Finesse jig are must-have lures for bass in creeks and rivers. Whether a stream holds largemouths, smallmouths, spots, regional stream species like shoal bass and redeyes or a mix of species, finesse jigs are versatile, productive and easy to fish. We'll explore why these lures work so well, discuss where and how to fish them, and compare popular and effective finesse jig options.
When we say finesse jigs for bass we're talking about smallish painted and skirted jigs that could be fished alone, as opposed to plain jigheads used to rig soft-plastic lures, although a finesse jig is mostly commonly matched with a small soft-plastic lure as a trailer. Weights typically range from 1/8- to 1/2-ounce, with 1/4- and 3/8-ounces being the most common. Hooks are lighter wire than other bass jigs to allow for good hook penetration with lighter tackle. Skirts can be formed from silicone, feather or hair. Heads are typically shapes that roll off rocky cover well.
A major virtue of a finesse jig for creek and river bass is that it imitates much of what these fish commonly eat in appearance and behavior. Crawfish, hellgrammites, salamanders and bottom-dwelling fish species like sculpins all scoot along rocky stream bottoms or get carried by the current. Most have subtle wavering movements, much like a finesse jig's skirt or trailer, but not a lot of fast darting movements or hard vibration.
In addition, finesse jigs are subtle by nature. They look like easy meals or even like snacks that are tough to resist even if a fish isn't in a feeding mode. They appeal to smaller bass, but larger fish won't say no to what looks like an easy meal that just showed up at the dinner table.
Finesse jigs are also very easy to fish effectively. In fact, you could fish one in a less-than-ideal manner in many stream fishing situations and still end up catching fish. Stream current does a lot of the important presentation work.
A final important benefit of fishing finesse jigs for bass in creeks and rivers is that these baits produce far more than black bass. Rock bass, warmouths, bluegills, redbreasts, walleyes and rainbow trout are only a sample of the many species that cannot resist a well-presented finesse jig. Along with adding fun variety to a day, these bonus species commonly keep the action steady between bass bites.
The short answer to where to mostly fish a finesse jig in rivers is on or near the bottom. Often that's over a gravel or bedrock bottom or close to boulders. At times it's along the edges of weeds, which hold crawfish, provide cover for bass, and break current.
Finding specific key areas is commonly a patterning game. Start the day mixing it up, fishing gravel bars, rapids, pools below rapids, bluff holes, current-washed rocky runs and more, and pay attention to where the strikes occur.
While you certainly can catch bass by swimming a finesse jig, and at times that can be a good technique, we'll reserve that conversation for another time because the best place to fish a finesse jig most of the time is along the bottom.
Whenever possible, aim casts upstream or angle them upstream and across. This helps even a lightweight jig sink more readily and allows the current to aid with natural presentations. This is less of a factor in lazy pools or big, hard eddies, but at least some current generally influences the positioning of river and creek fish, and bass are accustomed to facing upstream and watching for forage being carried past in the current.
Cast upstream of the zone you want to work, allow the jig to find bottom, and then use your rod and a tight or mostly tight line to move the bait along the bottom and your reel to take up slack. Experiment with short dragging movements and gentle hops. Also mix up the bait speed as you seek to figure out how the fish want the bait moving, but except in swift runs, where you must move the bait quickly to maintain good control, err on the side of slow.
As you work a finesse jig, you'll learn what different bottom features feel like and start to recognize when you need to lift the rod more to keep the bait from hanging. Fortunately, baits that hang often just fall into crevices, and you can free them simply by changing the line angle. Time also teaches what bites feel like, which could be solid taps like a classic plastic worm bite, or it could be the bait seeming like it's moving sideways on its own or just a bit of a mushy feeling.
If you're unsure, set the hook. You might be surprised by how frequently a slightly different feeling comes from a bass picking up your jig.
- Rebel Ultra-Finesse Jig – These new jigs from Rebel come two per package, each pre-rigged with a different LIVEflex soft-plastic bait, and with a spare of each trailer. Attributes include a finesse skirt, a small profile, outstanding colors and a KEG Head jig style that rolls over cover nicely.
- Great Lakes Finesse Premium Marabou Jig – High-grade, fluffy marabou pulsates to create constant but subtle movement. Features include durable matte finish paint on heads, a 1/0 Gamakatsu 604 Hook and a wire keeper for trailers.
- Great Lakes Finesse Matte Finesse Jig – Same features as the Premium Marabou Jig and the same 1/8- and 3/16-ounce sizes. Wire-tied, fine-cut, dual-length silicone skirt in highly natural colors.
- War Eagle Heavy Finesse Jig – Indeed heavy for a finesse jig in 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes, the Heavy Finesse Jig is ideal for working the bottom in deeper pools and current runs in rivers but with a finesse profile and rock-crawling round head and weed guard.
- BOOYAH Baby Boo Jig – This downsized flipping/pitching jig lets you work around wood and other cover, and the light weed guard and black-nickel light-wire hook allow for good hook penetration even with lighter tackle.
- Great Lakes Finesse Snack Craw – Compact 2.1-inch craw with subtle movement and matte finishes that was originally designed as a finesse jig trailer – Also available in a 1.7-inch Micro version.
- Great Lakes Finesse Juicy Hellgrammite – Nothing says dinner to a stream bass like a hellgrammite. The Juicy Hellgrammite is nothing but natural and provides a different profile that fish cannot resist.
- YUM Salt Craw – This old-school craw worm can be shortened make an extremely subtle trailer with gentle motion and slender claws. Color options include fully natural colors and a couple with bright claw tips.
- YUM Ned Dinger – Essentially a tiny Dinger, but with a flat end for easy jig rigging and an air pocket in the tail to enhance how it stands up. Sleek profile and wavering movement.
- YUM Craw Papi – A narrow body and flat kicking claws that create extra movement as the jig rises and falls with hopping presentations for fish that are a bit more active.