The Flipping Jig: Is This The BEST Bass Bait?

The Real Deal

My biggest largemouth bass to date, an Ontario fish that tipped the scales at six-pounds even, fell for a flipping jig. The heaviest three in line below that lunker were also fooled by the same bait. Now, do I throw a jig a lot when out on the water? Absolutely. But I also have the most confidence in this lure to consistently catch both numbers and above-average size largemouth bass.

The flipping jig is a 'throw anywhere' bait. With its weedless design and vertical drop, pitching to a wide range of structure - including docks, undercut banks, slop edges, weed clumps, humps, and pads - gives you the ability to precisely target fish that many other lures simply can't touch.

My favorite structure spots to fish a flipping jig are undercut banks and slop edges. When conditions are in your favor, such as a trending warm front and moderate winds blowing into the cover, largemouth bass will position themselves just inside the shade and wait for a meal. When fish are riled up, your flipping jig won't reach bottom before being sucked up in the blink of an eye. And it is this vertical aspect of the flipping jig that makes it that more proficient compared to horizontally-moving lures.

Casting Connection

A flipping jig can be cast traditionally on a baitcast set up but this lure is really designed and most effective when used with an underhand pitch or close contact flip. Both techniques have their place but the highlight of each is perfect accuracy and a splashless entry.

If you're new to the flipping jig game, I suggest watching a few YouTube videos highlighting the mechanics of pitching and flipping. Both techniques are not hard to learn, but practice (such as I did back in the early days with backyard buckets) will help you immensely prior to hitting the water.

The Nitty Gritty

Flipping jigs come in a wide range of size, body composition, and skirt color. In terms of size, my go-to would be a 3/8 and 1/2 oz. These two weights will cover most of the bases you will encounter. I will occasionally pitch a 3/4 oz. style when punching through thick slop or if fishing a deep hump.

Lead has traditionally been the mainstay for most flipping jigs on the market but Tungsten is now an available option. The latter, with its smaller size to weight ratio, is a perfect choice for penetrating mats and slipping through tight spaces. I carry both in the tackle bag.

Color is a contentious issues and most folk have their own favorites. Black and blue is a mainstay on anglers flipping sticks. Same goes for green pumpkin and hues of brown and orange. I like to 'match the hatch' - choosing a color combination that I feel will most replicate the preferred prey. If the largemouth are feeding heavily on crawdads (think docks over rock) then I will go with brown and orange hues. If sunfish are on the menu and prevalent, then a mixture of yellow, green, and orange gets the nod.

What sort of plastic trailer you pair up your flipping jig with also comes down to personal choice. A crawdad or frog imitator is an excellent choice, as it will give motion to your jig while it drops and looks life-like in the water column. Creature baits or a swim bait, the latter of which I use heavily, are also worth a definite look. Carry an assortment of styles and various colors and let the fish dictate what they want.

I've fished dozens of brands of flipping jigs over the years but made the switch to Weapons of Bass Destruction three years ago. This Canadian company produces a high quality jig and haven't let me down yet.

The Final Verdict

With literally hundreds of styles of bass lures on the market, the flipping jig is one lure I would put my money on each and every trip to the lake. With its penchant for catching bigger than average fish, its ability to work a wide range of cover and structure points (far more than most lures in my opinion), and its relatively user-friendly ease, the flipping jig should be a mainstay on a rod each time you hit the water. But don't take my word for it - see for yourself!

Happy flipping and here's to a full season of broad smiles and big largies.