Football Head Question, How To

[Dale D]

Hey all, I love to fish jigs, but I am unsure how to work the Football Head Jig. First of FH Jig. All and any help would be great, I am really wanting to learn how to work these fish catching baits. Thanks

[WRBass]

By design the football head jig is met to be cast and retrieved similar to a Texas rigged plastic worm. I call this horizontal jigging instead of vertical jigging used in flipping or pitching a jig. The early jigs were round heads and the jig hook would rollover and lay flat the the lake bottom if you let the jig sit still on slack line. The elongated design of the football head keeps the jig hook upright sitting still and that is it's primary function. Football are also heavier than other jig designs and the lead weight is close to the jig hooks eye, which sets the hook point further back and that helps getting good hook sets when the jig is cast a distance away.
If you let use know what type of lake you are fishing and the weight of the jig you prefer to use and the type of structure or cover you fish it's easier to go onto specific rod, line and presentation techniques that would be appropriate for your style of jig fishing.
WRB

[Baron49]

By design the football head jig is met to be cast and retrieved similar to a Texas rigged plastic worm. I call this horizontal jigging instead of vertical jigging used in flipping or pitching a jig. The early jigs were round heads and the jig hook would rollover and lay flat the the lake bottom if you let the jig sit still on slack line. The elongated design of the football head keeps the jig hook upright sitting still and that is it's primary function. Football are also heavier than other jig designs and the lead weight is close to the jig hooks eye, which sets the hook point further back and that helps getting good hook sets when the jig is cast a distance away.
If you let use know what type of lake you are fishing and the weight of the jig you prefer to use and the type of structure or cover you fish it's easier to go onto specific rod, line and presentation techniques that would be appropriate for your style of jig fishing.
WRB

WRB...I have not used a lot of football head jigs here on the East coast, as most of the time I am fishing in weeds and football jigs don't work well in thick weeds.  The few times I have tried using them in more open areas they did not produce well for me.

I have a couple questions for you...?

Several of the articles I've read in Bassmasters and FLW mentioned dragging a football jig.  The writers intent seemed to be they were looking for rocks on an other wise bare bottom and would bang the football jigs into these rocks.  The head design would help get the jig over the rocks and also trigger some strikes. 

You mention working a football jig like a worm....is this something you do on the West coast with the deep and clear water? 

What is your opinion on dragging a football jig over clean bottoms?.....for example clay, sand, or smooth rock ledges?

[topcat]

I use a 7 1/2-foot rod for football jigs.......I use 12-pound fluorocarbon and a high-speed baitcasting reel. The long stiff rod quickly takes up slack during the hookset and the low-stretch fluorocarbon line helps to make sure the barb buries deep in the fish mouth......since fluorocarbon sinks it doesn't bow as much as other lines which lets the jig sink faster......The fast sink rate sparks reflex strikes....I never uses more than 12 pound test because heavier line slows the jig's fall too much for me........

The basic football-jig retrieve consists of quick short hops.......I start with my rod tip at 10 o'clock and hop the jig three times as I works the rod to 12 o'clock....Then I quickly drops the rod tip to 10 o'clock while taking up the slack and repeats this process.

Small hops keep the jig close to the bottom and keep you in touch with the bait so you can feel bites better.......

When the jig falls off the edge of a drop I let it sink all the way to the bottom before I continue the retrieve......I always makes bottom contact after every hop.....If bass are suspended above the bottom I snap the jig off the bottom 3 feet at a pop. This rips the bait up where bass can see it......When the jig plummets down........

I throw the 1/2- and 3/4-ounce sizes anytime I fish more than 12 feet deep on points, ledges and humps.......The football jig produces for me in the summer, fall and winter......I use the same tackle and retrieve despite the season....although I slow down during the cold months........

In stained water I use a black Booyah football jig with a black and blue skirt.......I fish a black and brown jig in stained and clear water.....and a green-pumpkin jig in clear water.......Whatever the jig's color I dress it with a 3.75-inch YUM green-pumpkin Craw Papi which has flailing pincher's that bass can't stand.......

I also like to bottom drag the jig to find structure on the bottom like rocks limbs ditches etc....that will get you a reaction strike........hope this helps you to catch a few bass...the football jig is one of my favorite jigs to use.......

Topcat

[jfly]

I use a 7 1/2-foot rod for football jigs.......I use 12-pound fluorocarbon and a high-speed baitcasting reel. The long stiff rod quickly takes up slack during the hookset and the low-stretch fluorocarbon line helps to make sure the barb buries deep in the fish mouth......since fluorocarbon sinks it doesn't bow as much as other lines which lets the jig sink faster......The fast sink rate sparks reflex strikes....I never uses more than 12 pound test because heavier line slows the jig's fall too much for me........

The basic football-jig retrieve consists of quick short hops.......I start with my rod tip at 10 o'clock and hop the jig three times as I works the rod to 12 o'clock....Then I quickly drops the rod tip to 10 o'clock while taking up the slack and repeats this process.

Small hops keep the jig close to the bottom and keep you in touch with the bait so you can feel bites better.......

When the jig falls off the edge of a drop I let it sink all the way to the bottom before I continue the retrieve......I always makes bottom contact after every hop.....If bass are suspended above the bottom I snap the jig off the bottom 3 feet at a pop. This rips the bait up where bass can see it......When the jig plummets down........

I throw the 1/2- and 3/4-ounce sizes anytime I fish more than 12 feet deep on points, ledges and humps.......The football jig produces for me in the summer, fall and winter......I use the same tackle and retrieve despite the season....although I slow down during the cold months........


I also like to bottom drag the jig to find structure on the bottom like rocks limbs ditches etc....that will get you a reaction strike........hope this helps you to catch a few bass...the football jig is one of my favorite jigs to use.......

Topcat

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[Volman482]

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/emailArticle.cfm?id=145133

[blake711]

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/emailArticle.cfm?id=145133

getting an error message from that link.  Is it paid for content possibly?

Blake

[Baron49]

Topcat,

Thanks for the insight...new to football jigs and you have explained a lot about them here.  Appreicate the information.

Baron

[WRBass]

WRB...I have not used a lot of football head jigs here on the East coast, as most of the time I am fishing in weeds and football jigs don't work well in thick weeds.  The few times I have tried using them in more open areas they did not produce well for me.

I have a couple questions for you...?

Several of the articles I've read in Bassmasters and FLW mentioned dragging a football jig.  The writers intent seemed to be they were looking for rocks on an other wise bare bottom and would bang the football jigs into these rocks.  The head design would help get the jig over the rocks and also trigger some strikes. 

You mention working a football jig like a worm....is this something you do on the West coast with the deep and clear water? 

What is your opinion on dragging a football jig over clean bottoms?.....for example clay, sand, or smooth rock ledges?

I believe I emailed you the Horizontal Jigging article and that is how I fish football type of jigs.
A foothead is like a bulldozer in the weeds; the line collects weeds around the head and isn't a good design IMO for fishing grass. There are far better head designs for fishing in the grass.
Football head does work good going down steep banks or points and when sitting still on mud or sandy open weed or wood pockets. You can slowly pull the line to rock the jig so the trailer moves when the jig is being dead sticked. Football can be hopped over rocks and some wood obstickles, however they tend to hang up easily and is the reason I modified the design.
I personally don't like rods over 7' for casting a jig because of the slower reaction time, weight and difficulty casting a stiff long jig rod onto the wind. My choice is 6'6" to 7', med/hvy, fast action rod rated for 10 to 20 lb line, 3/8 to 1 oz lures, like; Lamiglas XC664, XC704 or similar rods.
I use Sunline Shooter 12 and 14 lb fluorocarbon because it is very strong for it's small diameter. Any good quality line with low stretch, good abrasion resistance and good knot strength should be OK. I also like P-Line CXX for off color water or night fishing jigs.
Line, like rods are personal choices. I don't like like ultra high speed retrieve reels; 6.3 to 1, being the fasted I will fish jigs with. Because I'm fishing deep clear water reservoirs with steep banks and points, I prefer moving the jig with the reel, keeping the rod pointed toward the jig and reel setting a jig and using the rod sweep to finish the hook set. Once the jigs gets down to about a 45 degree angle, then I will use the rod more to move the jig over obstickles and hook set with the rod once I reel set and feel the bass.
The most import component of any jig is the hook. Use jigs that have top quality, very sharp hooks. I rarely fish a jig with less than a 3/0 hook, preferring 5/0 with 1/2 oz jigs.
Keep in mind where I fish we have giant bass and I target them.
WRB

[Baron49]

WRB,

Thanks for the reply....never too old to learn new tricks.  Have tried the football heads with little success and now I am starting to understand why thanks to you and Topcat.  Starting to put the pieces together and hopefully I can add another tool to the arsenal in the right places.

[Darold_31]

Sounds like you guys covered this well.  I just wanted to mention that I only drag football heads when I throw them.  I actually hold the rod tip down and to the side and slowly crawl it across bottom.  It works great for all structure other than grass.  I use a 7'6" rod, but is a new Castaway Skeleton so it is very light for a rod that size.  I use Trilen 100% Fluorocarbon in 15# test at all times.  The way I got confidence with the FB jig is to go to one of your best spots and start catching them on a c-rig or something and then switch to the jig.  After catch a dozen or so your confidence will build and then its on.  They really are a great tool to use to catch more and especially bigger fish.