What do I like best? For me its a 50/50 answer--I like both jigs and rigs. I guess I prefer the "thunk" a jig gets when a walleye inhales the bait, but I also like the challange of dragging a live bait rig and anticipating the hook set--not as simple as with a jig. Kind of like the comparison of spinner bait fishing for bass vereses a Texas rigged worm and the anticipation of that hook set.
I am the first to admit that I am not a rig fisherman or a jig fisherman--I am whatever the fish tell me to be. I will however take the side that catching a fish on a jig is my favorite--especially on light tackle. The jig in my opinion is indeed a more versatile and precise methos of presenting your bait than a leadered live bait rig all day long. All you have to do to prove that is ask yourself if you can control where your bait is 100% of the time with a live bait rig with a 2-10 ft leader on it? No.
The only control you have over the "rig" is to where the slip sinker is-- but you will never know without a doubt where that feisty minnow on a long leash is swimming around. Is the minnow on the bottom, 12" off the bottom, off to the side 36"? See what I mean? Now picture your bait on a jig, the bait is exactly where you put the jig-- the bottom, suspended 12" off, again--see what I mean. Less tangles with the jig as well because the leader is not there. Jigs also have more "color and size control". Thats a whole seperate blog, for now I am going out on Saturday morning armed with a "rig" rod and a "jig" rod and hoping that I can find some fish to take the jig--because that's my personal favorite way of catching "Wally". Good Luck, Capt. Josh www.minnesotaguideservice.com