Strokin a jig

[brwnbass]

I have been trying to learn how to do this, without any luck so far.I have tried big hops & small ones & havent gotten the first bite.Is this more of a spring time thing or a warm water in general thing? I have cayght some fish with a small fluke & 1/4 oz jighead this way, but not on a standard jig.Crawling it with slower lifts & falls is the only way Ive been able to catch 'em. Thanks in advance for any input on this.

[Stump9000]

I have been trying to learn how to do this, without any luck so far.I have tried big hops & small ones & havent gotten the first bite.Is this more of a spring time thing or a warm water in general thing? I have cayght some fish with a small fluke & 1/4 oz jighead this way, but not on a standard jig.Crawling it with slower lifts & falls is the only way Ive been able to catch 'em. Thanks in advance for any input on this.

I want to know too.

[BassinHomer]

I've tried this often as well to no avail, I always read that it was a deep water strcuture technique, but as yourself have always done better with the drag/hop combination.

This is one of those techniques that I suspect they print in magazines to throw off the weekend warrior so they don't figure out what the pros are cathing em' on.

[eastenfish]

Ok boys I can help with this one. You've got to commit and believe it will work because I promise it will. Just jerk the snot out of that thing. I've caught fish from 3 ft to 30 ft doing this. I'm a weekend warrior who is a much much better fisherman because of this technique.

Start with rod at 9 o'clock at jerk to 12 o'clock. Jerk hard and fast. You are trying to get a reaction strike. After that let the jig fall on slack line watching you line fall. Then tighten up on your jig to feel for a fish. A lot of times they will inhale it on the fall and you won't feel the strike. If there isn't a fish on jerk again and repeat. Always make sure to check and feel before jerking again. I've jerked it out of a lot of fishes mouth getting in a hurry. You want to use a fairly heavy jig. The lightest I use is 1/2 oz. and most of the time I use a 3/4 oz all the way up to 1 oz. Seriously though you have to commit to it and do it all the time unless around heavy brush. I can't make myself work a jig slow anymore. I am addicted to jerking a jig. I got hooked going with a guy and he showed me how to do it.

One more word of advice. When they strike on the way up is the hardest thing. Because you have your rod at 12 o'clock and your natural reaction is to bend turn and reel. DON'T DO IT! Drop rod and let the fish take it. Reload your rod and bust him like normal. Most of the time they will still have it. Don't try to set the hook while your handcuffed. Good luck and keep working on it they will bite I promise.

[Guest]

thanks ...that sounds like an interesting way to use a jig..i am game the next time i am on the water...

[Stump9000]

Ok boys I can help with this one. You've got to commit and believe it will work because I promise it will. Just jerk the snot out of that thing. I've caught fish from 3 ft to 30 ft doing this. I'm a weekend warrior who is a much much better fisherman because of this technique.

Start with rod at 9 o'clock at jerk to 12 o'clock. Jerk hard and fast. You are trying to get a reaction strike. After that let the jig fall on slack line watching you line fall. Then tighten up on your jig to feel for a fish. A lot of times they will inhale it on the fall and you won't feel the strike. If there isn't a fish on jerk again and repeat. Always make sure to check and feel before jerking again. I've jerked it out of a lot of fishes mouth getting in a hurry. You want to use a fairly heavy jig. The lightest I use is 1/2 oz. and most of the time I use a 3/4 oz all the way up to 1 oz. Seriously though you have to commit to it and do it all the time unless around heavy brush. I can't make myself work a jig slow anymore. I am addicted to jerking a jig. I got hooked going with a guy and he showed me how to do it.

One more word of advice. When they strike on the way up is the hardest thing. Because you have your rod at 12 o'clock and your natural reaction is to bend turn and reel. DON'T DO IT! Drop rod and let the fish take it. Reload your rod and bust him like normal. Most of the time they will still have it. Don't try to set the hook while your handcuffed. Good luck and keep working on it they will bite I promise.

Very good reply, thanks.

[brwnbass]

Ok, i get the idea now. I wasnt jerkin it hard enuf i guess , ill have to give it a try, maybe tonite!!! Do you use any certain type of trailer for this, like a twin tail grub or something? Thanks for the info !!!

[flipperjig]

ok boys here is the way to fish a jig...i stroke mine all the time...i use the double hop...i start at about 10 oclock and hop it till about 11 and then hop it from 11 to 12 or 1....i dont hop it hard ..i try to imagine a crawfish fleeing for his life...thats the oly way i fish a jig and trust me i catch my share of them on it...there is many different ways to fish a jig...u can drag it like a worm,,,hop it like i do...whind it with the reel handle and u can fish it like a shakey head...the way im talking about fishing it is stroking it but in a finese way of stroking..

[BassinHomer]

My wife saw me replying to this and wanted to know why I would stroke a jig and not well we will leave it there

[eastenfish]

Ok, i get the idea now. I wasnt jerkin it hard enuf i guess , ill have to give it a try, maybe tonite!!! Do you use any certain type of trailer for this, like a twin tail grub or something? Thanks for the info !!!

I have used different kinds with success. However, I seem to have had the most success with a twin tail grub trailer. The one I normally use is a BPS brand that is a twin grub but looks like a crawfish. If that makes any sense to you. Also I have used flipping, swimming, and football head jigs for this technique. They all work. Just make sure if using a twin tail they have a good keeper on it to keep the trailer from jerking down when you jerk the jig.

As flipperjig said many different ways to stroke a jig. And I will experiment with different size hops and speed. However, here is my thing. Every big bass in the lake has seen a jig rolling on the bottom or bouncing along. All bass are territorial. They will come out and inspect your jig. Even get as close as an inch to it then turn away. I am trying to get a total reaction strike. For example how many times have you thrown a worm or jig or any sinking lure for that fact and as soon as you tighten up there is a fish on there. You weren't working that lure he instinctly hit the lure on the fall. My jig is falling a lot more times on the way back to the boat than the normal fisherman.

[NiceGuy]

this tech really works with the right conditions. i use 1 oz jig. i rip it from around 8 or 9 oclock to 12 in 1 stroke. the main thing is line watchin on the fall. seems to work better if the fish r just mouthing the bait and not taking it. norris is majority sm lake for this technique. never had much luck with lm. maybe not in the right spot.

[Jon]

Good stuff!

[eastenfish]

this tech really works with the right conditions. i use 1 oz jig. i rip it from around 8 or 9 oclock to 12 in 1 stroke. the main thing is line watchin on the fall. seems to work better if the fish r just mouthing the bait and not taking it. norris is majority sm lake for this technique. never had much luck with lm. maybe not in the right spot.

The LM and spots alike will kill this. I wore large and spots out on guntersville this year doing this around bridge pilings. I have caught a few SM doing this but most of mine are LM. However, I did hook my 2nd biggest smallie ever this year with this technique. She broke me off. But the technique worked.

[cb76]

This sounds interesting. I will have to give this a try as an alternative to the way I usually fish a jig. Thanks for the information.

[softbaitmaker]

I guess stroking a jig is what I call Rippin a jig but I do mine differently to an extent. I will use 1/2 oz Jig mostly. I like rippin a jig on road beds in 10 to 20 foot of water. I use a 6.8 foot rod and 30lb Braid. I will cast the jig out and let in settle down and then drop rod tip to about 9 oclock and rip the jig really hard and let it fall back watching the tight line. At that point I don't take up any slack, I just drop the rod and rip it again. The jig does not move far that second time but just almost jumps straight up and then falls back. I will wait a few seconds and then rip in again without taking up any line. The jig jumps again with out moving but just falls back down. I will rip it one more time and if I don't stick a fish on that rip I will reel in in and cast it again. Normally on one of the rips I will hit a fish that has grabbed the jig and getting ready to swim off when I rip it that next time. don't catch alot of fish rippin a jig but normally when you hit one it's a nice one worth catching. After the first main rip I figure that has raise some attention of any bass close by and the jumping on the jig just makes them all the more mad about it and they will finally take it. Like I said, works great on road beds...... Just my..

[Guest]

this has really been interesting ...well to me anyway. i haven't fished a jig that much but i really like the tips you guys have provided...let ya know soon how it works for me..

[2golforfish]

great read guys

[eastenfish]

I guess stroking a jig is what I call Rippin a jig but I do mine differently to an extent. I will use 1/2 oz Jig mostly. I like rippin a jig on road beds in 10 to 20 foot of water. I use a 6.8 foot rod and 30lb Braid. I will cast the jig out and let in settle down and then drop rod tip to about 9 oclock and rip the jig really hard and let it fall back watching the tight line. At that point I don't take up any slack, I just drop the rod and rip it again. The jig does not move far that second time but just almost jumps straight up and then falls back. I will wait a few seconds and then rip in again without taking up any line. The jig jumps again with out moving but just falls back down. I will rip it one more time and if I don't stick a fish on that rip I will reel in in and cast it again. Normally on one of the rips I will hit a fish that has grabbed the jig and getting ready to swim off when I rip it that next time. don't catch alot of fish rippin a jig but normally when you hit one it's a nice one worth catching. After the first main rip I figure that has raise some attention of any bass close by and the jumping on the jig just makes them all the more mad about it and they will finally take it. Like I said, works great on road beds...... Just my..

Yeah softy I've always called it jerking a jig. Everyone has a little different twang to their presentation. But I think we're all trying to accomplish the same thing. A reaction strike.

[lunkerhunter1982]

A word on trailers: I like something flappy or swimmy, one with a lot of action, but I use a liberal amount of super glue on the trailer no matter what kind I put on. Brush hogs, double tail grubs, rage or paca craws, etc will all work, but they better be glued on there good.

[brwnbass]

I have some swimmin' chunks i have tried before, havnt done any good on them & they seem to get tangled up alot doing this.

[lunkerhunter1982]

I have some swimmin' chunks i have tried before, havnt done any good on them & they seem to get tangled up alot doing this.

Try a double tail grub instead. The chunks are halfway useless, don't move a lot of water and tangle a lot like you said (although I like flipping with them in early summer around docks).

[Jtewes]

Very good read guys. Thanks for sharing. This technique is usually how I fish a night time spinnerbait, with most of the bites coming on the fall.

J

[brwnbass]

Very good read guys. Thanks for sharing. This technique is usually how I fish a night time spinnerbait, with most of the bites coming on the fall.

J

Ive been trying that alot more too, slow rolling, lift & fall & also fast reeling a big 1 oz too. Caught some on the blade, but ive missed alot more bites than ive caught. Ive also been tinkering with a chatter bait i made out of a 3/4 oz jig that i slow roll at night too.

[Jtewes]

Ive been trying that alot more too, slow rolling, lift & fall & also fast reeling a big 1 oz too. Caught some on the blade, but ive missed alot more bites than ive caught. Ive also been tinkering with a chatter bait i made out of a 3/4 oz jig that i slow roll at night too.

Ive also been tinkering with a chatter bait i made out of a 3/4 oz jig that i slow roll at night too.

Shooshhhhh!!!!

J

[softbaitmaker]

You you guys that rip jigs would get some of my Raggin Craws you would get great action on your trailers when you rip them jigs. I don't use anything except craws as trailers on my jigs and my catch ratio has improved about 80% since I switched from Chunks to Craws. One more secret to rippin jgs is they work exceptionally well on Road beds that raise up off the bottom and have drop off ditches off both side. Those bigger bass will lay just over to edge of the ditch and when that jig is up there jumping up and down those old big fish can't stand it. Just a tid bit bit more for folks to work on..........