TackleTour

Im looking to do some ledge fishing on the STR this summer using FBJ and I ordered some Bass Patrol FBJ but they seem rather small esp in the 3/8oz. So i am looking for the FBJ amongst FBJ, and I ordered some Dandy baits FBJ, Picasso Fantasy FBJ and I was looking at Talon custom , and some other brand. I try not to buy a jig that doesn't state what brand of hook its sports unless i've already used it.

I'm open to suggestions and suggestions to how to fish them.
Im going to catch some deep water bass this year.. its going to happen if they eat it by mistake

When football jigs first became a big thing, it was Jim Moynagh fishing them in the upper Midwest, and the jigs he designed are made by All Terrain Tackle. If you're fishing deep, it's unlikely you want anything under a half ounce. I fish 3/4 the most. There are lots of quality football jigs out there, so find what you like and go from there. I like the ones with dimples or bumps a little better (Picasso and All Terrain), but to tell you the truth, I think it's mainly a confidence thing, though it may enhance the sensitivity a little when you're working it slowly on the bottom.

As for presentation, there's really two ways I fish them: either dragging them or stroking them. The drag is sort of like c-rig fishing in that you move it fairly quickly until you hit something hard. Once you make contact with hard stuff, you slow down, often rocking the bait in place before moving on. Stroking is the other end of the spectrum. Once the bait touches down, you rip it off the bottom with your rod, pulling it six feet or more off the bottom. I usually let it fall on a slack line by dropping my rod all the way back down to the water and watching the line lying on the surface for any twitches. If the line jumps, reel down until you're tight and then set the hook. If you don't see a bite on the drop, immediately reel out all the slack and repeat. Pretty soon you'll get into a rhythm. You want to rip the bait back up just as soon as it touches down--don't leave it still at all if you can get the rhythm right.

Randingo wrote:When football jigs first became a big thing, it was Jim Moynagh fishing them in the upper Midwest, and the jigs he designed are made by All Terrain Tackle. If you're fishing deep, it's unlikely you want anything under a half ounce. I fish 3/4 the most. There are lots of quality football jigs out there, so find what you like and go from there. I like the ones with dimples or bumps a little better (Picasso and All Terrain), but to tell you the truth, I think it's mainly a confidence thing, though it may enhance the sensitivity a little when you're working it slowly on the bottom.

As for presentation, there's really two ways I fish them: either dragging them or stroking them. The drag is sort of like c-rig fishing in that you move it fairly quickly until you hit something hard. Once you make contact with hard stuff, you slow down, often rocking the bait in place before moving on. Stroking is the other end of the spectrum. Once the bait touches down, you rip it off the bottom with your rod, pulling it six feet or more off the bottom. I usually let it fall on a slack line by dropping my rod all the way back down to the water and watching the line lying on the surface for any twitches. If the line jumps, reel down until you're tight and then set the hook. If you don't see a bite on the drop, immediately reel out all the slack and repeat. Pretty soon you'll get into a rhythm. You want to rip the bait back up just as soon as it touches down--don't leave it still at all if you can get the rhythm right.

Great information
1/2 oz is where I'm at now. Out of curiosity have you ever used a little ez by gambler for a trailer
I'm going with this 1/2 bass patrol until the others come in
I'll utube that guy and watch video
I'll start slow and than stroke some. My rhythm ill focus on

I always think of football jigs as craws, even when I'm stroking them, so I've always used twin tails, chunks, and occasionally Beavers as trailers. That said, there's no reason they wouldn't hit the swimbait trailer. It'll give off a different vibration that may actually be more effective at times. Experimenting is good, but find a whole package that you can build confidence in at first, and stick to it until you're familiar with it. If you want to know what I'd give you if we were sharing a boat, it'd be a 3/4 ounce jig in some kind of green pumpkin skirt (with orange, purple, or blue highlights) and probably a matching Paca or Rage Chunk trailer. But I'm sure other guys would steer you in a different direction. But whatever you do, start simple with almost no choices or variations to learn it, then branch out if you want as you get more comfortable. It'll prevent you from spending lots of money on variations that, if you're like me, you won't use until you realize that your confidence is more about the technique as a whole and less about the specific colors and trailers. For what it's worth, when I started, there weren't really companies making skirted football jigs, so I learned with Yamamoto Hula Grubs. They still work great. Good luck.

Randingo wrote:I always think of football jigs as craws, even when I'm stroking them, so I've always used twin tails, chunks, and occasionally Beavers as trailers. That said, there's no reason they wouldn't hit the swimbait trailer. It'll give off a different vibration that may actually be more effective at times. Experimenting is good, but find a whole package that you can build confidence in at first, and stick to it until you're familiar with it. If you want to know what I'd give you if we were sharing a boat, it'd be a 3/4 ounce jig in some kind of green pumpkin skirt (with orange, purple, or blue highlights) and probably a matching Paca or Rage Chunk trailer. But I'm sure other guys would steer you in a different direction. But whatever you do, start simple with almost no choices or variations to learn it, then branch out if you want as you get more comfortable. It'll prevent you from spending lots of money on variations that, if you're like me, you won't use until you realize that your confidence is more about the technique as a whole and less about the specific colors and trailers. For what it's worth, when I started, there weren't really companies making skirted football jigs, so I learned with Yamamoto Hula Grubs. They still work great. Good luck.

Thanks.. I'll do just that.

i tie my own jigs and have been using the All Terrain Moynaugh head for many years i luv 'em

I am a jig fanatic. The very best jigs are TNT M-80 jigs (sold on Tackle Warehouse). All of TNT jigs are hand tied and use living rubber (with some silicone accents). Trust me on this one.

Randingo wrote:When football jigs first became a big thing, it was Jim Moynagh fishing them in the upper Midwest, and the jigs he designed are made by All Terrain Tackle. If you're fishing deep, it's unlikely you want anything under a half ounce. I fish 3/4 the most. There are lots of quality football jigs out there, so find what you like and go from there. I like the ones with dimples or bumps a little better (Picasso and All Terrain), but to tell you the truth, I think it's mainly a confidence thing, though it may enhance the sensitivity a little when you're working it slowly on the bottom.

As for presentation, there's really two ways I fish them: either dragging them or stroking them. The drag is sort of like c-rig fishing in that you move it fairly quickly until you hit something hard. Once you make contact with hard stuff, you slow down, often rocking the bait in place before moving on. Stroking is the other end of the spectrum. Once the bait touches down, you rip it off the bottom with your rod, pulling it six feet or more off the bottom. I usually let it fall on a slack line by dropping my rod all the way back down to the water and watching the line lying on the surface for any twitches. If the line jumps, reel down until you're tight and then set the hook. If you don't see a bite on the drop, immediately reel out all the slack and repeat. Pretty soon you'll get into a rhythm. You want to rip the bait back up just as soon as it touches down--don't leave it still at all if you can get the rhythm right.

This information is "SPOT ON" you won't be disappointed using All Terrain Jigs.

question on the hooks for these jigs..
what is the preferred hook type? I have noticed a round bend style and a EWG or j style hook and wondered which was best.
I keep reading some things about swimming a f/b jig.. i know i went out with a faust/sv103xs (1016 spool 14# sunline) 1/2oz football jig with a bluegill style skirt and zcraw trailor.. I got a solid thump but it may've been a gar.. I didnt catch nothing but
i won't tie on anything else until i get this down..

i know some people say that the NRX873 is the best rod for this tech.. what makes this rod so special?

Thanks in advance for all your help ..it hot down here and i plan on finding some ledges soon and trying them out.
I pitched a football jig and got bit.. but was lazy on the hookset..