Bassmaster Opens pro John Garrett knows he can catch largemouth bass on jigs anywhere in the country. A diverse arsenal is key, so Garrett offers a few tips for anyone interested in learning this technique.
The standard flipping jig is a great tool for short presentations into laydowns, flooded brush, stumps or submerged vegetation, as well as skipping under docks. Garrett likes a Strike King Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Flipping Jig (named for Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg Hackney) with a Strike King Rodent (left) for cold water or Rage Craw (right) for warmer times.
For optimal fit and a profile that promotes better hookups, Garrett bites or clips off one segment from the end of his trailer.
The swim jig is one of the most user-friendly styles, as you literally throw it out and swim it back. Built with a narrow head and a weedguard, this jig comes through cover well.
Garrett offers this tip for properly threading a trailer onto the hook: Lay the trailer against the jig’s hook with the end flush against the back side of the head. Pinch the trailer at the point where the hook bend aligns and use this as a reference for where to bring the hook point out.
For offshore fishing, a dragging-style jig can yield some of your bigger bass opportunities — particularly during the extremes of summer and winter. The Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig has a narrow nose, which comes through bottom cover well, while the traditional football jig works best for rumbling across small rock, gravel or shell bottom.
As with his flipping jig, Garrett recommends keeping the profile tight by trimming the end of the trailer.
When he’s fishing around deep brush, wood or any significant obstructions, Garrett trusts his Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig with a Strike King Rage Craw.
For cold weather, extremely clear water or heavily pressured fisheries where the bass become super wary, dropping down to a finesse jig is a good way to earn the tough bites.
For fishing boat docks, bluffs and steep, rocky banks, Garrett likes a Strike King Tour Grade Finesse Jig with a Strike King Rage Craw trailer.
Even though it’s terribly cliched, the old saying about elephants eating peanuts definitely applies to bass fishing, as the modest finesse jig can turn in some impressive catches.
Jigs can become a highly specialized bait category, but learning to work with a flipping jig, a dragging-style jig, a swim jig and a finesse jig will cover a wide range of scenarios and give you the tools to catch big bass.
