TackleTour

Can someone point me out how to fish hair jigs in spring shallow water please. I'd like to try this technique this year.
Adam

It depends on what you mean by "hair jigs". I do a lot of hair jig fishing but 95% is cold water smallmouth in winter and early spring. I use jigs from 1/16oz up to 1/4oz mostly, there are some exceptions like warm water presentation but that is another discussion. If you are looking at something like a 3/8oz or 1/2oz hair jig well you are fishing that the same way as a typical silicone/rubber skirted jig. The only difference is you are using hair for a more subtle action which is usually done in clear to lightly stained water. The smaller finesse style hair jigs are used differently depending on conditions, even which kind of hair jig I use is based on water clarity, temperature, and sky conditions. If you can be a little more specific like what size and type of hair jig you want to throw I would be able to help you with it but again, a little more info is needed.

I think about finesse hair jigs 1/16 1/8 maybe 1/4 .
This will be my first season with them. I've read they are good in cold water situations.
Adam

slow is the way to go most of the time. A lot depends on conditions and then trial and error. For example, when fishing a small bucktail jig the way I'm using it will be different depending on water temp and weather. If the water is in the low to mid 40s and the weather is stable, a slow drag and occasional hop while using a trails may be the ticket. I may also do well on a slow steady retrieve with no trailer, so you may have to play around. I've had days when the water was in the mid 30s and the sun was out and the fish were eating it with no trailer on a steady retrieve. Even using different types of jigs can make a difference, rabbit hair has a good amount of action with little movement and this sometimes is really good in cold water, sometimes it is better in warmer water. Overall the way you are going to fish the small hair jigs is going to take a little trial and error but base it on conditions. Low water temps that are rising may be perfect for a slow steady retrieve but it may end up that a slow drag with long pauses wins the day, you just have to be willing to try more than one way.

Thank you for clarifying smalljaw.
Adam

I fish hair jigs like you fish a fly: no contact with the bottom. I use marabout mostly with a 1/8 oz head. I drift them over fish with almost no movement using the wind or the current. I use a 7 1/2 feet spinning rod (light) 10 pound braid with a long leader.
I fish them in 3 to 6 feet of water (very clear) all year long for smallmouth.

Real wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 06, 2020 3:16 am

I fish hair jigs like you fish a fly: no contact with the bottom. I use marabout mostly with a 1/8 oz head. I drift them over fish with almost no movement using the wind or the current. I use a 7 1/2 feet spinning rod (light) 10 pound braid with a long leader.
I fish them in 3 to 6 feet of water (very clear) all year long for smallmouth.

That is a tactic used on the great lakes and it does work well. You can fish just about any finesse style hair jig like that but certain times you need a slower moving deal with bottom contact. Marabou for me has become a warm water jig, I find that bucktail is better in the colder water. You have to forgive me, I get a little too deep in the woods when it comes to hair jigs. I tie so many different patterns with a lot of different materials and a lot of different ways to fish them.

Smalljaw,
You are right. It's a Great Lake tactic. I fish the St-Lawrence river. No, you're not into the woods. A forum is mainly for that: exchanging points of view. I have some bucktails that I made myself and will have to give them a better try when the water is cold. It's frozen right now.

Hair jigs are one of the oldest and deadlist techniques for smallmouth bass. 1st thing is starting with the right jig. The best ones are often hand-made. Many big name brands lack quality. You want to get as light of jig as possible. Most of the time a 1/16 oz is the best all around weight.

Color and material: The best color and most popular color is black and uses marabou. I like black and purple. It is just the go-to color. Start with Black, you can't go wrong. Other areas of country have may fly hatches. This is the only occasion I use a brown jig.

Hair jigs are light, I do not use them in depths exceeding 10 feet. The water must have some visability. This bait is only found by smallies through their sight. As it makes no sound. Key times for hair are prespawners moving up into shallows, works great fan casting bedding areas. Search for isolated structures and slowly retrieve is over the top of them. Hair jigs also work for post spawn cruisers.

Cast it out and retrieve it slow and steadily. There is no reason to twitch or jerk the bait. A slow straight retrieve is the way to go.

ChubbyGoby28 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:04 pm

Hair jigs are one of the oldest and deadlist techniques for smallmouth bass. 1st thing is starting with the right jig. The best ones are often hand-made. Many big name brands lack quality. You want to get as light of jig as possible. Most of the time a 1/16 oz is the best all around weight.

Color and material: The best color and most popular color is black and uses marabou. I like black and purple. It is just the go-to color. Start with Black, you can't go wrong. Other areas of country have may fly hatches. This is the only occasion I use a brown jig.

Hair jigs are light, I do not use them in depths exceeding 10 feet. The water must have some visability. This bait is only found by smallies through their sight. As it makes no sound. Key times for hair are prespawners moving up into shallows, works great fan casting bedding areas. Search for isolated structures and slowly retrieve is over the top of them. Hair jigs also work for post spawn cruisers.

Cast it out and retrieve it slow and steadily. There is no reason to twitch or jerk the bait. A slow straight retrieve is the way to go.

Luke Ronnestrand sells the best hair jigs out of Thorne Bros in Minnesota. They’re a little pricey at $10 a pop though. Feider fly is also a good one, but it’s mass produced.