So while a lot of anglers already know that hair jigs can be a very effective lure for winter fishing, there are many things to consider when asking when hair jigs are best for crappie fishing. There are seasons where hair can be more effective and there are also types of crappie fishing where hair jigs can be more effective. So we'll discuss all of these to help you use your hair jigs more effectively in your crappie fishing endeavors.
WHY CHOOSE HAIR JIGS FOR CRAPPIE?
Hair jigs simply refer to jigs with either feathers, furs, and hairs of animals or synthetic materials meant to mimic these materials like craft fur, chenille and other materials to give the elusion of natural movement on jigs much like soft plastics do. Hair has many advantages over soft plastics as well as a few disadvantages.
The advantages are very lifelike action in the water. You can make them small profile but still look alive with a few feathers and thread. You can come up with lots of color combinations to mimic fishy looking profiles. And hair jigs don't tear up like soft plastics can.
Hair jigs are typically a lot more expensive than a single jighead and plastic. Changing colors means changing the whole jig to a different jig where with plastics you can simply take one tail off and put on another for color change. And Hair Jigs generally can't offer bulky profiles like you can get with plastics and sometimes prefer like fishing in the spring when crappie are feeding heavily to fatten up for the spawn.
WHERE HAIR JIGS ARE GOOD OPTIONS FOR CRAPPIE
Hair jigs can be fished just about every where a soft plastic on a jighead can be fished for crappie with a few exceptions. We have found hair jigs to be very effective on open water crappie. Also when crappie are extremely picky and finicky, a hair jig can often get some of the fish that refused your plastics to bite.
There are however a few times where hair jigs might not be as good, like shooting docks for instance. I will take a plastic over a hair jig every time because plastics will skip and give you much more margin for error and more distance than a hair jig will. I also find I can pull a soft plastic over a limb a little easier than I can a hair jig. So I often opt for plastics when I know I am going to get down into the cover.
A lot of guys vertical fish with hair jigs when they know the fish are really going to inspect a bait before deciding to bite. Those natural fibers can sometimes make a difference on those slower stiller presentations.
WHEN TO FISH HAIR JIGS VERSUS PLASTICS
Probably the number one time a hair jig will get chosen over a plastics for a large majority of crappie anglers will be when the water is cold. Plastics in warm water have more action than plastics in cold water. That also means they move a lot more with the slightest bit of movement by the angler. Whereas in the winter and really cold water they can get more rigid.
Hair continues to move fluidly no matter how cold the water gets. Because of this, when you need to downsize and fish for really pressured crappie, a hair jig can be the key to getting bites others can't get. So anytime you need to downsize, a hair jig can be a good choice.
Some examples would be in ultra clear water as well as really calm sunny days where the fish tend to be just a tad bit more skittish and standoffish to your offerings and your presence.
GEAR CONSIDERATIONS FOR HAIR JIGS
There are lots of different hair jig types, colors and designs out there for crappie fishing. From garage tiers to larger shops and everything in between. We offer three different hair jigs at Crappie Magnet that were all designed with purposes. The original Pop-Eye Jig is a simple jig with a sparse hair locked onto the jighead with thread and glue. It offers a small profile to mimic baitfish and bugs very well. It's a simple design proven and works great on crappie and bluegills and has done so for more than 50 years on lakes like Kentucky Lake, Pickwick Lake, and Percy Priest.
The Eye Hole Hair Jig features a lot more color and flash with a flashy chenille, colorful Eye Hole Jighead that can hold scent that looks like eyes with a soft marabou tail. This jig is a great option in water with a little color where contrasting colors and scent can be a big advantage for anglers.
The Tungsten Eye Hole Pop-Eye Jig is our most advanced hair jig with the Eye Hole for scent in the form of Slab Bites or Slab Sav, a head design that gives the jig more action on the fall, and more weight in a compact profile with an excellent high quality hook for sticking fish on light line. This is beneficial for anglers that fish deep water, highland impoundments and making long casts to spooky fish.
We recommend 2- to 6-pound S.O.S. Fishing line for hair jig fishing. We often downsize to 2-pound line with the original Pop-Eye and fish it on light spinning setups. We will upsize a bit to 4 to 6 pound line and fish the Eye Hole Hair Jig and the Tungsten Pop-Eye jig on both spinning casting gear and long rods for vertical fishing. These heavier jigs can be cast farther, maintain contact and be fished on a variety of setups and ways.
A light to medium-light rod in that 6 to 7 foot range is attractive. And small reels with 2 to 6 pound line is preferred.
If you haven't tried hair jigs for crappie, it can add a dimension to your fishing when things get tough or the fish are really inspecting your presentations before biting. Natural fibers flow and move effortlessly on the retrieve and make for some quality catches you might otherwise miss at times.
