1 Bait, 5 Reasons: Hackney’s Go-To Finesse Jig for Early Fall Bass

It’s no secret that Greg Hackney likes to flip a jig whenever he can. That certainly holds true for the fall, when the Louisiana pro loves to tie on a Strike King Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Flipping Jig.

This jig is the thinner, more compact brother of the regular Hack Attack Flipping Jig, which is why Hackney turns to it at the end of the summer and into the early fall.

The 2018 General Tire World Champion gives us five reasons why he always has this smaller jig ready come autumn.

1. The Cure for the End-of-Summer “Blah”

While the northern part of the country may already have pumpkin-spice everything on their minds, temperatures still creep into the 90s in most of the southern states, including Hackney’s home in Louisiana. Hackney says that the end of summer is one of the most difficult times to fish in the South, which is why he likes to throw something that pressured bass haven’t seen before.

“Fish in the southern part of the country haven’t really felt fall and gone through that transition yet, so they’re still in that ‘blah’ summer mode where they don’t really want to bite a bigger bait,” Hackney said. “That’s why I love using this smaller jig because it’s something these fish don’t really see. Once fall fully gets here, that’s when I like to increase the size of my jigs.”

2. Zero-Degree Line Tie

Hackney targets a variety of cover with this jig, some a little tougher to get through than others. That’s why the right line tie can make all the difference in heavy brush.

“This line tie basically has the same effect as a Texas rig,” Hackney explained. “A Texas rig is pretty weedless because the line goes straight down. It’s hard to get hung up and this jig is exactly the same way. It’s perfect for going through brush and all sorts of cover without getting stuck.”

3. Perfect Weed Guard Design

A weed guard is an important characteristic of any jig, including the Fluorocarbon Flipping Jig.

“The weed guard is pretty stiff and thick,” Hackney pointed out. “Again, that’s important so you don’t get hung up in brush. The weed guard is obviously smaller because it’s a smaller-sized jig, but it’s closer to the hook point than other jigs. Usually when you get stuck with a jig, it’s not because the weed guard is giving, it’s because the guard is too far away from the hook point. That’s how brush can get up under there and get you stuck. That doesn’t happen with this jig thanks to the angle the weed guard sits.”

4. Thinner Skirt

Adding to the smaller profile of the jig is a much thinner skirt. With less material and a smaller presentation, Hackney says the finesse jig looks less daunting to persnickety bass.

“The thinner skirt allows this bait’s profile to be sleeker than a standard flipping jig,” Hackney explained. “That smaller skirt just gives it a thinner presentation for those fish that may be a little more finicky. It’s also great because you can use this bait on smallmouth and spotted bass with their smaller mouths.

5. The Best of Both Worlds

Even though he downsized his jig, that doesn’t mean that Hackney is putting away the heavy tackle.

“This jig is so compact that it’s really a finesse-type of bait,” Hackney said. “However, even though it’s smaller, you can still fish it on heavy tackle and fish it like you would a bigger and heavier jig. I like to use 20- or 25-pound fluorocarbon or 50-pound braid depending on the cover I’m fishing. When I’m working in grass I go lighter, but with the brush I move up to braid.”