Football Jig
A jig with a football-shaped head that stands up and crawls over rock without wedging - the premier tool for dragging deep, rocky structure for big bass.
The football jig gets its name from its head shape, and that shape is the whole point. The wide, football-profile head resists wedging in rock, rolls over the bottom, and stands the trailer up at an appealing angle as you drag it. That makes it the go-to for probing deep, rocky structure - ledges, points, chunk rock and gravel - where big bass feed on crawfish. Dragged slowly along the bottom, a football jig imitates a crawfish crawling and defending, and it accounts for a huge share of big offshore bass.
What it is & how it works
A jig with a broad, football-shaped head, a stout hook, a skirt, and usually a weed guard, dressed with a craw or creature trailer. The head shape keeps the jig from lodging in cracks and stands it up nose-down as you drag it, waving the trailer. It reads as a crawfish moving and posturing on hard bottom - a prime, high-calorie meal for structure-oriented bass.
When & where it shines
Deep rock and gravel - offshore ledges, points, humps, riprap and chunk rock - where big bass feed on crawfish, primarily in open water rather than heavy grass. It shines in clear to lightly stained reservoirs, cool to warm water, and any time you want to drag a bottom-crawling profile across hard structure to tempt bigger, deeper fish.
How to fish it
Cast to structure, let it hit bottom, and drag it slowly with the rod, keeping constant bottom contact and feeling the head bump over rock. Pause often, since bites frequently come when the jig sits. Detect the subtle "mushy weight" of a bite through a semi-tight line, reel down, and set hard. Cover the structure methodically, and slow down when you find fish.
Tackle & rigging
A medium-heavy to heavy rod with a sensitive tip and strong backbone, fluorocarbon for feel and abrasion resistance on rock, and a baitcaster. Match a craw or creature trailer to the forage and desired fall speed, and pick head weight for the depth and current - heavier deep, lighter shallow.
Colors & sizes
Green pumpkin, brown and craw patterns to match crawfish; darker in stained water. Match trailer color to the skirt. Heavier heads (three-eighths to one ounce or more) for deep water and current, lighter for shallower rock.
Common mistakes
Dragging it too fast so it skips over fish, losing bottom contact and feel, setting on the tick before reeling down to the weight, and using a head too light to hold bottom at depth or in current.