Winter Is Here! Time to Tie Jigs for Spring Fishing!

Here everyone thought it was spring……and now we have ICE! But, it doesn’t really surprise me. I’ve seen this happen before in January so it did’t come as to much of a shock to me.
So, now that the weather has changed and put everyone’s fishing fever back in check, what are we to do to pass the long cold days? You could give jig tying a try.
Bucktail jigs, marabou jigs, jigs with flash, jigs with rubber legs, jigs, jigs, jigs! There are more ways to tie up a fish catching jig than you can shake a stick at.
This time of the year everyone starts thinking of whitebass and the favorite jig for the whitebass fisherman is a bucktail jig. Round head jigs painted different colors is the prefered jig these days, but us old timers who remember what a real jig is prefer a bullet head jig. To me a bullet head jig will get down to the bottom quicker, hang up less, and is just plain better at catching fish. But, to each their own. I can’t even sell a bullet head jig anymore so everyone else just keep on buying the round head ones. I’ll just quitely keep out fishing ya on my bullet heads! Just Kidding! Each jig has it’s merit and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a round head jig.
Jigs painted in blue, orange, silver, two tone, with and without eyes, are all effective at times. My favorite jig to fish is a blue and white bucktail jig with a blue head. I’ve caught more fish on that color than any other. Second best color for me has been a simple white bucktail with an orange head.
To tie a jig you will need a few basic tools. A fly tying vise will hold your jig. A bobbin is needed to hold your thread, and a good pair of pointed scissors to cut thread and body materials is also needed.

I can try and explain to you how to tie a jig but let me just say that Youtube is your friend. Get on the internet and look up how to tie a jig on youtube and you will find many different ways to tie jigs. And the good thing is that all the different ways will not only work to tie the jig, but the jig will catch fish!

Jigs of different types can be used year round. Crappie fisherman use different types of marabou jigs with great success. Small jigs are also a fun way to catch a nice mess of bluegill or rockbass on the streams and rivers here in the Ozarks. You can even fish them under a bobber and catch a nice mess of fish at times. Underspin jigs like these shown below are great for catching big slab crappie. Tie jigs like this and watch your catch rate increase!

So, while the weather is still cold, try your hand at tying your own jigs. Or, if fly fishing is your thing, tie some flies! It’s a lot of fun when you catch a fish on a lure you made over one you bought. We do carry a good supply of jig and fly tying materials here at Craig’s Outdoor Sports. Come see us!