Trusting the jig for its dependable big-bite appeal, Keith Combs always has at least a couple tied on.
November 08, 2023
By David A. Brown The phrase “everyday carry” (EDC) typically refers to pocket knives, small flashlights, pens and other handy tools. For Keith Combs, EDC means jigs.
He keeps plenty of daily tools within reach, but in terms of tried-and-true big bite-getters, you’ll be hard-pressed to convince him there’s a more consistent option.
“Number 1, a jig is going to catch better-than-average fish,” Combs said. “If you look at the whole family of jigs, you can efficiently fish the whole water column and you lose very few fish on a jig.”
Clearly a year-round tool anywhere below the ice belt, jigs can also factor into the fall game. The notion of bass running around chasing bait schools during the third quarter is not wrong, but there’s much more to the picture.
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Combs certainly capitalizes on various reaction bait opportunities, but he does a lot of his autumn work with a jig quartet that handles the majority of what he expects to encounter this time of year.
The Lineup
When Combs is rigging for a fall day, he’ll think about where he’s most likely to be looking for his bites and how the fish are likely behaving. His Top 4 jig setups bespeak that strategy.
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> Vibrating jig: A 1/2-ounce Strike King Tungsten Thunder Cricket in white/chartreuse with a pearl white Strike King Menace or Blade Minnow typically sees the most playing time. A flashy, attention-grabbing bait that works well in grass or open water, the bait’s tungsten head allows him to fish a smaller profile.
“Most of the time I’ll use the Blade Minnow, but if I want to slow down or raise up that 1/2-ounce bait without going to a 3/8-, you put that menace on there and it will come up 6 inches on the same retrieve. Also, you can still fish it fast without it blowing out or coming up too high in the water.
“If I’m fishing around patchy grass and I want to be above that grass, or if I’m on a boat-dock lake and I want that Thunder Cricket to ride right up under the slips, that Menace trailer will hold it up in the water column.”
Combs said the Menace trailer also serves him over laydowns. A vibrating jig that sinks too fast tends to get in trouble around heavy cover. Maintaining a good clearance is the key.
“In the fall, those fish are moving around a lot and there’s not a better bait than that vibrating jig,” Combs said. “Later in the fall, those fish get in the backs of creeks on those shad and that vibrating jig is incredible.”
> Small-profile jig: When he’s targeting isolated cover, stumps, wood in pockets or docks with brush, Combs turns to the Strike King Compact Tungsten Jig.
As Combs points out, a lot of lake levels start falling this time of year, whether that’s from natural cycles or the drawdown, so shoreline cover will be in shallow water. This is where a tight little jig package can do wonders.
“Typically, there’s not going to be more than one fish on any piece of cover, so I think it’s important to be really stealthy,” Combs said.
Drain pipes, tributary creeks and anything that carries moving water can be autumn gold, Combs said. “Anytime of the year, when you have some type of current, the fish will gravitate to these spots because of the feeding opportunities.”
Also, there’s always a deeper hole in front of a pipe or a tributary that makes an attractive ambush feeding spot. Similarly, boat docks that have a little dredge in front are always better. Scanning such areas with his Humminbird 360 gives Combs the outlook on what to expect.
3. Swim jig: When he needs a more strategic option for areas where he might also throw the Thunder Cricket, Combs turns to a 1/2-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Swim Jig with a Swimming Caffeine Shad.
“I like the 5-inch trailer because that tail does something special; it makes the swim jig sway back and forth, almost like a crankbait,” Combs said. “I cut almost 2 inches off that trailer (for a tight profile) and then glue it on the hook.”
“Anytime I have the Thunder Cricket tied on, I’m going to have that swim jig tied on,” Combs said. “If I’m making a long cast over grass and I need the bait to come through the cover good, or if I want to skip under a dock, that’s when that swim jig comes into play.
> Dragging jig: Knowing that mild fall weather will see a lot of summer carryover with fish still holding around offshore brush piles and standing timber, Combs keeps a Strike King Structure Jig with a Rage Craw on deck.
Focusing this effort on channel bends or main lake drains, Combs favors the Structure Jig over a football jig because the tapered nose comes through cover better.
Strategy Tips
Explaining his jig weight decision, Combs said: “Usually, if I’m going to throw something deep offshore, I’ll opt for a heavier weight to make sure I get that fish’s attention. In shallow water, I typically throw a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce size so I can pitch or skip silently without making a splash.”
As for his rod choice, Combs stressed the importance of matching the right gear to each presentation. For example, he fishes his vibrating jig on a Shimano Expride 7'2" medium-heavy fiberglass rod.
“Anytime I’m consistently losing fish on a jig, it’s my rod,” Combs said. “You need a very specific rod to allow you to make a long cast and work the bait effectively.
“That Expride 7'2' medium has a crankbait rod tip with a ton of backbone. That slows down my response and allows fish to get the bait.”
Combs fishes his swim jig on a Shimano Zodias 7'2" heavy, while the flipping jig pairs well with a Shimano Expride 7'6" XX-Heavy. For the heavy structure jig, he likes a Shimano Zodias 7'5" heavy.
