Growing up in East Tennessee I’ve had the opportunity to fish a variety of highland reservoirs. These lakes are typically home to both largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as a variety of hard cover. There is rarely any vegetation in these fisheries, however there is almost always a prevalent amount of rock and wood. These fisheries also have clear water, making finesse style baits a very popular choice.
One of my favorite techniques for targeting bass on these bodies of water is throwing a finesse jig. This style of lure can be fished around any type of cover and is great for catching both largemouth and smallmouth bass. While there are a variety of different finesse jigs on the market, one of my all time favorites is the Keitech Model 1 Tungsten Casting Jig.
KEITECH CASTING JIG BUILD
The Keitech Model 1 Tungsten Casting Jig has a wealth of features not found in your typical bass jig. To start, this jig features a tungsten tear drop shaped head, creating a streamline profile that slips through cover with ease. This jig also features a hand tied 150 strand skirt made from Keitech’s exclusive SR-40 silicone. This material creates a unique action not seen in your traditional skirted jigs.
The weed guard on this jig is hand glued and paired with a custom Gamakatsu 3/0 hook. The Version #2 of the Keitech Tungsten Casting Jig also features a matte finish for increased durability, and a double pronged keeper which holds your preferred trailer firmly in place. This jig comes in sizes up to a 1/2-ounce, as well as a variety of different color options sure to match your natural forage.
KEITECH CASTING JIG APPLICATIONS
This jig excels in a variety of different scenarios, however I’ve found a few applications where this bait truly shines. Highland reservoirs are where this bait truly separates itself from the crowd. The clear water and prevalent amount of hard cover create the perfect environment to fish a finesse style jig. This bait excels when flipped against bluff walls, rock banks and sparse cover.
The thin weed guard and tungsten head create a finesse profile perfect for clear water applications. However, I don’t like to flip this bait in dense cover due to its thin weed guard and light wire hook. Instead I like to pitch this bait around bluffs, rocks and channel swing banks. Ive had the pleasure of using this jig over the last several years, and its caught me numerous trophy sized bass. However, there was one trip to Norris Lake that really stands out among the rest.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE KEITECH CASTING JIG
My good friend Robert Gee and I were practicing for a team tournament on Norris Lake. This lake is located in the mountains of east Tennessee and is known for having both trophy smallmouth and largemouth bass. This tournament took place in the middle of December and was one of the coldest days of the year. It was around 15 degrees during blastoff with a water temperature of 45 degrees.
Throughout practice we caught numerous fish on spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs and other moving style baits. However, the day before the tournament we had a major cold front hit pushing the majority of fish off the bank. On tournament day we went to the same areas we’d caught fish in practice, however we couldn’t get them to commit to our moving baits. We then tried positioning our boat further from the bank, making long slow casts in the same area as before. We were able to pick up 5 quality largemouth using this techniques, resulting in a pretty nice pay day.
This taught me the importance of slowing down when the fishing is slow, as well as adjusting your presentation when the fish won’t commit. I believe we generated those bites due to this jigs finesse profile and subtle action. If your looking for a great cold water jig, look no further than the Keitech Model 1 Tungsten Casting Jig.
