Although hair jigs have been around for some time, they are still an unknown commodity. Therefore, we have taken the opportunity to address some of the more frequently asked questions we receive from our customers. Following are some of the more popular queries; however, feel free to call us at (888) 274-0883 or email info@hammerheadjigs.com if you want to discuss other topics...we love to talk about fishing!
- What are some advantages hair has over synthetic skirts?
- How important is the trailer?
- What colors are best when fishing clear water?
- What colors are best for dingy, stained water or after dark?
- What advantage is there in using thin wire hooks?
- When does the size of the jig matter?
- What are the most effective ways to fish a HammerHead jig?
- What line sizes should be utilized when fishing jigs?
- How do I choose the right striper jig?
- What trailer is best when using the O'Neill Williams Series Flippin' jig?
- What lakes do you consider premier trophy smallmouth destinations?
- What lakes hold the best trophy spotted bass?
- What are some of the best striper lakes?
- How do you fish a "float 'n fly"?
- Why fish a jig over other baits?
- Why are football head jigs the current craze?
Q. What
are some advantages hair has over synthetic skirts?
A. Natural hair flairs differently than silicone skirts,
and will have a more natural feel when inhaled by the fish, thus extending
the hookset window of opportunity. Additionally, hair is less affected
by heat and direct sunlight (and will not melt in your tacklebox).
HammerHead's Finesse, Trout and SledgeHammer
offerings are tied with body, as opposed to tail, hair. Body hair
possesses characteristics that allow it to absorb water more effectively,
and in turn creates a lure with a slower, more natural fall than
conventional bucktail jigs.
Q. How important is a trailer?
A. Trailers serve three primary purposes: 1) They
provide more bulk and buoyancy to the jig, thus making for a slower, more
natural fall. 2) They provide color contrast to aid fish in seeing the
jig. Fish see colors differently than humans, and color contrast can
be key when fishing varying light and water conditions. 3)
Trailers can enhance the overall look of the jig. When fishing
crayfish colors (e.g. Dirty Green, Nasty Craw) a crayfish
imitating trailer would be appropriate, whereas when fishing baitfish colors
(e.g. Shad, Dirty Shad) a curly or straight tail trailer might
be the ticket. Each of our Finesse Series jigs boasts
twin rabbit strips that act as trailers.
Q. What colors are best when fishing clear water?
A. Shallow to medium clear water calls for more subtle,
natural colors such as Dirty Green, Dirty Shad, Nasty Craw, or
Bleeding Shad. When fishing deep, clear water
Black 'n Blue, and Deep Purple will tend to be the
most effective, as blue and purple are the last colors of light to be
filtered in deep water.
Q. What colors are best for dingy, stained water or after dark?
A. When fishing in the shallows in stained or muddy
water, Red Shad and Lumberjack are
unquestionably the most effective colors. Mustard and
Crawdad are good choices for medium depth stained water.
When fishing low level light conditions Black Beauty,
Deep Purple, and Nightmare are good producers.
Q. What advantage is there in using thin wire hooks?
A. Thin wire hooks offer more "forgiveness" and will
penetrate a fish's mouth more easily. Our Finesse,
Sledgehammer, Pigskin and
Trout Series offerings feature the razor sharp, patented Matzuo Sickle
Bend hook. The unique bend strengthens the hook body, thus
offering an angler the opportunity to reap the advantages of a thinner wire
hook without having to worry about bending or breaking.
Q. When is the size of the jig
important?
A. We tend to believe that the speed of the jig is
more important than the size. Typically, but not always, larger fish
tend to prefer bigger baits. The natural characteristics of hair allow
the angler to use larger, more bulky baits without sacrificing a slower
fall, thus keeping the jig in the strike zone for a longer period of time.
Additionally, the SledgeHammer Series jigs consist of a
material that is slightly lighter than lead that multiplies its slow fall
capabilities.
Q. What are the most effective ways to fish a HammerHead
jig?
A. To be honest, there is no "best" way to fish a
HammerHead jig. You can swim it, hop it, drag it, or shake it and
still get results. Water, weather and light conditions will be the
biggest factors. Pay attention to the first strike of the day...the
fish will let you know how they want it.
Q. What line sizes should be utilized when fishing jigs?
A. The axiom of using the lightest line you can get
away with rings true. A good rule of thumb is 4-8 lb. test line with
1/16 and 1/8 oz. jigs. Usually the 8-12 lb. test size is appropriate
for 1/4 oz. jigs. When fishing heavy cover with an O'Neill
Williams Signature Series Flippin' jig, or open water with one of
the Striper Series, 15 lb. test and up is essential. It
goes without saying that when fishing for musky or pike, a wire leader is
vital. Braided line is often used when fishing jigs because of its
ability to transfer the subtle bite through the line more effectively than
traditional monofilament.
Q. How do I choose the right striper jig?
A. Because striped bass are open water feeders, they
possess superior vision and an aggressive disposition. Since shad compose
the biggest part of a striper's diet, white should be the color of choice.
Our Striper Series jigs are designed with this very fact in
mind.
Q. What trailer is best when using the O'Neill
Williams Flippin' Series jig?
A. When temperatures dip below the 50 degree level,
many anglers prefer a pork trailer over plastic because it maintains its
pliability better in colder water. Regardless of the the trailer
composition, we prefer crayfish imitating trailers.
Q. What lakes do you consider premier trophy smallmouth destinations?
A. Many of the Canadian waterways possess world
class smallmouth bass; however, Dale Hollow, Pickwick, Champlain, and Erie
would have to be considered the A-list of the bronzeback angling world.
Q. What lakes hold the best trophy spotted bass?
A. Lake Lanier is the premier spotted bass lake in the country.
Other superior spot destinations are Weiss Lake and Lake Logan Martin, which
are both in Alabama.
Q. What are some of the best striper lakes?
A. Lake Cumberland consistently produces 30+ lb. striped
bass. For consistent action with the opportunity for that trophy of a
lifetime, try any of the TVA lakes in the early spring.
Q.
How do you fish a "float
'n fly"?
A. Tie your Blair Fly or Trout
Series HammerHead jig on a leader 5-10 ft. from a two way swivel off the main line. Add a bobber and fish with current or along rock bluffs in the early spring.
Tip the jig with a live minnow when the bite is really tough.
Q. Why fish a jig over other baits?
A.
Jig fishing is without question the hardest method to master because of the subtle bite. The
flip side is it produces more trophy fish and tournament big fish winners than any other type artificial bait. If you need a “kicker fish”,
it's been proven over time that a jig is one of the most effective tools in
an angler's arsenal.
Q. Why are
football head jigs the current craze?
A.
A football style head is a fantastic choice when bottom contact is
important. By design, the hook remains upright when dragging through
rocks and other types of cover or structure, thus increasing hookup
percentage while decreasing snags.
