How to Rig Soft-Plastic Bass Lures on Jig Heads

There are so many advantages to bass fishing with soft-plastic lures on jig heads that you can overlook how snaggy they can be.

So, while you know the exposed hook will constantly look for tree stumps and weed clumps to snag, it also will increase your chances of a hook-up. "When you set the hook, he's on. He's buttoned," Game & Fish’s Dr. Todd A. Kuhn says in Episode 4 of the bass-fishing video series, "Beyond the Bait Powered by Streamlight."

Jig heads catch all kinds of fish in all kinds of places — freshwater, saltwater, deep, shallow, in between. And with a myriad of sizes, shapes and hooks. For bass anglers, that means the list of possible soft-plastic/jig head combos is nearly endless.

>>VIDEOS: Watch more Beyond the Bait Powered by Streamlight episodes

One of the greatest benefits of jig-head bass fishing is that the bait, weight and hook are directly connected, Kuhn says. That allows for precision casting and increases an angler's feel and control of the lure.

Learn more about catching bass with soft-plastic lures and jig heads in the video above.

Beyond the Bait Powered by Streamlight is a 13-episode video series on gameandfishmag.com that focusses on the best baits for bass fishing. Join Game & Fish's Dr. Todd A. Kuhn every Tuesday this spring as he goes deep into how bass lures work, what bass find irresistible in them, and how you catch more on your next trip.

Beyond the Bait Powered by Streamlight

Series schedule

• Episode 1: Soft Plastics — Flukes, Worms and Lizards
• Episode 2: Soft Plastics — Tubes & Creature Baits
• Episode 3: Rigging Soft Plastics — Texas & Carolina Rigs
• Episode 4: Rigging Soft Plastics — Jig Heads, Live March 3
• Episode 5: Rigging Soft Plastics — Swimbaits, Live March 10
• Episode 6: Selecting the Right Soft-Plastic Hook, Live March 17
• Episode 7: Spinnerbaits from Top to Bottom, Live March 24
• Episode 8: Technical Topwater, Live March 31
• Episode 9: Choosing the Right Bass Rod, Live April 7
• Episode 10: All About Lines, Live April 14
• Episode 11: Baitcasting Vs. Spinning, Live April 21
• Episode 12: Find More Fish with Search Baits, April 28
• Episode 13: Weighting Your Bait, May 5