Entry 98-5

Denny Brauer And His Jigs

When to Set the Hook on a Jig

Editor's Note: Denny Brauer is a legend in bass-fishing circles and has won so many fishing titles that people are in awe of him and his fishing ability. If you had to pick one bait that defined Denny Brauer, that lure would be the Denny Brauer Strike King Pro Model Jig that he helped to develop. When times are tough, Brauer relies heavily on the jig to catch bass and win tournaments. But what makes Brauer so deadly as a jig fisherman, and what can he teach us so that we can learn to fish the jig better? We'll try to answer these questions this week.

Question: How and when do you set the hook when a bass takes the jig?

Brauer: Anytime I see or feel anything that's different as the jig's falling, I set the hook immediately. I've tried to get out of the habit of trying to feel for sure if the bass has got the jig before I set the hook. If you wait before you set the hook when you think you have had a bite on the jig, many times the bass will spit the jig out before you set the hook. The other problem is when you delay the strike, the bass has had more time to get into the cover and will be much harder to get out of the cover than if you had set the hook the instant you felt the strike. If I see the line jump, twitch or move sideways, or if I feel any pressure on the line I set the hook. I don't repeatedly set the hook. I just give one good hard solid jerk when I feel or see what may be a strike on my line.

Question: One of the biggest reasons that most bass fishermen won't flip their jigs into really-thick cover is because they think, "If I hook a big bass in that cover, I'll never be able to get that fish out of it." How are you getting those big bass out of that really-thick cover when you're flipping the jig into a hole that may only be 2 or 3 inches in diameter?

Brauer: Really and truly, the bigger the bass is the easier it is to get out of thick cover. A big fish will blow the cover apart and create a hole you can pull it through. A smaller fish is more likely to get tangled-up in the cover, and you may have to go get him. Sometimes you just can't get the bass out of the cover, so you keep your line tight, go to the fish, move logs, limbs, grass, bushes and shrubs and dig the bass out of the cover.

Question: Denny, do you believe that one of the biggest advantages you have over most jig fishermen is that you never hesitate to fish really, really thick cover because you aren't concerned about what you're to have to do to get that bass out of that cover?

Brauer: Absolutely. You don't have to worry about getting the fish out of thick cover if you don't have the bass on your line. I'd much rather have a fish on the line and have to dig it out of thick cover than not have the bite. I'm looking for those hard-to-get-to places where most fishermen won't throw a jig because that's often where the really-big bass in any lake are living. But, I still take into consideration my boat position and my approach to the cover before I ever flip or pitch my jig. For instance, when I'm about to flip the jig into a hole, I decide where my boat needs to be to give me the best chance of pulling that bass out of the cover if the bass bites my bait. I always try to fish the outer edges of the cover first so I don't have to dig a fish out of cover. But, the last cast I make will usually be right in the thickest part of the cover.

Question: How critical is good boat position to catching more bass on the jig?

Brauer: I think that learning proper boat position before you flip or pitch the jig separates good jig fishermen from average jig fishermen. But being a good jig fisherman is not just about the position of the boat before, during and after you make the cast. How quiet the boat is, and how quiet you are in the boat also determines whether or not you will catch a bass at the spot you're fishing. Another thing that fishermen need to be really concerned about is the amount of noise that the trolling motor makes. To be a good jig fisherman, and to increase your odds of catching a really-big bass on the jig, you have to use your trolling motor as little as possible. The more frequently you turn the trolling motor on and off, the less likely you are to catch the bass.

Question: Do you talk much to your partner when you're jig fishing?

Brauer: If I'm catching bass, I'll be talking a lot. If I'm not catching any bass, I probably won't be saying much. I don't know how much of the sound of a human voice transfers into the water, but I do know that the vibrations of the trolling motor and the sounds made inside the boat do transfer into the water. I just don't think talking is a major issue.

Question: What's one other major tip that you believe that most bass fishermen are overlooking when they are fishing the jig?

Brauer: The most-critical time to get a strike on the jig is when the jig enters the water and begins to fall. That's the time that the fisherman has to totally be concentrating on his line and his rod tip. You need to be looking for and trying to feel any type interruption in the fall of the jig. Because many times that little twitch, bump or stop in the fall is the bass taking the bait. When you are target fishing, the highest percentage of bites you're going to get will occur when the jig's falling.

Denny Brauer And His Jigs

When to Set the Hook on a Jig

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