Finesse marabou hair jigs have dominated clear bodies of water anytime smallmouth bass are up shallow in ten feet or less. Bassmaster Elite Series angler, Bob Downey, is here to show us his spinning setup for fishing a finesse hair jig. For rods, Bob recommends the St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass in a Medium-Light power, Extra-Fast action in the 7'3", 7'6", or 7'10" model depending on the weight of your hair jig and the distance you are needing to cast the jig. The length, power, and action of the rod are critical for making a long cast and keeping the fish hooked on the smaller hooks that come on most marabou jigs. For line, Bob likes a 6lb dark green Sufix 131 braid to an 8lb fluorocarbon leader. Bob prefers a low-vis braid over a high-vis color since hair jig fishing is all about visual cues in clear water and he doesn't want fish seeing a high-vis braid. A 3000 or 4000-size Daiwa Tatula LT spinning reel is also ideal with their larger spools to help increase casting distance with lightweight finesse hair jigs.
Bob Downey's Finesse Marabou Hair Jig Setup (Rod/Reel/Line)
Wed, July 27, 2022
