I am the founding member of a new organization called “Hairjigs Anonymous” - I am absolutely hooked on throwing hair jigs. I’ve seen them catch everything: smallmouth, largemouth, lake trout, whitefish, carp, cisco, and walleyes. They seem to work wherever we use them: on the Great Lakes and inland lakes, in MIchigan and in New York. I’m constantly fine-tuning my process and presentation and we’ve made some monumental discoveries in the last couple of years. Here are my top 5 big ideas for fishing a hair jig for smallmouth bass specifically:

Top 5 Big Ideas for Hair Jigging:

1. Try the 1/8oz option. My 1/8oz hairjig has been killer on smallies this year. Especially earlier in the summer when the fish tend to be higher in the water column.

2. The rod/reel combination you use is vital to your success. The best options I’ve seen are a 7’6” Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’6” Seth Feider spinning rod paired with a Daiwa ballastic 2500 or a Dobyns 7’6” Champion XP paired with a Ballastic. The long rod allows you to make a long cast with a light jig. These rods are so sensitive that you can feel the fish breathe on your jig.

3. Brown or Black. Some days they want brown. Some days they want black.. I usually have rods rigged with both.

4. Garmin Livescope is huge to my success. Most of the time I can see where the fish are at and sometimes I’m even casting to specific fish.

5. If you feel anything, you set the hook. Yesterday, one of the fish that I caught just pushed the jig toward me. I noticed that I lost connection and feel with the jig. I set the hook and boated a 3lber. Sometimes it feels like a bluegill peck, set the hook. When in doubt, rip it out.

I’m beginning to market my jigs a little more seriously. I have lots tied and in stock. I sell them for $5 each and would tell you that it is by far my favorite way to catch fish on Lake George. These jigs work often when nothing else is working. For more info, you can email me at freshwatertherapy@gmail.com or you can dm me on instagram (@freshwater_therapy). Time to learn a new option on Lake George and experience something that’s out of this world!