image from trails.comJigging, not to be confused with gigging, is the practice of fishing with a jig.
A jig is a type of fishing lure consisting of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it and usually covered by a soft body to attract fish. Jigs are intended to create a jerky, vertical motion, as opposed to spinnerbaits which move through the water horizontally. The jig is very versatile and can be used in both salt water as well as fresh water. Many species are attracted to the lure which has made it popular amongst anglers for years.
The head of a jig can consist of many different shapes and colors along with different features. The most common is the round head, but others include fish head shaped, coned shaped, or anything someone can think up. The three most popular jighead shapes in bass fishing are the flipping jighead (pictured above), the football jighead, and the grass jighead. These heads come in many different weights usually ranging from 1/80th of an ounce to nearly a pound for large saltwater bottomfish. They can also be found in a wide array of colors and patterns. The hooks also vary. These variances can be on the hook type, color, angle of the hook or the material of the hook. Some jig heads even offer a weed guard.
There is a wide array of bodies for jigs. The most common is made out of rubber or silicone. These come in many shapes and can resemble a grub, frog shaped, fish shaped, paddle tail, lizards, or different insects. The colors of these can range from bright yellow to a transparent brown with silver and red flakes. Also during summer months look at colors for the heat such as browns, or blue with black hair. Many others catch fish like smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Another, more traditional type uses dyed whitetail deer tail hair on the outside, Chenille on the inside and various feathers, hairs and other (usually natural) materials. They are usually brightly colored or are designed to mimic local prey fish. This is called a bucktail jig and is widley used in the north and Midwest, where many are still hand tied by anglers.