Does it matter if jigs hang level or tail down?

[split handle]

Because of the weight of the hook (and of the lead barb, if present), ball-head jigs will hang tail-down under a bobber unless 1) the buoyancy of a plastic body on the hook counters the weight imbalance, or 2) the knot is shifted toward the rear of the hook eye to shift the balance point backward (which works if the imbalance is slight).

A problem with curing the imbalance with the second method is that the knot slides forward when you have a fish on, and then has to be repositioned before your next cast if you want the jig to hang level.

Some jigs are designed to hang level. I suppose that if one put a buoyant plastic body on them, they would hang tail-up.

I'll have to admit that while I try to make my jigs hang level when they will be fished stationary or very slowly, I do so only because I read that this is important and not because I have any real evidence that it sometimes matters. Do any of you have such evidence--for example, the only thing different between the presentation of the person catching crappies and the one who wasn't was that one was ensuring that the jig hung level?

[sparky]

I really don't bother. Level or leaning it doesn't seem to matter. I do 90% of my jig fishing casting without a float. I tie the line to the front of the jig eye close to the front of the body so that the jig swims (with curly tail) like a minnow. The only time I try to make sure it's level is when I use tubes and use a vertical presentation.

[skiptomylu]

Since I hardly ever use soft plastics I can't say a lot about them, but my jig hang level.

Skip

[The Lip RIPPERS]

I can tell you who will know, give Larry Russell with Crappie Pro a call he's done hours of tank testing on his plastics to see how crappie respond to the baits. 918-689-3606

[CrappiePappy]

with minor exceptions :p

I cast jigs w/o a float, about 95% of the time. Rod held at 10 o:clock position, and a very slow retrieve. The knot is tied to the top of the jighead's line eye. The weight of the jig pulls the line down, but the line is not tight between the jig and rod tip ... so the jig's weight vs the line's resistance to the water and forward movement, keeps the jig on a horizontal plane ... more or less :D
I don't "vertical jig", per se ... so a free hanging jig, on a loop knot, or a jig hanging on a re-positioned knot, isn't necessary (for me). Most of the time, when I'm presenting a jig "vertically" ... I'm Vertical Casting, or in other words, dropping the jig down to the bottom (or just deep) and then slowly reeling it back up. Minnows don't swim upwards while maintaining a horizontal position ... they swim head first, at an angle, so my jig mimics them quite well.
IF the fish want it dead still, and hanging horizontally, and won't hit it any other way ... I just won't catch them fish :p

The only problem I can see, with moving a tight knot towards the rear of a jig's line eye, has nothing to do with the inconvenience of having to reposition the knot, after a hard cast ... temporary hangup ... or after landing a fish. But, it does seem to be "possibly" asking for trouble ... on the hookset (or after several hooksets). The friction created with this rapid change of position, of the knot against the jighead's line eye, could be enough to weaken the line. Any nicks, scratches, or imperfections in the line eye of the jig, could compound the problem. So, to me, and with the methods I most often use .... it's just not necessary, and could be counterproductive.

... cp

[speckfinder]

i vertical jig 98% of the time. i always move knot to keep jig as horizontal as possible. not a problem to reposition it. don't know if it makes a difference, just the way i do it. when casting i don't worry about it.

[Fatman]

I've never really noticed any real difference so never worried about it.

Fatman

[asklouis]

I've never really noticed any real difference so never worried about it.

Fatman

I fish so I don't worry! I do not think it makes a difference and if it did it would matter in the mater not hanging in the air, so if you think it does matter suspend it in water and see what happens. Just remember, you are missing out on fishing while doing this.

[SpeckWick]

I always use a loop knot when jig fishing. It allows the jig to move more freely, and seems to allow them to hang somewhat level under a float or when vertical jigging. I use mostly 2" tubes or stingers, maybe the extra bouyancy makes them hang more naturally. I don't put a lot of time into it to make sure it does, as the jig doesn't sit still too long usually anyway. Watch a lip hooked minnow, it doesn't always swim horizontally, and I've not seen any problem with crappie hitting them that way.

[rocket rich]

I'm a firm believer in the Loop knot. The jig 2 incher will always ride to the level At least that's what I've been doing for 45 Years and it works for me. Verticial Jiggin that is..