The Finest Bass Jigs for 2023

Bass jigs are top-shelf lures. No different lure sort matches their capability to catch bass no matter depth, cowl, season, or present situations. Largemouth, smallmouth, and noticed bass readily chunk them. Not like forged and wind lures, such because the crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and others that make up our knowledgeable opinions of the most effective bass lures, getting probably the most from jigs takes follow, a minimum of at first. However when you grasp the pinpoint casts that put them on targets, the number of retrieves that cowl from slightly below the floor to the deepest depths and when to set the hook on the lightest bites, you’ll by no means need to put them down. 

Whereas all jigs pack potential to provide, some catch extra and greater bass than others. Reaching that elite stage requires the right mixture of elements, together with head, hook and skirt. These greatest bass jigs strike that good steadiness.

How We Picked The Finest Bass Jigs

From the deep clear waters of New Hampshire’s Lake Winnisquam to Santee Cooper, the shallow bowls teeming with huge bass and alligators in South Carolina, there’s hardly a fishing spot in between that’s not good for a bass jig. I do know. I’ve seen practically all of them via greater than 25 years of fishing bass tournaments. However you’ll want quite a lot of jigs—totally different kinds and totally different variations of the identical mannequin—to cowl all of them. The very best ones shine in these 3 ways:

Building: Is it sturdy and constructed to catch bass? The hook must be sturdy, and skirts want to remain collectively. 

Fishability: Does it spend extra time fishing or being engaged on? Applicable weed guards, for instance, preserve you fishing with out consistently stopping to free snags or clear aquatic vegetation out of your jig. 

Choice: Is there a model for specific conditions? At some point you’ll want a heavy jig with a darkish skirt to penetrate thick shallow cowl. The following, it’s possible you’ll want a light-weight one with a translucent skirt to trick bass made cautious by clear water or fishing strain. 

The very best bass jigs shine in every of those classes and yet another: serving to you catch extra and greater bass.

The Finest Bass Jigs: Opinions & Suggestions

Finest for Largemouth: Strike King Denny Brauer Premier Professional-Mannequin Jig

Why It Made the Lower: Designed by the bass jig grasp himself, it effectively slides into and extracts bass from virtually any state of affairs, from shallow water aquatic vegetation to deep-water rocks. 

Key Options

• Head: Pointed with a large base
• Line Tie: 60-degree
• Weed Guard: Bristle
• Skirt: Silicone

Execs

• Sturdy black-nickel hook
• Nicely-designed rattle
• Head model is nice in grass, wooden, and rock

Cons

• Rubber skirt collar lacks sturdiness
• Solely obtainable in mid-range weights

Bass jigs are synonymous with Denny Brauer, who used them to construct a bass-tournament profession that features B.A.S.S. and FLW angler of the yr titles, together with a Bassmaster Traditional win. Anglers who win these can catch bass in diversified conditions, and that’s what this jig does so nicely. Its pointed head has a large base, so it fishes nicely round wooden, rock and grass, whether or not you want a casting, pitching or flipping jig.

The Denny Brauer Premier Professional-Mannequin sports activities a robust black nickel hook, which received’t flex beneath the strain of hook units with super-strong braided line, guaranteeing you land extra bass. Barely beneath its shank is a double-barrel rattle, whose BBs make loads of bass-attracting sound, even when shook in place, and whose barb holds soft-plastic trailers securely in place.  

Whereas this jig is dressed with a colourful number of Strike King’s Mirage silicone skirts, they’re hooked up utilizing a skirt collar, which may crack, weaken, and break with age and use. As soon as it does, you’ll want a brand new skirt. It’s obtainable in the most well-liked sizes— ⅜-, ½-, and ¾-ounce — however choices are missing at each ends of the load vary. For those who want a lighter jig to create a slower fall or heavier one to bust via thick cowl or deep water, you’ll should look elsewhere.

Finest for Wooden: Lunker Lure Unique Rattleback Jig

Why It Made the Lower: Sturdiness and fishability—significantly round wooden and rock—are why bass anglers proceed to show to this traditional, which helped usher within the fashionable bass jig. 

Key Options

• Head: Huge
• Line tie: 60-degree
• Weed guard: Bristle
• Skirt: Silicone or residing rubber

Execs

• Excessive-quality hook is sharp and robust
• Loud rattle is spaced to simply accept a trailer
• Line tie offers loads of pulling energy

Cons

• Huge head makes fishing aquatic vegetation troublesome
• Stiff bristle weed guard can hinder hook units

The Lunker Lure Rattleback Jig has a pedigree that stretches again 4 a long time and a pile of bass-tournament earnings to its credit score. Its coronary heart is a robust and sharp round-bend hook. It sports activities loads of hole, serving to it seize and maintain quick, guaranteeing extra of the bass that chunk find yourself in your boat.

This jig’s rattle incorporates a big copper BB, whose clack will appeal to bass hiding within the dirtiest water or thickest cowl. Its sturdy development retains it from falling off or filling with water whereas securely holding soft-plastic trailers. They’re dressed with both silicone or residing rubber skirts obtainable in weights from 1/8 to three/4 ounces. That allows you to tailor your jig’s sink fee—an essential strike set off—and talent to penetrate cowl.

Whereas this jig’s 60-degree line tie is ideal for pulling bass from laydowns, bushes, and rock piles, its large head collects aquatic vegetation, making it irritating to fish it on this bass-favorite cowl. And whereas its stiff bristle weed guard retains the jig from snagging, it might probably hinder hook units.

Finest Hair Jig: Outkast Deal with Feider Fly

Why It Made the Lower: A small profile and pulsating skirt create an providing that huge smallmouth in clear water can’t resist. You’ll respect its high quality development, which features a tremendous sharp hook.

Key Options

• Head: Pointed 
• Line tie: 90-degree
• Weed guard: None
• Skirt: Hand-selected marabou feathers

Execs

• Marabou skirt creates life-like motion
• Sharp hook hangs on to feisty smallmouth
• Small profile is ideal for pressured or cautious smallmouth

Cons

• Lack of weed guard makes it straightforward to snag
• Calmly weighted head will be troublesome to forged

Technically not dressed with hair—fashionable marabou is dyed turkey feathers—Outkast Deal with’s Feider Fly nonetheless is labeled a hair jig. Whereas jigs adorned with bucktail proceed to catch their share, whether or not pumped alongside deep ledges or dragged via chilly water, this jig’s capability to catch large smallmouth from clear water makes it stand alone.

Designed by smallmouth knowledgeable and 2021 Bassmaster Elite Collection Angler of the 12 months Seth Fider, this jig’s hand-tied plume of marabou out-shimmers synthetic supplies. It creates a small profile and respiration motion even on the slowest of regular retrieves, which, together with lengthy casts and light-weight line, is how these jigs are most-often fished. A pointy light-wire Gamakatsu hook grabs and holds the most important smallmouth, whereas its pointed head retains it swimming at a continuing depth.

This jig isn’t constructed for bumping backside, particularly the place there’s extra rocks than sand. It snags simply and certainly with no weed guard. It additionally lacks weight—1/16-ounce is the most well-liked dimension—which may make attaining any casting distance troublesome, particularly when the wind is blowing. Utilizing an extended slow-action spinning rod will assist, as will threading a small piece of soft-plastic worm by way of the double-barbed keeper onto the hook. It provides weight with out subtracting buoyancy. 

Finest Swim Jig: Berkley Powerbait Swim Jig

Why It Made the Lower: Catching is that this jig’s M.O. It was designed to slither via the thickest shallow-water cowl—whether or not that’s weeds, wooden, or docks—and produce again bass.

Key Options

• Head: Pointed 
• Line Tie: 0-degree
• Weed Guard: Bristle
• Skirt: Silicone impregnated with scent

Execs

• Pointed head handles the thickest cowl
• Sturdy hook stands as much as highly effective braided line
• Added attractant encourages bass to carry on

Cons

Our full breakdown of the most effective lures for spring bass features a swim jig, which catches an enormous share of bass hunkered down in shallow water. Berkley got down to design the most effective one with assist of Main League Fishing Angler Bobby Lane, a Florida native who is aware of a factor or two about fishing thick aquatic vegetation.

The Berkley Powerbait Swim Jig’s pointed head—which incorporates a sturdy and detailed paint scheme and 3D eyes—has a keel to maintain it monitoring straight, no matter how briskly you tow it. Its 0-degree line tie permits it to slide via cowl with out snagging. A medium bristle weed guard protects the beefy Needle Level Fusion 19 hook with out fouling hook units. And its sturdy silicone skirt is impregnated with Powerbait scent, which inspires bass to carry onto the jig longer, providing you with extra time to hook them. 

With a keeper that locks soft-plastic trailers in place, this bait simply skips into the tightest spots, whether or not that’s a pocket alongside the face of a bulrush mattress or beneath a low-slung dock surrounded by lily pads. The one place it falls brief is versatility. Its design makes it practically not possible to flip, pitch or drag throughout deep water.

Finest Soccer Jig: Keitech Mannequin II Tungsten Soccer Jig

Why It Made the Lower: A small package deal that’s giant on sensitivity, this jig is constructed particularly for fishing construction. It shortly reaches deep water, slides alongside the underside, and certainly hooks bass. 

Key Options

• Head: Soccer
• Line Tie: 0-degree
• Weed Guard: Bristle
• Skirt: Silicone

Execs

• Compact dimension creates pure profile 
• Retainer securely holds soft-plastic trailers
• Lifelike colours

Cons

• Small hook in comparison with different jigs of comparable weights
• Skinny bristle weed guard means extra snags

Soccer jigs are designed to be dragged alongside the underside, the place their rectangular form creates a wobbling motion. This jig will get there shortly, due to its tungsten head, whose smaller dimension helps create a pure profile. It’s additionally more durable than lead, which helps transmit small particulars—such because the distinction between a sand and muck backside—again to your hand. 

The jig’s 100-strand skirt is hand tied with Keitech’s SR-40 silicone. It’s delicate, including motion with the slightest motion, and is offered in an array of pure colours so it’s straightforward to match prey in clear water or stand out in stained water. Underneath the skirt is a double-barbed keeper, which locks down your alternative of soft-plastic trailer with out the necessity of tremendous glue, making them last more and eliminating the trouble and expense of continually swapping them out.

Hauling huge bass from deep water requires stout gear. This jig’s 2/0 hook is on the small aspect, so be aware of that. Taking your time whereas taking part in a bass and switching to a barely slower motion jig rod and stretchy monofilament line will assist preserve it set. And whereas its skinny 10-strand weed guard helps that small hook chunk, it could result in extra snags, particularly when fishing round wooden.

Issues to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for the Finest Bass Jigs

The very best bass jigs have attributes that may be tailor-made to the place and the way they’re fished. Some contribute to how the jig handles cowl and water depth. Others decide the way it attracts, hooks and lands bass. Every must be examined by itself and as a part of the general bait. And regardless of a jig’s easy stature, there’s loads to contemplate.

Head

A jig’s head determines a lot of its efficiency. Normally produced from lead, tungsten, or another dense materials, they’re obtainable in quite a lot of weights. However extra essential is form, which needs to be chosen based mostly on the depth and canopy the place you’re fishing. These are the most typical heads:

• Pointed: Related in form to a bullet sinker, it’s most frequently discovered on jigs designed to slide via aquatic vegetation. It simply wedges within the crevices present in arduous cowl similar to rocks and wooden. 
• Huge: Bulbous in form, it’s greatest for fishing round wooden and rock. Its girth retains conventional jigs out of the aforementioned crevices and helps swim jigs aircraft, remaining close to the floor.
• Soccer: That includes an rectangular form like its namesake and poured perpendicular to the hook shank, this head retains a jig pegged to the underside. A dragging retrieve causes it to create a wobbling motion.

Line Tie

A jig’s line tie does greater than present an attachment level. Its design contributes to a jig’s motion and determines how typically it turns into snagged and the way nicely it hooks bass.

• 90-degree: The road tie is perpendicular to the hook shank. Most jigs sport this configuration, which is greatest for fishing vertical or hopping a jig alongside the underside. 
• 60-degree: The road tie is angled barely ahead to extend hook-setting energy as a result of it’s extra according to the hook level. Select it when pitching into heavy cowl or dragging alongside the underside. 
• Flat or 0-degree: The road tie is on the entrance of the pinnacle. Restricted to swim jigs, it helps get rid of elevate, making it simpler to maintain your retrieve slightly below the floor and bait snaking via the vertical stalks of aquatic vegetation.

Weed Guard

Obtainable in a number of configurations—however not discovered on all jigs—weed guards shield the hook from snagging on cowl or the underside. They aren’t foolproof, however they do generate fishing effectivity, so that you spend extra time casting than unsnagging. The quantity of canopy, line dimension, and rod energy decide which one you choose.

• Fiber: A set of bristles in regards to the diameter of a pencil, it’s greatest for heaviest cowl like wooden or aquatic vegetation. Thinning and separating the fibers will enhance your hooking share.
• Plastic: Two items of skinny plastic organized in a v-configuration are every raked towards both aspect of the hook level. It’s greatest at defending your jig round rocks and wooden. 
• Wire: Provided in a v-configuration or a single strand that almost touches the hook level, it collapses beneath the slightest strain, so it’s greatest when cowl is sparse and line is mild.
• None: Some jigs—hair jigs, particularly—lack a weed guard. Maintain this selection to swimming jigs via open water or throughout barren bottoms. Plan to lose a couple of of those jigs each journey.

Skirt 

A jig’s profile, together with a big portion of its motion, is created by its skirt, which is tied with quite a lot of supplies. Choosing the right one boils all the way down to present situations, similar to water temperature, water readability, and the meals that the bass are consuming.

• Silicone: The commonest materials, it’s obtainable in an virtually limitless variety of colours and flake choices. It’s sturdy and resists melting from warmth or chemical response with soft-plastic jig trailers
• Dwelling rubber: This creates probably the most motion, even when your jig is at relaxation. Few of at present’s jigs are tied with this materials, which is obtainable in a restricted variety of coloration choices.
• Hair: Whether or not it’s man-made or natural hairs, fibers, and/or feathers, hair produces greatest within the clearest or coldest water, although huge bucktail jigs are used to catch summertime bass in Southern reservoirs. 

FAQs

Ultimate Ideas on the Finest Bass Jigs

The very best bass jigs do all the pieces proper. They’re constructed nicely. They fish nicely. And most significantly, they’re engaging to bass. Utilizing them brings higher days on the water, whether or not you’re searching huge bass in shallow water or numbers swimming within the depths.