In the sport of fishing there are many techniques, lures and baits that anglers will use to catch a variety of different species. One of the most popular methods of fishing is jigging.
So what does jigging mean in fishing? Jigging is a method of fishing that anglers use when fishing with a jig. The term jigging is often reference when an angler imparts action on the jig by creating a jerky, vertical motion with the fishing rod. The jigging technique can be used while fishing for a jig and other baits and lures.
Jigs are a versatile fishing lure that can be used in almost any type fishing situation. If you would like to learn more about jigs, jigging and how and when to use this technique continue reading below.
What is a Jig?
Jigs are simple in design and consist of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it. They come in a wide selection of different shapes, sizes, colors and weights, each for a specific fishing presentation. Most jigs are covered with a soft plastic bait which is designed to attract fish and are sometimes paired with live bait as well.
Jigs are a versatile way of fishing and are used to catch fish in both freshwater and saltwater bodies of water. You can catch almost any type of species with this lure, which is why it has become such a popular fishing technique.
What is “Jigging” in Fishing
As we have previously mentioned jigging is a fishing technique that is used when fishing a jig or a similar type of lure. Jigging requires an angler to jerk, snap and pop, the rod creating the appearance of an injured bait fish. This type of action makes the jig irresistible to the fish and they can’t help but strike.
Types of Fishing Jigs
As we have mentioned before jigs come in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes. What was a simple jig category has expanded into a vast list of different types and styles of jigs. Here is a look at the many variations and subcategories of jigs.
Types of Jigs
- Skirted Jig
- Bladed Jig
- Bucktail Jig
- Hair Jig
- Swimming Jig
- Casting Jig
- Flipping Jig
- Finesse Jig
- Grass Jig
- Tube Jig
- Marabou Jig
- Hybrid Jig
- Mini Jig
- Micro Jig
- Floating Jig
- Live Bait Jig
- Weedless Jig
- Ice Fishing Jig
How Anglers Use Jigs
Jigs are simple by design but have expanded over the years and can be found in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and weights. Each method of angling seems to have adopted and applied jigging to their preferred style of fishing.
Here is a look at the major jig categories and how they are applied to target different species and situations.
Bass Fishing Jigs
Bass fishing jigs are one of the most popular lures in the sport of bass fishing. In fact, countless fishing tournaments have been won because of this lure. They are also well known for catching big bass.
Now days there are a lot of bass fishing jigs specifically made for different types of fishing situations. The most popular are either the football head jig or the flipping jig. Here is a list of the most common bass fishing jigs.
Types of Bass Fishing Jigs
- Swim Jigs
- Casting Jigs
- Flipping Jigs
- Grass Jigs
- Football Jigs
- Finesse Jigs
For more information about jigging for bass check out this video by professional angler Scott Martin. He breaks down the different bass fishing jigs and when to use each one.
Trout Fishing Jigs
Jigging for trout is one of my favorite techniques to target trout with. Sure there are other ways to fish for trout but nothing works as well as a jig does.
Jigs are one of the most versatile trout lures around. They can be made of plastic, feathers, fur and they can be fished fast, slow or shallow and deep.
They are effective in pretty much any type of water from tiny creeks to big lakes and rivers. You can also fish them in most ponds with great success.
As good as they are most common anglers don’t use them so they are also a great way to give the fish a different type of presentation. Here are some of the most popular and effective trout jigs.
Best Trout Jigs
- Trout Magnet
- Tube Jigs
- Strike King Bitsy Bug
- Marabou Jig
Ice Fishing Jigs
One of the best ways to catch fish through the ice is jigging with spoons and jigs. Many anglers will put some type of bait on the tip of their jig hook, increasing their chances at success. Jigs are one of the more popular ice fishing techniques. Here is a look at some of the different styles of ice fishing jigs.
Types of Ice Fishing Jigs
- Horizontal Jigs
- Vertical Jigs
- 45 Degree Jigs
Here is a quick video tutorial on how to ice fish with jigs. You can view the video here.
Saltwater Jigs
Saltwater fishing jigs also come in a number of different designs, colors, weight and styles to simulate all the different types of prey in the ocean. Much like other fishing jigs saltwater jigs are often designed to be used in tandem with live bait or soft plastics.
Anglers will often use smaller jigs to catch the live bait that you’ll need to go for bigger game fish. Check out this article for some tips on saltwater fishing with jigs.
Jigging Techniques
Jigging is one of the more active fishing methods. It requires that you jerk, snap or pop the rod tip up quickly to move the lure vertically in the water column. These jig fishing techniques create the look of an injured baitfish.
Jigging can be performed straight up and down vertically when you are on top of the fish or horizontally when you cast the lure out and jig it back towards you as you reel in your lure.
There are a lot of technique and strategies that are involved with jigging. Here 5 easy steps to help get you started.
How to Jig
- Cast out your jig and wait until it sinks to the bottom or reaches your desired fishing depth.
- Once you can feel the bottom or when you know you are at the right depth. Jerk, pop, or snap your wrist causing the rod to raise the lure a short distance and let it sink back to the bottom.
- Continue jigging your lure up and down or sideways. The key is to mix up your jigging cadence and do your best to imitate what a wounded bait fish would look like in the water.
- Once you have slack in your line as you work your jig in. Reel down a little to keep your line tight so that you’ll be ready to set the hook when you feel a strike.
- Repeat and mix up your retrieval and jigging speed until you can find what the fish are reacting to.
Jig Fishing Tips
On the surface jigging seems quite simple and it is most of the time. However, there are quite a few techniques that are involved with jigging. From having the right rod and using the right type of jig. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you are jigging for fish.
Select the Right Color – Selecting the right jig colors can be critical to your jigging success. Find out what baitfish live in the water you are fishing at and do your best to match the hatch and imitate what the fish are keying on.
Mix Up Your Retrieval – Every time I go fishing with a jig it seems that the fish like it worked different way. Experiment with different jerks, pops and speeds until you catch one. Then once you catch a few you can really start to develop a pattern for the day.
Look for Baitfish – Understanding where and what the baitfish are is critical to your fishing success. If you can find the baitfish you can find the fish, so keep a close eye out there and always fish in areas where the baitfish are. This will increase your odds of catching fish and can make for some great days out on the water.
Watch Your Line – Pay close attention to your fishing line. If you are not careful you might miss a few fish if you don’t stay focused. Always keep your line tight this will help you detect more strikes. Also make sure to be ready, because you never know when a big one will take off with your jig.
Choose the Right Jig Trailer – The great thing about jigs is that you can quickly and easily swap out the jig trailer. I like to match my jig trailer with the color of my jig but there is more to it than just choosing the right color. Each jig trailer has a different action and movement in the water. In colder water I like jigs that have less action and when water temperatures are higher I like to have a trailer with more action. This will help you get more bites
Fish the Right Gear – Having the right setup is super important when fishing with jigs. Do your research and make sure you have the proper rod and reel for the type of jig fishing you plan on doing. This will save you a lot of headache and lost fish.
What are the Best Colors of Jigs?
Much like other lures, the right color of jig depends on the conditions and body of water that you are fishing in. When the water is clear natural and simple colors tend to work the best. Anything that can resemble the baitfish in you fishing water is ideal. White’s, greens, browns, blacks are some of my favorite color of jigs in clear water.
When there is a lot of cloud cover or the water is stained and murky. Anything that provides your lure to stand out works great. Blacks, chartreuse and bright colors are typically great colors in these type of conditions.
There are a ton of different jig colors out there. I would suggest researching the waters you are fishing at and find colors that best match the food that’s in there.
If that doesn’t work experiment with different colors until you can find something that the fish will react to.
Related Jigging Questions
Can You Jig Fish from Shore?
Fishing jigs can be an effective way to fish from shore. It’s important when jigging from the shore that you pack light and move around until you can find where the fish are at. Also try using lighter jig heads, this will help you get hung up less in rocks and other type of structure.
How Do You Fish a Flipping Jig?
A flipping jig is design to be fished in cover and is a great option for fishing in docks, grass, wood, and other types of structure that are not easy to cast to with normal lures. The advantage of this type of jig is that you can make a quite presentation to the fish while at the same time reach in places with great accuracy that a regular fishing lure just won’t let you.
Check out this video tutorial by Tactical Bassin demonstrating how to fish a flipping jig.
What is a Jigging Rod?
A Jigging rod is a rod that has been customized to fish a jig. If you are using lighter jigs and are targeting pan fish and smaller trout a spinning rod will get the job done.
However, if you are pitching and flipping big jigs for bass then you are going to want to use a medium to heavy casting rod. This extra power will help you pull big fish out of grass and other types of cover.
Final Thoughts
Jigging is one of the most universal and popular fishing techniques. It can be used in freshwater and saltwater and is an effective way to catch almost any species of fish.
I hope this information has helped you better understand the term jigging in fishing and that you go out and give it a try the next time you decide to go fishing. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by.
Tight lines!
