Glen Stewart looks to the UNITED STATES for inspiration on a new technique to target golden perch.
The American bass fishing scene has had a massive influence on the way we fish for our native species in Australia. Techniques born there 30 to 40 years ago are still filtering through to the Australian fishing scene with skirted jigs being just one of many.
The history of the skirted jig is quite interesting, if not a little fragmented, with so many backyard Joe’s taking to the back shed with a bucket load of tyre balance weights, some deer or squirrel hair and some hooks. Interestingly enough, the first rubber skirts were fashioned from the rubber strands off a lady’s girdle… can you picture that?
Bob Carnes from Arkie Jigs was possibly one of the first guys to take it to the next level with mass production and quality control beyond the backyard level; he wasn’t alone, anglers were also stepping it up with experimentation and adaptation. One of those anglers was Dee Thomas, a Californian Delta fisherman. Dee is granted with the invention of flipping and pitching in the late 60s and early 70s. For those unfamiliar with flipping and pitching, it’s a rod control, line control method of casting short distances with skirted jigs.
It was developed in response to the ban placed on tule (water plant) dipping in fishing tournaments. Jigs and other lures were being dipped into the water close to the tule beds with a long pole and line tied to the end of it.
Other anglers were also experimenting with the head design, skirt materials and trailers (addition of something to the hook). Uncooked pork rind was and still is used in some cases for trailers. While crude, I’m told it’s very effective, as it adds contrast, movement and scent.
Late winter and very early spring is when skirted jigs really shine when it comes to Golden Perch. At this time of the year the water temperature has just bottomed out and is starting to climb, and the yabbies are just starting to stir after their winter hibernations. I’m sure the perch can actually here the yabbies stirring underground and hone in on the clay and rock banks looking for them.
MY AFFINITY
My affinity with skirted jigs started over 10 years ago and has slowly developed over time but admittedly, it has been somewhat hampered by a lack of enthusiasm for the lure type in local tackle stores. I hope this article will help to create some demand for a product that has plenty of potential on our native fish as I believe we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to skirted jig applications in this country.
My early purchases were made overseas, along with some locally purchased D.I.Y options, which is still a great way to get into skirted jigs, but more on that later. I still remember the first packages turning up and tearing into the packaging like a child. I fished the jigs the weekend for zippo. The banter had already begun too. Some of my mates were tell me to throw them away; claiming that the yank produced rubbish wouldn’t work here. It just made me more determined as I knew they had potential, but it’s very hard to continue using something that’s not working when old mate down the back of the boat is towelling you up.
I’ve always enjoyed fishing by myself and I guess it has helped in the learning process with skirted jigs. Fishing alone allows you to fully immerse yourself in your goals and provides you with opportunity to experiment with things like retrieve speed and jigs as well as minor boating adjustments. I was making progress, even catching a few fish, but it wasn’t until I took a trip to Windamere with Alex Hickson where I was finally game enough to get them back out of the closet.
I could see the golden perch on the sounder, 3 to 4 m down, sitting very close to the hard, rocky bottom. Out came the jig rod, rigged with a different jig to my initial purchase. This was smaller, the hook gauge was lighter, the head design was different, and I had cut the weed guard off flush with the head. I’m not sure if it was the first or second cast but it was pretty quick. I went on to catch 3 or 4 more golden perch on the jigs and that filled me with a renewed confidence, which is a big factor when it comes to fishing.
You can catch golden perch at all times of year on skirted jigs, but far and away the best time to fish with them is late winter and very early spring. When the water temperature has bottomed out and just starting to move upwards, is generally best. In Windamere, the magic number is between 11 and 12°C at the surface.
As with most things in fishing, it’s the small things that make the difference. While they all add up to a system that works hand in hand with you to achieve maximum results, systems can vary slightly, but a good understanding of the fundamentals is handy.
Casting and fishing skirted jigs is best done with a fast tapered 7 ft spin or baitcast rod with no fore grip, rated to the casting weight of the jig. One important factor I have found is the ability to have direct contact with the exposed rod blank with a forward facing index finger. Bottom contact and the interpretation that comes with this rod grip is important with this style of fishing. After a while you will be able to tell the difference between rocks, weed, timber, mud, and the hit from a fish, all telegraphed up the fluorocarbon leader and braided line through the guides and blank to your finger.
STYLE OF JIG
There are many skirted jig styles, all designed with a specific intention of catching more fish in certain situations. The first lot of lures I ordered all those years ago were designed for largemouth bass; a flipping style Arkie head with a huge hook and thick weed guard. No doubt they were suited to the fish and environment they were designed for, but not even close to what I needed.
It’s taken me some time and a lot of trial and error to find the best jigs and it’s been a continual process ever since. After some more research I found some finesse skirted jigs designed for small mouth bass in large open lakes. The head design was different too. It was shaped like a football, perfect for crawling on rocky bottom; the line tie was further back; the skirt was spider cut, or trimmed at the front and the skirt was also shorter at the back, just covering the hook. These jigs were different again from the ones I used with Alex all those years ago, and even more successful.
One of the great things I have found with skirted jigs is being able to modify or change the dynamic of the jig on the run to suit certain conditions. You can trim the skirt or thin it out (sometimes less is more when it comes to fish) for very clear water and a finicky bite. At other times the opposite may be more appropriate, in which case you can add a bulky contrasting trailer when water clarity is reduced. This will also slow the fall to the bottom.
Scents can be added to the rubber skirt material and trailer while rattle tubes can also be retrofitted. Beetle spin arms are one modification I have been playing with recently and while it makes the lures appear more like a spinnerbait, these are far more compact for their weight rating.
NOT FOR EVERYONE
Skirted jig fishing has been a journey of discovery and one that continues today. For some, it could become very addictive, while for others, not so. I have found myself fishing skirted jigs in situations where it would be more productive to fish something else, which could be said for any style of fishing; however, I think it’s the combination of b one jarring strikes, the visual aspect of the line jumping sideways on the fall when a fish strikes and being able to delve into a style that many others have yet to discover.
I believe there’s a much bigger picture when it comes to skirted jigs and that bigger picture has plenty more pages to it than what I have written.
DIY was a big part of my skirted jig success early on. Tackle shop sales are driven by angler demand and at the start with little demand I was left to rummage through dusty shop corners and boxes looking for jig heads, skirts and rubbers. Hopefully this article, and Peter Phelps latest win in a Bass Pro Grand Final, where a skirted jig played a major role in his win might change that demand.
Glen has been fishing and communicating with anglers and outdoor enthusiasts for over 20 years on a local level. His knowledge of the Central Tablelands of NSW is second to none. His home waters include Windamere Dam, Lake Lyell, Wyangala and all the connecting streams and rivers. Glen has also travelled extensively and has many good captures to his name. Sharing knowledge comes easy to Glen and he believes it’s one of the greatest things about fishing. “Learn it, live it, pass it on.”
This particular fish was what got the ball rolling and boosted my confidence when it came to skirted jigs and golden perch. It was caught well over ten years ago now but I still remember it as if it was yesterday.
