Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Jigs

I have done a lot of spin fishing for trout with spinners, spoons, etc. but I have never used a jig and would like to learn more about it. Can you give me some idea of the weights, styles, colors and techniques you have found successful. I hope to do more fishing this year after a spine operation a couple of years ago and would like to learn something new. I'd like to give them a try both in streams and still water

You'll get alot of advice for sure. Big Sky does pretty well, I been doing it for about 3-4yrs wade and yak fishing.

More than one way to jig and everyone has their favorite method and gear. For mini jigs, gear is usually ultralight spinning gear with anywhere from 6ft to 8ft rods, 2 to 4lb test on 1000 size reels. A good starter rod is the TCB rod from Trout Magnet. I have gravitated to mostly JDM spinning equipment but that is an entirely different thread in itself.

Jig weights from 1/32 to 1/8 oz depending on water conditions. You can do well with crappie tubes and/or marabou jigs. I tie my own but you can buy marabou jigs from PJs Tackle, Lilley's Landing and ZigJigs. Crappie tubes 1.5" - 2" in bulk off Ebay.

For high fast or bigger deeper waterways one can move up to light or med light action rods with heavier line and jigs up to 1/4oz.

If you have the time tying your own jigs is the way to go since it opens up endless patterns and you can throw something the trout haven't seen. Colors depend on conditions and mood of the trout but some colors are more consistent than others. Colors also depend on the species of trout in some waters.

Lots of YouTube videos on trout jigging and pay attention to the fly fishers, they are basically jig fishing nowadays with fly fishing equipment. Always make friends with the fly fishermen if you run into them, most are helpful and want to impress you with their knowledge.

99% of the time a trout takes a jig on the fall so you have to pay attention. Some folks are line watchers and others feel/watch the rod tip. Sometimes I'll float fish on certain runs or lakes if there is chop.

Anyone tie a jig that mimics the "Black Mamba" streamer?
Effective?

Our son (Layne - turns 15 this month) ties flies/jigs and has all of the materials to do this, so I will have him look this one up to see what he might be able to do. He caught these nice cutthroat trout on a similar jig that he tied:

Layne struck "gold" in the Grand Tetons - cutthroat trout

jigs for trout, crappie, and other freshwater fish

I will have him see what he can come up with and share pictures soon.

Here are two options Layne tied this afternoon on a 1/32 oz. jig hook and a streamer hook w/ a bead:

Proud_Dad,

I sent you a PM.

Thanks, haverluk. Replied to your pm.

We have a winter trout stocking program here in Kansas and have had good luck with small black and/or black/silver jigs. Layne was excited to catch this nice 17" Palomino trout on one of our recent trips:

Here is a video I made a few years ago to help people out that want to learn to jig fish. Feel free to ask any additional questions once you have watched the video. I can tell you this much marabou jig fishing is extremely effective once you get it figured out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECOJGqtHPsk&t=11s

A couple of good videos on youtube on tying them,
I guess the rabbit they use behaves much like Maribou in the water.
Palamino and other variants discussed here;

https://fishwithjd.com/2015/11/24/6-strange-trout-varities/

I prefer to tie using both, the marabou flares a bit more underwater:

I like the added bulk in that jig! I imagine that marabou does have some nice movement in the water.

Thanks. I will have Layne take a look at those videos. He saw a picture and added the hackle, but hasn't tried adding any rabbit fur or anything else for more length/bulk.

Enjoyed the video! I sometimes throw Little Cleos or Kastmaster spoons for trout, but I agree, it is hard to beat a jig.

Proud Dad, Thank you!

My dad hailed from Kansas and we lived there for a few years when I was a child in the 50's. I don't recall ever hearing about trout fishing back then or even deer fishing. I do remember seeing my first deer track on my Grandad's farm outside of Kingman. We were told that it was extremely rare. Looks like both the fishing and hunting have changed in a good way.

The winter trout stocking program is fairly new and is a fun option during this time of year. You are right about the deer hunting, too. The first deer season took place in 1969 if I remember right and for many years permits were limited. I shot my first buck (with a bow) my senior year of HS in '79. The #'s are higher and the "good old days" of deer hunting are happening right now.

Thanks to all who have weighed in with their experiences. MtnHtr, thanks for taking the time to write a primer on equipment and technique. Big Sky, I have watched your video several times and learned a lot. Perhaps we will run into each other at some time in our fishin' expeditions. Proud_Dad, you have a reason to be proud. Some of the jigs your son ties remind me of the beadhead crystal buggers that are in my flyboxes. I am looking forward to getting out on the streams and lakes, but at -22 degrees this morning I think I will wait. Guess I don't have as much fire in the belly as I used to have. Pretty sure the Big Horn would fish fine though. Thanks again all.

All this discussion and success using jigs makes me wish I had tried such back when I was in trout country after trout.
I was very successful with my spinners, but still jigs would have been a whole new thing to try and may have worked better in some waters/conditions.
Not likely to be near trout waters again, but am going to see what Smallmouth and Red Eye think of them!

I do a lot of jig fishing myself. From a boat, I use a Loomis Classic 6’6 IMX 4-8# with 8# power pro braid and at least 8 feet of fluorocarbon leader. This gives me a quick sink and lots of sensitivity. I fish jigs in the 1/32 to 1/8 oz range, but my go-to is 1/16. I use brown, olive, or black woollybugger jigs. I also use trout magnet bodies on 1/16 oz jig heads of matching color.

I use the depth finder to find fish and then set a drift. I cast about 50% further than the depth of the fish and close the bail. I keep the line on my finger and try not to work the crap out if it. I adjust the length of the line according to the drift.

In streams, I use a 7’6” Okuma 2-6# spinning rod with hi-vis power pro and the same leader as mentioned before. I use a fixed float and fish almost like I’m nymphing.

Lilleys are good people, we stay at their place several times a year. Was watching a video earlier today and they were talking about their jigs. They've tied upwards of 350,000 since they designed and started selling them. Thats just been in the last couple of years. And they have a lifetime warranty against the marabou coming off.

https://lilleyslanding.com/marabou-jigs/

I don't know how it would apply to Montana waters, but Lilleys do a 'one cast' every day of the year. They go out in the boat, sometimes from their dock, sometimes wade fishing-sometimes fish jigs, sometimes crank baits, sometimes flies, make 1 cast, and see if they can catch a fish. More often than not, they don't. Then they often fish for another 20 minutes and talk about the techniques of why and what they're doing. Several of them they're jig fishing for extended peridos of time. All this is on Lake Taneycomo. so depending on power generation could be shallow water with basically no flow, to high water where your boat is drifting at 10 mph.

https://lilleyslanding.com/daily-one-cast/

One-Cast Fishing Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcRHlU-7RKUvIVq7IhWHOw

I have no affiliation with them, other than we stay at their cabins and they're all super friendly.