Well it's been a long time coming, but I finally sat down and wrote the jig fishing article I've been wanting to write for a long time. Check it out here:

http://www.calfishing.com/freshwater/jig_fishing/index.html

-Rob

Rob,

I liked your article. I don't have the time right now to go into my agreements, additional points, and disagreements...

I'll post a message tonight.

Great artical partner!I especially like the good Castaway words.Good work Rob

Matt,
I definitely would like to hear your thoughts on jig fishing. I know you are a fan of the wide gap proline jig type stuff. I have been increasingly frustrated with those kind of jigs but maybe it's because I'm doing something wrong. Do put a post up later when you have a chance.

I really enjoy your points on the jig and fishing the jig. To add to a few of your sections...the rod...I personally find pitching a jig with 7' Xtra Heavy stick the way to go. Unless I'm on the Delta, I tend to back off and make precise pitches, instead of flipping. I feel I'm more accurate with a 7' rod over the 7.5 footers. I've also heard some weird things about the Loomis rods...they don't wrap the guides or place the handle according to the spine of the blank. A blank has a natural tendency to roll to the spine, and I've used and samples Loomis rods that were not wrapped correctly. Hard to believe.

As for line, I agree with you that heavy is better. Heavy line is also more weedless than smaller diameter, lighter line. It won't cut into tules or brush like a smaller line will. I've learned that even in clear water, 20lb line is fine. It's a reaction bite if they're in tight to the brush. If they're out deeper, move to 15lb. You always need a line with guts for the jig.

As for wide gap hooks, I like them, but I know that's all individual preference. I have lost very few fish on ProLine jigs...very few. It may be a function of my hookset and rigging, but I'm a huge fan of that jig. Especially as an all purpose jig I can pitch into cover one cast, then turn and toss into deep structure in the middle of a cove on the next...I was surprised to read you like the rattle back Strike King jig for deep water. I exact opposite. I feel the rattle back is a great super heavy cover, dirty water, flipping bait. I feel that jig has a huge hook, heavy brush guard, and should only be fished with a pork trailer. When I'm ready to go in after 'em, I rig up the rattle back jig. The one downfall of the Proline is that sometimes it isn't weedless enough. They have two versions: a casting and a flipping, and there is a big difference. The casting jig can be problematic in tight structure...

I believe in using scents for attractant, and most of all to lubricate my bait. The oils will make a significant improvement for your bait penetrating heavy cover on the intitial cast. That is a huge advantage of the oiled scents out there. Your plastic trailer won't grab tules and you jig will slide into the hole you were aiming at a lot better.

I believe in rattles, especially the glass insert rattles on jigs with plastic trailers. I believe shaking my jig with those rattles has got fish to strike...like in pre-spawn when the fish are sort of bedding and you can't see them, but you know they are there. I've caught fish behind people at Havasu like that in the river...

The only color I didn't see was the white jig..a lethal bait on bed fish, and on some desert lakes. That white jig and trailer will get bit when fish are eating bait.

Those are my points to add to the jig article. I am a huge fan of jigs and enjoy the topic.

Great input Matt. It's really cool to hear your comments on the jig fishin.
-Brian

a bit about loomis and correctly spining. it's not just loomis, if you grab almost any rod in a tackle shop (just a random one, I don't care which one), and check to see if it is spined correctly I'll bet you $5 its not. the only company that i know of that does it is calstar (graphiters, the glass ones aren't) and camerons. Kistler's are supposed to be wrapped on the spine, but the ones I've seen weren't. I don't know why companies don't wrap their rods correctly, maybe they're too concerned about pumping out rods, than doing it right...you know, quantity over quality. But there is a quick fix to this...buy custom! Or I guess you could check every rod in the shop, and who knows, you might be lucky and find one done correctly.