Jigets

Tail Dancer

Crappie Bait

The Crappie Bait Jig is a premium SCENTED plastic crappie jig built with hot colors for all water conditions and the waters where crappie live. A full selection of premium crappie jig and tail combinations allow you to change with the weather - fish dark shades in bight conditions for crappie and then change to brighter colors as the sun goes down or on overcast days.

Different bodies of water and stains (shades) of water also call for a change in your crappie bait jig color. For fishing stained rivers, you will find our bright chartreuse crappie baits to be ideal when mixed with pink or chartreuse crappie jig heads.

Our Crappie Bait Jigs are SCENTED with the highest quality scent infused in the plastic. You should store your scented crappie bait jig back in its tube so that the scent can recharge and maintain its strength!! The scent triggers strikes for inspecting fish that pause at the jig. Scent trail can be the deciding factor for when fish decide to turn away (or with the scent, strike and take the meal). We use only the #1 proven scent unlike cut-rate scents that cost less and work less. Chose Gapen Scented products to score more fish.

Gapen's crappie bait jig can be used as a cast and swim bait or can be vertically jigged to entice big crappies to take the bait. Tip with a small bit of bait or use the Gapen Red Ball as a scent tip to draw the attention of crappie nearby. Use the Gapen Red Ball after attaching a small crappie minnow to hold your live bait in place and keep it on the hook longer. You may find that no bait at all will trigger strikes from hungry crappies as the swim action on these crappie bait jig combos gets crappie feeding.

The swim of the bait will activate on the drop because of the crappie bait jig's design and crappie absolutely love baits on the drop. Strikes will occur as the bait slowly swims downward into or above a school of crappie. Be sure to watch your line on the cast for signs that the jig has been intercepted, crappie to suspend and ascend to attack their baits.

The lighter crappie bait jigs are great for this tactic and for catching fish "on-the-drop". A hot tip, when using the crappie bait jig, use your rod tip to not only slow the decent of the bait but also to feel the strike of the crappie as your crappie jig drops through the water column. Have your rod tip follow the jig down the last 5 - 6 foot as this is the strike zone where often crappie will strike. By using your rod tip to slow the descent, you will put the crappie bait jig right into the action as hungry fish are watching the drop. Try both fast drop and controlled slow drop to see which the fish are preferring on your day. Conditions and crappie moods change so be ready for anything by having an assortment of additional colors and sizes.

Crappie Bait Jig Color Chart: Chartreuse/Black = Chartreuse Head/ Black Body, Etc...

Crappie Bait Jig | Plastic Crappie Jig | Crappie Jig and Tail | Crappie Swim Jig

Mousey

Hellgrammite

Ice-N-Ant

Ice-N-Ant Ice Jig
Ice-N-Ant

Dan Gapen, Sr. created the Ice-N-Ant for the sole purpose of enticing bluegill (bream). Since its creation in the year 2000, it has become a standard lure for the ICE FISHERMAN as well as OPEN WATER FISHERMAN.

Tipped with a small GRUB, the Ice-N-Ant takes most species which feed on insect life beneath the waters of your favorite lake or stream. Bluegill, crappie, redears and multiple species of trout fall to the charms of this buggy little lure. Pick your color and size, then enjoy!

Another popular presentation is to tie the Ice N Ant above your hook bait. To do this, tie an Ice n Ant about 12" - 16" above your hook line - leaving that tail of line below your knot. Then add your hook bait or small jig and you have a killer, multi-depth presentation. You may just find that the fish hit your Ant more than the lower bait.

Freshwater Shrimp

Freshwater Shrimp Jig

Important Ordering Information:
The size you order determines the style
1/64 oz = Glitter Tail (Chartreuse shown)
1/32 oz = Glitter Tail (Chartreuse shown)

Because tiny shrimp are found all over the globe, their flash and size are a universal feeding shape to most every fish. The freshwater shrimp jig has the flash tinsel and fly combo that fish hone in on and strike. Grabbing their attention with the flash of light similar to the real thing as it catches rays, the freshwater fresh shrimp catches the focus of fish and gets strikes.

With the quality materials making up this fly jig, the freshwater shrimp jig flicks on the fall, flashes and parachutes into the eye line of now curious fish. The hair and structure form a slow-fall drop that brings strikes from crappie, trout, bass, perch, walleye, white bass and blue gills - any fish that ever ate eats the shrimps.

Crappie fisherman know how on-the-drop fishing is key to catching. A proper crappie jig features water-catching hair shoots and materials that offer a superb slow-drop. Crappie anglers can choose between the Freshwater Shrimp Crappie Jig with glitter tail or the 1/16 oz. and up Freshwater Shrimp Maribou Crappie Jig With Glitter tail for premium hair fly jig combination that few monster crappies resist.

Jigging Tips

Materials make the jig and make the presentation. Proven tie patterns with premium materials make jigs that hook lips because the jig performs in the water column. The sliver flash of the jig head as it pops from the twitch of your rod tip, back to the tinsel glitter tail put a flash in the water that locks the fish in. Flick your rod tip and then follow your jig down -visualizing the slow drop in your mind - follow that downward with your rod tip. Be ready to strike if you get slack line or feel a tap as the jig is suited for attacks "on-the-drop" as the jig slowly falls. You can also watch your line for any sign of slack - this is a fish strike or structure which you should be ready to raise the tip back up to set the hook or lift the jig.

Also essential in a jigging setup is a rod that will transmit the lightest tap back to the angler's hand at the rod handle. High quality carbon wrap spinning rods send the line vibrations from the tip eye straight through to the handle and the angler's fingers. Placing your trigger finger on the rod blank above the cork is a great way to add a little extra feel to sense the lightest strike tap. For great jigging rods with unsurpassed touch and sensitivity, try some of the Gapen Adventure Spinning rods to work your jig and feel light strikes before they get away.

Gapen's Maribou Crappie Jig

These sizes come in Maribou Tail
1/16 oz = Glitter + Maribou Tail (shown-pink below)
1/8 oz = Glitter + Maribou Tail (shown-pink below)
1/4 oz = Glitter + Maribou Tail (shown-pink below)

Made with a tantalizing tail of marabou and glitter flash, the combined with a body structure similar to a Wooly Bugger fly makes Gapen's freshwater shrimp in 1/16 oz., 1/8 oz., and 1/4 oz. such a deadly fish enticer. All heads are nickel-plated and can be used in both freshwater and saltwater. Over 5 million of the smaller 1/64 oz. and 1/32 oz. sizes were sold the first 5 years they came out for panfish.

RED BALL JIGS

The RED BALL JIG

Gapen Introduces The Red Ball JIG

The Red Ball comes with three extra red egg tippers which are heavily scented with anise oil, a natural attractant for all game fish. The Red Ball lure is made of tin, an environmentally safe metal. It is plated in nickel or gold, which creates a flashy fish tempter which fish instinctively gravitate to. See the Fantastic Fishing Tips explaining "How-To" use and why the Red Ball works--and what species it works best on.

Summer or Winter...It Matters Not!

This "NEW" fishing creation, the Red Ball, will produce results on gamefish such as panfish, perch, rock bass, walleye, bass, trout, pike or lake trout.

Gapen's Red Ball JIG brings to the angler a completely new concept in fishing NEVER BEFORE SEEN!

Why???: All fish, from minnow stage, instinctively feed on the eggs of others, even their own species. It is this instinct which the Red Ball targets. Most fish spawn (eggs) tends to carry an opaque orange or red color. It is this shape and color that the Red Balls duplicate. The main silver or gold body design and color is just a device on which to present the red egg. It is the body which creates and triggers a fish attraction and draw to the Red Ball.

As the body flashes, dips, dives and erratically darts towards the fish staging area, it creates interest and fish come directly to it. But, it is the shape, color and scent of the Red Ball that stimulates the reaction to strike.

Working the Red Ball: Numerous lifts and twitches at rod tip are required as the Red Ball is presented. Once in the fish staging zone, this lure should be held still. If, after 30 seconds, no strike is felt, anglers should twitch the Red Ball two or three times and wait. Still no strike--repeat the process of casting or vertically jigging.

A Look Behind the Scenes of our "New" Red Ball JIG

History
Bob Kook, fishing buddy, cameraman and good friend of the Gapen's, first laid the idea of the Red Ball style jig on Dan Gapen, Sr. after he'd done research while ice fishing for panfish. Bob noted that more times than he could count, panfish had a tendency to attempt to eat the split shot which held his offering down. Eventually, he used just a shot on a hook with no natural bait, and caught fish. Next, the split shot were painted a number of colors. Red turned out to be the best. Then a small 1/4 inch red plastic bead was placed on a nickel flat spoon hook. It worked! It seems the flashing wobble of the spoon drew the panfish in, but it was the red bead which they struck.

A Theory Why It Works
All fish species begin as eggs, which in turn turn into very small fish fry with a large egg sack attached. The sack, normally an orangish or reddish color is what the tiny minnow feeds on while it grows. During this period of life, a fish is extremely vulnerable to predation.

Thus, there is a natural instinct in all fish species to feed on eggs or anything which consists of a round circular shape.

It is a genetic instinct which cannot be withheld when fish are in search of food.

Therefore, fish, no matter what the species, are drawn to this food's shape more than they are drawn to the egg by smell or action. As a matter of fact, the Red Ball is best presented to fish in a still manner (motionless).

Presentation of the Red Ball
Two years of research proved up the following. The flash and darting action of the tin body of the Red Ball brings the fish in to this bait. But, it's the red egg-tipped on the metal body which drives them to strike it. "Strike" will come 90% of the time when the lure is held motionless for several moments. At times, the angler should allow the Red Ball to sit still and for as long as 30 seconds before striking results will occur.

Normally, species such as perch, bluegill, crappie, rock bass, whitefish and ciscoes will charge into the bait as it is vigorously jigged up and down, and then nose in to within a couple inches. Only then, when it's held still will they close in on it, flare their gill plates and suck the Red Ball in.

In the case of crappie and perch, they will rise as the bait is ingested. This creates an easing off of line pressure at rod tip. Bluegill, rock bass and other species suck the Red Ball in and dart off creating a hard strike at rod tip.

Gapen's continue with future research on other gamefish species as you read this copy in their newest catalog. Research in new lure styles, with the Red Ball construction and theory are on-going. Fish such as walleye and bass are now being offered new Red Ball lures. As of today, the new idea is working well. Gapen's knows the round ball works. They only have to develop body styles to carry the Red Ball to other gamefish.

It is my belief--Dan Gapen, Sr.--that many of us, as well as myself, have been working our winter and summer jigs too hard. We've held with the theory that a rapid jigging action is the key to cause fish to strike.

Not so!!!
The rapid jigging action of a lure is what causes the fish to notice an offering. Thus, drawing them to our lure. However, if this rough working of the lure continues, such action will flush fish from your lure. It matters not if you've tipped it with natural bait or not.

Holding it motionless after a series of jerks and twitches is by far the best presentation. If you have an underwater camera this theory can be well-documented.

If fish fail to strike the motionless lure, a painfully slow rise of the bait will renew their interest. If that fails, then the target probably isn't ready to feed and you best repeat your attractive jigging action to draw in another fish target.

Crawfish Jig

Dan Gapen, Sr. spent 8 years tying, testing and re-tying this lure. It works on any gamefish, which feed on crawfish. Nothing attracts and entices fish to strike better than natural deerhair and feathers. Combined these features with the patented, SNAG-FREE wedge-head of this lures relative, the UGLY BUG jig, and you've created a monster fish catcher.

Muddler Jig