How to choose the right jig. All the subtleties and nuances

Winter jigs are what fishermen often use for fishing during this cold season. This is due to the simplicity of the design, as well as the ability to catch many types of fish in this way. Those who are just planning to go fishing in winter should understand that conditions are different from summer or spring. We are talking not only about weather conditions, but also about groundbait, bait and tackle. There is no point in talking about them, but it’s worth talking about jigs, because they are one of the best baits in the winter.

What is a jig

A jig is an artificial bait that can be used to catch a sufficient number of fish. This product is often used in the cold season, when fishing is done from the ice. Success is possible thanks to the unusual shape, as well as the game, which allows you to attract the attention of the fish.

The bait works as follows:

• The weight is the basis of the entire structure; a hook (one of the main elements) is attached to it.
• The bait is attached to the end of the fishing line. The importance of this detail is undeniable. Due to the unusual shapes and movements that the fisherman makes, it seems that what is ahead is not some artificial element, but a flock of fry or some other “delicacy” to which the fish will definitely react.
• There are a great many models of jigs and they are all so different that sometimes a fisherman who ends up in a specialized department simply gets wide-eyed.

What jigs to use to catch perch in winter

There are no strict requirements when choosing winter jigs for a striped predator. Here are recommendations regarding the selection of bait based on the behavior of fish in specific conditions.

Material

The best materials for making jigs are tin, lead and tungsten. In terms of cost, the first and second ones outperform the third ones, but are inferior in weight due to the difference in the density of raw materials. From all the variety available for perch, it is worth choosing tungsten products. They are more compact and have the same weight as lead and tin baits. In addition, they have excellent stability in the game.

Shape and size

There is a huge range of artificial baits on the market, differing in body shape. It is sometimes difficult for beginners to choose. It happens that some versions work effectively in one body of water, but do not catch in another. It influences the choice of bait and the degree of activity of the perch at a specific hunting time.

Among the catchy jigs for perch for ice fishing, it is worth highlighting:

• pellet/ball;
• drop;
• diamond-shaped products;
• banana-shaped version;
• cargo in the form of insects.

As for the size of the bait, based on the observations of experienced fishermen, you need to focus on the interest of small individuals. If they “like” large-sized products, then there is a high probability of luring the “humpback whale” to them. And, on the contrary, if small versions are a priority for small items, then captured specimens will also “get hooked” on them. When a predatory fish is weakly active, it is often possible to stir it up only with the help of miniature tungsten jigs. They should also be chosen according to the last ice, during the period when the fish are hungry.

Weight

Such a criterion as the mass of the bait mainly depends on the activity of the predator. When he is passive, light baits work excellently. The use of heavy jigs on inactive fish often ends in its leaving the fishing spot; it is frightened by the sharp and aggressive animation. Here it is optimal to play a careful game using elegant tackle.

Most often, such recommendations refer to the period of deep winter, when there is a low oxygen concentration in the reservoir. In such conditions, underwater inhabitants are depressed and their feeding activity is noticeably reduced.

On the first and last ice, stripers “come to life” and happily rush to larger jigs. You can get a decent catch using heavy and massive tools. There should be a sufficient amount of bait on the hook of the jig to quickly attract and provoke the perch to capture. The weight of the jig in the middle of winter should not exceed 0.25 g, and the body size should not exceed 3 mm. At the beginning and end of the season, it is ideal to work with baits whose weight varies between 0.3-0.5 g and body size 3-5 mm.

Color

There are many discrepancies in the choice of jig color among winter fishermen. Some believe that the use of bright, noticeable baits significantly improves the quality of fishing. The glare from the jig attracts a predator. Others are more into matte versions that have natural coloring. Such calm colors do not scare off predators and increase the frequency of bites.

Ideally, have several different options, and use them taking into account the working depth and lighting during hunting. If the weather is cloudy and the snow layer is thick enough, then gold-plated and silver baits are relevant. They are better visible, therefore, the chances of catching a predator are significantly increased.

On sunny days, jigs of discreet colors are suitable. If you plan to fish at a depth of three meters or more, then you can attract perch using silver, golden and yellow versions. Here, the degree of daylight brightness does not play a special role.

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What are the types

As already mentioned, there are a great many such products. They are often divided by weight.

Therefore, the types of jigs are as follows:

• Heavy. These are usually acquired when fishing in winter takes place in reservoirs with strong currents or on rivers with great depth.
• Medium jigs. Such products are considered the most popular because they are suitable for use on many rivers and ponds.
• Small ones. They are best used in shallow waters where there is no current.

You need to understand that the production of jigs does not stand still. Manufacturers come up with something new every year to surprise customers. The main goal is to create small but heavy elements. It should be said that tungsten jigs are like that.

Summer jigs

The summer jig, although not radically, differs from the winter one. On a hot summer day, when the windage of the fishing line is large, and the fry are voracious and are present in large numbers in reservoirs, small baits are rarely used. Therefore, when going fishing in the warm season, you need to stock up on large jigs.

All types of jigs for summer have a predominantly red-brown tint. Crucian carp, pike perch and perch bite well on them. The types of summer jigs are similar to winter jigs, only the pattern on their surface can imitate the shell of arthropods that inhabit the depths. And one more difference between summer fishing with jigs is a more careful selection of gear - rods, nods and fishing lines.

What are tungsten models?

Light weight and small dimensions are the distinctive features by which tungsten elements can always be recognized. Often you simply cannot do without such jigs, especially when it comes to deep water and strong currents.

Thanks to such baits you can:

• Achieve a quick dive to the required depth, and you don’t have to worry about the bait being carried to the other side.
• Intensify the bites, if you also start some kind of game with a jig, then success will be practically guaranteed.
• Play with the fish, “lead it by the nose” - in a word, do everything possible to attract attention. True, in this case, success will be achieved if you select the remaining elements of the gear correctly.
• Reliability and practicality are the main advantages of the element.

Fishing with a jig: tips and secrets of winter fishing

The advantage of winter fishing is that fish are available in all parts of the reservoir. The main fishing tool at this time is a winter fishing rod with a jig. It is simple, even homemade, and is cheap in the store. You just have to learn how to fish with it.

If we exclude all the preparatory work, then the main point is the bite. Any bite requires an immediate hook. Novice fishermen usually do not notice this moment or are late with it.

If the angler is not sure that there was a bite, then you just need to stop the game. When there is a pause, the bite is more noticeable.

Possible process of biting on a winter fishing rod with a jig:

• the nod went down - a perch bite;
• the nod went up - a bite of bream, roach;
• the nod froze - this is how it usually bites in the middle of winter.

The peculiarity of fishing is such that you must constantly play at a fast pace and with a small amplitude.

There are still plenty of fishing opportunities with this tackle and they are far from being exhausted.

Jigs with bait - what are they?

A good jig is not only a tungsten version, but also a classic one. This is exactly what elements with bait refer to. This method of fishing is welcomed by many anglers, because it involves adding additional bait, in the form of the same bloodworm, for example. With a good bite, the “duet” copes with its task perfectly. In addition, such baits have a low price, and if necessary, creating such jigs with your own hands is also not difficult.

The baits of the presented plan are divided into:

• A pellet. This bait is considered one of the most popular. It is round and bright. They often use this jig to catch roach or perch.
• A drop. The name speaks for itself - this concerns the shape of the product. Such elements are good because with their help it is much easier to play the game. Experienced fishermen claim that even in a bad bite, the “drop” saved them, bringing at least some catch.

Reviews of the use of jigs for winter fishing

Many fishermen have already mastered jigs and actively use this gear; their impressions about this are reflected in the reviews below:

“I’ve been using devils for fishing for a very long time, the company doesn’t matter to me, only the design features of the nozzle itself are important. I mastered them for a considerable amount of time, but in the end, with similar jigs I successfully caught perch, ruffe, roach, bream, pike perch and many other types of fish.” Grade:

Dmitriy

“Like many other fishermen, most often when winter fishing I use devils and uralok. I heard that when these jigs first appeared, they wanted to ban them, recognizing them as poaching gear, fortunately, this never happened. I think this speaks better than anything else about the effectiveness of these baits.” Grade:

Alexander

“Jigs are a very good device, but you need to know how to use them. I noticed that with their help I pull out much heavier prey than when fishing with a spoon. The only drawback that I can note is the large number of trips, after which there is no bite in the hole for 10-15 minutes, but the jigs are still effective and fully justify themselves.” Grade:

Vladimir

To summarize, it can be noted that a jig is not only a device that can make the fishing process more interesting, but in some cases it is also an indispensable assistant, especially when it comes to winter fishing.

You can learn how to handle this bait only by gaining as much experience as possible in practice, so it should be in the arsenal of even novice fishermen.

Nozzleless or rewinderless

Considering that the presented type does not involve the use of any bait, in this case you have to make do on your own, creating a special game that is understandable to the fish. Such a jig is good during a good bite or on the first ice, when you don’t have to sort through baits.

It must be said that the artificial delicacy is also different from each other.

Today on sale you can find:

Uralka . This type of jig is usually used when you want to catch a perch. True, regardless of the type of fish, every fisherman should have this element, because it is considered classic and can come in handy at any time. If we talk about the appearance of the product, it resembles a drop, but only more curved. In the narrow part you can see a soldered hook. Sometimes uralkas are additionally equipped with multi-colored beads, which makes it possible to more effectively attract fish.

Devil . The effectiveness of this element of gear has been proven repeatedly. It can be used to catch various types of fish, although some people buy “devils” specifically to catch pike perch. Jigs of this type have both three and four hooks. It must be said that if a fisherman is still interested in a reelless reel, with which he intends to catch pike perch, then he needs a “balancer” - one of the varieties of “devil”, which can be easily found on sale.

Goat . Few people know that this is another subspecies of the bait described above. Although some believe that the “goat” is an independent jig. Be that as it may, the element is usually equipped with two hooks (this is a characteristic difference from the “devil”). In order for this bait to work as it should, it must be moved correctly through and under the water. The component is made from copper or brass. In winter, I fish with a jig of this type from a hole. It must be said that the “goat”, if managed correctly, can easily attract any fish.

Boat . It is necessary to use such a jig in reservoirs where the depth does not exceed 2.5 meters, as well as where there are quiet and calm fish. Given these points, the fisherman should be active and skillful in order to attract a future catch. True, the manufacturer took this into account and made the bait in different colors, and also equipped it with additional elements to make the task easier to cope with.

Ant . The name was taken for a reason. The element is actually shaped like an ant. The jig is used when roach or bream are active. The fisherman only needs to make small amplitude oscillations, which are made by an ant caught in the water. Noticing this, the fish will immediately pay attention to the delicacy.

Donkey . If you look from the outside, it seems that the bait resembles a broken coffee bean, or rather, one part of it. The jig is suitable for fishing under any conditions: where there is a current and where there is none. Often such baits have one hook, they are black in color, but the weight may vary.

Types of perch jigs

Jigs for perch, like for other fish, are presented in the form of a combined element of fishing equipment. Its components will be a weight and a hard metal hook soldered into its body. The surface of the bait is carefully polished to a shine. To increase catchability, the jig is decorated with precious metal using the electroplating method. Gold turns out to be very promising. Such bait is capable of attracting the attention of a predator even from the longest distances. The result is an increased chance of a rich catch when catching perch in winter with a jig.

To increase the number of bites from a predator, the jig should be painted with a bright waterproof varnish. The pellet will become more noticeable and attractive to perch.

Artificial baits differ in both shape and size. They are spherical, triangular, diamond-shaped, and semicircular. There are types of jigs in the shape of a drop, a puck, and an insect.

A jig for perch in winter often has one hook. Double hooks are used when catching trophy specimens. These are models called “goat”, which can withstand heavy loads very well.

For baitless fishing, standard baitless baits for perch are used, which can be enhanced with an attractive bait, and specific types of baits, nymphs, and devils.

To increase the interest of the predator, a bright cambric is put on the hook of the bait. Jigs with red cambric work great for stripers; it can be made from electric wire, the main thing is that it matches the diameter.

It is best to use natural animal bait on the predator. A worm, maggot, fly, bloodworm, or grasshopper are attached to the hook. They can be used individually or as components of a sandwich.

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The best manufacturers of jigs

They say that they learn from their own mistakes. Of course, this is true, but when it comes to expensive things, you don’t want to spend money on them.

As for jigs, fishermen are advised to pay attention to the manufacturers listed below:

• DiscuS Fishing. This company specializes in the production of tungsten jigs. The elements are considered reliable and durable.
• Lumicom. This company also produces tungsten elements, but the price of the products is low, which creates good consumer demand. Such catchy jigs for winter fishing will be useful to everyone.
• Ladoga. The domestic manufacturer offers high-quality parts at an affordable price.
• Salmo. The presented company is one of the largest and most famous in the world of fishing. Moreover, the corporation produces not only a variety of jigs, but also other necessary accessories.
• Lucky John. This is a flagship in its field, which has been on the market for over thirty years. The products of this company are always of excellent quality, so the demand for goods is very high.

Homemade winter jigs

The good thing about winter fishing is that you can prepare the gear yourself. There are a lot of ways to make bait at home. Some are very simple:

• Sawing is a simple method of making from different metals by soldering hooks.
• Soldering - a variety of baits are created from plates of different iron by soldering.
• Casting is a more complex process. It begins with preparing the jig mold for pouring metal. They use gypsum, wood, and clay. The molten metal is poured into molds and, after cooling, processed with sandpaper and a file.

Homemade baits are painted with nitro varnishes, for example, nail polish. Pearlescent tones are especially good when making perch jigs.

Catchable jigs

When winter jig fishing is expected, you should know about the best baits so as not to sit on the pond in vain.

Experienced fishermen advise paying attention to the following specimens:

"Ant 3.0/2 86601 – 0.2"

This element is manufactured by a domestic manufacturer. The weight of the part is only 0.28 grams. As for the hook, it is number sixteen. Yellow beads and a silicone tube are the distinctive features of this jig.

"Lucky John 20-S"

The presented element is a “devil”, which has number eighteen hooks, and the weight of the jig is 0.25 grams. The product is manufactured in Latvia.

"Lucky John LJ13050-139"

This bait is made of tungsten, its weight is 1.3 grams, and its diameter is 5 mm. The presented product is famous for its durability and strength, despite the fact that it has an affordable price.

"Lumicon Female Ant d.3.0"

A jig of this type is large and fully corresponds to the parameters of an ant. The element is usually sold in sets, each containing 10 pieces.

DIY jig

As a rule, every fisherman immediately thinks about how to make a jig himself. By the way, most experienced fishermen do this, especially since there are no special difficulties, if only there was a desire and a minimum set of tools and accessories. As practice shows, homemade baits are in no way inferior in catchability to industrial designs. Some fishermen make them so well that they are superior in catchability to industrial models.

• First, you need to decide on the material for making the jig sample. It should be a material that can be easily processed with cutting tools. As a last resort, a blank made of dense wood, such as oak or ash, will do.
• In this fragment, for example, of wood, a spherical depression is made, which should be slightly smaller in size than the future jig. This operation can be performed using a figured chisel.
• During the work, care should be taken to ensure that the recess matches the shape of the future bait. To do this, you can use a set of shaped chisels, for example, for wood carving.
• As soon as the recess is ready, it should be carefully processed (cleaned with sandpaper), after which the entire surface is treated with dichloroethane.
• Then you need to take a strip of copper or brass and attach it to the mold. The thickness of the strip can be 0.25 mm or thinner. After this, take a suitable tool and make the same indentation on a metal strip. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the strip. To do this, all movements should be as soft as possible and without much effort.
• In the process of extruding on a metal strip, you should get the same depression as in a wooden blank.
• After such a recess is completely formed in the metal plate, the edges must be removed (trimmed), and the form itself must be processed and tinned with solder.
• In the center of the workpiece you need to make a hole with a diameter of 0.2 mm so that the wire can be pulled through it. You must then attach a hook to this wire.
• As soon as the hook is installed, the recess is filled with solder using a heated soldering iron.
• After the solder has completely hardened, the wire is removed. Finally, the jig lends itself to further processing: grinding and polishing. Alternatively, the jig can be painted any color or varnished.

In conclusion, we can say that the jig is a fairly effective tool in winter fishing conditions. And you don’t have to buy jigs and spend additional money on them. If you want, you can make dozens of them, of different shapes and different sizes. In addition, it can be painted in any color. Moreover, you can come up with a jig of any shape, which may turn out to be more catchy than any of those listed in this article.

Nozzle jigs

Any model of this type of jig is characterized by a basic property - their use does not involve the use of natural bait, and their attractiveness is ensured only by the unique nature of the bait’s play in the water.

Among the reelless jigs, the most popular types are:

• Uralka is popular among those who like to hunt perch. Fishing tackle stores usually offer a large selection of this type of reelless hook, differing from each other in size, color, and the presence of beads of different shades at the base of the hook;
• devil is the most catchy bait for pike perch, equipped with three or even four hooks;
• goat is a type of devil, although many distinguish it as a separate independent species. This jig is made primarily from copper or brass. The number of hooks a goat has is less than that of a devil, and in order to ensure effective fishing with it, you need to know the intricacies of placing the bait;
• boat - designed for catching peaceful fish, therefore it requires active wiring. Its colors are quite diverse, and the design is improved with additional elements that attract the inhabitants of the aquatic depths;
• ant is a bait with a body divided into segments. Its very name indicates the similarity of the jig to a living insect, and the nature of the movements with a small amplitude exactly imitate the behavior of an ant that has fallen into the water. All baits of this type have approximately the same weight - 0.3 g, although it can be increased by adding beads to make it heavier;
• donkey - a bait similar to a quarter of a coffee bean, mostly black. It is considered almost universal, since it has shown itself well in and without current.

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Lures for catching carp

But no matter which of the listed types of baitless jigs the fisherman chooses, he will be able to determine the catchability of the bait only by testing in practice, under certain conditions, fishing on a specific body of water.

Nozzle jigs

Jig equipment

Regardless of the type of jig, there are only a few ways to tie it to a fishing line - it depends on whether there is a hole in the jig itself or whether the fastening will be done through a fastening ring.

Experts in the intricacies of jig fishing recommend having several baits of different weights and sizes in your arsenal.

Tying methods

1. If the chosen jig model has a special eye, then you can attach the bait to the fishing line using knots that secure fishing hooks.
2. When there is a hole in the jig itself, it is tied using self-tightening knots, secured to the shank of the hook after the fishing line is pulled through this through hole.