"BEST" jigs??

[KillerDave]

When used as part of a balanced system, all jigs work.

Whichever jig you choose, make sure it balances with the float you are using. For example, use a 1/8oz jig with a 1/8oz rated float. The Thill Turbo Master and the new Stalker Floats have the weight ratings on the package. This is especially important when you're learning to jig fish.

[Hooker]

KillerDave,

What about using a 1/8oz. jig with a 1/4oz. float?

[rola76]

Thanks for the advice about "balance" Dave...I'll keep that in mind.

[Snapset]

I have noticed a huge difference in rate of strikes when using a clear plastic float. The casting floats with the pin in the center are the only floats I use, unless I am fishing water more than 4 feet deep, or low visibility/ colored water conditions.

[Dave Vedder]

The BeauMac Jigs with Gami hooks, 1/8 and 1/4 ounce, cerise and pink

[rola76]

I'll be using this method on the Sandy this weekend, and it will be my first time EVER on this river (we'll be in a Hyde drifter).

Any color suggestions based on water clarity right now?

[KillerDave]

Hooker-
Sure, you can use the 1/8oz jigs with the 1/4oz floats but then the float is harder to "read." If you're experienced you can make it work.

However, when you're just starting out it's much easier if you make the extra effort to keep everything balanced and learn to read the float.

[Hogback]

Killer Dave
Could you explain the need to match the jig and float?
Randy

[NetProfit]

I agee with dave you want to match your jigs to the size of your float/bobber, you want your float and jig strait up and down the bobbber should be strait up and down as your dead drifting though a hole or riffle or what ever.I use a just a bubbles 3/8 for 1/4 on jigs and the smaller bubbles for 1/8 and 1/16 oz jigs i fish them narrow side down in the water the opposite way the package says to use them I fill them with water to weight them for futher more accurate cast if i see something fishy on the other side or I'm fishing near the ocean or coast and i'm fighting wind while casting. clear bubbles in clear water and any color bubble in colored water. fish jigs 6in to 2ft of the bottom depending on claraty and depth your fishing. good luck

[devonian]

has anyone tried odyssey jigs? 3 of us have caught a lot of fish on these lately. most of them on the 1/4 oz pink and white. put these in the water and you will see why they work so well.

they cost a little more but well worth it in my opinion.

[jokester]

Just ordered some new FCJ's this morning. Can't wait till I get to try them out!

-jokester

[Steelheader69]

Want the truth? Use the jig that appeals most to you. Half the time, it's getting them in front of the fish that is the key. Then, down to color. I do agree with Dave above, the color combo he gave is one I've caught the most on (and purple/pink as well). Bead and no bead bodies. But never had a problem with the gami heavy wire jig hooks. Just can't put them on extra stout rods with heavy line and expect the hook to take the abuse. But I tied up a few "beau mac" knockoffs (like Dave described) for a buddy of mine who never jig fished before. Used them over on the OP last week. Put quite a few fish to the boat between the two of them over a week. Not one straightened out (they were on gami heavy wire hooks).

Actually, I will add. Learn to tie your own. You'll save ALOT of money in long run, and have the jig you want. Plus, can tie on demand.

Then, onto matching floats to jigs. Will try to clear a little more. If you use a 1/4 ounce float on a 1/8th jig, the float won't be riding in proper position to detect the slight bites that sometimes happen. Takes a bit more pull by the fish to get float to move. If you use a 1/8th ounce float on a 1/4 ounce jig, may pull the float all the way under and not get a good work of the slot (I haven't tried this, so is an assumption). But the proper size float for the proper sized jighead makes "extra weight" on the line a non necessity.

[Redneck]

i've done pretty well with jigs this year on the sandy. i use sy's jigs (sportsmans warehouse) and fisher jigs (great american tackle). both brands use owner hooks and thats why i use them. for clear water on the sandy, like yesterday, i use red and for classic steelhead green i use pink/white. for real dirty water, i use black/chartreuse. most of the time i use 1/8oz. jigs with a thill turbomaster float. you can add splitshots to balance the float correctly. make sure you keep as much of your line out of the water so you can achieve a "dead" drift were your float travels just a bit slower than the current.
redneck

[Fish Hawg]

I only use First Cast Jigs . You cant get them at FMS. Or order them from mark.

For me it all comes down to quality! I hooked a huge steelhead a few years ago on a Beau-Mac jig but lost the fish when the cheap hook straightened out :depressed:
For me I only use jigs tied on the best hooks I can buy and that goes for all types of fishing not just bobber/jig fishing. Why shortchange yourself and take the chance of losing a trophy fish just to save a few cents?
Then there is the quality of the materials that your jig is tied with. I've seen jigs that the dye on the feathers actually run when the jig gets wet! or the thread has either broke or unravelled.
So if you are willing to spend big bucks on rod and reel but go cheap on the jig then what's the point?
Everyone pretty much knows what jigs I use so I won't make this a commercial for them but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you pretty much get what you pay for and if you think a certain jig is over priced just look at the quality of it and go from there.
Just my $.02

[Jennie@ifish]

First Cast all the way!

They are gorgeous, they are strong, they entice fish, and they bring them ALL the way in!

Jen

[Hogback]

I'm with Steelheader69 make your own. The materials to make jigs are not that expensive, you can use the hooks you prefer and build them the way you want them. Why pay over $2.00 for something you can make for less than a buck?
Randy

[First Bite]

rola76

There are a lot of good colors for winter steelhead. Any shade or combination of pink, cerise, fuchsia and white is a good start.

Most important part of any jig is the hook. Gamakatsu and Owner are some of the best quality jig hooks available.

As far as matching your jig to the float, experiment with different floats and see what works best for you. While Turbomasters work fine in most situations, they can frustrating to use in larger rivers where there is a lot of wind.

One of my favorite set-ups is to use a 1/2 oz West Coast Float combined with an in-line 1/4-oz weight and then a jig tied on the other end of the weight. This set-up will allow you to cast as far as you could ever want even in windy situations. The float also stands straight up and down. By using Power Pro or another braided line as your mainline, when you happen to snag up you'll rarely lose you weight and float. I use this se-up in winter conditions and it works excellent.

When the water starts to recede and drop then I'll switch back to a fixed float and tie one knot at the jig.

Mark

[River Ranger]

Don't forget Seth Fishers jigs.Owner hooks good colors.
R.R.

[Steelie Ben]

Here is something I have found to work when fishing crowded rivers where alot of people are tossing maribou jigs. Switch it up and use a yarn jig, they don't have the action a maribou does but they hold scent and don't gum up when you juice them up. I use these on the clackamas a lot on summers when everyone else is tossing maribou and honestly my success rate is equal to or better than the majority. Also I like to use the lightest jig possible for the conditions, rarely will I use anything more than 1/8th ounce. I will use these with the smallest thill float that will still float. If you aren't using braided line I would apply some parafin wax to your mono to float it and make it easier to mend and "Guide" your jig. Hope this helps, just be persistant and you will hook up.
SB

[spinner fisher]

I live only a couple of miles from the sandy and as my name says spinner fisher, I still fish jigs alot on the sandy. I find that on the sandy I hook atleast a steelhead every time I jig fish. If the water is off colored I switch to spiiners. But when I jig fish I only use Flourescent Pink! It has proven to be very effective. I like First Cast Jigs, Beau Mac Jigs and Stuarts Bullet head Jigs. Good Luck on the Sandy, Fishing has been good!!

[dawhunt]

I really like the first Cast jigs alot !!!
Bob

[SalmonNilla]

I really like First Cast Jigs.
I also think Stuarts Steelhead Bullets are great jigs too. Here is a pic.

The one on the bottom is my favorite. The head is dipped in Silver which reflects more light than most it also has those neat little red rubber things dangling behind it.
I recommend power pro line, high vis yellow for jig fishing. Easy to see and mend. I use 8# - 12# maxima ultragreen leader. Good luck!

[SalmonJeff]

you mentioned the "X" factor of bullet Jigs! I hope Brett doesn't hear [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[spinner fisher]

What is the "x" factor of bullet head jigs

[Steelheader69]

Wow, that's odd. I've had 20# steelhead on Gami heavy wire jig hooks, which are the same one's that beau mac uses (at least the bead bodied one's I've seen). Never had one straighten out. Unless they are older Beau Mac's??? Unless you're horsing them on heavy line. Most people don't match their line to their tackle. In fact, I do believe one of the mid 20# steelhead caught last week in my buddies boat was caught on a beau mac bead body. My buddy caught on the one's I tied up.

But tie your own. Doesn't take much to tie, easier then a fly (or at least most). And will shave off quite a bit of money. Especially when you buy in bulk and tie.

[First Bite]

I've bent more heavy wire Gamakatsu hooks then I can remember. No heavy, stout rods or horsing in fish. Just plain and simple hook failure. This was over a time span of several years of year-round jig fishing.

Only when I switched to Owner jig hooks did I notice a big difference. One day I wanted to really find the breaking point of these hooks so I loaded up my 8'6" 1025 rod with 17# test and purposely horsed in hot summer runs. That was the first time I bent a hook.

That was three years ago and since that time I have bent maybe 3-4 hooks out of hundreds of fish.

Gamakatsu makes a good jig hook and overall I like them a lot but in my opinion Owner jig hooks are simply a better hook if your intention is to land the fish.

Mark

Originally posted by Steelheader69:
Wow, that's odd. I've had 20# steelhead on Gami heavy wire jig hooks, which are the same one's that beau mac uses (at least the bead bodied one's I've seen). Never had one straighten out. Unless they are older Beau Mac's??? Unless you're horsing them on heavy line. Most people don't match their line to their tackle. In fact, I do believe one of the mid 20# steelhead caught last week in my buddies boat was caught on a beau mac bead body. My buddy caught on the one's I tied up.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Beau-Mac jigs down here Jerry, do not use Gammie hooks except for their "Gammie-Boo" series.They use cheap EC jigs hooks which is why they can sell them so cheap! So it isn't "odd" at all.
But you knew that right Jerry? :tongue:

[ 03-02-2004, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

[fishbane]

I have had good luck with a first cast jig.

[rola76]

I've only used jigs a few times, like twice, but am undoubtedly going to adopt his as a new technique.

Sounds like there are a lot of IFishers who use this method, so what are your favorites?

Of course First Cast Jigs are true as I've read from posts, but in case I need to pick some up at a local retailer/sporting goods store, what other options are worthwhile?

Thanks in advance.

[Hooker]

I've done well with Beau Mac Steelhead jigs but the hook is of poor quality. First Cast are premium quality and they are proven fish catchers.

[cotalot]

Thanks for all the input. I'm just starting to use jigs and looking forward to trying all of your suggestions.

[Hooker]

How important is it to connect the mainline to the wire on Thill floats on a fixed set up?

[rola76]

Thanks a TON everyone!! If I had the time, I'd definitely order some FCJ's, but due to leaving tomorrow I'll have to go with a more common jig that I can buy locally.

Sounds like I need to make sure I'm using Owner or Gamis, and it sounds like pink is the ticket.

Right on guys!! :smile:

[Hogback]

IMHO any hook will fail. I bent an Owner on a fish I had to put the brakes on last December. The thing that surprised me was that the hook bent before the 8lb. UG broke. Being the frugal old man I am, I bent the hook back and caught more fish on it. I think hook placement is more responsible for hook failure than the hook itself. If the point is in the roof of the mouth the stress is trying to bend the hook open, and if the hook goes through the corner of the mouth the stress is on the bend where it is intended to be.
Randy

[DanS]

How important is it to connect the mainline to the wire on Thill floats on a fixed set up?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Mandatory.........i f you want it to work like it's designed to.

[Steelheader69]

Ah, like I said, I don't fish beau macs, I only tie my own. And, saw beau macs that had the gami emblems on them. Assumed they were all tied with them. Hmmmmmm.

But, never had one straighten, and I also know a guy who's been strictly jig fishing since the late 80's. He's the one who got my Dad and I into jigs. But we never did a 100% commitment to them. He almost always uses gami's and never straightened one out. And he catches alot of fish (nice being retired and can fish all the time). Now, the EC's I can believe. I've had test packs of them and hated them. I'm still waiting on my test packs from owner. Love their bait hooks. But haven't rec'd the jig samples yet.