Hair Jigging Walleye
Seems like the walleye world forgot about hair jigs. When the soft bait revolution started and the hair jig got lost in the shuffle.. Once a killer tool in many walleye anglers’ arsenal, the hair jig is finally making a comeback after being out of sight and out of mind for far too long. I started to get intrigued by the idea of hair jigging walleye a few years back.
VMC had just released there new Bucktail hair jig line up and I started thinking about the triggering effect of the hair jig and how it would trigger walleyes if you were to fish it like you fished a like a Jigging Rap or a jig and plastic and snapped jigged it aggressively.
I started to use hair and snap jig it and it started to produce a ton of fish.
The unique thing about the VMC bucktail jig is that the head is shaped like a pear. It is weighted heavier in the front and because of that it makes it fishes a lot different than most other jigs.
When you are snap jigging it, it has a much quicker and more vertical fall almost in a darting action.
I have found that if the fish are feeding aggressive, hair jigs like the VMC’s Bucktail, will often out produce live bait if they are worked correctly.
There aren’t just meant for walleyes either. I have caught smallmouth, largemouth, pike, musky panfish and many other species of fish on hair jigs.
Hair jigs are a must have in your tackle box this year and make sure you try hair jigging walleye this spring, you won’t be disappointed. The fact is the hair jig never stopped being effective and many older anglers simply forgot how effective it was and many new anglers don’t know how good it can be.
The Triggering Effect of Hair Jigs
Al Lindner first became intrigued by hair jigs for walleyes a few years ago. He started to think about the triggering effect of these jigs and wondered what would happen if he used them in combination with other popular fishing techniques, such as jigging wraps or snap jigging with plastic trailers. To his delight, this experimentation proved to be successful, and he found that using hair jigs in this manner produced a significant number of fish.
The VMC Buck Tail Jig
One particular hair jig that Al Lindner highlights is the VMC Buck Tail Jig. What sets this jig apart is its unique shape and weight distribution. The head of the jig is shaped like a pear and is weighted heavily towards the front. This design allows the jig to fish differently compared to other jigs, such as the Moon Eye Jig. The Moon Eye Jig is used for a different purpose and has a different head shape and dressing.
Fine-Tuning Jig Fishing
According to Al Lindner, there is much more to jig fishing than simply using a ball head jig with a minnow on the back. Fine-tuning your jig fishing techniques can make a significant difference in your success on the water. Understanding the different shapes of jig heads and experimenting with various dressings can help you find what works best for the walleye in your area.
The Resurgence of Hair Jigging
Hair jigging for walleye fishing has experienced a resurgence in recent years. While there was a time when hair jigs were overshadowed by the introduction of mass-produced soft plastics, they never stopped being effective. Many older anglers may have forgotten about the effectiveness of hair jigs, while newer anglers may not be aware of their potential. Al Lindner emphasizes the importance of rediscovering the effectiveness of hair jigs for walleye fishing.
The Versatility of Hair Baits
Hair baits have proven to be effective in both saltwater and freshwater fishing. Al Lindner shares his personal experiences of catching a wide variety of fish species using hair baits. From grouper and snapper in saltwater to largemouth and smallmouth bass, lake trout, muskies, northern pike, and crappies in freshwater, hair baits have consistently produced results. Al Lindner also notes that fish tend to hold onto hair baits better than they do with plastics, making them an excellent choice for anglers.
