Football Jigs 101: When, Where, and How to Fish Them

Football jigs are the workhorses of hard-bottom structure fishing. Their wide, oblong head shape “rocks” instead of tipping over, keeping the hook upright while crawling across rock, shell, or gravel. If you chase bass on points, ledges, bluff ends, and offshore high spots, a football jig should be part of your equipment year-round.

Why a Football Head?

• Stability on rock: The wide profile resists rolling and slipping between cracks, so you hang up less and maintain contact.
• Feel & feedback: The head telegraphs bottom changes—sand to gravel, gravel to chunk rock—helping you map structure with your rod.
• Upright hook angle: The head’s geometry keeps the hook presented cleanly, improving hookups even with bulky trailers.

Core Setup

• Rod: 7’2”–7’6” MH or H, fast action. You want long casts and backbone to move fish at distance.
• Reel: 7.1:1 is a versatile gear ratio. Faster is fine for deep water to quickly catch up on slack after a bite.
• Line:
  • Fluorocarbon 12–17 lb for most applications (better sensitivity and abrasion resistance).
  • **Braid 30–50 lb
• Weights:
  • 3/8–1/2 oz for 6–15 ft.
  • 5/8–3/4 oz for 15–25 ft.
  • 1 oz for 25+ ft or heavy current.
• Trailers: Twin-tail grubs, craws, beavers, or chunks. Use compact for cold/clear water; bulkier, more flap for warm/stained water.
• Colors: Green pumpkin, brown/orange, PB&J, and black/blue cover 99% of scenarios. Match natural forage (craws, baitfish) and water color.

Presentations & When to Use Them

1) Dragging

How: Long cast past the target. Keep rod low, sweep slowly to pull the jig 6–18 inches at a time; reel slack to regain contact.
When: Calm to moderate wind, water 50–80°F, on points, ledges, gravel bars.
Why it works: Emulates a foraging craw; the head “rocks,” skirt flares, claws pulse subtly.

2) Scoot & Pause

How: Shorter pulls (3–6 inches) then a 2–5 second pause. Occasionally shake slack for a skirt quiver without moving the jig forward.
When: Post-frontal bluebird skies, high pressure, clear water.
Tip: Downsize to 3/8 oz and a compact craw. Many bites happen on the pause.

3) Stroking (yo-yo off the bottom)

How: Pop the rod tip sharply to lift the jig 1–3 feet, then let it free-fall on semi-slack.
When: Summer on deep humps/ledges when fish are suspended just off bottom and ignoring a slow drag.
Why: Triggers reaction bites; the trailer kicks on the rise and flares on the fall.

4) Uphill Retrieve

How: Position the boat shallow, cast deep, and work the jig uphill.
When: Early spring and late fall when bass feed up-slope; when the wind pushes bait shallow on sloping points.
Bonus: Uphill retrieves wedge the head less into rock seams.

5) Downhill “Slide”

How: Cast shallow and let the jig slide down stair-step breaks.
When: Summer/fall when bass sit on the first or second break off flats; during falling water levels on reservoirs.
Key: Maintain bottom contact—bites often feel like the jig disappears.

6) Current Sweeping

How: In rivers or dam-generated flow, cast above the seam and let current roll the head while you subtly steer and feel.
When: Any time current is moving bait; especially summer.
Line note: Bump up to abrasion-resistant fluoro; rock + flow = scuffs.

7) “Do-Nothing” Deadstick

How: After a drag or scoot, deadstick for 5–10 seconds.
When: Cold water (40s–50s), post-front, ultra-clear lakes.
Trailer: Compact, tight-action (e.g., subtle craw or chunk).

Seasonal Game Plan

• Late Winter – Early Spring: Crawl slowly on channel swings into spawning coves; target 8–15 ft gravel transitions with compact trailers.
• Spawn Adjacent (Prespawn/Postspawn): Fish secondary points and the first break outside flats. Use 1/2 oz with a moderate-action craw.
• Summer: Go heavier (3/4–1 oz) on main-lake ledges, humps, and saddle high-spots. Mix dragging with stroking.
• Fall: Follow bait to wind-blown points; speed up slightly, add more scoot/pause to mimic crayfish darting.
• Winter: Downsize and deadstick on sun-warmed rock; small hops are better than big moves.

Trailer Pairing Cheat Sheet

• Twin-tail grub: Max crawl and lift; great for stroking and summer ledges.
• Beaver-style: Compact, pushes water without too much drag; excels in current and cooler temps.
• Subtle craw/chunk: Finesse for clear water and post-front days.
• Kicking craw: Adds thump for stained water or when you need presence in chop.

Bites, Hooksets, and Land Ratio

• What a bite feels like: “Tick,” “mush,” or the weight vanishes. If it suddenly feels lighter or heavier—lean and reel.
• Hookset: Reel down until you feel pressure, then a firm, sweeping set. Avoid high, violent snaps.
• Keep them pinned: A moderate-fast rod cushions surges. Maintain steady pressure and avoid giving slack when the fish jumps.

Five Popular Football Jigs

Quick Color & Weight Guide

• Clear water, sunny: Green pumpkin, watermelon variants; 3/8–1/2 oz.
• Stained water or wind: PB&J, brown/orange, black/blue; 1/2–3/4 oz.
• Deep (20–30+ ft) or heavy current: 3/4–1 oz with a compact trailer to maintain bottom contact.