May Saltwater Lure of the Month: New Shaky Head Jigs

May Saltwater Lure of the Month: New Shaky Head Jigs

Designed using the same style sled head as the popular Punch Jig, you'll get the great stand-up action and the "less Hang-up, More Hook-ups". These jigs are perfect All-Around jigs for panfish, walleye, trout, but even more importantly, they have been deadly on sea trout and other saltwater smaller species.  

Straight tail worms rigged on jigheads have been around since the plastic worm was first invented. In recent years, pro bass anglers have won hundreds of thousands of dollars fishing worms on a new generation of jigheads specifically designed for this application. Termed “shaky heads” because of the way they are fished, these rigs excel at catching limits of keeper sized bass, especially in pressured waters or after cold fronts. Moreover, when Kevin Van Dam caught an 11 lb 13 oz lake record largemouth on Lake Lewisville during a 2005 tournament, anglers quickly realized that shaky heads can produce lunkers too.

Tips for Fishing with Jigs

Jigs can be a highly effective fishing presentation when the proper set-up (rod, reel, line and jig) is used. Unlike a spoon or inline spinner, when a fish strikes the lure and hooks itself, a jig bite most often is very light as the fish inhales the bait usually on the fall when the jig is settling towards the bottom. 

To detect strikes more easily jigs should be fished with stiff (fast action) sensitive rod with enough flex to cast your jig along with using the lightest possible line for the species and fishing conditions. This will help you feel the bite on the retrieve or when the jig is sinking by keeping the line taut. Many expert anglers use the fishing line as a strike indicator, when the jig sinks they watch the line for any subtle twitches signaling a strike or if the line stops indicating a fish is moving upward with the jig. 

To optimize the visual of fishing line jig fisherman prefer to use fluorescent colored line over clear monofilament and wear polarized sunglasses improving the line visibility even more.

Fishing a shaky head is really quite simple, although the best way to retrieve it varies by the day. Basically, work it the same way as you would a Texas rig or a jig. Some days the bass prefer it worked quickly with aggressive hops, while other days slowly dragging it with long pauses or “dead-sticking” works better. And as its name implies, bass can often be triggered by gently shaking the worm while it sits in place. To make your rig dance, gently shake your rod tip with a semi-slack line. This trembling motion will make the worm’s tail pulsate without moving forward. When a fish does strike, a powerful slack line hook set can easily break your line. Rather, reel your line tight and make a smooth sweep set with your rod to get the hook point started and the pull of the bass will drive the thin wire hook the rest of the way through.