Are you trying to figure out what's a GOOD football jig from a bad one, so you can avoid bass constantly getting off the hook?
Here's your quick start guide buyers to get you started fast!
The best football jigs in this guide all pack fantastic-hook up ratios, excellent color options, and have a compact shape that allows them to come through any environment that you cast to.
We’ve tested hundreds of football jigs over the years, so we know what we’re looking for. Each of the football jigs you see in our guide below were hand selected based on a few key factors, including quality, durability, hook up ratio and added features, like color options. The result is a solid list of football jigs that are sure to put more fish in your boat.
This list below will offer you unbiased and helpful recommendations to help you get the best possible lure for your needs and budget.
While fishing with a football jig may be the answer to your needs, sometimes you’ll need to switch to other lures. With this in mind, my team and I published a quick-read review of 5 Best Bass Baits Every Angler Must Own, or you can opt to read the complete report, Bass Fishing Lures: A Complete Guide. Over the past several years my team and I also tested and reviewed a variety of products, including best bass fishing rod, best bass fishing line, best tackle bag and even best fish finder for bank fishermen!
Key Takeaways...
Football Jigs are a type of bait that is designed to fit under and into small areas such as docks, laydowns, and vegetation. Jigs should have little damage after fishing them because they are designed for some abuse.
These jigs should be heavy and are usually 3/8-ounce to 1 ounce in weight. Most popular football jigs have rattles to attract bass.
Let the bait descend once it hits the target, hop it a couple of times, and drag it over hard structure like rocks.
But… just because it looks like a football jig doesn’t mean it’s great for fishing— a football jig has to be Mike Tyson tough and be willing to take a ton of punishment, the hooks have to be surgical-quality sharp… and… as strong as an ox, it has to come in a variety of colors to better “match-the-hatch” to entice more bites.
I’ve come to the conclusion, you would be wasting your time if the lure you’re fishing it doesn’t have these features. Best of all, football jig are really easy to learn and fish.
Stop! Did you notice something? I didn’t say good football jigs have to be expensive. There are some really quality lures that don’t cost you an arm and a leg!
So listen… if you don’t have much time to read the details we totally understand. Simply use the links below to quickly find the best football jig for your fishing needs. You can be assured we only choose the best products for you…
Best Overall Football Jig – Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig
Best Budget Football Jig – Chompers Skirted Football Jig
Editor’s Choice – Mythik Lures Rock Crawler Tungsten Football Jigs
But be warned! Go through this blueprint slowly and carefully so you don’t miss any suggestions that could cost you.
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1. Strike King Tour Grade Football Jigs
WINNER! Best All-Around Flipping Jig!
The Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig is a deep-water jig designed to attract and hook into big bass. It has a wide football head that helps it stand up as the silicone skirt spreads out in the water.
Construction
The Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig is built around a strong Gamakatsu Hook 60A round hook. The jig has a weed guard that coordinates with the rest of the jig.
Its durable powder-coated paint job allows it to be knocked against the lake bottom and hard structure with injury to it. The premium skirt looks real in the water.
Fishing Experience
Anglers appreciate the fact that they can fish the Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig knowing that it’s one of the best.
You will be ready to jaw jack a lunker, just like the pros with this jig. The strong upgraded hook makes for a sure hook-up for you.
Price
Prices for this Strike King jig falls within the upper category of low-priced jigs. There are some sizes that are more expensive, and some websites charge more for the jig.
Summary
The Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig is made with top components and is effective in catching fish. Anglers love it for this reason.
Its strong Gamakatsu hook ensures that you can set the hook to complete your catch. This jig has a flat eye line tie to help keep the line, hook, and jig where it needs to be in the water.
Here are some REAL reviews from actual customers:
“All-around great jig!” – Griffin Gray: July 19, 2021 Via Amazon.com
“Sharp hooks, great color selection, and they hold up pretty well.”— nemo: March 17, 2019 Via Amazon.com
“Between the rod and reel, line and bait, I seem to be able to feel the bottom with this jig. Shell beds, gravel and sand bars have an awesome feel with this jig! I’m also impressed with all of the colors! – Scootie: 2011 Via Bass Pro Shops
This lure flat out catches you fish!
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ⅜, ½, ¾, 1 - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 5/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
2. Chompers Skirted Football Jigs
Best Budget Winner
Chompers Skirted Football Jig is very effective at hooking into bass, especially when you use a soft plastic trailer on the back. Its football-shaped head glides along the lake bottom without getting snagged.
They are sold 2 per pack.
Construction
The Chompers Skirted Football jig is a versatile football jig. It can be fished as is, or add a trailer for more attraction to bass. There are many skirt color choices and the skirts are detailed.
The Chompers jig is chip-resistant due to its powder-coated finish.
Fishing Experience
You can bounce or drag this football jig along the lake bottom and it won’t get scraped on rocks or other cover. It is a premium football jig with a detailed skirt that attracts bass.
Fish any depth with the Chompers Skirted Football Jig.
Price
You get a lot for the money with this football jig. They are sold 2 per pack, making the price for 1 of them in the low-price range for jigs.
If you are crazy about them, you may want to buy several packs since they are rather rare at the moment.
Summary
The Chompers Skirted Football Jig is a great jig that is loved by anglers. It is highly rated at 4.5 out of 5.
This jig is built around the super strong Mustad Ultra Point hook that’s ready to hook into large bass.
Here is a REAL review from an actual customer:
“The Chomper’s jig is the best jig made in my opinion. I have been fishing tournaments for over 12 years now and have tried a vast variety of lures. The Chomper’s jig has a slightly larger wide gap hook that assists the fisherman during the hook set. The jig is also very versatile. You can drag it, stroke it, swim it, and the outcome is always the same. There’s a good variety of colors and the larger hook allows for a better array of trailers to be affixed to this amazing product!” – Rangerdd22 Via Bass Pro Shops
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ¼, ⅜, ½, ¾ - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 4/0 VMC
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
3. Mythik Lures Rock Crawler Tungsten Football Jig
Editor's Choice Winner
I wholeheartedly recommend Mythik Lures Rock Crawler Tungsten Football Jigs.
The Rock Crawler Tungsten jig by Mythik Lures made by this small company is some of the best quality we found.
One of the best reasons to own a Tungsten jig would be when you’re fishing a football jig.
Grinding and bulldozing over the submerged structure, shell beds, or finding the transition areas from chunk rock to pea gravel, you need that extra sensitivity that only Tungsten can give you.
The quality of these jigs is what you would get from a custom made jig. The collars are hand-tied with wire, the jig heads are powder coated and then baked on for extra durability, and the hook is a Mustad black nickel that is sticky sharp.
Another cool thing that’s different from the other companies we listed here is Mythik Lures sells their jigs in bundle packs. So now if you break a jig off on a big bass, you’ll have a spare! No more being forced to use a subpar football jig!
The only hang up but not a deal-breaker is they sell out really fast.
You gotta try out a pack of these tungsten football jigs.
“Accurate description/No surprises with the Accuracy of the Weights. Quality jigs, great color and they weigh the advertised weight. Be careful! Some of the vendors on Amazon have VERY inaccurate weight descriptions.” — asdf, Amazon.com
This lure flat out catches you fish!
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ⅜, ½, ¾ - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 5/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
4. Berkley F19 Football Jig
The Berkley F19 Football Jig is a powerful jig designed by Gary Klein who designed this jig to have premium features. It has a PowerBait Flavored Skirt that bass love to hook into.
Construction
The Berkley F19 Football Jig is designed to catch bass with its wide football head that has a flat bottom. The Fusion19 hook is stout and can easily handle a lunker.
This football jig has a medium weed guard and a 40-degree recessed, horizontal line tie. You can crawl it on the lake bottom as it stands up on rocks and heavy vegetation.
Fishing Experience
You will feel the power of the Berkley Fusion19 Football Jig when you fish it. Bass can’t stay away from it, so you’re sure to get a hook in as you drag it or bounce it along the bottom of the lake.
Price
The Fusion19 is priced in the medium-range for jigs. There is one jig per pack.
Summary
The Berkley Fusion19 Football Jig gives you a great chance at jaw jacking a large bass as you fish the deep water of your lake. That’s because it was designed by an angler who specializes in jigs, so he knew just what it needed.
Every part of the jig was used to make it an effective jig, including the scented skirt, extra sharp F19 upgraded hook, and the fact that it stands up on rocks and vegetation.
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ½, ¾ - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 4/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
5. Bass Pro Shops Enticer Pro Series Football Jig
Bass Pro Shops designed their Enticer Pro Series Football Jig with features that are made for easy hook ins. One of these is a hook that settles to the bottom of the lake facing upwards, ready to do its job.
The Enticer Pro Series Football Jig is reasonably priced for the great features it offers.
Construction
The Bass Pro Shops football jig is one that you’ll use often because of its effectiveness. It has a 4/0 premium Eagle Claw Laser Sharp Wide Gap Needle Point hook for strong hook ups.
It is available in 6 weights, and the 1/4-ounce and 3/8-ounce sizes have 3/0 hooks. The jig’s football head keeps the hook up as it travels through the water.
Fishing Experience
The Bass Pro Shops Enticer Pro Series Football Jig will be ready to hook into a large bass that comes to investigate the jig. This is because it settles on the lake bottom with the hook facing upwards.
Its natural looking scale pattern attracts fish to it so you can set your hook in no time!
Price
The price for this jig is very good considering that it has many premium components. It is priced at the middle range of mid-priced football jigs.
Summary
The Bass Pro Shops Enticer Pro Series Football Jig is popular among anglers who rate it 4.0 out of 5.0. They have a 44-strand silicone skirt with a natural look.
This jig has a strong Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Extra Wide Gap that can easily handle large fish.
Here are some REVIEWS from actual customers:
“I bought half a dozen of the 1/4-ounce and 3/8-ounce models while they were on sale. The materials are of average quality. The hooks always need sharpening out of the package and you will lose most of the paint from the head when fishing around rocky structure. The skirt is decent and they have a great color selection (when they’re in stock). They are a decent everyday jig but you get what you pay for.” – cferguson: 2010 Via Bass Pro Shops
“Other reviews complained about stiff weed guards and the plugged hook eyes. These are very small problems for a jig that has a great skirt and hook along with the great paint job for very little money. If you pay 3X the money, you might get a lure with fewer problems. These are just right for me!” – oldgold: 2009 Via Bass Pro Shops
“Of the five jigs I’ve purchased, two of them had the weed guard fall 0ffright out of the package. The recessed line tie feature is nice but other than that it’s a very poorly made lure. Take my advice – Before you trim the weed guard, take the time to superglue around the base of the guard and give it plenty of time to dry. Good fishing!” – ohiobigbasser: 2008 Via Bass Pro Shops
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ¼, ⅜, ½, ¾, 1 - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 3/0 or 4/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
6. Jewel Bait Heavy Cover Football Jig
The Jewel Bait Heavy Cover Football Jig is a finesse jig that is highly rated at 5.0 stars by other anglers. The jig has a concave head with the ability to stand up and also a head scoop that enables the jig to jump as its dragged along the lake bottom.
The Jewel Bait Football Jig can be fished at any depth, and often goes 15 feet deep for anglers. It is available in many colors.
Construction
The Jewel Bait jig is made with premium components beginning with a custom-bend 4/0 Mustad Ultra-Point Black Nickel Hook. It has a fiber bait weed guard that keeps it from getting stuck in heavy cover.
The Jewel Bait Heavy Cover Football Jig has the correct weight-to-depth concave football head with the special scoop feature that allows it to jump. You can fish this football jig in any cover.
Fishing Experience
Fishing this Jewel Bait jig will give you lots of action as it stands up and jumps across the lake bottom. Its silicone skirt has a band that can hold a rattle to make your fishing experience even better.
Price
The Jewel Bait football jig is reasonably priced considering that it is made from the finest parts, including a Mustad hook It ranges in price from the high level of low-range prices to the low level of high-range prices depending on where you buy it.
Summary
There is a lot of fishing action with the Jewel Bait Heavy Cover Football Jig. Its unique head allows lots of action as it falls and moves over the rocks and through vegetation.
You can successfully fish this bait through any cover without it snagging or getting stuck.
Here are some ACTUAL reviews from real customers:
“This is a great jig if you’re looking to downsize. The head has a very durable finish compared to most jigs and keeps the bait upright. The hook is great, allowing hook sets even in very deep water. The reduction in skirt material offers many more benefits other than downsizing the bait. It allows you to cast much farther and accurately, even on windy days. The bait comes through cover well and there are several awesome colors to choose from.” – AllOutdoors: 2008 Via Bass Pro Shops
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ⅝, ¾ - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 5/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
7. Terminator Weedless Football Jig
The Terminator Weedless Football Jig is a popular football jig that anglers love. It is rated 5 stars out of 5 stars. It has a unique football head design that is more snag proof than other football jigs.
Construction
The Terminator Weedless Football Jig’s unique head design makes the hook stand up at a 30-degree angle when dragged across the lake bottom. This also enables trailers to move freely and attract more bass.
It is designed to be used in any water depth, and this jig has a custom silicone full skirt. A color-matched brush guard is also part of this jig.
Fishing Experience
The Terminator Weedless Football Jig allows you to be very active in fishing at any water level. This jig catches fish and is loved by anglers.
The heavy-duty wide gap hook has enough power for you to hook into a fighting lunker and set the hook.
Price
Prices for the Terminator vary from average lower prices for jigs to upper prices at some websites. Regardless of what it costs, this jig is worth the money.
Summary
The Terminator Football Jig is an effective jig for fishing deep water for bass. It has a large, powerful hook that can handle large bass.
It has been well-tested before designing a head that causes the hook to stand up on the lake bottom when you drag it.
Here are some REAL reviews from actual customers:
“Great colors for fall fishing!” – Destinee P.: October 23, 2020 Via Amazon.com
“Great quality and awesome balance! Love this lure! Throw a trailer on and look out for the lunkers!” – kls4270: 2013 Via Bass Pro Shops
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - 1 - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 5/0 Heavy Duty VMC wide gap hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
8. Z-Man CrossEyeZ Football Jig
The Z-Man CrossEyez Football Jig was designed by David Walker who tried to make the perfect football jig. It has a traditional shaped football head and is made with a super hard lead alloy paint to avoid scrapes and scratches.
Construction
The Z-Man CrossEyez Football Jig is made with a custom plastic weed guard that helps it glide through heavy vegetation and over rough rocks. It is designed to avoid snags and getting caught on underwater cover.
This jig also has a longshank 5/0 VMC hook for jaw jacking large bass. The wire trailer keeper holds your trailer in place without slipping, and it also has a hand-tied skirt.
Fishing Experience
Anglers feel confident using this Z-Man Jig because they know that it works. You will feel it moving over rocks and under vegetation.
You can be sure that the longshank 5/0 VMC hook will hook into your catch and bring it back to your boat.
Price
Prices vary depending on vendor, but they range from average for a football jig to the low part of the upper-priced jigs.
Summary
The Z-Man CrossEyez Football Jig has had some low ratings because the weed guard falling off or even being off when opening the package. Some superglue solved the problem.
This jig is great at catching bass in deep water, the reason why David Walker designed it. It glides over cover without getting caught and is sturdy and durable once you glue the weed guard on if it arrives off of the bait.
Here are some REAL reviews from actual customers:
“Looks good but weed guard fell off when I put it in my tackle box. Never used it. Easy fix – just glued it!” – Kristen Riedel: March 12, 2020 Via Amazon.com
“Looks good but we will see how many it will catch!” – Adrian Vidaurri: February 16. 2021 Via Amazon.com
“Weed guard snapped when I put a trailer on. Contacted Z-Man and they said, “Glue should work.” Well, why didn’t they use that in the first place?” – Jason: June 5, 2022 Via Amazon.com
Tech Specs:
- Weights offered - ¼, ⅜, ½, ¾ - ounce
- Head material - lead
- Hook size - 5/0 hook
- Rattle Chamber included - No
- Recommended line size - 15-25# fluorocarbon, or 55-65# braided line
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George Servinson
My name is George and I'm been fishing my entire life and love all things outdoors. My passion is helping anyone catch more fish. The newest things I've been doing lately is learning how to break down and clean all my reels, teaching my boy how to kayak fish, and bushcraft wilderness survival.