I have used jigs for over 60 years. Most people ,me included, when starting to use jigs overwork them. In that they pump the rod too much and too often. I vertical fish almost 100 % of the time. When I was a teen ager ( that was long ago ) went night fishing with an oldtimer. We stopped at the bait shop and he bought 3 dozen minnows. I remember thinking to myself he isn't very confident on our chances tonight.

I was wrong . He never used a minnow. He had bought them for me to use. When I ran out of minnows that night. I tried his jigs. That is when my education started. He looked me overworking the jig. He said stop fishing and watch me. His hand holding the rod never seemed to move. But his rod kept getting these solid slams.

Holding my rod hand as still as possible. I began to get bites. Mostly I missed them. Wait for the weight was his advice and then I started tattooing them. At the time we had a forty gallon aquarium at my house. With only about a dozen fish in it. Don't remember the species but they were all pet shop bought.

I clipped the points off a couple of old jigs that I had. Proceeded to try and learn to keep lure as still as possible. By the way it is impossible. Heartbeat , involuntary hand movement, any number of things cause that jig to undulate in a most tempting manner. No the fish in the aquarium didn't try and eat them . But they did show interest. My sisters watching thought I had gone bonkers.

To this day I have a 10 gallon aquarium. I tie jigs now and have for quite awhile. When tying a new style or pattern. I always sink them in the water. To see what they impart when I am trying to hold them " still ". By the way if any of you fellow geezers remember the " No-Name " fishing lure. I used the tank test to experiment until I got one of my ties to emulate the original.