Typical Catch/Loss Ratio for Jigs?

[George Cawthorn]

Hi to all Prostaffers!!

I’m curious as to what the average catch/loss ratio would be for fish caught to jigs lost?

I’m totally new to jig fishing and I’m just getting into it. The cost is not really a factor, I fish with some pretty expensive trout lures and lose them occasionally. When they go down or snap off it can be as much as another $50 out of my fishing supplies piggy bank to get a new one.

I can see those little jig devils have those brush guards and they must be there for good reason. I mean I’m going on a hunch that they are not 100% effective in preventing snags.

I’m also figuring if you’re fishing them in the right places you can expect to lose a fair share of them.

The jigs I’ve been using come in packs of three for about six bucks.

What would you say I might expect to go through on a solid day of jig fishing on average.
I’m ballparking two bucks for the jig and a buck for the trailer.... $3 each rigged.
Like would you say it was average to catch five bass and lose 3 jigs in the process on a typical day?

Catch/loss ratio 5/3, or would more or less be average?

Anyway, I would like to know what you’re experience has been like and what I can expect as typical.

Thanks for your answers.

Good fishing to you guys, later............. geobass

[mofish]

This is a pretty hard question to answer but I will try my best.

I have not lost a jig in a long time. I am fishing from a boat and can go to the jig to free it before I break it off. Using braided line helps also. I have learned to “pop” the jig loose which has saved me a lot of baits. Fishing from the shore would be a lot different. I would say that you will loose several until you get the "hang" of feeling what the jig is doing. Also depends on what you are fishing, rocks, brush, things like that. Being able to feel what the jig is working through will help you not get hung up as much. That just takes some time to learn.

I would buy several of them in different sizes and just start out fishing them. It would be a lot cheaper than those $50 trout baits for sure. Good luck with it and let us know how it works for you!

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Geobass,
I don't lose very man jigs at all. I lose more to rocks than anything else. The weed quard does a ggod job of keeping the bait free, but you can make it even a little better by fanning out the weed guard a little. Use both thumbs to grab the guard fiber and separate the fibers to make them slightly wider. This is easily done and effective. I believe if you have good quality line and keep the bait moving a little you may lose one jig per outing. If you lose more than that then you're night fishing it right. Don't just drag a jig along the bottom, swim it and let fall, swim-fall all the way back. Be ready when the jig falls, that's when most strikes occur.
When I'm fishing a fallen tree or brush I like to raise the jig up and hit a limb with it-maybe a couple of times, this too will draw strikes. Good luck. Johnnie

[KNBman]

Geobass,
Great information above so far. I am by no means a pro, but I would like to add that even though using braided line for jigs is a big help in most types of cover and structure, I prefer using mono when it comes to fishing jigs in rip rap or wood. The main reason is the stretch of mono can help knock those jigs loose from some stubborn snags. Here's a little trick I learned from fishing from shore a long time. The next time your jig gets snagged try pointing your rod tip towards where your bait is. Hook a finger or two around the line somewhere between the reel and the first guide on the rod. Then steadily pull the line back (like you are shooting a bow and arrow). You should be able to feel you line stretch a little, when you feel it stretch, release the line and that should shoot your jig back away from the snag. You might have to repeat the process several times to knock it loose.

[George Cawthorn]

mofish, Johnnie, and KNBman thanks for all the great tips and encouragement. I really appreciate it.

Like I was saying I'm a total beginner with the jig fishing. I am encouraged too because I must not be doing as bad as I thought I was.

I've gone out fishing with the jigs three days and only lost two. With these tips it prbobably would have been less and maybe I'd have caught some bass.

I'll be back at it on Saturday morning at Castaic trying to get my first good jig bite. Well besides the 15 lb. carp that hammered one of my offerings a couple of weeks ago....

But the carp dosen't really count as a bite at BassinUSA does it? LOL

Good fishing to you guys, later........... geobass

[dansfishntales]

I have good luck in keeping jigs. I use a technique called the "banjo", which Johnnie Crain can attest to. If the jig is hung, I take the line in one hand, and "plunk" it with the other, thus being like a banjo, in that it shoots the jig off the obstacle. Another factor I've found is the head design. I've had more luck with fewer hang ups on the Stanley, Mann's Stone, and J-Mac style heads. There are all different, but seem to work equally well.

On another point, since you are new to jig fishing, you want to remember not to give the fish slack when setting the hooks, as you might with a plastic worm. If you do, the weight of the head will hit the fish's mouth, making it feel unnatural, and resulting in the fish dropping the lure.

Hope this helps.

Best of fishing.

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Good tips Dan. I remember when we did seminars the people liked that Banjo trick, of course I always played the snag. Johnnie