Tiny jigs to carry big plastic tails

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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547
Many years ago I was jigging a Canadian dock ,at our lodge, with a tiny nose hooked live frog that I'd found on shore. Immediately a big school of smallmouth bass zoomed from out under the dock, one inhaling the hapless frog! But,of course, it was the only frog I could find. My only other lure with me, just then, other than my small jighead, was a small floating Rapala. So, in a panic to get back to that mass of bass, I placed the small jig hook through the nose ring of the plug. As hoped, the jig weight was just enough to sink the floater ,slowly ; it didn't get far before another chunk sized bass latched on. My worry was that the plug, so loosely secured, would fall off the jig hook -in future situations it certainly did!

However,In recent years, at times, I've employed either a 1/24 or 1/32 oz bare roundhead jig with a fairly strong-for-its-size No.8 Mustad O'Shaughnessy forged jighook to pin on longer PRERIGGED plastic worms and eel types. That is, those straight tails that sport 2 or 3 exposed small sized hooks,threaded internally within the worm. I find that the small jighead takes these very slow sinking plastics down better, and affords them freer wobbling type action while swiveling around the small jig hook up front that carries them. Of course, I put a small piece of plastic,a rubber band square, or tiny Gulp maggot above the hook eye to secure the worm in place and prevent my above mentioned Rapala escape situations!

My favorite rigged worm was the pre rigged , tougher plastic Delong models -these already had the lead hook also buried in the plastic, so a simple matter to push my jighook through, and be assured it would NOT move up and off the hook point ! I mentioned the word "was" ,because Delong has been out of business for a decade. Imagine my surprise when I recently discovered that new owners in Ohio have recreated the entire line!! My supply was dwindling, but now I can revive my light jig tactic, and even apply it to their big ,always productive, famous witches and eels!! (yes, I WILL use this tiny jig pinning method for muskies and pike on my light tackle outfits!)

Remember,the the small hooked, crappie sized jigheads ,using this method , are mainly sort of functioning as "snaps" to hold the larger lure in back. Those prerigged bodies have very nice sized, sharp hooks, some with weedguards, to insure very positive bites into fish jaws! I can hardly wait to throw a few of the old time worms, tadpoles, and eels this season ! I'm sure others can envision some of their favorite soft plastic, prehooked models used in this jigging manner as well. Any of you out there have some interesting ideas to share?
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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4,226
Location
Ogallala, NE
Functionally innovative solution in a pinch, but why not use those cone shaped sinkers with a hole in the middle aptly called WORM WEIGHTS ?
 

jiggerjohn

Active member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
Hawn, Certainly sliding sinkers or split shots will do the sinking and casting-weight function well, but since I always start any fishing with a lightweight jig head, It seems easy to just push that small hook that I use, point up through the front hook eye of a longer prehooked worm or eel. Maybe call it laziness ! I could even use a snap, but the special notch- knot I tie on YOUR jigheads, ya rascal, has proven stronger than any connection with a snap or even a straight hook. Besides, if the bigger plastic bait doesn't pan out, I can easily go back to my regular 1/28 mop jig with no waste of fishing time !
 

RockGeo

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Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
38
Location
SE Missouri Ozarks
Jiggerjohn, do you have a few pictures of your "worm jigs"? Your description of them reminds me of "Minnesota finesse" jigs with plastic trailers used for bass and walleye back in the '70s and '80s in the upper Midwest. Light jig heads, under 1/4 oz., used with Lindy worms and tails were quite common. Some used jig heads with the Creme pre-rigged floating worms too.
 

hookup

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
2,698
Location
VA
Ned rig works well up north but for some reason are not my goto confidence baits.

I've had days for the history books with a sinking fluke. When the guys who lived there saw me fishing it they said it wouldn't work.

Little did they know .......
 

jiggerjohn

Active member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
Rock, Above is my small jig link up with the famous 6" Delong sand Eel . Note that I like to place a mop jig up front,as this,I feel, gives me a forward wagging action -sort of my "spinner blade". Also, on this photo I did not include the rubber band piece above the eel's hook eye,which prevents the body from slipping off the smaller hook. This is definately NOT the little Ned rig type of set up, as it's meant to pull larger, usually sinking plastics, without use of a line weakening split shot.
 

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
here's the notch knot that i use for all small jigs and light line :
 

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RockGeo

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2018
Messages
38
Location
SE Missouri Ozarks
Jigger John, Thanks for the picture! Not at all what I was visualizing. An interesting combination that obviously catches the attention of fish.
 
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