Jig weights are the components of fishing gear that determine how fast a jig will sink through water. The weight of a jig are important in controlling the fall rate of the jig. The fall rate of a jig is the speed at which the jig head sinks toward the bottom of the water column.
If the fall rate of the jig is too fast, the fish may not be able to notice it as it move through the water column. However, if the angler controls the fall rate of the jig, it will remain within the strike zone of the fish for a longer period of time. The weight of the jig that should be selected depends off the depth of the water and the speed of the water current in the fishing area.
How to Choose the Right Jig Weight
Lighter weight of jig heads are useful in areas with shallow water. The lighter weight of jig heads will allow for a slow sink of the jig head. This is useful for mimicking dying baitfish.
Because of the slow sink rate of these weights, they are also helpful for fishing in areas where the fish are easily spooked. In areas with deep water or strong currents, the heavier weights of jig head will allow the jig head to penetrate deep into the water column to contact the bottom. Additionally, the extra weight will help it to remain on course despite current.
The shape of a jig head is also important to the jig head’s function and is just as important as the weight of the jig head. Round jig heads will even down the water column and are useful for fishing in open waters. Football or teardrop jig heads are useful for bottoms with rocks because the wide base of the jig will rock from side to side.
Bullet jig heads will remain streamlined to move easy through the currents of rivers. Stand-up jig heads will keep the trailer of the jig head upright and are useful for fishing over flats. A jig head weight must be paired with the proper trailer.
If the bait on the jig head is a tiny worm or grub, use a light weight jig head to mimic the vibration of the small bait. For larger paddle tail baits, a mid-range jig head weight will allow the trailer to swim through the edge of weeds. Shad-style trailers require heavy weights of jig heads for deep water fishing.
If the weight and trailer are not matched up, the jig head may twist unnaturally or the trailer may slide off the jig head. Each species of fish requires a specific type of jig weight and trailer. Bass, for instance, require jigs that is of a mid-weight and utilize craw trailers.
Walleye require jigs that are slowly moved vertical in the water and utilize twister tails. Crappie require the lightest possible jig weights and utilize marabou fluff. For saltwater fish like fluke or halibut, utilize heavier weight for the jigs since they bounce along sandy bottoms.
Lastly, redfish live in grass flats and thus require lighter jig weights with crab imitations to mimic the movement of the crustacean. The color of the jig also depends upon the clarity of the water. In clear waters, utilize natural colors like green and brown for the jigs since these color naturaly blend into the water environment.
If the water is stained, use colors that contrast with the environment like yellow or red to make the fish see the jigs more easier. For muddy waters, use dark colors for the jigs so that they create a silhouette against the water. For deep waters, use pearlescent cream color that will reflect the available light.
In addition to depth and clarity, there are other factors to consider when choosing the jig weight. For example, calm and shallow waters require the use of light finesse jigs but river requires heavier jigs. Tidal rips and offshore drops require additional weight to the jigs so that the bait can effectively move through the water movement.
Additionally, the diameter of the fishing line will impact the weight of the jigs required. Lastly, water temperature impacts the weight of the jigs, as lighter weights are used in cold water to allow the bait to fall more slow into the water to fish for sluggish fish.