this mission I owned very few jigs, so I asked around.. "What makes a great jig", "who makes the best jig" and although I received various responses to this, one name came  up over and over again: Gann's Performance Tackle .. so thats where I started

Before I made my first purchase,  I called a few buddies who are known for their success with a jig, and I spent some time reviewing my notes from a Bass Talk seminar I  attended a couple seasons back that just happened to have a segment on jigs and jig fishing (hosted by Doug Brownridge). Here is what I took away from this discussion, and what I used to make my first jig purchase

1) Focus on Basic Colours - Avoid brights or unnatural colours
2) Pick one or two sizes and stick with them
3) The More strands the slower the fall

So armed with the above Info I headed to the Gann's website and started to narrow down my choices. Ganns has three jig head options,and being new to jig fishing I felt I should give each one a shot and see what works best for me. Following the above guidelines I opted to focus mainly on 1/2oz jigs as my everyday size, and then a 1/4oz (if available) for finesse situations. By choosing just one size Im able to quickly get the hang of how that jig feels in the water, and when it starts to feel different I know its time to set the hook.

As for colour choices I started out with a few variations on black, and a few baitfish and craw options. (The above is Jig is Colour 23 - Sunfish) Although Ganns does not carry any crazy colours like neons, I still avoided baits with bright yellows or that were predominantly one colour. This is simply personal preference and of course is falls within the above guidelines.

Tip: If your new to jig fishing (like me) it does not hurt to ask the company you are purchasing from to add a jig or two of their choice. When I called Ganns and gave them my order I asked them to add 2 jigs that they think are must haves (there choice, size, style and colour). It added a nice surprise element to my order and it got me to try something I have have regularly overlooked.

Ok, so you have made your first jig order, and it's time to start using them. This is where it can get awkward as learning a new technique can take time, and this means you have times when you will not be catching fish.. As a beginner I decided to start off my on water testing by focusing on high percentage areas, like large weed beds and sunken timber. Both of these areas often hold fish (big and small) but can also be frustrating to a new jig fisherman who will spend a great deal of time ripping weeds off their bait or loosening them from the fallen timber. Don't give up as the payoff will be well worth your effort.

The above fish was taken during one of my first jig fishing outings. I was working a large weed bed by flipping the jig into any pocket I could see. He hit it on the first fall and nearly swallowed it whole...what a blast

So, earlier on I explained what I was taught to looked for when buying a jig, and  how this lead me to Ganns, but here is why I will be staying with them: First off they are a high quality product,   all jigs  have hand tied skirts paired up with a super strong Gamakatsu hook (4/0 or 5/0). Important to me and often overlooked is a jigs bait keeper. Ganns uses a double wire keeper that holds on tight and no matter how much weed your ripping through your chunk will stay in place.

Tip: Often I have seen and heard anglers talk about trimming skirts and weedgaurds on their jigs, and although I can see some value to this, I want to stress that this should never be done until you have fished with the jig. Both of these components will effect how the jig fishes. Less skirt will speed up the fall, and less weedgaurd may effect how well the jig moves through the weeds and or timber.. so fish befor your alter. Remember the old adage "it;s insulting to salt your food prior to tasting it" the same goes for your baits. To this day I have been happy with the "out of box" performance of my Ganns jigs and I have not altered them in any way

So there you have it, part two of my "Year of the Jig" series. Stay tuned for posts on tailors, rods and of course a season recap. If you have any input or comments  please share, us newbies can use all the help we can get

Living Rubber Mop Jigs are Mopping up the competition

Mop jigs have been on the market and anglers radars for a few seasons now. These bulky wide bodied hand tied jigs made primarily of living rubber have been winning tournaments and adding a new dimension to a jig fisherman’s  arsenal. Living rubber lives up to its name and makes your jig move in the water with no action required from the angler, it takes longer to settle when sitting on the bottom and produces a slow fall action as well as some bubbles in the water  

Here are three Living  rubber jigs that any jig fisherman should have in his back pocket   

1)      Buckeye Mop Jig
The Mop jig by buckeye is really the founding father of the Mop jig or living rubber jig.  Rumour has it the phrase Mop jig was coined by KVD when he saw Davy Hite using it and said “that think looks like a mop head” or something similar. Buckeyes mop jig comes with a standard swim style head or a foot ball head. It is equipped with a double rattle a mustad hook.  The Mop jigs stands up well in the water and the living rubber takes time to settle giving the jigs a great motion in the water. Available in 9 colors and 4 weight sizes, you can pretty much find a mop jig for any situation 

2)      Booyah Alton Jones A-Jig 
This was the first living rubber jig I purchased. I’m a fan of Booyah products and of Alton Jones, so it was a no brainer to give this Jig a try. Like the mop jig the this jig is made of living rubber with some silicone accents to add color. It is hand tied and comes equipped with a 5/0 hook. The living rubber strands are thicker then those used on the buckeye jig and may give the bait a fuller look. It is only available in the swim style head, but comes in 6 color options and 3 weight choices. Like all Booyah jigs it is a quality product .

3)      Shibui Ookii Living Rubber by Talons 
In my opinion this is the most unique living rubber jig on the market. It is a huge jigs with extra long skirt and contains both living rubber as well as silicone. Unlike other living rubber jigs this one is designed to also stand up, the living rubber strands never settle back down and are always in motion. You really have to see this jig in action to believe the profile. (see video below) This jig comes in 8 colors and 2 weight sizes. It has a larger head and is wrapped with copper wire to ensure the heavy skirt cane stay in place. 

You really can’t go wrong with any of these three jigs, and I recommend giving a few of them a try. You definitely  want to test out the Shibui Ooki  i have not seen much that can move like this jig in the water


here is a small kitchen made video to show this jig in motion

Black Angel Jigs: Review

As I have mentioned a few times, I’m in no way a high-level jig fisherman. This is a technique that I’m just starting to play with but I have had some success.

Over the past couple season I have begun to build up a jig arsenal. I was buying jigs in all colors, shapes and sizes from all the big name manufactures. Then I came across a company that is not widely know in Canada called “Black Angel Jigs”. They had a very unique look to their jig with what they call “ trailer enhancer”. What it really is , is some extra long strands that give the jig just a few more seconds of motion in the water.

I bough a few of their Jigs, and fell in love with them, they quickly became a confidence bait in my arsenal and I have been growing my collection over the past couple seasons. Here is a review of the company and the products they carry.

Company & Ordering:

Black Angel Jigs is stationed in Texas, and have an on-line site that ships all over the US and Canada. They do have some distributors, the largest being Tackle Warehouse. But if you want to see their full line of Jigs you have to go right to the sourse at http://www.blackangeljigs.com/

There site is easy to navigate but is not the prettiest thing to look at. The site’s shopping cart is attached to PayPal so it is very easy to use and is safe.

Product Selection:

This is an area that I feel Black Angel Jigs excels. Not only do they have 8 different styles of jigs, but they have some very cool color combinations. Here is a breakdown of their selection….
Finesse Jig:
This jig only comes in a 5/16 size, but has a whopping 10 color variations. Each of which contain the trailer enhancer. I love to use these with finesse worms or with small craws like the Netbait tiny Peca



Football Jigs:
In the football jig section you have two options, standard or Heavy, the standard jigs come in weights of 1/4oz up to 1/2oz. The Heavy’s come in at the 3/4oz to 1oz mark. These jigs are available in 19 different color options.. if you cant find one you like, I think you have a problem



Combat Flipping Jigs:

This jig is made to fish in heavy cover, kit comes in a 1/2oz size with 9 color options. It has a super strong 6o hook and a bait keeper to keep your trailer in place even when fishing the heaviest mess of grass, or timber. It has a head very similar to swim jig but with a flat bottom. This is one my favorite jigs made by Black Angel



Magician Swim Jig:
this really is a magic jig, easily my favorite jig made by Black Angel. This jig comes in either 3/8 or 1/2oz. It has 9 color options and a very unique head design. As with other swim jigs, this has a wedged shapes head, but the line tie is tuned flat. This gig pulls with easy over and around structure. It is also equipped with a long shank hook, Black Angel compare it to a spinner bait body without the arm and blades.







Hitman Football Jig:

This is one of two jigs designed by tournament pros (Jeremy Starks) for Black Angel. The Hitman jig comes in 3 size options and 6 colors. The hook is bent up to help allow the bait the stand straighter and give it a more traditionally crawfish look while in the water. Because it stands up so well, this jig makes it easier for a fish to pick it up off the bottom. This jig is designed to be fished with larger craw bodies, so put your chunks away and break out the craw baits.


Grass Bomb:this is the newest jig in my arsenal. The Grass bomb was also designed by a tournament pro (Lance Vick)and is a mix between a standard jig and a punching jig. The oversized head, and super strong hook are perfect for fishing the heaviest of cover. Currently the Grass Bomb is only available in 1 1/4oz sizes. But a bigger and smaller size is on the way





Texas Finesse Jig:
this is a stronger and tougher version of a standard Finesse jig. It still weighs in at 1/4oz but with a stronger hook and a flat bottomed head, it fishes like a flipping jig (or shaky head). It is great for times when the smaller presentation is key, but you still require some additional strength



Rattle System:
Black Angel has a very cool rattle system that allows you to add one or two rattles to a jig and easily remove them. The rubber band style system slides on to most jigs on the market today and you can add one or two rattles depending on conditions. Im a big fan of this concept as it allows me to change rattle without changing jigs.











Product Quality:

The jigs are very high quality, with chip resistant heads and Ultra Point Mustad hooks (some jigs have Gamakatsu hooks). All skirts are hand tied and have the enhanced trailer.

Pricing & Shipping:

Jigs average in price around $3.50 per jig, some come in two packs and others are sold individually. Shipping is free on orders over $30. As a Canadian customer there was a lengthly delivery time on my order arriving, close to 3 weeks. It was shipped USPS which save me the charges that USP is known for hitting you with, so again, no issues or complaints, it was worth the wait

Customer Service: My order was received and shipped with no concerns. Not allot of email correspondance, but I had no issues or concerns with my order

Recommended: Yes, I would recommend trying these products. If you want the best selection go right to the source, but for those who just want to test out one or two, Tackle Warehouse will fill your needs and ship faster then Black Angel