Open Water Finesse Football and Flipping Jigs

by Russ Bassdozer

This shows and tells product photos, product descriptions and information for the lure models and colors that are (or have been) available at BassdozerStore.com. Not all models and colors shown are currently available, and exact specifications are subject to change.

Note: Some of the following configurations may not all be currently in stock. Some may be sold out at this time. Please check online at www.BassdozerStore.com for current availability of specific items below. Thank you for your business.

Open Water Finesse Football and Flipping Jigs

Open Water Custom Baits is the company started by Jerry Hansen within the last few years, but Hansen's no newcomer to the fishing industry.

Big Boy Baits, his original company from 1990 to 2003, was one of the legendary western US jig and tube bait manufacturers.

Jerry's back again with his same famous jigs produced under the Open Water name now.

There are two jig styles that Hansen originally designed and helped popularize across the Western USA:

1. Finesse football jigs with a recessed line tie eye for deep water, relatively lighter lines and long casts. Dressed with smaller skirts, small yet strong Gamakatsu hooks.
2. Finesse flipping jigs for shallow water, heavy cover and heavier tackle. Dressed with smaller skirts, small yet strong Gamakatsu hooks.

These are two of the best jig designs ever made for clear water finesse fishing. Many people may understand why football jigs are used in the deep, clear water found out west. Some may wonder, however, why a flipping jig in clear water lakes? Because most all deep, clear lakes have some percentage of shallow, dark-stained water, typically side creeks or in the back of coves can be murky, brush-filled shallow water. Hence the need for flipping jigs in such dirty water sections found even on deep clear lakes.

Open Water Finesse Football Jigs

I stock this one at BassdozerStore.com because many Western anglers ask for it by name. It's one of the West's original and most popular football heads. First made by Big Boy Baits, now Open Water Baits, for almost 20 years. It has become a common jig style made by many other Western jig vendors today. Look at what many Western jig vendors offer, and you will spot this same style with the recessed hook eye, smaller-sized hook, dressed in shorter skirts for downsized presentations in clear water for pressured fish. If bass aren't hitting standard-sized football jigs, this is the one to go to. It has a groove or recessed channel on top which recesses the jig hook eye in the groove. So the hook eye does not protrude above the lead head, but is recessed in a slot. It has a relatively smaller size Gamakatsu hook, made of medium wire but very strong for it's size. It's designed for a smaller jig skirt, comes with a 4" thin cut strands to give an overall small, compact presentation deemed necessary for clear water, lock-jawed or pressured fish, as is common in the Western USA's deep, clear lakes. Comes dressed with Open Water's top-selling 4" thin cut skirt colors or you can get the undressed jig heads. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Two of the most common presentation requirements in order to fish jigs in clear water are:

1. To make long casts with jigs, so as not to alert spooky fish, and
2. To fish them deep.

The Open Water football jig is made with a fine wire ultra-sharp 4/0 Gamakatsu hook for a positive hookset with little effort on long casts and in deep water.

Typically, you are going to use this jig in rocky areas, with lighter lines and lighter rods than for flipping. Say a medium heavy baitcasting or spinning rod with approximately 10 or 12 lb test mono, fluoro or 15 lb braid.

This is the style jig to use off points, ledges, outcroppings, rock slides, bluff walls, deep creek channels or anywhere there's deep, open water structure.

The football head design and recessed hook eye allows this jig to be worked through and around rocky structure with little risk of hang-ups.

3/8 oz Open Water Football Head ~ Black

1/2 oz Open Water Football Head ~ Black

Super fine cut skirt strands for a natural, lifelike action. The strands are finer-cut and a little shorter length, resulting in a compact, pre-trimmed skirt that ends closer to the hook bend. Think of it as a finesse skirt for skittish fish in clear water.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Black. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Magic Craw. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Green Pumpkin. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Sprayed Grass. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Brown Purple. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Dark Craw. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Football Jig ~ Cajun Craw. Available sizes: 3/8, 1/2 oz.

Open Water Finesse Flipping Jigs

I stock this one at BassdozerStore.com because many Western anglers ask for it by name. It's one of the West's original and most popular "finesse flipping" jigs for downsized flipping presentations. First made by Big Boy Baits, now Open Water Baits, for almost 20 years. It has become a common jig style made by many other Western jig vendors today. Look at what many Western jig vendors offer, and you will spot this same style jig head, smaller-sized hook, dressed in shorter skirts for downsized presentations in clear water for pressured fish. If bass aren't hitting standard-sized flipping jigs, this is the "finesse flipping" size to go to. It has a relatively smaller size Gamakatsu hook, but full flipping strength for it's size. It's designed for a smaller jig skirt, comes with a 4" thin cut strands to give an overall small, compact presentation deemed necessary for clear water, lock-jawed or pressured fish, as is common in the Western USA's waters.  Comes dressed with Open Water's top-selling 4" thin cut skirt colors or you can get the undressed jig heads. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

The Open Water flipping jig is the perfect jig for fishing thick cover in shallow water. It has a 6/0 ultra-sharp, ultra-strong Gamakatsu hook to ensure a positive hook set with a heavy flipping rod and heavy line.

The streamlined head design allows this jig to be worked through heavy cover. Brush, trees and vegetation are no match for this weedless jig.

3/8 oz Open Water Flipping Head ~ Black

5/8 oz Open Water Flipping Head ~ Black

Super fine cut skirt strands for a natural, lifelike action. The strands are finer-cut and a little shorter length, resulting in a compact, pre-trimmed skirt that ends closer to the hook bend. Think of it as a finesse skirt for a flipping jig.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Black Blue. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Dark Craw. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Green Pumpkin. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Brown. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Sprayed Grass. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.

Open Water Flipping Jig ~ Brown Purple. Available sizes: 3/8, 5/8 oz.