Hackney’s approach for warm-season grass jigging is all about forcing the issue: He’ll flip the ¾-ounce version of his signature Strike King Hack Attack jig with either a Rage Craw or Twin Tail Menace Grub trailer, targeting those edges, points and gaps where fish will be looking for easy meals that don’t require much effort.
Even for those that may not be particularly interested in feeding, a big profile that zips past their faces usually meets with violent responses.
Hackney points out that this tactic is more about quality than quantity.
“With the jig, you eliminate a lot of the smaller fish,” he said. “The jig is an aggressive bait, and a lot of times those little fish will shy away from it.
“With a jig, you don’t normally get as many bites as you would on a piece of plastic, but the ones you get are usually your better fish.”
Bass legend Denny Brauer’s jigs get a thorough inspection and preparation before he flips them anywhere, with one of his most important tests being hook sharpness. Sticking a bass is always important, but particularly so in heavy cover where a solid hook set is essential to keeping that fish buttoned up.
“I’ll take the point of that jig hook, hold it against my thumbnail and try to pull it,” Brauer said. “If it sticks, it’s sharp enough, but if it drags across my nail, it needs sharpening so I’ll hit it with my hook sharpener.”
