But also a rig, namely such an element as a jig head. This small metal lead can change the course of even the most elusive fishing! Doubt? We will prove it.

In this article, we will present the most complete theoretical base with specific examples and advice on what a jig head is, what types they are classified into, we will indicate the important parameters of this element of jig equipment that should be taken into account when choosing a fishing spot, and we will show an interesting video. All that remains for you is to reinforce your theoretical knowledge with practice!

1. What is a jig head

Jig head or the English analogue of this concept jig-head - one of the types of sinkers used for.

Sinker- This is a piece of equipment, the purpose of which is to increase the weight and hook and deliver the bait to a given depth.

Thus, jig head- this is a sinker that has a certain shape, to which a hook is attached (or not fixed). The name "head" appeared in connection with the fact that the fixation of the sinker is done in the head part of the bait and is connected to it, into a single structure.

Scope of use- all types of jig fishing. Used type of rod- spinning.

2. Types of jig heads

2.1 By weight

According to this parameter, this tooling element is subdivided into the following types:

• for fishing with the nanojig style - weight up to 3 g;
• for fishing - weight from 3 to 7 g;
• lungs - from 7 to 21 g;
• medium - from 21 to 42 g;
• heavy - 42 grams or more.

This parameter is important when fishing at a depth and a reservoir of different flow rates. Also, the weight of the cargo is determined based on the size of future production.

Examples of the use of cargo under various fishing conditions:

1. Stagnant water and a depth of 2 m - the weight of the head is taken 2 or 3 g. The stronger the water flow and depth, the weight of the load must be increased accordingly.
2. Depth 6 m with a current at a speed of 3 m / s - weight 30 - 45 g.
3. Depth 4 m and current up to 2 m / s - weight from 12 to 15 g.
4. Large pool and depth from 4 to 6 m - weight from 10 to 14 g.
5. Depth from 6 to 10 m - weight from 14 to 20 g.
6. Depth over 10 m assumes use weighing between 18 and 30 g.

The weight- an important parameter that affects the speed of immersion, depth, distance when casting. It is believed that when choosing a weight, one should be guided by the time (speed) of burying the load, which on average should be from 2 to 5 s. In this case, it is worth considering the natural factors of the reservoir and the area, which can reduce or increase this time. You always have to experiment.

Useful video on how to choose weight depending on the depth of the reservoir (author of the "Fishing PRO" channel)

Advice: For beginner spinning anglers, the optimal weight is considered to be sinkers from 1.5 to 3.5 g. This weight should be tested at close distances, having felt the behavior of the sinker in the water. Then choose a sinker with a suitable weight.

2.2 By material

Lead metal jig heads- gained popularity in fishing due to the affordable price, availability of the metal itself and ease of processing, which allows any interested angler to easily make such an element of equipment at home. The downside is that over time, the cargo begins to oxidize and become covered with a white coating.

One of the ways to eliminate this disadvantage is offered by the DEEVER channel - fishing with DIVER

Tungsten- are made not of pure tungsten, but of an alloy that includes this metal as well.

Advantages of tungsten:

• metal takes precedence in weight category in relation to lead;
• tungsten heads are much more compact than lead heads (if you take each element in the same weight), this affects the casting distance;
• more durable, for example, retain their shape when hitting stones;
• good sound animation, which appears when tapping on stones, which attracts fish in muddy water

Flaw- high price.

Brass sinkers- used in fishing, but this is not a practical alloy, which, due to its soft qualities of the material, quickly deteriorates.

2.3 In relation to the hook

Jig heads equipped with a "bait holder" hook differ in that they have a ring-shaped hook in the upper part of the head structure and a retainer that serves as a stopper and has various shapes. The purpose of the stopper is to prevent the bait from getting off the hook. A jig head with a clamp of a specific shape is selected according to weight, bait length and conditions fishing... For example, when it is preferable to use heads with a spherical retainer or do without it.

a- clamp in the form of a "thorn" or "needle";
b- "ball";
v- "mushroom" (umbrella);
G- "arrows";
d- without a retainer.

The characteristics of the hook should also be taken into account. So, when catching a large predator, it is better to use hooks made of wire of a larger diameter, and hooks made of thin material are better to use in snags, since they easily unbend when uncoupled.

Important! The size of the hook for a jig lead depends on the specific lure, its size, shape, etc. So, with large baits, large hooks are also used and vice versa. You should also take into account the place of fishing ( clean body of water or with vegetation and stones), the activity (behavior) of a predator. Large hooks allow you to successfully complete most bites, but also affect the number of holds and vice versa.

Jig head hooks can be numbered as follows:

• from # 10 to # 1, where the 10th number is the smallest hook;
• from # 1/0 to # 5/0, where # 1 is the smallest hook.

Important! Different manufacturers designate their product numbering differently.

Jig heads with no hook or separate. This type of sinker is equipped with two ears, a hook with a nozzle is attached to one (for example, through a ring or directly to the ear), and to the other - a fishing line.

Jig heads with ears in the common people are called. This type of sinker is used in microjig fishing and not only.

There are other forms of two-lug sinkers, for example

3 Shapes of jig heads with hook

3.1 Jig head with hook and resistance property

External features:

• the presence of bevels;
• irregularities in the surface.

Properties:

• there is additional gaming activity due to slight fluctuations during wiring;
• the variation of the game (oscillation) depends on the angle of the bevel.

Jig head called a digger or digger

Excavator properties:

• fast penetration;
• reproduces vibrations in the process of deepening;
• moving and bouncing along the bottom;
• when goes horizontally along the bottom;
• when conducting over the bottom (with intensive winding of the thread) - wave-like movements with movement to the upper layers of water.
• if we slightly change the angle of inclination of the blade, then the game and the speed of loading the load will change accordingly.

Jig head petal (swinging) or wobble

Properties:

• smooth sinking effect;
• when pushed in, the petal floats in the water above other jig heads;
• when jerking the wiring, it rises to the surface.

Application area- shallow water.

Jig head with oscillating properties, is the opposite of a wobble jig head.

Jig head swimming or ski

Ski properties:

• with high-speed wiring, it rises to the surface and slides like on a track;
• passes well in places with thickets and snags.

3.2 Head jig - no hooks

Peculiarity- when immersed, they become the sole to the bottom, and the hook hangs vertically to the bottom, this position resembles a feeding fish, which buries its nose in the silt, which attracts prey.

Sinkers in the form of a spog, a horseshoe, as well as a vanka-stand are used for bottom fishing, due to the streamlined shape, which allows you to maneuver and avoid the hooks, is used on the current.

3.3 Streamlined head jig

Feature such sinkers are the ability to "fly" over long distances. These are the leaders in flight, however, their streamlining does not affect maneuverability.

Application area- the universal sinker, however, is most effective in current and at depth.

For example, "ball" is great friends with and (). Dense vegetation passes well.

3.4 Noise jig heads

Peculiarity- can act not only as an addition to the bait, but also as an independent part of it. In motion, such weights create noise (animation) due to the presence of additional elements in the structure (propellers, petals). When hovering on the surface of the reservoir, a drag is created, which plays a positive role in surface wiring.

Horse head

with a petal

with propeller

4. Types of hooks

5. What are balanced and unbalanced jig heads?

Any jig sinker is equipped with a ring. Have balanced heads such a ring is located in the central part of the weight, which allows you to hang on the thread in a horizontal position. During posting, at the moment of reeling, the fishing line slightly tilts forward, and when it stops, it immediately rushes down. This is useful for stepped wiring style.

Unbalanced- when reeling, they float horizontally, and at the moment of a pause, they slowly sink. These weights are best used when angling with long-distance casting at.

Among different ways spinning fishing in recent times jig fishing is widespread. One of the key elements of the rig when fishing in this way is the jig head or as everyone used to call it the jig head. It also goes well in winter fishing.

We will talk about what a jig head is, what varieties it is, and also how to equip a spinning rod with silicone baits and fish with them, we will talk in this article.

What is a jig head

A jig head is a lead or tungsten sinker (head) with a double or single hook welded in or pivotally connected to it. To prevent the bait from slipping, at the solid heads near the sinker, special clamps in the form of a thorn, a ball, a fungus, an arrow are cast from the same material as the sinker. When using heads with a swivel joint, hooks with special notches or protrusions on the forend are used

The main purpose of using this element is to give the bait weight to increase its casting distance, accelerate the fall to the bottom, improve the game when different types wiring.

Jig heads differ in weight, shape, material from which the sinker is made. We will talk about this and many other things later.

Which spinning rod to use

For jigging, the choice of spinning rod depends on the fishing conditions:

• When fishing in a small lake, a bet, a pond or a small river, it is best to use rods no longer than 210 cm.
• For medium rivers and lakes it is better to use forms of length 210-240 cm.
• When fishing on large rivers, large lakes x, vast water areas of reservoirs, it is better to use blanks longer than 270 cm.

The blank test is selected taking into account the total weight of the bait with a jig head, fishing conditions:

• When fishing for small perch, small pike, in shallow reservoirs with stagnant water, rods with a test of 2-7 grams are used.
• For small rivers, streams, ponds and lakes of medium size with a depth of more than 2 meters, when fishing for pike, perch, use blanks with a dough of 2-10 grams.
• In the conditions of backwaters and river bays, the average size of reservoirs with stagnant water and a depth of more than 4 meters, forms with a test of 5-15-18 grams are used.
• For fishing on rivers with a medium or slow current and depths over 4-5 meters, blanks with a test of up to 10-30 grams are used.
• When fishing on reservoirs, on large rivers with depths over 6-7 meters, blanks with a dough of 15-30 grams are used.

The structure of a jig spinning rod should be fast or super fast - under load, only the tip of such a rod should bend.

In addition to all the characteristics described above, a jig spinning rod, in contrast to a twitching rod, should, with its overall rigidity, have a thin and flexible tip with a large number of small pass rings. Such a design is necessary in order to track the moment the bait touches the bottom along the tip, which is usually painted in a contrasting color with respect to the entire blank, and to perform various tosses and pulls.

In addition to design features and blank characteristics, a jig spinning rod should have a comfortable handle - preferably made of cork or soft EVA polymer material - with a reliable reel seat and large guide rings with wear-resistant cermet inserts.

It should be remembered that fiberglass rods and low-quality composite rods are not suitable for jigging - such blanks are quite heavy and insensitive - the fisherman's hand will get tired very quickly and at the same time he will not feel neat and weak bites in his hand.

The best option for this method of spinning fishing would be a blank made of high-modulus graphite with a solid or glued-in thin tip.

How to equip (plant)

For attaching lures equipped with jig heads of various sizes, both metal leashes with fasteners and nodal connections are used. The choice of this or that connection method depends on the conditions and the object of fishing:

• When fishing in shallow ponds and lakes where there is no pike and the main type of predator is the perch, leash rigs are used - "Caroline", "Texas", "diverter lead" (Moscow). With this method, the jig head is divided using a leash made of thin and transparent fluorocarbon, so that the sinker in the form of a ball with two ears (Cheburashka) or a sliding "bullet" is located above and attached to the main line, and below it on a piece of fluorocarbon line from 70 to 120 cm long, there is a silicone bait with a hook. For the convenience of changing the lures attached to the leash, a small fastener is attached to its end.
• When fishing for pike, zander, a jig head is used with a bait to the fastener of a metal leash 15-20 cm long. The leash is tied to the main line or cord with any reliable knot connection.
• When fishing for very large and catfish, the nodal connection of the leader with the main line is additionally reinforced with a drop of "Super Glue".

Do-it-yourself jig: video

For jig casting, aluminum molds are used.

And one more video on how to make a jig head with your own hands:

Who is caught on a jig

Such species are caught on a jig predatory fish how:

• - catch the toothy jig throughout the open water season. The most successful is in the middle of spring and autumn.
• - perch are caught mainly on leash rigs and small silicone jig lures, starting from early spring and right up to freezing. Its most productive fishing with this tackle in the fall, when the perch gathers in large stats and hunt collectively.
• - zander is caught on a jig not only in the spring-autumn period, but also in winter on non-freezing rivers, in warm canals. Catching this fish is more successful at dusk and at night.
• - this large river predator is caught with jig tackle mainly during the warm season. Like pike-perch, it is very often caught at night and at dusk.
• Asp- falls on jig tackle when fishing for pike on river rifts, near steep slopes, under bushes and tree branches hanging low over the water. Actively fishing throughout the summer during daylight hours. Do not feed at night.

Also, jig baits are used to catch such peaceful species of fish as:

• - catch with small jig lures during July-September.
• Ide- actively fish on medium and large rivers with small jig lures. The ide is most active in spring and late summer – early autumn.

Depending on the shape of the sinker, the following types of jig heads are distinguished:

Jig heads with hard-welded hook:

• "Ball";
• "Excavator";
• Swinging;
• "Fish head"
• "Oscillating";
• "The head of the larva";
• "Bullet";
• "Ski";
• "Rugby";
• "Spoon";
• "Inclined";
• "Vanka-Vstanka"
• "Banana";
• "Horse head";
• "Boot";
• "Horseshoe".

Jig heads with articulated (movable) connection of a sinker and a hook:

• "Ball";
• "Lentils";
• "Field".

How to choose a jig head

The choice of the jig head by weight is very important for normal play, long casting and its quick fall to the bottom.

It depends on the weight of the jig head and the size of the hook in which of the categories of the spinning fishing of the same name it is used:

• Smallest one-piece and swivel heads with small weight hooks up to 3 grams used when fishing with nanojig. Such heads are used for lures of the smallest sizes when fishing perch, ide, chub.
• Heads weighing from 3 to 7 grams- ideal for rigging microjig lures that are targeted at large and medium perch, a small grass pike.
• For light jig use heads weighing from 10 to 15-20 grams.
• In an average jig, heads are used with a weight of 20 to 30-40 grams... They catch a variety of fish with a medium jig - pike, perch, walleye.
• When fishing with large lures for heavy jig use the largest heads with impressive hooks and overweight 40 gram... This kind of jig is used to catch large pike perch, catfish and trophy pike.

The weight of the jig head is also selected taking into account the depths at the place of fishing:

• Up to 2 meters - 3-8 grams;
• 2-4 meters - 6-10 grams;
• 4-6 meters - 12-16 grams;
• 6-10 meters - 18-22 grams;
• Over 10 meters - 20-30 grams.

Choosing the right head by weight saves a lot of time and allows you to fish more perceptive places - when using a head that is too light and sinking for a long time, the angler will end up spending much more time fishing a place than using a heavier one.

But at the same time, a very heavy head in conditions of shallow depth will significantly accelerate the fall of the bait and reduce the number of bites that occur most often at the time of smooth lowering of the bait during a pause between reels or after casting. It is also undesirable to use heavy heads in places with a large amount of aquatic vegetation, snags - this will lead to frequent hooks and breaks.

Jig fishing videos for beginners:

Features of jig fishing

Compared to fishing with wobblers, spinners and other lures, jig fishing has a number of the following features:

• Deep fishing- for fishing with classic jig equipment, depths of at least 2 meters are required. This is due to the fact that most of the lures' grasping by a predator with this method of fishing occurs when the bait smoothly falls to the bottom in the pauses between reels and after it is cast. If the depth in the place of fishing is small, then even the lightest head will not provide a slow lowering of the bait and the predator will simply not notice it.
• Stepped wiring- for jigging, a classic stepped wiring is used, consisting of 3-4 turns of the reel handle and a pause. The length of the pause depends on the depth at the place of fishing and the weight of the head used. For normal fishing, the pause should last no more than 3-4 seconds. Winding speed varies with fish activity and season.
• Using special forms- Fishing with jig lures requires complete control over the lure. Therefore, for this method, only rigid jig rods with a special thin and sensitive tip are suitable, capable of performing the longest and most accurate casts, allowing effective sharp and strong sweeps, giving the bait a game that attracts a predator with various leads.
• Using braided cord- Another factor that ensures full control and high sensitivity of a jig spinning tackle is the mandatory use of a rigid and thin braided cord. The use of a fishing line is possible only with a small casting distance and the use of the smallest lures
• Easy to learn- jig fishing, unlike twitching lures, is very easy to learn. This is the way many beginners often start their way in spinning fishing.

Having learned the basics and subtleties of jigging, you can successfully catch a variety of both predatory and peaceful species of fish. Also, another advantage of this fishing method is its low cost, a huge range of silicone lures.

Jig Is a type of spinning fishing with jig lures. Their feature is a nose loaded with a lead sinker. Almost any of all kinds of spinning rods can act as bait, but in 90% of cases anglers deal with silicone and foam rubber:

• twister
• vibrotail
• foam fish
• worm
• crustacean
• squid

Jig fishing is characterized by stepped wiring. You throw the bait into the place of fishing, wait for it to fall to the bottom, the line will sag at that moment. Make 0.5-3 turns and again wait for a fall to the bottom. This is the step. It allows you to fish the bottom, and the jig is just perfect for this.

One more important element such a rig - jig head... This is the lead weight of the hook on which the bait is attached. But not all rigs have a jig head. Some are attached with an ordinary Cheburashka sinker, as in the photo above.

Now the jig fishing method has become increasingly popular. It attracts with the opportunity to catch a truly trophy specimen, regardless of the season, fishing conditions and the most budgetary bait.

Unlike other lures, in particular, wobblers, the cost of jig is several times cheaper. In addition, you can make it yourself, which is very profitable.

Jig belongs to the category of the most effective methods of bottom fishing using spinning. Jiga is the name of English dance, therefore jig means to dance, to dance with bait.

Contents

Spinning for jig

When choosing a spinning tool for jig fishing, it is recommended to consider the following parameters:

1. Possibility of casting twisters, vibrating tails with a jig head, the weight of which is from 10 to 40 grams. over long distances.
2. The sensitivity of the tackle to the behavior of the bait in the water (touching the bait to the bottom surface), to the careful bites of a predator.
3. The ability of the tackle to make confident sweeps.
4. Support the weight of weighted jig heads (heavy jig models).

It is a well-chosen spinning rod that can ensure the success of jig fishing. Depending on the conditions of the future hunt (from a boat, from the shore, in which depth of water the hunt will be carried out), the nature of the tackle is determined.

Specifications

The main performance characteristics of the rod include:

Rod test

This indicator reflects the permissible weight of the bait, which does not impair the normal operation of the spinning rod: the ability to make high-quality casting over long distances, feel the wiring, etc.

The optimal value for jig is 10-40 grams. If the fishing is carried out from a boat, then it is not always advisable to cast. Therefore, the stick will work with less test load. But long-distance casting of weighty jig heads and fishing at great depths should be carried out with a spinning rod with a high dough.

Length

The ideal length for a jig fishing tool should be 240-270 cm. A shorter rod can make casting distance difficult given the lure's low weight.

Choosing a stick that is too long is also not worth it, although if a professional angler is working, then a spinning rod with a length of 330 cm is quite within his power. For the amateur level, 240 cm is quite enough.

Build

Here you can use a spinning rod with both fast and slow action, which is equally effective. Choosing the right tuning is much more difficult than deciding on the length. This parameter is not determined by eye, you need to feel it.

The structure of the spinning rod allows you to understand how flexible the tackle is and how quickly it reacts to a bite. Even with a fast tuning, an increased sensitivity to the slightest impact can be observed, and this is provided that only the tip of the instrument is bent.

It is also called end system. There is a parabolic version of the action, slow, where the entire length of the rod bends.

When choosing a scale, you need to focus on the priority of the tasks:

1. If long and soft casting is important, then you should take a slow one.
2. If the informative component and the sensitivity of the tackle to jigging are important, then a fast action is suitable.

A good solution for jig fishing is the use of a combined action, where under low loads the performance of a fast action is manifested, and in the case of a serious impact, parabolic.

Telescopic rods signal bites worst of all. Most often, it can only be detected visually. The tip of the spinning rod, due to the numerous connections in the links of the tool, cannot transmit a bite signal to the angler's hand.

Material

Here it is important to decide on the length of a specific rod, and based on these parameters, choose the material:

1. If we consider a 3-meter rod made of simple fiberglass, which has a significant weight, then there will be certain difficulties in its operation.
2. If it comes on long fishing tools, CFRP or composite materials should be preferred.

Which to choose?

To make a final decision on buying a specific spinning rod model, it is recommended to pay attention to:

1. The model matches the expected hunting conditions, the type of fish that will be hunted, the weight and shape of artificial lures, and the casting distance.
2. On the parity of price and quality: an excellent tool and decently worth it. If we consider the budget version of the tackle, then the price should not be lower than $ 100 (Daiwa Tornado - Z, Shimano Catana CX, Bass Pro Shops, Volzhanka are considered worthy models). It is better to purchase such tools in specialized stores, where there is a guarantee and a quality certificate for the goods.

Jig reel

There are two types of coils:

Inertia-free

Characterized by simple execution and ease of use. There is a fairly extensive range of such products on the market, and choosing the right option will not be difficult.

The main thing is that the product meets the following requirements:

1. Instant backstop.
2. Equipped with an enlarged spool.
3. The spool and roller are made of high quality material.

Inertial

Modern multiplier models are practically not inferior in their working qualities to inertialess products. They attract consumers with the high speed of winding the fishing line, and allow you to feel the bite alarm through your fingers (from the line).

Fishing line

You can jig on both monofilament line and braided line. But most spinning anglers are inclined to choose a high-quality braid: it has minimal stretching, it adequately informs about the behavior of the lure in the water.

The cord allows for short and powerful sweeps, piercing through and through the tough mouth of a predator.

Unlike monofilament, the percentage of trophy copies is several times less.

As for the diameter of the braided thread, it all depends on the type of the intended object of fishing:

1. If it's a perch on the current(with the transition from shallow to depth), then a thickness of 0.10 - 0.12 mm is suitable.
2. If it is a pike perch in the current, then the thickness of the braid should be 0.12 - 0.17 mm. The thickness of 0.19 mm will be relevant for hunting in tight places of the reservoir. Considering advantageous position lures in such conditions (freezes when stopping above the bottom surface), the predator is motivated to attack the prey offered to him.
3. If it's a pike, then the optimal solution would be to use a cord with a diameter of 0.12 - 0.17 mm. For trophy pike(25-30 kg) will be needed braided fishing line thickness 0.20 - 0.40 mm.

Jig baits

Twisters and a weight of 4 grams. They are connected to a ready-made jig rig using an offset hook. The eyelet can be easily pulled out of the sinker, so you can assemble the rig without a winding ring.

The use of jig lures makes it possible to hunt any predator regardless of the type of reservoir, depth, on the current and in its absence. They can fish even the most difficult places: snagged, rocky and overgrown with vegetation.

The main thing is to follow the rules for equipping such baits for each specific case.

Depending on the game, jig baits are classified into:

1. Active(vibro-tails, twisters), which are in special demand among Russian spinningists.
2. Passive(all kinds of variations of exotic animals in the form of lizards, crustaceans, molluscs, etc.), which can also catch white fish.

To fish effectively, you must choose the right size, color and material of the jig.

To provoke a large predator to take a bite, you should pick up a large bait and vice versa. So, a bait with a size of 10-13 cm is suitable for a pike, a bait of 7-9 cm should be placed on a pike perch, and a bait 3-6 cm on a perch.

If the bait is made of soft material, then the game will be quite active and lively. But given the structure of such a product, it will not be able to last long (it will not withstand the bites from the teeth of a predator).

If it is a bait from a hard material, then the product will not lose its qualities, despite the injuries received during the fishing process, but they will be able to attract the object of the hunt with difficulty.

Jig baits are produced in a wide range of colors: from brightly aggressive to naturally calm.

The most popular type of jig bait is considered to be vibrotails. imitating live fish. They can be narrow or wide.

Vibrating tails for jigging, made by hand by pouring silicone into molds

Fishing process

Most often, our anglers use the classic step in the jig fishing method.

For this:

1. Casting is in progress. You need to wait until the bait can calmly sink to the bottom (the line will sag).
2. Take a spinning rod at a 45 degree angle relative to the water surface and perform rotational actions with the handle of the reel (3-4 turns are enough). Again, you need to wait until the bait touches the bottom surface (the thread will sag, and the tip of the tool will straighten) and repeat the winding again.
3. You need to rotate the coil very quickly, as well as to stop it - smoothly. After that, you need to wait for the bait to touch the bottom and so repeat the entire cycle of actions until a bite is detected.
4. The sweep should be instant, otherwise the predator can spit it out, suspecting deception. You should not wait for an aggressive attack on the bait, as it happens with a spoon or a wobbler.
5. It is recommended to fish out with the use of a friction brake.(to extinguish the jerks of the predator).

1. It is more advisable to use a braided cord than a regular mono line.
2. To interest the predator, you need to use a rig with a diverter lead.
3. An offset hook will come in handy here: sharp, does not allow the bait to cling to underwater obstacles.
4. Staggered wiring is most effective.
5. Do not neglect the colors of the bait, you need to experiment.
6. To increase the frequency of the game, you can additionally twitch the rod.
7. You need only high-quality gear to choose.

In jig fishing with soft baits crucial role plays a sinker, its weight and shape.

1. For fish, the bait is more attractive, which drops slowly during the pause in the drive, so the weight of the weight-head should be as small as possible.
2. The less the load weighs, the less hooks will be !!!
3. The jig head should allow the bait to sink to the bottom so that the fisherman can feel it with the tackle.
4. Remember that not only the sinker has a certain weight, but also the bait itself with a hook, as well as accessories that can be used in the case of installation using an eared sinker or "bullet".

How to find the weight of a jig head

The weight of the jig head is also selected taking into account the fishing conditions, among which the depth in the area of ​​the reservoir and the strength of the current are the most significant.

• Depth up to 2 m - 2-3 g;
• 2 m - 3-4 g;
• 3 m - 4-6 g;
• 4 m - 6-8 g;
• 5 m - 8-10 g;
• 6 m - 10-15 g;
• 10 m - 20-24 g.

Jig head overview

In the case of a weak current, it is necessary to add another 2-3 g to the indicated weight indicators, with an average - another 4-6 g, and with a strong current needs to be multiplied by 2.

Note that these ratios are not at all strict, every lover of jig fishing should experiment with the weight of the load heads, try in practice different variants, paying attention to the reaction and activity of the fish, the degree of sensitivity of the tackle, the effectiveness of the posting.

In this case, an individual compromise is needed, in which the load would sink not quickly, but not too slowly, and the tackle would be felt well.

Another factor that influences the choice of load weight in flowing conditions is the thickness of the cord.

The thicker the cord, the stronger the force of the current and wind acts on it, that is, the thicker the cord, the greater the weight of the jig head should be.

How to increase the casting distance of jig lures

You can increase the casting distance in different ways.

This is primarily done by moderately increasing the weight of the jig head. Also pay attention to the shape and dimensions of the bait: narrower silicones fly farther than their voluminous, wide-bodied counterparts.

Casting distance will be longer and in the case of application articulated mounting.

Sometimes, for various reasons, a decrease in the weight of the lead is also required. First of all, such a need may arise in order to reduce the rate of falling of the bait during pauses during posting.

Of course, such procedures will negatively affect the casting distance and reduce the fishing rate itself, but often the bait becomes more attractive to the fish, as its movements become more natural.

Tungsten sinkers

The casting distance is influenced by the shape of the bait and its aerodynamics. From this it follows that the less its resistance to air, with the same weight, the better and the further it will fly. Therefore, tungsten jig sinkers were created. Tungsten is heavier and much harder than lead, making it more effective than lead. With the same weight as lead, tungsten sinkers have a smaller volume and fly farther.

It is also worth noting that tungsten leads sink to the bottom faster, and in some cases this is a disadvantage in jigging.

Types of jig heads

Weight heads can be divided into two large groups: those that are aligned with the hook, and those that are cast separately and attached to the offset hook. The more common are the former, that is, the weight-heads cast with a hook. Actually, such products are called jig heads. Outwardly, they resemble heavy, large jigs; are equipped with a ring located at right angles to the forend of the hook, and a lock, which is designed to prevent the soft silicone bait from sliding and turning.

Jig heads differ from each other not only in weight, but also in shape, which can be very diverse. Common names characterize appearance jig heads:

• bullet;
• ski;
• ball;
• spoon;
• banana;
• rugby;
• horseshoe;
• fish head, etc.

For catching predators in difficult areas, which are characterized by the presence of many obstacles and an abundance of vegetation, so-called non-hooks are used. Of course, no jig head can provide absolute protection against hooks, but some types (spoon, horseshoe, rugby) really reduce the number of holds, which is associated with the vertical position of the hook at the stage of the bait falling.

Banana or ski jig heads, which are characterized by an elongated shape, reduce the chance of side hooks.

Also, fishermen often install special self-made "fuses" made of thin wire, which easily bends under the pressure of fish jaws, in order to protect them from snagging.

Naturally, the use of such a wire structure will slightly increase the number of ineffectual bites, but there will be much less dangerous hooks.

DIY jig heads

Self-casting of jig heads is currently very popular, because it is economical, interesting and allows you to create a whole arsenal of various weights.

The most difficult thing in this process is making the mold itself for the future casting. Apply as metal molds, as well as simpler ones of plaster and scrap materials.

The weight of the future product can be adjusted not only by changing its dimensions, but also through the use of an alloy of lead and tin. The latter is characterized by a lower density, which makes it possible to reduce the mass of the jig heads produced.

Making jig heads with your own hands

How to paint a jig head

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Naturally, each theory should have at least some practice as a basis. If some well-known and recognized fisherman catches his whole life, for example, under the heel of some bridge on the river or on and asserts that the head should be the lightest possible, then he is right. And another fisherman can fish, suppose, under the seventh support of the same bridge and argue that the weight of the head, the more - the better, and will also be right. The place is the place of strife.

Eight or nine years ago, I finally and irrevocably, as it seemed then, "obsessed" with a light and ultra-light jig, considering it a panacea for all occasions. The funny thing is that I, too, was right in my own way. Having mastered fishing on silicone baits with ultralight heads is many times better than fishing with other lures, naturally, in an arbitrary place at any time, I got the lion's share of trophies in this way ... Of course, there are both explainable and inexplicable (perhaps still unexplained) reasons that affect selection of jig head weight.

Jig Head Depth and Weight Ratio Chart

The data in the table are subjective and correct for bodies of water with a relatively flat bottom without flow.

If the angler claims that it is necessary to fish with jig heads weighing fifty grams or more, then we can conclude that he catches mainly on reservoirs with a strong current (if the need to use a jig head of such weight arises on a reservoir with stagnant water, then the depth of this reservoir is such that it makes no sense to catch it with a spinning rod). If a lure with a light head is thrown downstream, it simply will not reach the bottom. I had to face this too. Last year we fished on the Volga, at a depth of twenty-one meters to the bottom we only took out assemblies from two pivotally connected forty-gram weights. If you throw it across the stream, it seems to save the situation. But nothing of the kind! The cargo reaches the bottom quickly, but literally after two or three steps of wiring it is carried down by the current, as a result of which it "soars upward like a mountain eagle."

Depths and depths are undoubtedly an objective reason for using heavy and super-heavy heads.Another option for using jig heads is enough heavy weight... These are areas with an uneven bottom, where there are large and sharp drops in depth. Even if a light-headed lure is well felt, the lure will most likely fly over the most promising areas. This pattern manifests itself regardless of the direction of the wiring, but most clearly - when wiring across strong current... The scope of application of jig heads, light for these conditions, is somewhat wider than heavy ones.

When it makes sense to use the lightest jig heads

First example. The place of the supposed stop of the fish is known, and it is not large. This can be a driftwood at the bottom, a curtain of algae, and so on. In this case, the bait, which flies past the fish ambush with a bullet, most likely will not interest the fish, since the predator in the ambush is usually not very active, and therefore will not chase the bait. It is better to feed the bait at a low speed here. The bait (let's digress from the topic) here is soft with an active game, the use of an attractant will give good results. A very typical example of such fishing is pike fishing with reeds to the wall. Here, the grip usually occurs immediately after splashdown of the bait during its dive. The longer the dive, the more chances of catching fish.

Another option is to catch algae windows. Heavy silicone non-hooks that burst into the sleepy world of the underwater jungle like barbarians can only scare the fish away. And if you carefully toss a lightly loaded bait and move it with very slow stretches with long pauses, the result will not be long in coming.

Example two. Fishing in areas where driftwood, algae and other obstacles are present at the bottom. A lure with a heavy head will cling to everything that is possible and for what is not possible, even with fast guidance in low-level flight over the bottom. A light jig head, with fast reeling, breaks off from the bottom almost vertically. In this case, the hooks will be much less.

Example three. Shaking from the depth. It is generally accepted that top scores gives wiring from shallow to depth. But not always, especially when fishing from the shore, it is possible to perform it. Naturally, if the drop is not very sharp, then everything is more or less normal, but if there is a cliff in front of you, then the situation becomes more complicated. A lure with a heavy head literally begins to plow the bottom, and there can be no question of any stepped wiring. You can give a few more examples, but these will most likely be variants of one of the three above.

An unusual way to catch trophy pike with heavy jig heads

And now the most interesting thing: a case that is difficult or impossible to explain. In order not to draw conclusions such as “having analyzed the trajectory of the bait and its speed at various stages of retrieval, the pike comes to the conclusion ...”, I will be guided only by factual data.

The pike prefers when the weight of the jig head is such that the bait plows the bottom. Once I got into a conversation with an old friend about fishing for pike in one of the reservoirs. We discussed the wiring. He asks: "Do you know how big pikes are caught there?" It turned out that some anglers (I take off my hat to their ingenuity) thought of not stepping the lure, but equipping it with a very heavy head and dragging it along the bottom with smooth pulls. At the same time, many large specimens were caught.

It was then that I remembered the weighty pikes of familiar novice fishermen from the city, who had never used heads less than twenty grams, even at a depth of three meters. Everything fell into place.

The angler's worst enemy is stereotypes. When we started mastering jig, there were no magazines and books dedicated to this method of fishing. Therefore, it was harder for us, but at the same time easier. Nobody imposed their opinion. And where should a newbie go now? On the one hand, thanks to the rapid development of the Internet, it is easier for him - you can quickly learn. But on the other hand, he reads mutually exclusive recommendations and does not know what to do. I do not want to teach anyone and impose any axioms, but I will only say one thing - experimenting with the weight of a jig head is not only possible, but also necessary.