How-To

Modifying football head jigs

Whether he’s combing the ledges on Texas impoundments or fishing for smalljaws up north, McClelland has been around the block with a big jig in his hand.

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<p> When it comes to tossing a football jig, it’s hard to find anyone more versed than Mike McClelland. Whether he’s combing the ledges on Texas impoundments or fishing for smalljaws up north, McClelland has been around the block with a big jig in his hand. In the photo gallery that follows, McClelland takes readers through his jig system, from the rod and reel to his bait of choice, with special emphasis on late fall and early winter.</p>
When it comes to tossing a football jig, it’s hard to find anyone more versed than Mike McClelland. Whether he’s combing the ledges on Texas impoundments or fishing for smalljaws up north, McClelland has been around the block with a big jig in his hand. In the photo gallery that follows, McClelland takes readers through his jig system, from the rod and reel to his bait of choice, with special emphasis on late fall and early winter.
<p> McClelland likes to keep a variety of trailers on hand to give the bass a choice on which one they like most on any given day. From left to right, he uses a Zoom Super Chunk, Zoom Critter Craw, Zoom Fat Albert Double Tail and Zoom Brush Hog. He will also mix in a Zoom Super Speed Craw and a Zoom Baby Brush Hog, both not pictured.</p>
McClelland likes to keep a variety of trailers on hand to give the bass a choice on which one they like most on any given day. From left to right, he uses a Zoom Super Chunk, Zoom Critter Craw, Zoom Fat Albert Double Tail and Zoom Brush Hog. He will also mix in a Zoom Super Speed Craw and a Zoom Baby Brush Hog, both not pictured.
<p> McClelland uses a variety of Jewel football jigs for both deep structure and skipping. Regardless of the situation, McClelland has a favorite. “My number one go-to color is PBJ or PBJ smoke.”</p>
McClelland uses a variety of Jewel football jigs for both deep structure and skipping. Regardless of the situation, McClelland has a favorite. “My number one go-to color is PBJ or PBJ smoke.”
<p> Despite having a favorite, McClelland experiments and likes to adjust to what forage the bass are feeding on. He also pulls out the watermelon Jewel jig when there are a bunch of anglers on the lake throwing jigs alongside him. “That skirt I use during high fishing pressure,” McClelland said. “There are so many people throwing a football jig these days, I tend to go to that watermelon color when there is a lot of pressure. That color tends to work well around boat docks when the bass are feeding on bream.”</p>
Despite having a favorite, McClelland experiments and likes to adjust to what forage the bass are feeding on. He also pulls out the watermelon Jewel jig when there are a bunch of anglers on the lake throwing jigs alongside him. “That skirt I use during high fishing pressure,” McClelland said. “There are so many people throwing a football jig these days, I tend to go to that watermelon color when there is a lot of pressure. That color tends to work well around boat docks when the bass are feeding on bream.”
<p> Having a good fishing rod is a critical part of fishing a football jig, when detecting bites and keeping bass hooked are both critically important. “The thing I’ve learned over the years about fishing a football head is the more you jerk, the more fish you lose,” McClelland said. “The head of a football jig is so big, you want to just pull into the fish. The rod I use has a nice parabolic bend with good backbone, so you just wind until you get to the pressure point and then the backbone will drive the hook home.”</p>
Having a good fishing rod is a critical part of fishing a football jig, when detecting bites and keeping bass hooked are both critically important. “The thing I’ve learned over the years about fishing a football head is the more you jerk, the more fish you lose,” McClelland said. “The head of a football jig is so big, you want to just pull into the fish. The rod I use has a nice parabolic bend with good backbone, so you just wind until you get to the pressure point and then the backbone will drive the hook home.”
<p> McClelland designed a rod specifically for Falcon for throwing football heads, the heavy action Falcon Mike McClelland Heavy Cover rod. “It’s very light and well balanced,” McClelland said. “The 7-4 I throw is for 3/4-ounce and lighter football jigs. When you step up to 3/4- or 1-ounce exclusively, I like to use a little heavier rod.”</p>
McClelland designed a rod specifically for Falcon for throwing football heads, the heavy action Falcon Mike McClelland Heavy Cover rod. “It’s very light and well balanced,” McClelland said. “The 7-4 I throw is for 3/4-ounce and lighter football jigs. When you step up to 3/4- or 1-ounce exclusively, I like to use a little heavier rod.”
<p> As for the reel, McClelland opts for a Quantum Tour Edition or Quantum Smoke reel in a 6.3:1 gear ratio. “You definitely want a high-speed reel because you are fishing deeper water,” McClelland said. “You want something you can take up a lot of line quickly with and keep the pressure on when you do hook a fish.”</p>
As for the reel, McClelland opts for a Quantum Tour Edition or Quantum Smoke reel in a 6.3:1 gear ratio. “You definitely want a high-speed reel because you are fishing deeper water,” McClelland said. “You want something you can take up a lot of line quickly with and keep the pressure on when you do hook a fish.”
<p> He varies his line choice depending on the conditions, but always uses Sunline fluorocarbon. He will go with the FC Sniper when he wants to cast farther and Shooter when he’s fishing more abrasive cover. With winter approaching, he recommends the FC Sniper. “When you get to the winter months, the fish are typically more lethargic, so I’ll go to the lighter line since the fish won’t hit as hard as they will during the summertime,” McClelland said. “It allows you to get the bait down better and stay in touch with the bottom. I do consider dropping down to 12- to 16-pound test and if there are guys out there throwing it on spinning tackle, you might want to even drop to 10.”</p>
He varies his line choice depending on the conditions, but always uses Sunline fluorocarbon. He will go with the FC Sniper when he wants to cast farther and Shooter when he’s fishing more abrasive cover. With winter approaching, he recommends the FC Sniper. “When you get to the winter months, the fish are typically more lethargic, so I’ll go to the lighter line since the fish won’t hit as hard as they will during the summertime,” McClelland said. “It allows you to get the bait down better and stay in touch with the bottom. I do consider dropping down to 12- to 16-pound test and if there are guys out there throwing it on spinning tackle, you might want to even drop to 10.”
<p> McClelland carries a box full of Jewel jigs, with more stored in Hefty bags for easy access. He often plays careful attention when fishing, to see what color a crawdad might be when he notices one sticking out of the mouth of a bass. Also, don’t get caught without enough of the hot color for that day. Break off your last one and you will be wishing you had stocked up like McClelland.</p>
McClelland carries a box full of Jewel jigs, with more stored in Hefty bags for easy access. He often plays careful attention when fishing, to see what color a crawdad might be when he notices one sticking out of the mouth of a bass. Also, don’t get caught without enough of the hot color for that day. Break off your last one and you will be wishing you had stocked up like McClelland.
<p> As for trailer modifications, McClelland likes uses a Zoom Brush Hog, but trims it so it fits better and looks more enticing to bass. You will need a Brush Hog, a pair of scissors and some JJ’s Magic for this little trick.</p>
As for trailer modifications, McClelland likes uses a Zoom Brush Hog, but trims it so it fits better and looks more enticing to bass. You will need a Brush Hog, a pair of scissors and some JJ’s Magic for this little trick.
<p> Start by pulling the tops of the side wings off of the body.</p>
Start by pulling the tops of the side wings off of the body.
<p> Once you have done this on both sides, they will dangle enticingly. “I do that just to give the bait a little more bulk,” McClelland said. “Those little wings dangle out of the skirt and make it look a little more alive. I do like to leave those attached because they are one more appendage hanging on there.”</p>
Once you have done this on both sides, they will dangle enticingly. “I do that just to give the bait a little more bulk,” McClelland said. “Those little wings dangle out of the skirt and make it look a little more alive. I do like to leave those attached because they are one more appendage hanging on there.”
<p> Then cut the body of the bait just above where the wings are danging. </p>
Then cut the body of the bait just above where the wings are danging. 
<p> Your Brush Hog should look like this.</p>
Your Brush Hog should look like this.
<p> Now, take your Brush Hog and begin to thread it on the hook.</p>
Now, take your Brush Hog and begin to thread it on the hook.
<p> Push the bait all the way up the shank and secure it on the baitkeeper like the one on this Jewel football head jig.</p>
Push the bait all the way up the shank and secure it on the baitkeeper like the one on this Jewel football head jig.
<p> After securing the bait, grab your scissors and make a slit up the paddle on each side of the bait.</p>
After securing the bait, grab your scissors and make a slit up the paddle on each side of the bait.
<p> The finished product should look like this. “Cutting the paddles makes it a little more lifelike as far as looking like crawfish pincers,” McClelland said. “When I really get serious about it, I will sit down and pre-cut a bunch of them with those crinkle-cut scissors.”</p>
The finished product should look like this. “Cutting the paddles makes it a little more lifelike as far as looking like crawfish pincers,” McClelland said. “When I really get serious about it, I will sit down and pre-cut a bunch of them with those crinkle-cut scissors.”
<p> As a final measure, McClelland dips the tails of his bait in JJ’s Magic. “That’s something that I don’t do all the time, but number one, the garlic scent is a big key,” McClelland said. “There is something about that chartreuse that gets fish attention. Anytime fish want to be feeding on bream, that chartreuse-died tail triggers more bites than you might get without it. Certain places we go down south on those Texas lakes, the orange is a little more prevalent when you know they are feeding on crawfish.”</p>
As a final measure, McClelland dips the tails of his bait in JJ’s Magic. “That’s something that I don’t do all the time, but number one, the garlic scent is a big key,” McClelland said. “There is something about that chartreuse that gets fish attention. Anytime fish want to be feeding on bream, that chartreuse-died tail triggers more bites than you might get without it. Certain places we go down south on those Texas lakes, the orange is a little more prevalent when you know they are feeding on crawfish.”
<p> Knot choice is also important and McClelland has had enough headaches with a Palomar knot on fluorocarbon that he has been using a San Diego knot ever since. “If you don’t tie the Palomar with precision, you will burn or kink the fluorocarbon,” McClelland said. “That was one of the biggest problems I had early on when I was using fluorocarbon. Gerald Swindle and I sat down and tested knot after knot one night and came up with the San Diego knot. I don’t know if I’ve ever broke one off on the hookset since.”</p>
Knot choice is also important and McClelland has had enough headaches with a Palomar knot on fluorocarbon that he has been using a San Diego knot ever since. “If you don’t tie the Palomar with precision, you will burn or kink the fluorocarbon,” McClelland said. “That was one of the biggest problems I had early on when I was using fluorocarbon. Gerald Swindle and I sat down and tested knot after knot one night and came up with the San Diego knot. I don’t know if I’ve ever broke one off on the hookset since.”
<p> Start by doubling the line up like you would a Palomar knot and pass the doubled end through the eye. Wrap the doubled end back up the line, with the number of wraps decreasing with an increase in line size.</p>
Start by doubling the line up like you would a Palomar knot and pass the doubled end through the eye. Wrap the doubled end back up the line, with the number of wraps decreasing with an increase in line size.
<p> Finally, pass the tag end through the loop formed near the eye of the jig.</p>
Finally, pass the tag end through the loop formed near the eye of the jig.
<p> What’s left is a tag end and a loop, both of which should be trimmed close to the knot.</p>
What’s left is a tag end and a loop, both of which should be trimmed close to the knot.
<p> The final accessory needed for jig fishing is plenty of Hefty One-Zip bags. “Probably one of the biggest things I use them for is trailers,” McClelland said. “I’ll try to make myself a little day bag of jigs when I know I’m catching them on a specific color or size. The biggest thing I like using the Hefty One-Zip Quart for is having an array of trailers that I might throw that day; and I’ll put some Smelly Jelly crawfish formula in there, too. Those bags withstand the scents and applications you can put on a bait and they don’t break down.”</p>
The final accessory needed for jig fishing is plenty of Hefty One-Zip bags. “Probably one of the biggest things I use them for is trailers,” McClelland said. “I’ll try to make myself a little day bag of jigs when I know I’m catching them on a specific color or size. The biggest thing I like using the Hefty One-Zip Quart for is having an array of trailers that I might throw that day; and I’ll put some Smelly Jelly crawfish formula in there, too. Those bags withstand the scents and applications you can put on a bait and they don’t break down.”

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