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Under the skirts... of the microjig
Well-known to competitors in streetfishing and shore fishing, the micro jig is formidably effective on a wide range of fish. But how do you get the most out of this highly technical skirted jig head? How do you animate it? What are the different types of models and target species? Here are some answers to help you make the most of this lure and score big!
What is a micro jig?
First of all, I'd like to remind you of the "anatomy" of a microjig.
In English, "jig" means to jump, to dance. The name "jig" is given to two very distinct types of lure: the "metal jig" familiar to sea anglers (waddling metal lures) and the "rubber jig" we're interested in.
It's a jighead with a silicone or rubber skirt. Throughout this article, when I mention the term "jig", I'm referring to the latter.
"Physically", the shape of a jig can be summed up as a lead head to which a skirt of more or less dense silicone fibres has been attached. The first jigs for black-bass were rather abstract and figurative imitations of crayfish, weighing between 7 and 28 grams (1/4 to 1 oz). A micro jig, on the other hand, weighs less than 5 grams, hence the name "micro" jig.
The classic micro jig weights of 1.8 and 2.5 grams cover a wide range of situations. The hook size is between n°6 and n°0/1, suitable for perch and chub and the use of 5 cm "trailers".
The main strength of the micro jig is that it's a gliding lure whose skirt is in perpetual motion, even during minimalist animations. This gives a strong impression of life. During pulls, the skirt closes, imitating prey contracting and giving an impulse to move, while when in contact with the bottom, the skirt opens giving volume. The skirt provides real added value by boosting the appeal of the soft lure (trailer) with contrasts, undulations, volume and fine vibratory signals.
These advantages make the micro jig ideal for use in difficult conditions and on educated fish.
Some micro jigs feature an anti-weed device, a Texas hook or "guard". The guard consists of one or more stiff fibers that protect the hook point from obstacles up to a certain limit. When there's only one fibre, it's called a "weed guard". When the guard is stiffer, it prevents too many hooks from catching on branches and obstacles. On the other hand, the hooking must be firm to penetrate the fish's mouth properly, and the fish must take the lure straight into its mouth.
In addition to their weight, micro jigs differ from their big brother jigs in that their heads are made of tungsten rather than lead. Most modern jig pickups have a tungsten head. This low-pollution material is also highly relevant for its resonance properties, which make it more perceptible in the rod, especially when in contact with the bottom.
What's more, this denser material than lead offers a compact head, for a precise descent of the lure and less hold in water and currents, leaving the skirt to work optimally.
Adapt to the fish you're after
The micro jig, as we know it, was originally created in Japan for the fine, light fishing of educated black bass. I say "as we know it", because the term micro jig comes from the USA and also designates small marabou jigs, jigs whose skirt is not made of silicone but of marabou feathers.
But let's get back to our subject. The micro jig, this technical lure, is used in fishing with small natural lures, in line with the "downsizing" philosophy. In other words, the use of discreet, natural and subtle lures to fool wary predators resistant to lures that are too big or emit too many stimuli.
In Europe, however, the micro jig is a real perch magnet. Hence its regular use in street fishing and shore fishing competitions.
This lure selects mesh perch and difficult big perch in particular. But that's not all. The micro jig is one of the few lures with which you can catch absolutely any fish!
This other characteristic also justifies its widespread use in shore angling competitions.
Chub, barbel, pike, black bass, zander, small catfish, trout and even whitefish are also very receptive.
When it comes to animations, you'll need to adapt them to the fish you're after. Presentation is important, but the strength of the micro jig is that it imitates nothing, but above all everything, depending on how you combine colors, trailer and animations.
Depending on the color, weight and trailer used, you can imitate a fish, an aquatic invertebrate or even plant debris...
This, among other things, explains its effectiveness on a huge number of species!
For perch, you need to be as close to the bottom as possible. Large perch often take the lure when it's stationary, when it's stuck to the substrate. Pulling the lure by scraping the bottom or making small leaps by lifting sediment is very attractive. Crayfish are a favourite treat for perch, making the micro jig a real treat for them.
The chub prefers a lure that moves fluidly just above the bottom. You need to make the lure drift, without necessarily having contact with the bottom. The bite is often muted and you need to strike energetically. This imitates a drifting invertebrate or a fish gliding in the current.
Pike are not to be outdone, making short work of this little lure. For pike, you'll need to keep the lure in contact with the feeder. The lure will often touch you during the descent phase, when it's gliding, and you'll have to retaliate quickly with a dry strike to avoid being cut, even if with an unsuitable leader, cutting occurs in 90% of cases... Planing models with a dense skirt are to be preferred, and white, chartreuse or pink colors are very attractive to pike. If pike are focused on small lures, or if there are a lot of them on the fishing spot, I advise you to use a titanium leader, supple and discreet, which will resist pike teeth better than a thin fluorocarbon leader.
For barbel, let the lure drift, allowing it to settle on the bottom. Alternate line tension and semi-tensioned streamer to let the lure successively pick up the current and make contact with the bottom. The barbel will then move to seize this easy prey with the natural gait and fluid swimming of a small invertebrate drifting with the current.
Finally, for black bass, especially for highly educated subjects, the micro jig remains very effective. It represents a discreet natural prey and black-bass seem to lose their distrust of this greed. The micro jig can be skilfully used for sight fishing or shallow prospecting.
More generally, micro jig fishing is a slow, "scratching" type of fishing to control drifting. You need to insist on marked spots and eddies, and offer a realistic prey moving slowly, to fool even the most wary predators. Finally, although this lure is light and small in size, it can still be used to catch beautiful fish.
Importance of the trailer
As mentioned above, the micro jig is capable of imitating any small prey. More than a simple lead head with a skirt, the micro jig provides volume, vibrations, realistic visual effect, gliding swimming... and goes hand in hand with a trailer, literally "follower" or "crawler"...
The trailer is the name given to the soft lure mounted on the hook of the micro jig. You can use almost any type of lure, depending on the prey you want to imitate, the fish you're after, the swimming action you want, the speed of descent... Crayfish, shad, finesse, worm, comma...
In addition to the type of lure used, you can also play on its size, volume and color. The larger the lure and the more vibratory its appendages, the more grip it will have in the water and the more it will glide.
Sometimes you'll need to use a lure that contrasts with the micro jig, to offer more colors to the fish, or on the contrary, be very imitative and have a micro jig plus trailer of similar color. As far as colors are concerned, here are a few non-exhaustive rules: orange, black, cola brown to simulate a crayfish, green, sand, gray to give the illusion of an aquatic invertebrate, white, shiny glitter, silver gray to imitate a small fish and finally flashy colors, white, pink, chartreuse for tinted waters, for pike or zander...
Micro jig limits
The micro jig is a formidable weapon and a must-have for finesse anglers when it comes to luring wary perch and chub. On the other hand, the micro jig has its limits. Its gliding action becomes a handicap when casting far. The fibers offer a significant hold in the air and slow down the lure when casting. Difficult to cast far with this light lure.
Again because of the fibers and its gliding action, it will be difficult to fish deep or in strong currents. In fact, the lure will swim too high in the water layer, due to the fibers being caught in the water, and it will be very difficult to work it and make it swim cleanly. The micro jig is most effective when it's close to the bottom.
Another disadvantage, which is a disadvantage in spite of itself, is that the micro jig is highly effective on pike from 50 to 80 cm... Without a suitable leader, it's almost systematically cut!
Rod and reel
To match this fine, tactile style of fishing, you need a rod that is both sensitive and responsive, capable of giving the necessary impulse to propel your micro jig to the right distance and feel it move perfectly on the bottom.
Full tip rods offer more sensitivity and control, especially on minimalist animations. The power range should correspond to the weight of the micro jig used. Often between 1 and 7 grams. The Illex Pepper range, which needs no introduction, has many models adapted to micro jig fishing, such as the Pepper S205UL Micro Jig Special.
The reel must be fitted with braid. The latter offers better casting performance and maximum sensitivity. Remember, micro jig fishing is precise and tactile, and to be effective you need to master the swimming action of the micro jig and its height in relation to the bottom.
For the reel to be perfectly filled with fine braid (4 to 8/100) PE0.3 to PE0.6, it needs to be small (1000 to 2500) with, if possible, a shallow spool. The latter allows you to have a perfectly filled reel, necessary for easy casting, without using too much fine braid. I often use rather slow or intermediate ratios, to easily control the streamer and be more precise and fluid in the animations.
Micro jig for great satisfaction
The micro jig is a classic finesse lure for streetfishermen. Capable of luring any species and difficult fish, the micro jig is a technical and subtle lure to master. Its gliding action requires attention and concentration, and the rod + reel combo needs to be adapted to take advantage of this small fibre-filled head...
