When I think about ultralight fishing, the first type of lure that comes to my mind is the jig. They are the most versatile and easy to use lure in my tackle box. I simply cast it out and wait for it to sink to the proper depth. Then I work it back in a series of twitches and darts.
Slowing down your presentation is the name of the game when you’re using most common types of jigs on your ultralight fishing rod. There are four different types of jigs you can tie onto your UL line, depending on the situation and conditions that you are going to be fishing in. Take a look at the different types below to figure out which one you should tie on the next time you head out to the water.
Soft Plastic Jigs
Soft plastic jigs are probably the most popular type of jig that can be used for UL fishing. My personal favorite kind of soft plastic jigs are tube jigs, curly tail grub jigs, and trout magnets.
Tube jigs have a tube shaped body with squid like tail. They are great for more of a twitch style retrieve and many times the fish will strike as the jig is sinking after a few twitches.
Curly tail jigs, on the other hand, are great for a slow, even retrieve. The tail is shaped like the letter C, but when it’s moved through the water the tail straightens out and has an amazing fluttering action.
Trout Magnets are unlike any other soft plastic jigs. It’s a micro jig with a dart style jig-head and a split tail. The twitch of the rod tip causes this jig to dart through the water, attracting the attention of hungry fish. They’re called Trout Magnets but are great for catching most other freshwater fish also.
Soft Plastic Jigs: (See Prices or Buy Here)
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Marabou Jigs
If you find me on the water fishing with jigs, more often than not, I have a marabou jig tied to the end of my line. I simply love the action that the soft marabou feathers make underwater. The jig looks alive to the fish, resulting in more strikes. Some of my largest fish were caught on marabou jigs fished super slowly. If you’ve never tried fishing with marabou jigs, I recommend you try them out.
There are two kinds of marabou jigs that I like to use for ultralight fishing. One is a full marabou jig where the marabou starts right after the jig head. The other has a chenille body after the jig head and then a marabou tail. Both work great!
Marabou Jigs: (See Prices or Buy Here)
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Hair Jigs
Hair jigs are usually tied with dear hair/buck tail, which gives them different qualities than marabou. Deer hair is hollow, making it float and move on the jig. It’s also stronger than marabou, meaning the jigs will last longer.
I usually use hair jigs in fast moving or deep waters. Even though deer hair floats, I found that hair jigs sink at a faster rate than both marabou and soft plastic jigs of the same weight. So if you’re trying to get right in front of that trout, that’s sitting in a deep pool in a fast running river, I would use a hair jig to get down to it rather than any other.
Hair Jigs: (See Prices or Buy Here)
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Combination Jigs
Combination jigs? It’s a jig that is made with a combination of materials. These include soft plastics, marabou, hair, chenille, and just about any fly tying material. You can either buy these combination jigs or you can put them together yourself. I will sometimes add a small soft plastic curly tail to a marabou or hair jig. Depending on how the fish are feeling, sometimes I notice an increase in strikes.
Combination Jigs: (See Prices or Buy Here)
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