The most exciting bites of early spring occur in very shallow water, so you’ll need all the subtle and lightweight lures you can get away with to reach these tight quarters. Slow retrieve speed, and hang time within the strike zone are keys to the game.   Hair Jigs Today’s generation of fish remain unconditioned to the simplicities of a marabou hair jig. The ultra-light weight and extreme slow fall of the hair jig enables it to hang in range of a smallmouth’s strike zone in the upper water column. With the proper tackle, allow the hair do all the work and slow glide for you. Many of the best quality hair jigs are hand-crafted by avid fly fishermen, anglers, and independent manufacturers. The best marabou jigs I’ve used to date are hand tied by Gregg Kizewski, of 3G Smallmouth Solutions in St. Germain, WI. Kizewski’s hair jigs are overdressed with pulsating marabou, benefitting the slow glide and hang time. If the jig doesn’t meet personal preferences, snip and remove excess hair to downsize the jig, and increase the fall rate. The fluff of his marabou jig is dense, slowing its drop. These puff balls are unbeatable when fish are wary,