# Dumb Question: Can I fish just a jig, without the skirt?



## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

In other words, it looks like a naked bucktail (e.g. head, followed by a hook, with no skirt). I got some cheap 1 Oz jigs....


Thanks!

Best Regards,
Stan


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## Stink-bait (May 14, 2011)

Short answer is yes. What you tip it with depends on your target. I like bass assasians or gulp mullet.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Stan, I have a jig mold that makes one without a collar, and I use it for fishing bait. You can certainly use various types of jigs without them being dressed as Stink-bait has said, and your options for what you use with a bare jig are numerous. Although some styles of jig heads are better suited for specific applications. What type of head did you find?


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Sure can.


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## OceanMaster (Dec 22, 2011)

No fishing question is dumb.......we all learn from each other and each area has it's own little technique using the same basic gear. 

You can but you can also make a few bucktails out of them on rainy days, add plastic bodies as mentioned by Stink-bait or tipped with bait as mentioned by BigJim. A live fingerling mullet, mud minnow or suitable hardy small baitfish lip hooked works well for flounder too! 

Plastic Cocahoe swimming minnow bodies give them a bit of swimming action.....thread the hook through the body and make sure the hook comes out on top. 










This color and style is pretty deadly where I fish in South Texas. Trout, reds and flounder suck them down like mad. We have a lot of brown shrimp inshore here....clear or sandy green water.....Chartreuse on the tail...works well with red, plum and clear too!


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

You can even put squid strips o them. I buy bulk squid and cut the tubes into strips in a "V" shape. Works great


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

Rudde, you mentioning squid, got me recollectin when I bought a squid from an asian market that was at least 3 #. I often wondered if anybody ever used the tentacles for spot/panfish. They are tough as nails, the right color if that matters and 8"/10" long.


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## rabbitdog2 (Aug 20, 2011)

Maybe I am misunderstanding your question. If you are asking about fishing with a bare lead head gig I don't think you will have much luck. You need something to atrack the fish i.e. the skirt.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

wdbrand said:


> Rudde, you mentioning squid, got me recollectin when I bought a squid from an asian market that was at least 3 #. I often wondered if anybody ever used the tentacles for spot/panfish. They are tough as nails, the right color if that matters and 8"/10" long.


Yup. SAVE THE HEADS!!!! Great flounder bait.


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## Rich60 (Apr 11, 2010)

Yuuuup! Save the squids head and tentacles. Catch tons of Kingfish with them every summer.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Rich60 said:


> Yuuuup! Save the squids head and tentacles. Catch tons of Kingfish with them every summer.


That too!!!!


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

bigjim5589 said:


> Stan, I have a jig mold that makes one without a collar, and I use it for fishing bait. You can certainly use various types of jigs without them being dressed as Stink-bait has said, and your options for what you use with a bare jig are numerous. Although some styles of jig heads are better suited for specific applications. What type of head did you find?


Hello Jim: These are the jigs that I got: http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...3f905cc47460&destination=/checkout/basket.jsp

I got: 1 Oz: LUMINESCENT (Kind of cream color)
1 OZ: FLORESENT ORANGE
3/8 Oz LUMINESCENT 

What types of use do you think these will be good for??

Thanks!

Best Regards,
Stan


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

Everyone, that helps alot!! What types of dressing do you think that these guys (1 OZ and 3/8 OZ) could use? http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...3f90f4dd36f0&destination=/checkout/basket.jsp

I'll be fishing the bay (for anything that moves) and the same in OBX (e.g. I'm just glad to catch something). I can get the bass assasians or gulp mullet for cabelas or basspro. The other stuff you guys mentioned, sounded really neat. What do you think of these:

http://lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Shad-Bodies/Plastic-Shad-Body-Kit.html


Or maybe these: http://lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Standard-Skirts/Standard-Silicone-Skirts.html

With the above skits, how do you tie these on to the jig??

Thanks so much!!

Best Regards,
Stan




Best Regards,
Stan


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## razor78016 (Dec 24, 2010)

I used to/still use dental floss.

Ray.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Stan, frankly, those are more suited for freshwater fishing. You can use them in the bay for the smaller type fish, such as perch or Croakers, that Aberdeen Eagle Claw hook, even a 3/0, is not very strong. You might land a schoolie size Striper on it, but that hook bends fairly easily. Not the best choice for the bay. Better up in the rivers & creeks for panfish.

For the bay, you really want a jig with a hook, that at minimum has a tin plated, forged O'Shaughnessy type hook such as these:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Salt-Striker-Flat-Head-Jigheads/739221.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dsaltwater%2Bjig%2Bheads%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=saltwater+jig+heads&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

There are some that have Gamakatsu hooks too, which are very sharp & quite strong They're a bit more expensive, & even though they're sold as "saltwater" jigs, have a black nickel finished hook, which will rust. Still some folks like them better than the plated O'Shaughnessy hooks, because they're sharper. 

I use both, prefer the tinned hooks to minimize the rusting issues, but both have their uses. I just sharpen the tinned hooks myself. 

I have a couple of packs of the Cabela's hooks like I've listed, and they're pretty good hooks for use in the bay with some of the plastics.


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

bigjim5589 said:


> Stan, frankly, those are more suited for freshwater fishing. You can use them in the bay for the smaller type fish, such as perch or Croakers, that Aberdeen Eagle Claw hook, even a 3/0, is not very strong. You might land a schoolie size Striper on it, but that hook bends fairly easily. Not the best choice for the bay. Better up in the rivers & creeks for panfish.


Bummer. Now I know, thanks for the information. I'm finding that to be a good fisherman, you need to know a million bits of information and skills. I've only scratched the surface.

Thanks again for your help.

Best Regards,
Stan


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Stan, I don't know how long you've been at it, but none of us start out knowing everything! It's all a learning journey! I've been fishing for about 50 years, so like to think I've learned a few things along the way!


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

Dumb Question: Can I fish just a jig, without the skirt? 

I never wear a skirt when I'm fishing. Closest thing would be my kilt.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Jersey Hunter said:


> Dumb Question: Can I fish just a jig, without the skirt?
> 
> I never wear a skirt when I'm fishing. Closest thing would be my kilt.


I once hunted split-tail in the buff...


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

Again, thanks for your help!!

If I get the jig that Jim recommended (In White): http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...er+jig+heads&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


And Gulp Mullet (In white): http://www.cabelas.com/product/Berk...738340.uts?WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Would that be a good combo, for the Bay and OBX? Or would Chartreuse be better. As another question, could I use the Gulp Mullet on a bucktail (instead of pork rind?).


THanks!

Best Regards,
Stan


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

*That Gulp Mullet is about 4 inches long, so yes it would be a good addition to those jig heads, and white is certainly a good color no matter where you're fishing. You might also give something a bit longer a try, such as a 6" Gulp Grub.* http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=738834&destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct.jsp%3FproductId%3D738340%26type%3Dproduct%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26searchPath%3D%252Fcatalog%252Fsearch.cmd%253Fform_state%253DsearchForm%2526N%253D0%2526fsch%253Dtrue%2526Ntk%253DAllProducts%2526Ntt%253Dgulp%252Bmullet%2526x%253D0%2526y%253D0%2526WTz_l%253DHeader%25253BSearch-All%252BProducts%26Ntt%3Dgulp%2Bmullet%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&WTz_l=YMAL%3BIK-122306
*
My choice would be for the pork with a bucktail, but you could use the mullet also, but I think you would have to keep the bucktail small to get the best action from the mullet. I've tried small shads on bucktails in the past & the hair sometimes impedes the action of the tails on the shad, so they just don't swim correctly. I prefer a bare jig head for shads or mullets. If you want a cheap, yet effective trailer for a bucktail, get a bulk bag of a cheap ribbontail plastic worm and use them. They won't last as long as pork, but being cheap, should not be a problem. I use them from 6 inches & longer sometimes, depending on the size of the bucktail. They're not good for when Blues are around, but they work well for many other species. I particularly like ribbontail worms in black, green pumpkin, or a black shad color, because they look a lot like eels! I've caught quite a few Stripers casting such lures! I'll buy them off of Ebay or when tackle shops have sales, and stock up! *


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

Jim: Will do!! Great advice, thanks.

Best Regards,
Stan


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