Sea bass jigs?

[John D.]

Been awhile since I’ve got out fishing. Looking to get out this week. What are the jigs working on sea bass as I assume they are on sand eels now?

[bulletbob]

You see all kinds of expensive stuff out there.. Epoxy jigs that look like real fish-,guys using double SPRO jigs where if hung on bottom, say goodbye to $10.. or more..

Not needed.. A plain old AVA or similar works as well as anything else.. When you see the sea bass puking up sand eels, typically they are very small.. Not the big 6 inch long sand eels you see frozen in bait shops.
I actually like to use an AVA 007 with small teaser 12 inches ahead of it if the current will allow.. However, I see guys using 6 oz hammered finish jigs as well. When they are on jigs[some days they only want meat], most any decent setup will take fish.. Sea Bass are not all that bright really.. Any jigs that will catch Fluke, Blues, Stripers, Weaks, Porgies, Sea Robins, or any other salt or even fresh water fish will catch Sea bass... You don't need anything besides a plain old AVA or similar.No need to carry a ton of different lures for them... bob

[hammer4reel]

You see all kinds of expensive stuff out there.. Epoxy jigs that look like real fish-,guys using double SPRO jigs where if hung on bottom, say goodbye to $10.. or more..

Not needed.. A plain old AVA or similar works as well as anything else.. When you see the sea bass puking up sand eels, typically they are very small.. Not the big 6 inch long sand eels you see frozen in bait shops.
I actually like to use an AVA 007 with small teaser 12 inches ahead of it if the current will allow.. However, I see guys using 6 oz hammered finish jigs as well. When they are on jigs[some days they only want meat], most any decent setup will take fish.. Sea Bass are not all that bright really.. Any jigs that will catch Fluke, Blues, Stripers, Weaks, Porgies, Sea Robins, or any other salt or even fresh water fish will catch Sea bass... You don't need anything besides a plain old AVA or similar.No need to carry a ton of different lures for them... bob

That advise is why you may have had off days with jigs before .
Most days an Ava or slab metal will catch as you said , other days a slow fall jig that dies horizontally will catch 10 times the fish .
Yesterday was one of those days , fish were pretty gorged on sand eels . Would catch a few fishing diamond jigs , but nothing like I was marking .

Two of us switched to flat fall jigs that die more natural on the fall back .
Game on .
After ten minutes of the other guys not getting a touch while the flat fall jigs got crushed everyone switched .
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For the orig poster . You don’t need a ton of jigs , but having a few different styles can def allow to pull out a better day when it’s slow .

A few Ava 27
A flat fall jig like a Gibbs minnow , or Williamson gomame .
Slow pitch small butterfly jig .

Only time I use a teaser above jig is when a light jig can’t be kept vertical .
I will then use a heavier jig than above and expect the hit on the teaser ..

Using a teaser above a small jig it’s tough to keep it vertical on a drifting boat .
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One thing I also do is change out trebles to single hooks .
It’s easier to remove fish as well as better on small fish being returned .

Jigs catch all the time if you give them the offering they want .
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We have had a jig limit every trip out .
Most days done in under an hour or two .
Yesterday was a little more work , but still a five man limit before noon ..
And we aren’t boxing anything under 13 1/2”
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[bulletbob]

No, the reason I have had "off days before" is because for reasons only they know , on some days the fish don't bite... When a boat full of anglers fishes hard all day, and very few fish of any type are caught, they simply don't want to eat on that particular day... I really doubt its because I wasn't using a flat sided, or flutter type jig.

Right now guys are getting them on jigs, and maybe at some times, a certain jig type will outperform others.. Thats a no brainer.

However, I have said it before, I have seen many days when sea bass simply won't touch a jig, and you either used bait, or caught nothing or next to nothing..

Glad your fares never have off days, thats certainly a testament to your ability. However other captains have had to tell their fares to ditch jigging or go without catching. I have seen it many times in my increasingly long life.
I suppose there are times when those that must jig at all costs will find only a certain jig will draw hits, I wont argue that point.. You're certainly more knowledgeable than I am.

When the fish are on sand eels, typically, but not exclusively, matching the hatch is the best strategy.
Its always been that way, but I dunno, things change, and I am kind of jaded and out of date. Guess I need to throw away the old iron, and buy some high end jigs to catch modern day sea bass....bob

[Tuna Tales]

Plain old 2/0 or 3/0 Hi-Lo rig with clams...best seabass fishing in years going on right now.

Bob...I know you had an off day but that was during the opening week...off the charts right now.

Also...try 10 to 15 feet off the bottom for the larger ones.


Joe T.

[hammer4reel]

No, the reason I have had "off days before" is because for reasons only they know , on some days the fish don't bite... When a boat full of anglers fishes hard all day, and very few fish of any type are caught, they simply don't want to eat on that particular day... I really doubt its because I wasn't using a flat sided, or flutter type jig.

Right now guys are getting them on jigs, and maybe at some times, a certain jig type will outperform others.. Thats a no brainer.

However, I have said it before, I have seen many days when sea bass simply won't touch a jig, and you either used bait, or caught nothing or next to nothing..

Glad your fares never have off days, thats certainly a testament to your ability. However other captains have had to tell their fares to ditch jigging or go without catching. I have seen it many times in my increasingly long life.
I suppose there are times when those that must jig at all costs will find only a certain jig will draw hits, I wont argue that point.. You're certainly more knowledgeable than I am.

When the fish are on sand eels, typically, but not exclusively, matching the hatch is the best strategy.
Its always been that way, but I dunno, things change, and I am kind of jaded and out of date. Guess I need to throw away the old iron, and buy some high end jigs to catch modern day sea bass....bob

Well I tried to explain the WHY part , but your just being stubborn as you said .
Fish will always have reaction bites even when they are gorged and won’t eat bait .
Yesterday the fish were swollen with sand eels , no need for them to eat .
Normal jigging a sand eel type bait was just ok..
Baits creating a reaction strike got crushed INSTANTLY.

Nothing wrong with the old iron most days , and some of the newer jigs are the same price or less than a normal AVA..

I’m not fishing expensive jigs , just jigs that create a different action..

Reason I really like jigs is we handle way less short fish as when we fished bait .


Not switching out a jig would be no different than sticking to using only 1 type of bait , whether it was catching or not .


Here are a bunch of less expensive jigs .


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[bulletbob]

Well I tried to explain the WHY part , but your just being stubborn as you said .
Fish will always have reaction bites even when they are gorged and won’t eat bait .
Yesterday the fish were swollen with sand eels , no need for them to eat .
Normal jigging a sand eel type bait was just ok..
Baits creating a reaction strike got crushed INSTANTLY.

Nothing wrong with the old iron most days , and some of the newer jigs are the same price or less than a normal AVA..

I’m not fishing expensive jigs , just jigs that create a different action..

Reason I really like jigs is we handle way less short fish as when we fished bait .


Not switching out a jig would be no different than sticking to using only 1 type of bait , whether it was catching or not .


Here are a bunch of less expensive jigs .


.

.


.
I can understand reaction strike as opposed to one where the fish actually needed to eat . Makes sense. Last thing I am going to do is argue with a captain thats out there on a daily basis. bob

[bunker dunker]

ava-27 out fishes all other jigs by far.was out sunday and the sea bass were on the sand eels.6 of us were using ava's the others were using all kinds of jigs.at the end of the day it was not even close.if your matching the hatch and the hatch is sand eels,go ava.

[bulletbob]

ava-27 out fishes all other jigs by far.was out sunday and the sea bass were on the sand eels.6 of us were using ava's the others were using all kinds of jigs.at the end of the day it was not even close.if your matching the hatch and the hatch is sand eels,go ava.

Thats what I have seen also, all my fishing life, but others disagree, and thats fine.. On the other hand, I have seen Avas become entirely useless also.. Try jigging an Ava when fish are eating Bunker.. Doesn't work very well..

[hammer4reel]

ava-27 out fishes all other jigs by far.was out sunday and the sea bass were on the sand eels.6 of us were using ava's the others were using all kinds of jigs.at the end of the day it was not even close.if your matching the hatch and the hatch is sand eels,go ava..

Until those same fish are gorged on sand eels , and no longer want to actively feed .
Then jigs drawing reaction strikes will out catch an Ava 10/1.
Seen it day in day out .

Carrying a few styles of jigs will make the slow days , great days .

And IMO, a Gibbs minnow out fishes a standard style Ava every day .
By far my go to jig, as you can work it both like your doing an Ava as well as simaler to a flat fall jig .

.

[howardrf]

Thanks for info. What size Gibbs.

[bunker dunker]

what ever floats your boat,like i said before and will always say"you can't beat
the ava,from 1/2 oz to 12 oz.i too used to carry all kinds but now its 6 ava-27's
and to 505hs.

[hammer4reel]

Thanks for info. What size Gibbs.

95% of the time I’m fishing a 2 Oz . But have to use 10/15 pound braid if fishing from a drifting boat or in heavy current .

Go to 3 Oz if need to .
I also change out the trebles to a single hook for ease in unhooking and releasing fish .

Though most fish hitting the jig hit the cooler