For a long time jigs have been thought of being used for gear fishing and only gear fishing. Typically used when fishing the salt or warm wa...
For a long time jigs have been thought of being used for gear fishing and only gear fishing. Typically used when fishing the salt or warm water species, fly fisherman never gave them a second thought. There are flies like the Clouser Minnow that can be made to make jigging motions however there sole purpose of the pattern wasn't for jigging. That has all changed now though.
We first heard of jigs being used on a fly rod when chasing steelhead. The up and down motions jigs make are a extreme nuisance to a tired territorial steelhead moving upstream and they provoke aggressive strikes. Since then the jig craze has taken off in the fly fishing world. From a big 1/4 oz Flashtail Jigs used for targeting salmon and steelhead to a size 16 Edible Arrangement meant to imitate a caddis pupa and catch trout. The use and purpose of jigs are now as varied as the fly line they are attached too. During the month of February we added 15 different jig variations to the Big Y Fly Catalog. Some of which are contracted by our friends at Haggerty Lures who specialize in steelhead, ice fishing, and warm water Jigs, others are made in our own facility by our tiers.
Haggerty Lures have been making jigs since 2004 and have learned all the tricks of the trade to entice fish. We asked them to send us some samples and quickly decided to add their products to our website. We picked out three of their best selling patterns in the most productive colors. The Bugz Jigs have been know to catch panfish and steelhead, along with everything in between. Cast out into a deep lake and stripped back or thrown into a deep fast moving current they have proven to be extremely versatile. Currently available in two different sizes a size 4 hook with a 1/16 oz head and a size 6 hook with a 1/32 oz head. We also carry five different colors depending on the water conditions and species being targeted. The second pattern we picked out was the Flashtail Jig, they are primarily used for targeting steelhead and salmon. A big 1/4oz head gets this pattern down deep and can been casted on the windiest days. Currently available in the most popular salmon/steelhead colors, chartreuse, hot pink, and orange. The final pattern added from Haggerty Lures are the Glow Bugz Jigs. These guys are a bit usual however the results when fished can't be argued. The jigs are painted with a special paint that causes the jig to glow at night or in dark murky waters. These guys are great for ice fishing, deep water fishing, early morning or fishing at dusk and are just as versatile as the Bugz Jigs when it comes to species they have caught. We currently have them available in three of the most popular colors and in two sizes, 1/16oz on a size 4 hook and a 1/32oz on a size 6 hook.
While Haggerty has provided a wide spectrum of jigs for steelhead, warm water, and ice fishing jigs, we went to our own tiers for our small nymph jigs. While we haven't gotten a chance to run these in front of some trout ourselves, the feedback from our customers has been outstanding. As we know bigger pupa and larva tend to move throughout the water in search of food. The purpose of these jigs is to mimic these bugs moving from location to location. Allowing the fly to sink to the bottom then giving them a quick jerk or pull to allow them to come up and sink back down quickly attracts nearby fish. We currently have four of these available and have full intentions of adding more, the four we currently carry are: Bruin Nymph, Edible Arrangement, Floss Diver, and Pink Jug. The Bruin nymph and Pink Jug are meant to imitate mayfly patterns and got their fame on the Madison River. The Edible Arrangement and Floss Diver and both caddis imitations. All patterns double as an attractor and have been known to catch fish regardless of the insects in the water. Nymph jig hooks are bigger than a traditional nymph hook so a size 16 jig will look more like a size 14 nymph.
All in all the addition to jigs in the fly fishing world present a new method of fishing that can be both challenging and rewarding. While they are still fairly new to the community we believe in years to come jigs will become a staple in most fly boxes. For a complete list of all jigs we carry please visit our website or click here.
We first heard of jigs being used on a fly rod when chasing steelhead. The up and down motions jigs make are a extreme nuisance to a tired territorial steelhead moving upstream and they provoke aggressive strikes. Since then the jig craze has taken off in the fly fishing world. From a big 1/4 oz Flashtail Jigs used for targeting salmon and steelhead to a size 16 Edible Arrangement meant to imitate a caddis pupa and catch trout. The use and purpose of jigs are now as varied as the fly line they are attached too. During the month of February we added 15 different jig variations to the Big Y Fly Catalog. Some of which are contracted by our friends at Haggerty Lures who specialize in steelhead, ice fishing, and warm water Jigs, others are made in our own facility by our tiers.
Haggerty Lures have been making jigs since 2004 and have learned all the tricks of the trade to entice fish. We asked them to send us some samples and quickly decided to add their products to our website. We picked out three of their best selling patterns in the most productive colors. The Bugz Jigs have been know to catch panfish and steelhead, along with everything in between. Cast out into a deep lake and stripped back or thrown into a deep fast moving current they have proven to be extremely versatile. Currently available in two different sizes a size 4 hook with a 1/16 oz head and a size 6 hook with a 1/32 oz head. We also carry five different colors depending on the water conditions and species being targeted. The second pattern we picked out was the Flashtail Jig, they are primarily used for targeting steelhead and salmon. A big 1/4oz head gets this pattern down deep and can been casted on the windiest days. Currently available in the most popular salmon/steelhead colors, chartreuse, hot pink, and orange. The final pattern added from Haggerty Lures are the Glow Bugz Jigs. These guys are a bit usual however the results when fished can't be argued. The jigs are painted with a special paint that causes the jig to glow at night or in dark murky waters. These guys are great for ice fishing, deep water fishing, early morning or fishing at dusk and are just as versatile as the Bugz Jigs when it comes to species they have caught. We currently have them available in three of the most popular colors and in two sizes, 1/16oz on a size 4 hook and a 1/32oz on a size 6 hook.
While Haggerty has provided a wide spectrum of jigs for steelhead, warm water, and ice fishing jigs, we went to our own tiers for our small nymph jigs. While we haven't gotten a chance to run these in front of some trout ourselves, the feedback from our customers has been outstanding. As we know bigger pupa and larva tend to move throughout the water in search of food. The purpose of these jigs is to mimic these bugs moving from location to location. Allowing the fly to sink to the bottom then giving them a quick jerk or pull to allow them to come up and sink back down quickly attracts nearby fish. We currently have four of these available and have full intentions of adding more, the four we currently carry are: Bruin Nymph, Edible Arrangement, Floss Diver, and Pink Jug. The Bruin nymph and Pink Jug are meant to imitate mayfly patterns and got their fame on the Madison River. The Edible Arrangement and Floss Diver and both caddis imitations. All patterns double as an attractor and have been known to catch fish regardless of the insects in the water. Nymph jig hooks are bigger than a traditional nymph hook so a size 16 jig will look more like a size 14 nymph.
All in all the addition to jigs in the fly fishing world present a new method of fishing that can be both challenging and rewarding. While they are still fairly new to the community we believe in years to come jigs will become a staple in most fly boxes. For a complete list of all jigs we carry please visit our website or click here.
