One of my favorite ways to catch big bass is with a jig. You can fish them out deep in ultra-clear water or pitch them up shallow into cover and everywhere in between. Jigs are one of the most effective and versatile baits in bass fishing and have a proven track record of producing some big bites.
One of the keys to fishing a jig for bass is selecting the right trailer. The jig and trailer combination can make a huge difference in your fishing success. So you might be wondering, what are the best jig trailers for bass?
There are literally hundreds of jig trailers on the market these days, but if I could only pick one I would say the Yamamoto Double Tail Grub is the best overall jig trailer and is one that I could use at any lake, anywhere in the country and catch a bunch of fish.
With that being said, it can be so easy to waste a bunch of money on baits that you don’t have confidence in. For that reason, I have put together this list of the 7 Best Jig trailers for bass.
These are all proven jig trailers that I have a ton of confidence in and that will help you catch a bunch of bass the next time you throw a jig.
The 7 Best Jig Trailers for Bass
- Yamamoto Double Tail Grub
- Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver
- Strike King Rage Tail Craw
- Big Bite Baits Double Tail Finesse Grub
- Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss
- Strike King Rage Bug
- Dry Creek 4″ Twin Tail Money Grubbers
Best Jig Trailers for Bass
Yamamoto Double Tail Grub
If I could only choose one jig trailer out of the hundreds that are out there on the market, I would easily pick the Yamamoto Double Tail Grub 5” as my number #1 Jig trailer.
The Double Tailed grub paired with the right jig is a deadly combo and will be tough for any nearby bass to resist. This trailer straight catches them.
This bait has two tails that move and kick behind the bait as you pull it through the water. This small tail kick will provide your jig with just the right amount of action to help you get those key bites.
Recommended Colors: Black Blue Flk, Grn Pump Purple & Copper Flk, Watermelon Bk & Rd Flk, Dark Pumpkin Lg Bk Flk
Also make sure to check out My Recommended Bass Fishing Gear and Tackle Guide to ensure you have the right gear for your next fishing adventure.
Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver
Another one of my favorite jig trailers is the Reaction Innovation Sweet Beaver. This is my go to bait in the creature bait category.
This bait is great for adding some bulk to your jig that also has some subtle life like action and works extremely well when fishing in cold water or up shallow. It also comes in a lot of great colors making it easy to pair up with any jig.
One thing that I like to do with the Sweat Beaver is trim it down just a little bit and cut about 3-4 bands down. This makes it fit nice and easy on the jig hook and makes for a great overall presentation.
Recommended Colors: Green Pumpkin Red, Delicious, Tramp Stamp
Strike King Rage Tail Craw
The Strike King Rage Craw is unique bait that works excellent when throwing a jig in open water around humps, rock piles and ledges. What I like about this bait is the aggressive and enticing action that it has.
The Rage Craw also slows down the fall rate of your jig quite a bit as the pinchers move through the water making it tough for any nearby bass to resist.
It also comes in a variety of color patterns giving you some options as you are faced with different fishing conditions. This a great overall jig trailer that every angler should have in their arsenal.
Recommended Colors: Candy Craw, Blue Bug, Green Pump Purp/Gold, Watermelon Red Flk
Big Bite Baits Double Tail Finesse Grub
Another great double tail soft plastic trailer is the Big Bite Double Finesse Grub. This bait has a great swimming action at slow and fast retrieves.
I really like this bait in the summer when crayfish and other bass forage are more active, but it’s a solid cold water bait as well.
It comes in some nice colors and is an overall great bait that’s ideal for most any type of jig. If you are looking for a solid jig trailer with some great action, check out this finesse grub.
Recommended Colors: Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red Flk, black Neon
Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss
The Berkly Powerbait Pit Boss is an extremely versatile and effective bait that is loved by many bass fishing anglers. This bait is well known for being a killer Texas Rig bait but I’ve also found it to be a great jig trailer as well.
It features 4 appendages that create a lot of vibration and action in the water as you fish it through heavy cover or in open water.
This bait is infused with Berkly’s Powerbait scent making it so that the bass will hold onto it longer, allowing you to increase your hook up percentage.
It comes in 3”, 4” & 5” sizes and has a lot of great colors so you can fish with it anywhere in the country at any time.
Recommended Colors: Bama Bug, Green Pumpkin Green, Okeechobee Craw, Watermelon Orange Fleck
Strike King Rage Bug
The Strike King Rage Bug is one of my favorite jig trailers when I’m pitching and flipping into heavy cover. This is an all-around a killer bait.
This bait was designed by bass fishing legend, Denny Brauer and made to slip in and out of tiny holes and heavy cover.
It features a unique ribbed body produce a realistic crawfish glide that bass have a tough time resisting. It also comes in a variety of colors giving you plenty of options. This bait will raise your jig game when you are fishing around cover and structure.
Recommended Colors: Bama Craw, Bama Bug, Green Pumpkin, Okeechobee Craw
Dry Creek 4″ Twin Tail Money Grubbers
The enticing action of the of the Dry Creek Grub makes a perfect jig trailer that bass simply will have a hard time resisting. This is a great bait.
This bait works great on football jigs, swim jigs and pretty much any type of jig you want to pair it with. It comes with two soft tails that give the bait just the right action and flare in both cold and warm water.
There is just something about the Dry Creek soft plastic mix that just produces some great action and catches a lot of fish on a jig. This one is definitely worth adding to your tackle box.
Recommended Colors: Green Pumpkin Pepper, Watermelon Red/Pepper, Road Kill
Choosing a Jig Trailer
There are so many soft plastic jig trailers on the market these days. With so many options to choose from it can almost be overwhelming trying to select the right jig trailer.
Understanding the three main type of jig trailers will help you to make the right trailer selection given the time of year, water clarity and the water temperature.
Here are the three basic categories of jig trailers and some recommendations on when to use each one.
Different Type of Jig Trailers
- Creature Baits
- Active Baits
- Chunks
Creature Baits
The first category is what I like to call the creature bait category. These are baits like the Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss and the Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. The creature baits typically have multiple appendages and do a great job at imitating bass favorite meals.
Active Baits
The active bait jig trailer category includes baits like Strike King Rage Trail, grubs and other types of trailers that give off a lot of action. These types of trailers are most productive in warm water temperatures and when the fish are active.
Chunks
The chunk style of jig trailer is another productive way to spice up your jig. Most “chunk” style baits have two long tails that produce a subtle kicking and fluttering action make it a great option in cold water conditions and when the bass don’t want a bait with a lot of action.
Best Jig Trailer Colors
An important part of deciding what jig trailer to use is the color. There are dozens of colors in each of the baits that I have recommended. The best colors will depend on the type of water clarity you are faced with as well as some personal preference.
Here is a guide that I like to follow when choosing my jig trailers:
- Clear Water = Natural colors (green pumpkin, browns, watermelon)
- Muddy Water = Dark colors (black & blue, junebug, black & red)
- Sunny Days = Natural colors with colorful flakes (watermelon red, purple)
- Cloudy Days = Darker/natural colors with black flakes
Final Thoughts
For more in-depth information about choosing the right color of jig trailer check out this article on How to Choose the Right Bass Fishing Colors.
A jig is one of the most versatile and effective ways to target bass and will work in pretty much any condition anywhere in the country.
Pairing the right jig trailer with your favorite jig is an absolute must. The 7 best jig trailers we discussed in this article will help you catch more fish and get those big bass to bite.
