Jig (Casting & Pitching) Fishing on Lake Hudson
Lake Hudson · Oklahoma · South Central
Lake Hudson sits in the Cookson Hills country of northeast Oklahoma, a 15,200-acre impoundment on the Neosho River managed by the Grand River Dam Authority. The lake carries moderate stain for most of the year, with extensive flooded timber, clay-bank points, and creek arm channels providing a structural variety that keeps largemouth and spotted bass spread across the fishery. Hybrids and white bass add chaotic schooling action, especially during fall shad migrations that compress baitfish in the upper creek arms.
A lead or tungsten head with a weed guard, skirt, and soft plastic trailer. Fished on the bottom by pitching, casting, or slow-rolling. The jig imitates crawfish and bottom-dwelling forage. More big bass have been caught on jigs than any other lure category — it's the lure that separates serious anglers.
Jig (Casting & Pitching) Setup for Lake Hudson
| Rod | 7'–7'3" medium-heavy casting rod, fast action |
| Reel | 7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 15–20 lb fluorocarbon (cover) or 50 lb braid (heavy grass) |
| Weight | 3/8 oz standard; 1/2–3/4 oz in wind or deep; 1/4 oz finesse |
| Hook | Built-in, typically 4/0–5/0 |
Seasonal Tactics on Lake Hudson
Lake: Largemouth push into the back ends of creek arms and shallow timber flats when water temps hit 58–65°F, typically late March through mid-May. Shallow-running squarebill crankbaits worked along flooded wood edges and a 3/8 oz Texas-rigged Zoom Brush Hog in shad or green pumpkin account for a high percentage of pre-spawn and spawn fish.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Pre-spawn is prime season — pitch brown/green pumpkin jig to 45° bank transitions and rocky points.
Lake: Fish slide to main-lake points and submerged creek channel bends in 12–22 ft of water as surface temps climb into the mid-80s. A 1/2 oz football jig dragged along clay-gravel transitions and a shaky head with a 6-inch Zoom Trick Worm cover the two most reliable summer presentations.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Football jig on offshore ledges 15–30 feet. Swimming jig around grass edges at dawn.
Lake: Shad migrations pull largemouth and spotted bass back into secondary creeks and onto shallow flats through October and November. Topwater walking baits like the Spook Jr. produce explosive action on schooling fish during low-light windows, while a 3/8 oz swim jig along timber edges carries the day when fish aren't actively breaking.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Swim a jig around baitfish schools near points and flats. Shad trailer colors in fall.
Lake: Winter concentrates fish on main-lake points and deeper timber stands in 18–30 ft, where slow presentations dominate. A drop shot with a 4-inch finesse worm and a 3/4 oz blade bait worked vertically over suspended fish are the two patterns that separate productive cold-water trips from fruitless ones.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Slowest presentation — drag a 3/8 oz football jig on deep hard bottom. Barely move it.
Best Conditions
All seasons, all depths, all cover types; most effective in 50–70°F water; excellent in pre-spawn and when fish are on hard bottom
Match trailer to conditions: craw trailer in cold water (slower fall, bigger profile), swimbait trailer when swimming, chunk trailer for flipping.
More Techniques for Lake Hudson
Ready to fish Lake Hudson?
Ask Hank about current conditions, water temp, and exactly what to throw today.
Ask Hank →