Hi -
Count me as someone who never quit using hair jigs. They're just....different. They move different, feel different, and fish different. They're also something fish don't see a whole lot, their current Renaissance notwithstanding.
I fish them a lot after cold fronts, in cold water, or when fish are just plain "off" for some reason. I have a "panic" box in my boat that I pull out when I'm really struggling, and it's pretty much full of hair jigs of different types. They're subtle, the skirt moves a lot less, they're semi-translucent, and just less in your face than a typical silicone skirted jig.
To me, hair jigs is kind of a generic term too. I would count marabou, craft hair, or bunny strip jigs in the same category. After a bad cold front in clear water, a black or olive green 1/8 oz marabou jig can really save the day.
I fish them on light spinning gear (6 - 8 # fluoro with a 7' medium power fast action rod), and really experiment with retrieves, from a lift/drop to dragging to a slow, steady swim. I use as light a jighead as depth and wind will let me get away with - from as light as 1/16 oz up to 1/4 oz in deep water or big wind. You really want to be just fishing the weight of the jig, if that makes any sense. If you can feel your jig, it's too heavy. You really have to be on your toes, as hits can be really subtle. Sometimes it's just a line twitch, or it feels like your jig just dropped into a bowl of oatmeal. When in doubt, set the hook.
I do use hair jigs more aggressively sometimes, snapping them off the bottom in short, sharp hops with a pause: snap--snap--snap--pause----shake-shake-----snap. Especially with smallies, they can really clobber it sometimes. It's a little like stroking a football head I suppose. Same principle anyhow. I do this with a heaver (3/8 - 5/8 oz) head, and it's a pure reaction bit with the fast fall and sharp hops.
As far as where to get them - I tie my own, which isn't hard, and kind of fun. If you aren't into that sort of thing though:
Jensen Jigs
http://www.jensenjigs.com/frame.html Paul Jensen is a Wisconsin jig tier who makes some of THE best jigs around. His bunny strip leech jigs are dynamite. You'll have to wait to get them, but it can be worth it...
Northland tackle
http://northlandtackle.com Northland's Bug-a-boo and Buck-a-roo jigs are about the best non-custom hair jigs you can find. Some Canadian anglers used these to absolutely own smallie tournaments for a couple years until word got out on them. The Olive/black and black/brown Bug-a-boo jigs are my go-to cold front jigs.
NorthStar Custom Baits
http://www.northstarbaits.com/home.html NorthStar makes some really unique hair jigs in his Hairy Craw series. They're a combination of hair and silicone. They come in 3 different head types (football, arky and flipping) and some awesome colors. They're great for snapping off the bottom, or as a change of pace from regular jigs. He has a HUGE color selection too. Tackle warehouse also carries some of them.
Hope this helps... Hair jigs are definitely worth spending some time figuring out. I don't use them all the time by any means, but when I need them, I'd hate to be without them...
