Increasing Your Jig Fishing Hook Up Ratio - Tips, Tweaks, and Techniques

Fishing a Jig, whether you are flipping, pitching, dragging, hopping, swimming, or anything else, can be one of the most effective techniques for catching bass year round.  Slowly and methodically working a jig can be very productive when the bite is slow and the fish aren't active.

But, anyone who fishes a jig very often knows that there are times, especially when the bite is slow, that you can't seem to get a hookset when the fish hits.  This can be devastating during those grueling tournament days when ever single bite matters.  When this is happening, there are things you can do to ensure you maximize your hook-up ratio.

First of all, you need to make sure you are using the proper tackle every time you are jig fishing.

Reel - Your reel should be a high speed reel.  I prefer a 7 to 1 ratio for most jig applications, especially flipping, pitching, and slow fishing presentations.  If I am swimming the jig, I might use a 6 to 1 ratio, but never any slower than that.  This will allow you to quickly pick up any slack on the line, giving you a quicker hookset.

Line - You also need to make sure you are using no or low stretch line.  I usually use fluorocarbon line when I am fishing jigs and will use braid every once in a while when I am flipping thick grass.  Never do I use monofilament anymore when fishing a jig.  The stretch prevents a good, solid, quick, hookset.

Rod - Here is a good article to read more about Jig: How to Choose a Jig Rod.  To me, the rod is the most important piece of tackle when fishing a jig.  The article breaks it down into more detail, but typically for jig fishing you want a heavy rod with a fast or extra fast action.  This allows for you to quickly pick up line and to get a good solid hookset.

So, if you have the proper tackle and are still having low ratio hookset day on your jig, what do you do?  Well there are a few things that I will do.

Eliminate, Thin, or Trim the Weed-Guard - I am usually fishing jigs in areas where the weed guard is necessary, but if your not, this is a good time to switch to a jig without a weed guard.  If you can't eliminate the weed guard, you need to Thin or Trim it.  How do you do this?

Typical "out of the box" jig head and weed-guard

• Thinning the Weed-Guard - When thinning the weed-guard you are just taking whole strands of the weed-guard out.  Effectively leaving you with a thinner, and more flexible weed-guard.  This will allow the weed-guard to be pushed out of the way easier when setting the hook.  Cut out as few or as many as you want. 

Cut a few strands off at the bottom

An effectively thinned weed-guard

Bend the strands to the hookpoint

• Trimming the Weed-Guard - When trimming the weed-guard, you are cutting a portion of the weed-guard off, making it shorter.  You want to cut it off so that when you push it pack, the end of the weed-guard meets the point of the hook.  This is one of my favorite things to do, and it also makes it easier for the hook to penetrate when setting the hook without getting hung in grass or trees.

Cut the strands off at that point

Typical Jig skirt length

Shorten Up - It might be the case that these lethargic bass are short striking your jig.  They may only have the trailer or jig skirt in their mouth.  Shortening up your jig skirt and trailer can help increase your hookup ratio.  I recommend trimming the skirt even with, or just past, the back of the hook.

Skirt trimmed to back of hook

Typical "craw" trailer

Also, use a shorter trailer, or trim the arms/legs off on your creature trailer.  My favorite trailers in this situation are a Senko that is cur short, or a craw with the craws cut off.

"Trimmed" craw trailer

Completed trimmed Jig

A trimmed jig is much more compact.  It will make it more likely that finicky bass will take the jigs hook all the way in, and not just pick up the skirt and trailer.

Shortening up the skirt and trailer also works great for swimming jigs.  When bass chase from behind, but don't really smash the jig.






Adding Scent/Flavor - Another possibility in why you are missing fish with the jig could be that the bass are dropping the jig before you can set the hook.  The fish may be curious about the jig and just quickly feeling it with its mouth, or possibly even hitting the jig with its mouth closed.  Adding scent to your jig will add "flavor" to it.  Bass will be much more likely to hang on a little bit longer when scent is applied, giving you that extra second to set the hook.  Spray scents and scents in squirt bottles all work ok, but I prefer scent sticks or wands.  I use BioEdge Scent wants in a flavor that matches what I am trying to mimic.  I really believe they are the best scents on the market.  The scent wands will stay on jig for long periods of time, even when fishing through grass.  The three most common scents that I use are shad, sunfish, and crayfish.

Scent wands from BioEdge

Anyway, all of these tips should help you get a better hook set ratio with your jigs.  Helping you catch more fish, and possibly leading to a tournament win.  Especially on those slow days, when every bite counts, be sure to follow these tactics.

Related Articles:
Tying (Custom Jigs)
How to Choose a Jig Rod
River Fishing for Summer Largemouth Bass