Finesse Jigging

In the not-too-distant past, the mention of the word "finesse" to bass anglers would be followed by snickers. Anglers pictured wimpy rods and tiny baits — hardly the image hard-core fishermen wanted to project.That was then. Today, in the highly competitive world of tournament fishing, professional bass anglers recognize that finesse deals with execution rather than lure size. According to the dictionary, finesse means "extreme delicacy or subtlety in performance or skill." Performance and skill are exactly what modern bass fishing is all about.Professional anglers have discovered the ultimate big fish power bait — a jig — can be finessed. Actually, under specific circumstances, finesse jigging is a necessity.Size doesn't matte ."In terms of applying finesse to jig fishing, jig size does not really matter," states Jeff Snyder, a professional angler and a 2003 CITGO Bassmaster University instructor. "Finesse jigging means concentrating your effort and making a thorough presentation to a particular target. While downsizing may enter the picture under some circumstances, finessing for me really translates to minimal movement of a jig, regardless of size."However, Snyder admits that there is a place for downsized jigs in finesse presentations. "When you are fishing waters dominated by small bass, such as the Ohio River, then downsizing is necessary." Snyder designed the Bambino jig series with superfine silicone skirts in 1/16-, 1/8- and ¼-ounce sizes for Innovative Sport Group (ISG), along with matching soft plastic chunks, specifically for tough-bite conditions.But simply going to a small lure while continuing to fish it in a conventional way does not work," continues Snyder. "Whether it's a standard jig or a downsized jig, you've got to present it with finesse." Alton Jones couldn't agree more. "The most important aspect of finesse jigging is the presentation," explains the Texas pro with a jig fishing reputation as big as his home state. "You can do a finesse retrieve with either a standard-size jig or a downsized one. Depending on the situation, it may require both a finesse retrieve as well as downsizing the lure."Jones utilizes a ¼-ounce Riverside Jig most often for finesse presentations. He trims the skirt flush with the hook bend, thereby allowing the skirt to easily flair while the bait is sitting still on the bottom. He normally uses a 3-inch Yum Chunk on the bait, but when fishing a lake with larger-than-normal bass, such as Sam Rayburn, he switches to a 4-inch chunk to increase the profile."I consider myself a power fisherman rather than a finesse angler," acknowledges bass pro Rick Morris of Virginia Beach, Va. "But that doesn't mean I can't fish a jig with finesse. For me, power finesse translates to using a compact bait — usually a ¼-ounce jig — rather than a heavy head and big trailer. But it's really about how you fish a bait as opposed to the particular lure size."

When to finesse

 While Morris prefers presentations that allow him to cover lots of water quickly to draw strikes, he recognizes certain weather and water conditions are not conducive to this approach. Therefore, when fish are in a nonaggressive mood brought on by intense angling pressure or dropping water temperatures, he must adapt by applying finesse. For Morris, this means dialing down his speed meter and resting the jig in the strike zone for a longer period of time.

 
Bluebird skies following passage of a cold front and extreme fishing pressure are the two classic situations Snyder believes call for finesse jigging. In his home state of Ohio, he was constantly confronted with both as he developed his bassin' skills. "The standard joke in my neck of the woods is, 'If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, and it will change.' Another one is, 'Ohio has more bass anglers than bass.' When I was getting my feet wet in state competitions 20-some years ago, I discovered a couple of the area's top fishermen were already working finesse jig magic, although they didn't call it that back then. To survive Ohio tournaments, I learned finesse jig presentations by observing these anglers, and then carried that skill to lakes around the country."For Jones, cold water and clear water automatically call for finesse jigging. "Anytime I am confronted with water temperatures below 60 degrees in Texas, finesse jigging is my first consideration. I also resort to finesse jigging other times of the year when success wanes."According to Jones, there are two keys to successful finesse jigging. First, presentation must be precise."Mention finesse, and you automatically imagine that fishing is tough," explains Jones. "That means bass are holding much tighter to cover and are less willing to move to take a lure. The strike zone has shrunk to near nothing; therefore, the jig presentation must be very, very precise."The second key involves speed of the lure retrieve — both during the drop through the water column and the return along the bottom. In a finesse situation, Jones always uses as light a head as possible — usually a ¼ ounce or even as light as 1/8 ounce — to ensure the bait falls though the strike zone as slowly as possible.