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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

jag n.²

[jack n.² ? or fig. use of jag n.¹ (2)]

1. a foolish notion.

1889–90

Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.

2. (US) a strange or stupid person.

1897		W.D. Howells Landlord at Lion’s Head 248: No more jays for me, no more jags for you. That’s what she say [...] mark of a lady know when to use – slang.
1901		W. Irwin Love Sonnets of a Hoodlum XIX n.p.: I have reached the limit where I weep As easy as a sentimental jag.
1908		‘O. Henry’ ‘The Fool-Killer’ in Voice of the City (1915) 166: The Fool-Killer looked at me grimly and closely. ‘You’re a queer jag,’ said he.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 109/2: Jag. (Carnival) An inept person; a dolt.
1969		Current Sl. III:3 8: Jag, n. Someone out of touch with the latest fads.

In phrases

his jags (n.)

a self-opinionated person.

1881		Daily L.A. Herald 13 Aug. 2/3: Cull, you should have seen the frost his jags struck when he went on [i.e. on stage].
1887		Lantern (N.O.) 5 Feb. 3: His jags wusn’t on de square.
1889		Dead Bird (Sydney) 12 Oct. 7/4: [He] boasts that he never pays a fare [...] His jags got down on his hands and knees between two seats.
1888		Wichita Eagle (KS) 29 Apr. 10/3: A star or manager is known among his company [...] as ‘his jags,’ ‘his nibs,’ ‘her niblets,’ ‘the duchess’.