Need help jig fishing!

[KTurmel]

ok year after year i try to work a jig but when ever i do i just wined up taking off bucket full of weeds.....is there something i am doing wrong or that what i should expect while jig fishing.....oh and fyi still have never caught a fish on a jig.....

[Bassboss]

What kinda jig are you using? If it's a football jig it'll snag up in weeds bad. One jig I found that stays out of weeds, but really shines around wood is the SK denny flipping jig. It's got a nice load rattle on it too, but you can snap it off if you need too if the fish aren't hitting it. My advise is buy 2, break the rattle off one and see what they like. Might wanna buy a couple more though, case ya loose on!

[3dkicker]

What type of grass? Or do you mean algea?

If you are punching grass then you need the right jig (.5 oz to 1.5 oz) and rod/reel combo to get the bait through the grass.

If you swim the bait over the grass then you might be using the wrong type of jig again (like Boss said).

There are several types of grass jigs and swimming jigs available on the market.

Finally like all baits jigs have a time and a place. If fish are suspended and you're dragging a jig under the fish you won't get bit. If the fish are hugging the bottom and you swim it 10' over them then it's not likely you'll get bit either.

[KTurmel]

thanks for the info, but i dont think the bass even have time to bite it bc by the time its even close to the boat i got 4 foot plants hanging off the back of it

[keithdog]

I would suggest getting close to open pockets within the weedbeds, and make short flips or pitches into those pockets. Let it settle towards the bottom and work the jig vertically for a few seconds. If no luck, try another hole. Also, if your fishing very heavy weeds, you might try lofting it higher into the air so when the jigs hits water it can blast through the weeds canopy. Also, you might want to try working a t rigged soft plastic with few appendages, like a beaver style bait. They can penetrate the weeds easier than a jig. Just be sure to use at least a 1/2oz weight pegged to the hook. Good luck.

[3dkicker]

Quick question. What type jig are you using??? First one or second one? If second one then do you know what brand or style?

[Bassboss]

Oh, and check this video out, it oughta help.

http://www.bassfishin.com/fishing-videos/jig-fishing/

[KTurmel]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

Quick question. What type jig are you using??? First one or second one? If second one then do you know what brand or style?

i got a couple of them but i do have 2 or 3 that look like the second one, i have one thats even narrower than that, but theres no difference in any of them bc as soon as i cast it and let it sit then i give it 2 or 3 jerks and im caught up in the weeds

[Bender]

I haven't watched that video for a long time so forgive me if I repeat anything in there. I am not a good jig guy and struggled for a long time. Only recently have I started to get the feel for how to catch a few fish on it. The main thing is to slow down. Cast/pitch it to a good looking spot. Choose someplace that a crawdad might live like beside a stump, along rocks, etc. Generally the weeds aren't too heavy there. Let the jig fall straight down there and let it sit. How long? However long it takes. I let it soak for a good while then slowly drag it or maybe hop a little. When you feel something interesting stop and let it sit for a bit. Then continue back to you. If you feel some weeds on it then give it some slack then "pop" it hard once to try to free it. That is what I have been doing recently with some success. Once you find out if the fish are deep, shallow, etc. it should narrow down your target area. I'm sure they work for some people open water fishing, but for me getting it onto a target works best right now.

There's no "right" way to fish a jig, it depends on what the fish want so experiment with retrieves and locations.

[carolina-rig-01]

Everyone here has given you some good advice, but I will add one thing that might be worth trying. I am not a big fan of braid for the most part. I will use it on frogs, some flipping, and as a main line for a carolina rig (and even then I don't like it). But you might try fishing braid in this situation if your not already because braid will cut through weeds when you pop the rod tip and this might help you out.

[keithdog]

Another thought would be to try a lighter 1/4oz yipped with a bulky trailer like a #11 pork frog or a Strike King Rage Chunk. Cast on 20 pound copoly line which floats, you would have a slower sinking jig which just might work better for you as it wouldn't get burried in the weeds nearly as fast as a heavy jig. And try working the deeped edges of the weedbeds.

[KTurmel]

yeah thanks for the advise! as soon as the waters this way open up im gonna get out there and try some of this stuff. i use 15lb braided line already but i think my biggest problem is the jigs weight all of mine are relatively heavy....got a $50 gift card to bps for vtine day may have to go use it this weekend hehehe

[mrmuskie5]

If you want to fish jigs in the real thick stuff try using a weight/punch skirt/flippin hook and your favorite jig trailer. these dudes slip in and back out with no mess and have the jig profile you are looking for. i like paycheck baits punchskirts but there are lots of good ones out there.
http://paycheckbaits.com/Products.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfOir...layer_embedded

[KTurmel]

Originally Posted by mrmuskie5

If you want to fish jigs in the real thick stuff try using a weight/punch skirt/flippin hook and your favorite jig trailer. these dudes slip in and back out with no mess and have the jig profile you are looking for. i like paycheck baits punchskirts but there are lots of good ones out there.
http://paycheckbaits.com/Products.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfOir...layer_embedded

it kinda just hit me that i could just texas rig a jig, that would solve everything

[3dkicker]

What type grass are you dragging through?? Hydrilla? Milfoil? And how deep is the water?

[pig n jig]

Your not helping us understand your problem.

1. Are you fishing from shore or a boat ?
2. what kind of weeds are you snagging on ?
3. did you trim your weedguard ?
4. What type of trailer are you using with what type and brand of jig?
5.Are you casting, or pitching or flipping ?
6. When fishing thick vegetation, 50 lb braid will cut through weeds better than 15 lb braid.Why ? I don't know but it does.You would think the thinner line would work better but its not the case.
7. Do not recommend 50 lb braid if fishing from shoreline.It's really tough to break the line if it gets snagged to where you can't retrieve it from shore.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Another thought would be to try a lighter 1/4oz yipped with a bulky trailer like a #11 pork frog or a Strike King Rage Chunk. Cast on 20 pound copoly line which floats, you would have a slower sinking jig which just might work better for you as it wouldn't get burried in the weeds nearly as fast as a heavy jig. And try working the deeped edges of the weedbeds.

I just want to go on record as saying I don't induldge in alcohol in the wee hours of the morning. Yipped was supposed to be tipped and deeped was supposed to be deep. I have to stop replying to post before I go into work.

[Scott Pellegrin]

A bass jig when fished in weeds is not designed to be cast very far from the boat. You instead need to take the boat to the fish and drop the jig in open spots of the grass. All weeds grow straight up from the bottom until they hit the surface at which point they lay over making the weed mat look a lot thicker than it is underneath. I figure the bass have tunnels throughout the weed mats like rabbits would in a brush pile. Just keep dropping it in until you get one to take it. Make sure you get all the way to the bottom, most the time if the fish are there they will hit before it gets all the way down.

Once you get a taker you need to have a minimum of 50lb braid or 20 to 25lb fluorocarbon line. The braid line will cut some of the weeds like a saw. Also a very stiff rod is needed, when you feel the bite set the hook hard so you turn the fish and get him pointed in your direction. This way you give him very little time to get tangled in anymore weeds than is necessary.

I recommend All Terrain Grassmaster Jigs http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/All_T...age-ATTGJ.html They have been good to me over the years when fishing the very thick stuff. Good luck!

[Scott Pellegrin]

A bass jig when fished in thick weeds is not designed to be cast very far from the boat. You instead need to take the boat to the fish and drop the jig in open spots of the weeds. Weeds grow straight up to the surface at which point they layover and make the weed mat look thicker than it is underneath. I figure bass have tunnels in the weeds much like rabbits do in a brush pile. Just keep dropping it in until you get a taker.

Once you get a taker you need to have a minimum of 50lb braid or 20 to 25lb fluorocarbon. The braid will cut some of the weeds like a saw. Also you need a stiff rod. The idea is to feel the bite and set the hook hard so you turn the fish and get him pointed on your direction, then get him to the boat as fast as possible. This will keep him from getting tangled in more weeds than is necessary.

Make sure you get all the way to the bottom with your jig, jig it a time or two and find the next opening in the weeds. When I say openings I means smaller than a coffee cup. If the fish are there they will most of the time take it before it hits the bottom. In other words if you hit the bottom with every drop and one time you think the jig stopped short of the bottom it could be that a fish took it before it got a chance to get all the way down. More times than not you will feel a thump when the fish inhales the jig.

I recommend All Terrain Grassmaster Jigs, they have been good to me over the years when fishing the very thick stuff. If the weeds are as thick as I think they are in your case start out with a 3/4oz jig and adjust from there. Good luck!

[Scott Pellegrin]

Sorry for the two post I thought the first of them didn't work.

[KTurmel]

Originally Posted by pig n jig

Your not helping us understand your problem.

1. Are you fishing from shore or a boat ? Both
2. what kind of weeds are you snagging on ? Cabomba Caroliniana
3. did you trim your weedguard ? Nope
4. What type of trailer are you using with None what type and brand of jig? Not sure, i use a bunch of different kinds
5.Are you casting, or pitching or flipping ? All of them
6. When fishing thick vegetation, 50 lb braid will cut through weeds better than 15 lb braid.Why ? I don't know but it does.You would think the thinner line would work better but its not the case. Interesting
7. Do not recommend 50 lb braid if fishing from shoreline.It's really tough to break the line if it gets snagged to where you can't retrieve it from shore.

thanks for sticking with. it just sacks bc i cant get out and try some of this stuff

[KTurmel]

a lot of Milfoil as well

[3dkicker]

Got it. I now understand what you're dealing with. That grass is not as easy to work through like hydrilla and milfoil.

Couple of ideas that may help you.
1) Got with a lighter jig. 1/4 oz swim jig will help or even lighter. Reduce the number of skirt threads too. Go with a small slender trailer as well.
2) This type of grass you'll need to swim over and not through if you can.
3) Finally if you have to work a jig throught the grass the rod you use will make a major difference in getting you hung up. You need a rod tip that will allow you to feel the grass so that you can ease the jig up, through and/or over the grass before it loads up on the jig. Then you need to learn to shake the jig free instead of trying to pull it out when you do get grass on the jig.

Best advice is to not throw the jig and go with a floating worm or a super fluke. Something that you can work over the grass and then kill and let float down into the holes. Maybe a 1/8oz (or lighter) T-rigged finesse worm.

I have a lake that I fish that has what we call Witch's Snot in it. Nasty brown/green strands of tough fiberous algea/grass that only grows in 3' or less. No matter what weight you throw you get it hung up. Unless you go weightless. You may be in the same situation.

[bamabassman]

ok, gonna put in my worthless 2 pennies here pa.
in my experience, oyu will NEVER fish a jig and reel it all in and NOT have some grass,milfoil or whatever on the jig. this is nearly impossible if oyu are fishing it in heavy cover. jsut ain't gonna happen. BUT........ while it is DOWN in the hole(s), it is clean i supsect. so therefore i think oyu are ok. i may be wrong, but this is what i have experienced.

[KTurmel]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

Best advice is to not throw the jig and go with a floating worm or a super fluke. Something that you can work over the grass and then kill and let float down into the holes. Maybe a 1/8oz (or lighter) T-rigged finesse worm.

I have a lake that I fish that has what we call Witch's Snot in it. Nasty brown/green strands of tough fiberous algea/grass that only grows in 3' or less. No matter what weight you throw you get it hung up. Unless you go weightless. You may be in the same situation.

well soft plastic in this stuff and lilies is what i have been using since i was 4.
im just looking to try and advance my fishing techniques