How to Fish Marabou Jigs for Trout

First created in 1957 by Bill Ward, the marabou jig is one of the best lures for catching trout. They excel in creating a very lifelike appearance and are hard to resist for even the pickiest trout.

Marabou jigs are very versatile and can be fished in rivers, ponds and lakes. They can be fished just below the surface or dragged across bottom, trolled from a boat or casted from shore.

What’s the Best Color and Size of Marabou Jig for Trout?

Color

One of the best things about marabou jigs is their simplicity. Unlike other lures that often come in an almost endless combination of colors, trout often prefer just a few colors when it comes to marabou jigs.

Black, brown and olive are the most popular colors used for trout fishing, and you often won’t need any other colors. Start with black, then try switching to brown or olive. One of these three colors will usually work. If you’re not getting any bites on these colors, a white or multicolor marabou jig is worth a shot. Other bright/flashy colors can sometimes work as well like pink, green, chartreuse, red, etc.

There are some marabou jigs out there like the VMC Marabou jig that incorporate small amounts of tinsel, which can further attract trout due to its reflective and shiny properties. This can sometimes make a big difference, and we highly recommend having some of these on hand.

Size

a 1/8 oz marabou jig is perfect for the majority of trout fishing scenarios. However, if you are fishing smaller rivers, or don’t need to cast very far, a 1/16 oz jig will work well. Fishing on a big lake where the trout are further out? Consider a 1/4 oz marabou jig.

Brands

Our favorite brand of marabou jig is VMC. The VMC Dominator marabjou jigs have a 60 degree jig eye allowing for better control of the jig. VMC also uses small strands of tinsel, which tends to attract more fish.

When to Fish for Trout with a Marabou Jig?

While marabou jigs can be effective year round, they are going to work best in colder waters. Late fall through early spring is the best time to use marabou jigs for trout. Ice off fishing in particular is one of the best times, and marabou jigs are my go-to lure.

Marabou jigs can be effectively used as a hardwater lure as well, so make sure you bring a few with you when you go ice fishing. To use as an ice fishing lure, jig it the same way you would a spoon like a Swedish Pimple.

How Do You Fish Marabou Jigs for Trout?

Rod and Line

Using a light to medium-light rod with fast action is perfect for targeting trout with marabou jigs. The line you use will depend on how big the trout are that you’re targeting, but for average sized trout, a 4-6 pound fluorocarbon leader will be ideal. If you’re targeting bigger trout, consider moving up to 8 pound line.

To start, tie the marabou jig on the end of your line. Don’t use a swivel, as that can negatively affect the bite.

Cast out and let the marabou jig sink for around five seconds once it hits the water. How long and deep you let it sink will vary depending on water depth, and where the fish are holding in the water. This will take some experimentation to get right, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t start catching fish immediately.

Technique #1

Once it’s at your determined depth, start reeling it in. There are a variety of different techniques you can use to fish marabou jigs, so play around with it until you find what is working.

One of the best ways to start is to simply reel it in using 1-2 second pauses every few seconds. During the pause when the jig is falling is when the trout typically take it. Before pausing it you can twitch it up or to the side slightly, giving it a bit more action.

Technique #2

Another method is to jig it back in by repeatedly lifting your rod tip up a foot or two and then let the jig fall. While it’s falling, and as you are bringing your rod tip back down, reel in the slack. Repeat until you catch something.

Technique #3

Marabou jigs can also be dragged across the bottom with slight hops when fish are holding deep. This technique is a bit risky and often ends up in lost jigs and getting caught up on rocks and vegetation, so only fish this way when you know that the lake bed is flat/muddy with little vegetation.

Tips and How to Tell When You’ve Got a Bite

Make sure to keep your rod tip pointed down or flat as much as possible and to keep the slack out of your line.

Keep a close eye on your line as it often indicates when a fish has taken your jig. It almost always happens on the fall, so keep that in mind and be ready to set the hook if you notice your line doing anything unusual.

Marabou jigs do not need to be tipped with any sort of bait, as the action is what causes the fish to bite.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color marabou jig is best for trout?

From our experience, and from talking to other anglers, the best color marabou jig for trout is black in size 1/8 oz. Of course there are other colors and sizes that work great such as brown or olive, but black is our top recommendation.

What are marabou jigs made from?

Marabou jigs are made from marabou feathers, which are down feathers from a turkey. A marabou is an African stork, whose feathers has been used to make clothing. Today we use the down feathers from turkeys as a substitute.

Which species can be caught with marabou jigs?

Although marabou jigs were created specifically to catch trout, they work great for almost all species of fresh water fish like bass, walleye, crappie, etc.