* Jig Color Considerations

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Jig Color Considerations
You've got to pick just one

Some anglers say color doesn't matter much. They say you can get by with black blue jigs, green pumpkin soft baits and chartreuse white spinnerbaits are all they ever need. I'm not one of them.

I've seen color matter too many times. While I don't want to overplay the importance of color, I don't want to discount it either.

The biggest tip I can give you when it comes to color is to keep an open mind, meaning don't get married to any favorites and don't cotton to "go to" colors. That's the best attitude - unattached and indifferent - to have toward color. In time, it is true you will get settled down into your usual or standard colors you use. Just don't get emotionally attached to them. Keep looking for what color the fish want - not what you want.

Bottom line, you've got to pick just one color - meaning you can only tie one color jig on the end of your line. You can only present one color on a cast. The color you have tied on will influence how many fish you catch. So keep an open mind and make the color you cast count.

In paging through this article, you'll notice a number of different jig skirt colors. In assessing so many colors, almost everyone forms the same questions at first along these lines:

• "Why are there so many different colors?"
• "Which color do you use where or when?"
• "Can one angler really even use - or need - so many colors?"
• "How can one possibly cope with or manage so many colors?"
• "When all is said and done, what are the very best jig colors?"

So that's why I'd like to first summarize for you some of the feedback I have gotten from anglers who use skirted jigs worldwide. This may help to narrow down some of the most popular and productive jig colors for you.

First, let's sidestep down nostalgia lane. Historically, black or brown jigs (with various accent colors such as a thin swatch of blue or purple) seem most popular. This may be because originally, latex rubber jigs (also called "living rubber") were really only available in black or brown rubber (with accents of red, blue, orange or purple rubber). There weren't many other color options for latex rubber jigs.

Nowadays, most jigs are silicone, not latex rubber. There are many more color options today with silicone. Nevertheless, the black, black blue, black red, brown and brown purple colors still rank among the most popular, no doubt due in part to their long legacy as limited colors of living rubber.

Various good green color skirts, never really possible in living rubber, are nowadays gaining popularity as silicone skirts.

The "Dark Green Pumpkin" and the "Green Pumpkin Blend" are popular jig colors today. They have been used in a handful of tournament wins made by anglers.

The "Green Sunfish" color always seems to get mentioned as a good producer by anglers, especially on weedy lakes.

Another that always gets good feedback is the "June Bug Bluegill" used on jigs in murky water like deltas, muddy rivers and such.

A short list of other skirt colors that anglers tend to write me about most often to say they've done quite well with these colors on jigs include:

• Black Blue
• Black Blue Flash
• Black Brown Craw
• Olive Pumpkin
• Green Pumpkin Olive
• Brown Purple
• PBJ Flash
• Peanut Butter Jelly

A number of other colors certainly produce well too. I could mention another 6 or 8 good jig colors but I don't want to water down the list here. Just note that there are some other very good skirt colors - but the ones already listed above are the most popular color jig skirts cited by anglers who have done well worldwide. So that's the short list of what seems to be the top jig colors used by anglers.

Additionally, in Europe, anglers show a lot of confidence in the rusty red craw and black neon jig colors.

Across North America, are there regional differences reported in terms of jig colors? No. Dramatic differences are not reported from anglers in different regions across North America, including the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Where differences do exist, they seem to stem from water clarity, depth and whether weedy or rocky cover.

For instance:

1. Anglers who fish areas with overall shallower, darker water tend to report success on the various black blues, black reds, june bug bluegill and other darker-than-average colors.
2. Anglers who fish areas with overall deeper, clearer impoundments (usually = rocky) tend more toward various browns, especially brown purples or peanut butter jelly colors.
3. Anglers who fish areas with overall shallower, clearer water (usually = weedy) tend to rely more on various greens - green pumpkin, watermelon and olive jig colors.

Those are the major differences I hear from anglers about what jig colors seem best where.

In terms of jig styles (flipping, football, Arkey power, Arkey finesse, etc.) there does not seem to be differences in colors based on different jig styles, except where the differences are because of what is already reported above. What I mean is, more blacks, black blues, black reds get favored on flipping jigs because flipping tends to be done in shallower, often murkier areas. Conversely, more browns are used on football jigs because they are used in deeper areas. So the differences are not because of the jig styles, but where they're used (shallow vs. deep, murky vs. clear, weedy vs. rocky for example).

One jig style that does vary from the others, however, is the Wisconsin style swimming jig. It is often used in baitfish color skirt patterns such as chartreuse shad, white shad and gold shiner for example. The other jig styles (football, flipping, Arkey, etc.) are not used as much in such baitfish colors.

In terms of the two most popular freshwater bass species:

1. Largemouth anglers tend toward black-based and darker colors.
2. Smallmouth anglers tend toward brown-based colors.

As you may realize by now, this is most likely since largemouth tend to be caught in relatively shallower, darker water. Smallmouth are more often caught in relatively deeper, clearer water.

Lastly, are there any "undiscovered stars" among the jig skirt colors in the store that anglers aren't using - but should be?

Well, among the other jig skirt colors, the assorted watermelon varieties, watermelon candies and others, are being used by anglers with good, steady success.

There are a few, however, that I am surprised that anglers do not use more. The brown oranges such as the Brown Sunfish, Brown Sunfish #2 and Green Craw. Always a good jig color combo, brown orange has been around since the beginning since it was one of the few colors possible in living rubber. With a watermelon trailer, brown orange jigs can be incredibly productive. Yet it surprises me that anglers do not seem to use brown oranges as much as I do.

Also, the green reds - Dark Watermelon Red Pepper, Dark Watermelon Red Belly and Rusty Green Craw - are steady producers that anglers should try more. And Green Monkey Shine and Dark Green Monkey Shine are admittedly unfamiliar yet awesome jig colors. A few anglers who have tried the Monkey Shines have reported outstanding results.

Practically all the jig skirt colors have been mentioned above - either by name or by generic color category. The few that haven't been mentioned yet are Rain Frog (a weird weedy color that defies classification), Natural Frog (with its chartreuse belly that's visible even in very heavy cover) and the combined brown greens like Warmouth Sunfish, Olive Brown Craw and Olive Cinnamon that combine both brown and green in the same skirt.

That's just about all the jig skirt colors now, and they're all good. Please enjoy and use them with confidence.

True, it does seem at first like there are so many colors, and it may seem daunting how to possibly manage them all. But in time, it's really not hard to get a handle on them. All you have to do is try, and you may find the pieces of the puzzle all fall into place.

A really big step, in fact a leap, that few anglers ever make - is to realize that all these jig colors also work on spinnerbaits. After all, a spinnerbait is just a punk rock version of a jig with its nose pierced and a pair of flashy earrings dangling overhead.

An easier step is to realize all these jig colors equally apply to soft plastic lures. The only difference is the addition of smoke-based colors in soft plastics. But all the blacks, black reds, black blues, browns, brown purples, watermelons, green pumpkins and everything else about jig colors equally and fully applies to soft plastic lure colors too.

So when you master jig colors, you're also mastering soft plastic lure colors at the same time, and don't hesitate to apply the same colors to spinnerbaits also. You'll be pleased with the results.

Source : http://www.bassdozer.com/articles/jig-fishing.shtml

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Fishing Jig - Casting, Vertical Jigging Tips and Methods

Author: Escalure Fishing Tackle

Buy Esca Lures online at - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Innovative-Fishing-Tackle/

No other artificial walleye lure will catch walleyes as consistently as a lead head jig designed specifically for the walleye. If you think about it, there is an excellent reason the walleye jig is so universal. Walleye spend the majority of there time on the bottom of what ever type of water they are located in.

Among the most versatile of artificial lures for walleye , a walleye jig can be fished many different ways.You can cast from and anchored or drifting boat, jig vertically for walleye while drifting with the wind or current, or troll slowly while bumping the jig along the bottom. And, you can fish a walleye jig plain when the walleyes are biting, or you can tip it with live bait when the fishing is slow.

Casting walleye fishing jigs

One of the most commonly used fishing techniques used while jigging for walleye is casting. Casting works great when the walleye move into the shallows and is typically the preferred method by most walleye anglers in this situation.If the walleyes are in the shallows it's important not to spook them. Make sure you anchor far enough away, but still being able to cast into the shallows.

If you plan on working a shallow reef , anchor in a deep water position , so the the wind will push you to the edge of the reef. If do not get any walleye bites, don't quit! move you your boat about 20yards to left or right and anchor again. Repeat this process until you get a walleye hit.

If the walleye are not schooled, and are located at different points about the reef, or breakline, drift your your boat near the reef or breakline but but not on it, then cast your walleye fishing jig towards the shallows working the jig back towards you.I would recommend you have your electric trolling motor ready to keep you running parallel with the reef or breakline.Use your trolling motor to keep you boat drifting parallel to the reef or breakline. If you catch a walleye toss out a marker and work the area until the fish stop biting then move on.

If the walleyes are suspended off the bottom , count your jig for walleye down to different depths after you cast then begin to reel your line in. When you get a strike make sure you remember your count. (I right it down). Then repeat the same count on the next cast.

Remember casting jigs for walleye work best when the fish or in the shallows.

Best Bass Lures - Exploring the Best Bass Fishing Lures

In this article I'm going to outline some of the more popular and effective bass fishing lures on the market today, and the attributes that make them this way. By reading this quick article you can learn about lures you may not have heard about, and add them to your bass fishing repertoire. With any luck one or all of these fishing lures will help you have your best fishing season ever.

The most important aspect of any type of fishing is to spend as much time as possible on the water practicing your craft. Practice is the biggest key to bass fishing success. Mark Reid once said, "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; in practice, there is." No truer words may have ever been spoken, and the point is to take this information and get out on the water and use it.

Let's get down to the best bass lures, shall we?

1. Spinner Baits - These shiny, strange looking fishing lures look more like a wind chime than a fishing bait, but when it comes to bass fishing (especially in the case of large mouth bass) spinner baits can be hard to beat. The basic philosophy with spinner baits is that the large blade (or blades) attracts the bass, and then the jig on the hook "seals the deal", as it were. Spinner baits fished in and around fallen trees or heavy cover can be a deadly bass fishing tactic. These baits come in many sizes, with many blade sizes and colors, and are sold in every imaginable color. As far as bass fishing lures are concerned, spinner baits are one of the best.


2. Jigs - The most popular sizes of bass fishing jigs are 1/4, 3/8, & 1/2 ounce. Jigs are tipped with twister tails of many varieties and in some instances pork trailers are added to the hook. Some anglers say the "jig and pig" has a much more natural and lifelike movement than jigs without the pork trailer. This is all for the individual angler to decide. Bass jigs are fished slowly around heavy cover, and can be an extremely effective lure.


3. Crank Baits - Crank baits have to be on the list of the best bass lures. These baits come in a variety of styles, most of which imitate either minnows or shad. Crank baits can be fished at a variety of depths and speeds and are extremely popular. Some bass anglers fish exclusively with these baits, so they must be effective. Some of the more popular and effective crank baits include: Rat-L-Traps, Bomber Shad, Bandit Crankbaits, KickTail Minnows (maybe the most realistic crank bait ever), and Rapala Minnows, to name a few. The point is that crank baits have to be considered among the best bass lures.


4. Soft Plastics - The most popular soft plastic in the bass fishing arena is the plastic worm. Anyone who has fished for bass has undoubtedly fished a plastic worm. Berkley has revolutionized the fishing world with the development of their Gulp products. These are plastic worms that have bass attracting natural scents impregnated in them. They make bass fishing with soft plastics that much more effective. Whether you're bass fishing with a Carolina rig or wacky worm, soft plastics are extremely popular and effective bass fishing lures.

Buy Esca Lures online at - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Innovative-Fishing-Tackle/

This was a small list of all of the bass fishing lures available to bass anglers. These bas lures are simply some of the more popular and effective. If you aren't familiar with any of these lures, add them to your bass fishing repertoire, sooner rather than later. And don't forget the most important aspect of any of these baits...spending time using them.

Tips and Techniques For Jig Fishing Walleyes

Jig fishing for walleyes can be a very effective technique that can be used in a variety of situations from shallow water to deep water, and from the winter season to summer time. Because it's up to the angler to put the desired action into the jig, this lure can be used for sluggish or aggressive fish. I would have to say that a jig is the most versatile walleye lure on the market today.

For the majority of situations, especially on rivers, you will be working the jig along the bottom, as that's where the walleyes will be. To select the weight of the jig head to use simply use whatever weight it takes to maintain feel of the bottom. In most cases you will want to use the lightest jig possible to maintain feel of the bottom.

Lift And Drop

When casting jigs the most common retrieve is the "lift and drop". After casting allow the jig to sink to the bottom, then reel in the slack line and lift the jig off the bottom with your rod. Once your rod reaches about the 11:00 position, allow the jig to sink back to the bottom. Because lifting the jig off the bottom is the attractor to the fish be sure to experiment with the distance and speed of this motion. Now lower your rod tip until you feel the jig hit bottom. It is very critical that you follow the jig back to the bottom with a tight line, as this is when most walleyes will strike the lure. If you don't reel in slack line while the jig drops you won't be able to feel a strike.

Vertical Jigging

Another method of fishing jigs from a boat is "vertical jigging". This technique is best suited when fishing from a boat in water depths of 9 to 40 feet deep. Although most walleye won't be found deeper than 20 feet, many sauger will be found 20 to 40 feet deep in the winter to early spring. Vertical jigging is also best for the sluggish fish found in the cooler waters of late fall, winter, and early spring.

To vertical jig for walleyes and sauger the anglers boat should be moving down stream at the same speed of the current. Next simply raise your jig off the bottom, and slowly drop your rod tip until you feel the jig touch the bottom, then repeat this motion. As with the "lift and drop" technique be sure to keep a tight line when dropping the jig back down so that you can feel a walleye strike your jig. Be sure to experiment how you're fishing the jig until you find what the fish want the most. In most cases the lightest jig possible will catch the most fish.

Dragging Jigs

Dragging jigs is simply as the name implies. Typically a 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jig will be used. Simple let out about 1 ½ times amount of line as the water depth and allow the jig to drag along the bottom. When fishing from a boat in a lake either drift with the wind or use your trolling motor. In a river simply drift downstream, or use your trolling motor to drag the jig upstream. This technique works the best for sluggish fish in colder water. When dragging a jig don't be afraid to use larger plastics, such as 5 inch ringworms, or 4-5 inch twister grubs.

Jig Fishing Tips:

1. While the weight of the jig selected is the first decision, the next decision will be the length of the plastic twister tail, or etc. use. This most depends upon the time of year and how aggressive the fish are. I would recommend a plastic bait in length of 3 to 5 inches.

2. The color of the plastic twister tail or ringworm will most often make a huge difference. Generally speaking, user more natural colors in clear water such as black, purple, and blue. When fishing dirty water use plastics with brighter colors such as orange, chartreuse, or yellow.

3. Hair jigs tipped with a 2 - 3 inch minnow can be really effective for both walleyes and sauger from winter to early spring time.

4. To catch a larger percentage of fish that are short striking your jig and minnow combination try using a stinger hook. A stinger hook is a small treble hook attached to the hook of your jig with a short piece of mono fishing line. When hooking the minnow towards the tail with the stinger hook be sure to leave slack in the line so the minnow can move and look natural.

5. Heavy or large diameter fishing line is a detriment to the angler, as it will reduce the action of a jig, and also requiring the angler to select a heavier jig to reach the bottom.

6. Don't be afraid to try fishing a plain jig tipped with a minnow, night crawler, or leech. On some days it can be just the ticket.

7. If your getting a lot of snags when fishing jigs you are most like using to heavy of jig, or not maintaining feel of the bottom when vertical jigging, meaning you are dragging. Although dragging can be an effective technique it is only practical on smooth bottoms.

Buy Esca Lures online at - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Innovative-Fishing-Tackle/

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Western Basin home to jigging heaven

Author: Capt. Tony Denslow

A plain jig is an odd lure. It really does not resemble anything in
nature that a fish would eat.But dress it up with some color, deer hair, and perhaps a worm, minnow or grub and it becomes a formidable weapon in any fisherman's arsenal.
It has been that way for thousands of years. Jigs were used by the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. Even cave dwellers carved jig-looking lures out of bone to catch their fish. So folks
today are just carrying on a long tradition. Lake Erie anglers use a variety of jigs (we also call them lead heads) to fish for walleyes through the ice and for several weeks after
ice-out in the early spring. The rest of the year jigs get shoved to the back of the tackle box in favor of other more productive lures. Why just jigs early? Presentation is probably the main reason. Ice-out water is extremely cold, just a few degrees above freezing, and the
fish are still in a lethargic state. So a slow deliberate angling style is required, making the lead head the logical choice. On my last jigging trip we were fortunate to have a calm day with only a slight drift. Schools of pre-spawn walleyes were congregating over a
rocky bottom in about 12 feet of water. We were all armed with six-foot, medium-heavy rods and reels spooled with Berkley Fireline. I picked out a quarter-ounce dark brown bucktail
jig and attached the line without using a snap swivel. Baiting up is a little more complicated. You want to give as natural a presentation as possible. To do this, start the hook through the
minnow's mouth and out the gill, then twist and place the hook through the body behind the dorsal fin. When the jig hits the bottom, the minnow will appear in a swimming position. I made a short cast away from the boat and let the lure settle to the bottom before taking up slack. Once the line was tight I slowly raised the rod tip and I could feel the lead bump across some rocks. Then I slowly raised the rod tip higher this time, bringing the jig two-to-three feet off the bottom before letting it settle back to the bottom. During the fall, a walleye hit and I had my first fish. It was not a hard hit, just a tap before I felt the weight of the fish. This is a typical method of jig fishing for walleyes, but sometimes the angler will have to change lure weights and colors before finding the right combination. So keep the arsenal well-stocked. I have one plastic lure box that contains an assortment of jigs from an eighth-ounce up to a half-ounce. I usually purchase them in various colors from the likes of Walmart, Cabela's and Gander Mountain. A second box contains soft lure bodies such as curlytails, worms and grubs in basic colors. If I do not do anything else, I make sure that the color dark purple is included. Purple is a hot color for walleye jigging. I do not know why. A third box contains store-bought lures that I have had success with over the years. These include the Lindy Fuzz-E-Grub, and a lot of Cabela and Northland creations in as many colors and sizes as I can afford. In recent years, tackle manufacturers have come up with rattle tubes that can be attached to the jig. They are small but add big benefits to attract fish. Keep them handy. As soon as the ice is gone from the Western Basin, fishermen will start gathering in shallow off-shore waters and around the many reefs. If there is a jigging heaven this is it. Capt. Tony Denslow

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/western-basin-home-to-jigging-heaven-825187.html

About the Author

Capt. Tony Denslow is a retired news journalist who now operates a sportfishing charter business on Lake Erie.

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* Shimano Trevala For Jig

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Shimano Trevala and Other Shimano Rods Make Butterfly Jigging Easy

Author: Robert Feuring

The system of butterfly jigging started in Japan during the year 1990. This was developed to reel in blue fin tuna up to a depth of 500 feet. This certain fishing system is known as "butterfly jigging" since the lure of the rod has distinct butterfly-like and zigzag motions under the water. This one-of-a-kind motion is the reason why butterfly jigging is capable of attracting huge groups of fishes. Since jigging requires a special kind of fishing rods, you need to use unique and durable rods. When looking into the market, opt for Shimano Trevala, which are designed specially for butterfly jigging.



The Concept of Butterfly Jigging with Shimano Trevala Jigging Rods



Shimano Trevala rods are among the perfect fishing rods that are used specifically for butterfly jigging. Some Shimano rods, which allow jig fishing, present the fishes with vertical profile. The jigs are developed in such a way that they attract and catch fishes even from a distance or depth of 150 feet or more. Shimano Trevala rods have jigs that drop instantly to the ocean's bottom with one swinging motion. The color and the shape of the jigs are similar to certain fish species, which are being consumed by the bottom feeders of the sea. The lively motion of the jigs of Shimano Trevala and other jigging rods in the industry is called action/reaction. This implies that the rod's jig does not only attract fishes that are searching for food, it also tends to make other fishes attack due to the sudden movements of the jig.



The Beginning of the Shimano Rods



The start of the company that makes Shimano rods happened in Osaka, Japan, in the year 1921. But it was only in the year 1970 that the corporation started making fishing rods and launching it for the use of the people. After releasing its first models of fishing rods, the company has been able to build a good reputation for itself. What is more, it has come up with better versions of its rods each passing year. Among the unique designs of the company are the Shimano Trevala series, which are great for butterfly jigging. As a matter of fact, the Shimano Trevala jigging rods are considered as among the world's widely used systems for butterfly jigging.



Butterfly Jigging Is More Effective with Shimano Trevala Rods



The Shimano Trevala rods, which are used for jigging, are specifically designed and created to eliminate the difficult of fishing even at great water depths. These special rods let anglers or fishermen feel each movement of the rod as they are reeling in the lure. The Shimano Trevala jigging rods amplify each lure movement to enable you to judge accurately each motion and action of the fish that gets caught in the bait. There are several fishing rods from the manufacturer that allows you to set up your own system for butterfly jigging. The best fishing rods that you can utilize for heavy-duty preparations are Shimano Trevala and its F rod series. These rods can be used in combination with patented reels and jigs from the company in order for you to complete your jigging system.



If you want to know which reel or jig is perfect for your Shimano rod, you can visit Sea Isle Tackle. This online dealer offers fishing equipment from different manufacturers such Penn and Shimano.

About the Author:
Visit Sea Isle Tackle online. We offer a great selection of Jigging Rods, including the Shimano Trevala. In addition to Shimano Trevala Jigging Rods, we offer a full collection of Shimano Rods.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/shimano-trevala-and-other-shimano-rods-make-butterfly-jigging-easy-590580.html

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