Clear and Cold Water Jigging
January 19, 2008
Anglers are wary of deep, crystal clear lakes - add winter time conditions and most will cringe at the thought of fishing a lake where you can see the bottom in 25 feet of water.
I admit that clear lakes are an acquired taste because they usually are tough to fish. It’s a love or hate relationship when it comes to bass fishing in clear, cold water, but with the right attitude and a little know-how, a good angler can conquer those lakes that offer crystal clear cold conditions.
Most anglers have conditioned themselves to cover as much water as possible in the least amount of time. Trolling motors on high, whizzing fast-moving baits down the bank to eliminate water quickly – that seems to be the mindset of today’s tournament angler. Then there is that small majority that realizes the best fish will usually come to those who choose a lure that primarily targets big fish, and they learn to fish it slow and methodically. That second group of anglers knows that one lure will produce when others fail. They know that cold, deep, clear water calls for one lure and one lure only: the JIG.
The jig has been around for decades and produces more tournament wins than most other lures combined. It’s the one lure that bass haven’t grown accustomed to because of its close resemblance to it's favorite food source, the crawfish. Smart anglers realize that quality usually trumps quantity (even when you're fun fishin') and the ol’ jig-and-pig fits that bill perfectly.
Wintertime bassing on clear water calls for the jig more often than not. Once the water temperatures dip below the 60 degree mark, there should always be a jig tied on one of your rods, but preferably the rod you have your fingers wrapped around. Cold water conditions combined with cold water clarity is the perfect time for good quality bites with the jig combination.
Just about every lure manufacturer has their version of the jig in their lure line ups. A few of the best are the Yamamoto Widowmaker, the Davis M Series and the Davis Shakey Jig. There are dozens of different shapes and sizes and even more numbers when it comes to the color spectrum. I’m going to narrow it down a bit and concentrate on just a couple different types of jigs:
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A garden variety round, or ball head jig
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A football head jig
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A hair jig.
The football head jig has proven most effective when it comes to the “casting” method of jig fishing. The round head jig is used by most in flipping and pitching situations, and the hair jig is the deep water favorite of those that prefer jig fishing during the winter months.
Since the jig closely resembles the crawfish in a bass’ diet, it’s best to trail that jig with another lure. In years past, the “pork” trailer was the choice of the pros and seasoned anglers. That hasn’t changed, as it is still the best bet for quality bass. Today’s anglers seem to have made the move to soft plastics and most use some type of crawfish shaped trailer. Most recently, the Netbait Paca Craw has came into the bass fishing mix with a vengeance and has proven itself worthy as a good choice of jig trailer, along with the long time favorite of the Yamamoto Double Tail Grub.
In cold water conditions, the clear water angler and other seasoned regulars go to “casting” a jig into open water. Areas such as long points, brushed humps and rock ledges work best, but don’t shy away from the bare looking flats that will sometimes hold cold weather bass in search of an easy meal. When casting a jig around these flats areas, the absolute biggest challenge is to be a line or lure watcher. Keeping a close watch on you line is a must.
The strike will more often than not occur when that jig is falling. Not just on the cast, but when the jig is moved and falls back to the bottom. Sometimes on long casts, the hook-set is compromised when the strike occurs at the end of the cast and on the fall. These strikes require extreme attention and a long, quick set.
When working the jig on a long cast, each small snag or stick-up your jig hits is extremely important. Every time your jig hits a small snag or even a huge brush-pile, your heart should skip a beat. Simply because this is where you’re going to get that strike you’ve been waiting on for the last few casts. When moving the jig through that cover, pay close attention to every inch of water the jigs moves through.
When your jig is pulled up a limb and it hits the top, drop it back down a few times. Sometimes repeating this action even more than just a “few” times will trigger that quality strike. Once you’re satisfied the strike isn’t there, hop the jig over the snag and pay close attention once again. That movement will sometimes cause the reaction strike once the lure breaks free and is falling once again.
Remember there usually isn’t an “in-between” strike with the jig. Either it’s a bone jarring thump, or you simply pick the jig up to move it and all you feel is that slightly heavy feeling. You know you’re in business on either end of that equation.
Cold water sometimes requires some close quarters jig fishing such a flipping and pitching and that’s where your round head jig comes into play. This jig will not hang up as much as other styles and comes through the heavy cover easier than most. When flipping during the winter, you need to concentrate mainly on sun drenched rocky banks, private and public boat ramps and shallow brush that has been somewhat warmed by the sunlight.
When targeting shallow brush, make sure to put your jig into areas that look as if you’re never going to see that jig again. The ugliest tangled mess you can imagine will hold cold water jig fish if it’s in the right areas. Work every inch of that tangled mess you flipped your jig to and be prepared for a fight once the strike occurs.
Probably the best kept secret in jig fishing is the hair jig. Secret may be too strong a word. The hair jig simply scares anglers to death. They know if the time comes when the hair jig will produce, it is probably the time they don’t want to be on the water. The colder the better for the hair jig on clear water, the days when you have to battle ice in the eyes of your rod all day long, the days when you don’t want to lay a bass on your ruler for fear of him freezing to it. Those are the days when the hair jig will literally load your boat.
Another thing about the hair jig that makes most anglers weary is it’s best to go with light line and spinning tackle when using them. It’s not a must, but results will go up drastically when used with line under ten pound test, and if you’re really brave, drop down to four or six pound test for those finicky magnum spotted bass that hide in the depths of clear water. The smaller diameter the line, the more bites you’ll get with the hair jig in clear water. The hair jig works wonders when fished around rocks for big bass. It’s hard to beat a bone jarring strike on a 1/4 oz hair jig on light line in 30 feet of clear water.
When it comes to the type of hair jigs bass desire when conditions are right, there really isn’t a hands-down favorite. The bear hair is probably the most popular, but it seems that good bear hair jigs are becoming harder and harder to come by. Deer hair jigs have became a favorite over the last few years for many anglers. 
Color is a major factor when it comes to choosing a hair jig for a winter fishing trip. The most common is green pumpkin which goes for just about every lure nowadays, and it sometimes proves to be a challenge to find a company that produces quality dyed hair. Brown seems to be the favorite of big fish hunters during cold water conditions. A 1/4 oz brown hair jig with a small green pumpkin trailer will eventually get your line stretched during a bone chilling outing.
When working any type jig in a cold water situation, be patient. Make sure and never work the jig too fast on the retrieve. This is probably the most common mistake most anglers make during the winter. The fish usually aren’t in a bold mood when icy conditions are looming, and a slow moving small jig is sometimes just too tempting even for the laziest bass in the area. There is no need to be in hurry when looking for bigger fish with the jig. The bites will come sooner or later, and you’ll find that patience does pay off in the long run.
The equipment you choose for jig fishing is a major part of the puzzle. Besides test strength for your line, it’s important to choose a quality line that can take the brunt of the fight of the bass and handle the abrasions that the heavy brush will sometimes hand out. I’ve found that Toray’s Hi-Class fluorocarbon handles just about any jig situation you can throw at it.
Your rod will prove to be your biggest factor when jig fishing. For the 3/8 to 1/2 oz jigs, a Dobyns DX 703C is the absolute best. When fishing the 1/4 oz and smaller, including the hair jigs, a Dobyns 702SF spinning rod suits the bill. Both have superior feel and plenty of backbone for jig fishing.
Using good equipment and having knowledge of the lake where you are pursuing those green monsters comes in handy during a cold day on the water. Lakes that challenge the angler with deep, clear, cold conditions can pose a challenge to even the most experienced jig anglers. Anglers that make it a point to learn jig techniques and refuse to let cold, deep, clear lake situations be intimidating are the anglers who will be sitting around the fireplace the following evening with plenty of big fish tales to yarn about.
About the Author
Rex has been a tournament angler for over 25 years and is currently fishing the Bassmaster Weekend Series, Bass Anglers Invitational Trail and HT3 events. He has been an avid Outdoors Writer since 1998 with articles appearing in Alabama Outdoor News Magazine, ABA Magazine, The Cullman Times and numerous on-line sites. A police officer since 1990, Rex currently serves as a Investigative Sergeant. His current sponsors include Dobyns Rods, FroggToggs, Bassaholics, Costa Delmar, Toray Line and Coosa Tackle.