Ask a lot of seasoned bass anglers what bait they have their best luck with, and a good number will say “jigs.” (Many of them will then launch into a dozen fish stories about the most monster bass, but we’re not here for those right now.) Jig fishing has been around for hundreds of years because—duh—it works.
New to jigging? It takes a while to get the hang of it, but before you load up all the precious space in your tackle box with a dozen different kinds of new jigs, let’s focus on a few that are the best overall. These are the best bass jigs for any and every occasion.
Best Overall
BOOYAH Boo Jig – Booyah Bait Company
Not only fun to say, but fun to fish too. The Booyah Boo Jig is a casting jig—considered some of the most versatile jigs to fish with (we’ll get more into that). The Boo Jig is designed specifically to plow through weeds, rocks, or around sunken branches…the exact places bass like to hide when they’re looking for their next meal.
It also features two rattles which call out to hungry fish. The beauty of the Boo Jig is whether you’re new to jigging or an old pro, you’re probably going to catch fish on this one. I like it in Watermelon Pumpkin.
Honorable Mentions
Let me be clear, here. There’s not a thing wrong with any of these jigs. But for my money, the Boo Jig is more versatile than a lot of the ones below, and that’s what this article is about. The following tend to be best in specialized environments and are all perfectly capable jigs.
Hack Attack Jig – Strike King
We’ve all been fishing in the heavily-weeded lakes or ponds that have you dragging up a plate of vegetarian chow with every single cast. The Hack Attack, a flipping jig designed by major bass angler Greg Hackney, is designed for the most gnarly of vegetation.
Shallow or deep, the Hack Attack’s heavy duty weed guard and extra-tough Extreme Gamakatsu hook mean you’re going to get through the gunk and entice some largemouth along the way. My personal favorite is Gator Craw, but there are many colors to choose from.
Luke Clausen Finesse Jig – Dirty Jigs
Yet another jig designed by a well-known bass blaster, the Luke Clausen Finesse jig comes with a few design tweaks that gives it plenty of unique action. The head of this jig is what makes it special.
A little wider and flatter than you might find on other jigs, it’s meant to bump and tug its way through both vegetal cover and rocky terrain. But its line-tie is both recessed (helping avoid nicks to your line) and set at 60-degrees to be small-yet-mighty when setting the hook.
Football Head Jig – All Terrain Tackle
Tougher than the gridiron greats, this Football Head Jig (which is exactly what it sounds like and is a general style of jig overall) is built for rocky terrain. Areas with gravel and ledges are glorious for bass, but also notorious for snagging lures and making them disappear into the murky deep.
The beauty of the All Terrain is a special design they call Terrain Tread. This “grips” the bottom of the terrain so you can feel specifically what you’re jigging over and around. Then when a fish hits—you know it.
Z-Man Chatterbait Jack Hammer
We’ve been traditional in most of our selections here, but let’s throw one out in left field, shall we? The Chatterbait Jack Hammer is a little pricier than many other jigs you’ll find on the market, but it also doesn’t operate like traditional jigs. It’s called a vibrating jig, and boy does it.
When you want a little noise to really catch those bass’ attention, this jig features a vibrating stainless steel blade that smacks the head and “chatters.” The blade/head combo also allows it to fend off cover and other potential snags, but also allows for realistic action. This clacker will slay the largemouth.
Have any jigs you’d add to the list? Leave a comment below.
