FishnMtlHd

When fishing from the shore I find getting to deeper water to be very satisfying and fun, especially when a biggun' hits the bait within a few seconds of it hitting the water. Detecting the bite and setting the hook is more of a challenge as is bringing the fish in, especially when you have to navigate through or around weeds, structure, etc. Then there's the gloat cause you're the goat: hold up your hog, show it to your buddy or buddies not on em' or at a dinkfest and say: Long bomb cast brah!, gotta get it out there!, etc. On the drizzop shizzot, want me to re-rig your rod for ya? 😁 Yep, the Long Bomb Cast.

I'm looking to get some new spinning rods, price range $130 or so, may go more. My 1st priority is rods with guides that are ideal or best for braid to leader knot pass through. Surely there's anglers here that have experienced rods that are better than others at this. I know to stay away from micro guides and I'm thinking maybe there's a specific guide brand/type/model/material that is best to look for. Any insight or recommendations?

Read a bunch about this rig here, latest being from 2021 I think and I watched a few vids. I love the classic finesse DS, always have 1 tied on, and I have a bunch of chipped bullet weights and split rings gathering dust so I thought I'd try this. Those using this heavier DS rig regularly since 2021, any tips/updates/improvements on rigging? Line, hooks, weight, split rings, rod, etc.? Preferred baits? Other?

Thanks all, phenomenal info and answers my inquiry perfectly. 2 of my 6 rods now have jigs.

I spose I should've simplified and not even mentioned Jigs, certainly not added them to my post title as they're merely related to my main inquiry or the crux of my post which is Feeling the Bottom. Simplified, whatever you feel, great, but how does feeling whatever (on the bottom) help you catch more or better fish?

Greetings all, I've read a lot about "feeling the bottom" with your bait, especially with jigs or t-rigs, and I'm wondering exactly how this helps you catch fish or why it's so important? If you determine the bottom is hard or soft, then what? What do you do with this info? I've also read some anglers say they can determine more than this, such as weeds, rocks, logs, brush piles, or other structure such as medieval ships (JK) yet they never say exactly HOW they do this. More often than not, I'm finding the bottom is a mystery or perhaps I'm not paying enough attention or thinking about it enough. I suppose I can tell soft/muddy vs. hard/rocky and I understand weeds due to snagging but at the end of the day, if you're not getting bites no matter where you are, regardless of what you feel with your bait, shouldn't you just move to a new spot or ditch the bottom and fish the water column?

Alright guys, it happened! There were several days this past October that I did really well with jigs!! Totally stoked lol. They were 1/2 and 3/8 oz rigged w/UV Speed and Z Craws. Several 16-17", 3 18" and change, a couple 19's , and 3 in the 20" range which are definitely Hogs in my waters! A couple from a boat but most from the shoreline. It was a freakin blast. I fished them very slow - let it drop, a few hit on the fall and after twitching a bit but most came after hopping it 2-3 times and just letting it sit which I read on this site somewhere. I thought it was a reply to this post but I read through and it must be in another post, not one of mine. I remember specifically the person said to hop the jig 2 or 3 (or just 3?) times as "that's what a real craw does". This stuck with me and it's precisely what I did and it caught the majority of my fish so that's really cool. I can't say this one tip was the only reason why I caught em' but it certainly helped and I think it gave me more confidence, as did plenty of other replies here that were similar in terms of imparting action, weights, patience, etc. Anyway thank you to all, the people on this site have definitely made me a better angler and I seriously can't wait to fish jigs this Spring!

Yeah, I tried that although tied a different way (https://youtu.be/gjjgZylsdb0?si=yjy-1a69B5fh88GK). It's pretty good but not as easy to tie as the vid portrays, IMO, and especially on a boat and with fluoro. Also, the hook has to have a closed eyelet, if not the knot embeds in the eyelet space which is problematic.

I did a keyword search for this hook here and I was surprised to not find anything so I thought I'd share. I am relatively new to the drop shot (last few years) and I'm loving it. Robo and Trick worms mostly, a few smaller minnow types. I started using the Palomar knot with the tag end run down through the eyelet and although this works, it always felt too flimsy and the hook and thus bait sags downward. I suppose anyone who uses a DS rigged this way knows or has experienced this. I tried the standout hooks which work but I'm not really sure why I didn't like them that much, too much hook perhaps? Shank too short? Recently I found something that IMO perfects the DS. The Nishine DS Hook tied with a snell knot. I bought them, practiced the knot which is actually quite easy, and had great success fishing with them. The connection/knot isn't just strong it's more secure, that is, the hook/bait stay at a right angle to the line. You immediately know this after you tie it and test it by pulling the main and leader lines simultaneously. It's ergonomically correct if you will. Of course fishing it is the real test which I have 3 times and my hook-up ratio has been superb! I'm actually blown away and the DS might possibly be my favorite way to fish now, surpassing even the t-rig. I suppose the better hook ups are partially due to the longer shank. Anyway, here's the vid on tying it: https://youtu.be/M1jiuANib9k?si=Ke6fqx1XrAOKtsxr

I'm confucious. Below every user's post/reply there's a + button which reveals a dialog box indicating "Quote 1 post" and a Quote button which reveals the entire post/reply. I have no idea which one I should use and why, who gets notified by either, and I have no idea how to "tag" someone, why I would want to, and how to know if I've been tagged. For this reply, I used the green button. ?

Not sure it was a while ago, must've read it somewhere; there's several types as I'm sure you know so maybe it's the non-quick change ones.

Thanks, I've seen these and I'm hesitant as they're lead which means big and you have to buy the skirts separate and install them which I suppose is no big deal. I was looking at the Gambler skirts that have just a small ring and you use your own tungsten weights which I have at least 30 of. I think the weight might click against the metal skirt ring which could be a bonus? These: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gambler_Quick_Change_KO_Punch_Skirts_2pk/descpage-GQCPS.html?from=gshop&gclid=CjwKCAjwzo2mBhAUEiwAf7wjkjRP9DJXphgMrqCb_tGTeaBPsva8RzY_Rs_bCxK_M-HJqgIa-Opi8BoCZ0kQAvD_BwE

Thank you to all for your insight and tips, here's my tentative plan: forget jigs for the rest of the Summer, continue focus on the drop shot (which I'm relatively new to and loving), then re-visit this thread in the Fall and with a cleared/open mind and some confidence toss a jig again.

SK Hack Attack, Nichols, Terminator, Berkley, 6th Sense, and many more. Keitech finesse/tungsten, bitsy bugs. Grass wizard comes to mind. Those just brush the surface, hard to remember most as last I bought any was over a year ago, Spring '22 and prior to that no clue. Weights 1/4 oz to 3/4 and all in between. Like I mentioned, all (or most) types - football, grass, casting, flip, swim, etc. I did my research before buying many of them, on this site, Bassmaster, MLF, friends, other. I very likely bought some you or others here recommended. Trailers were zcraw, UV speed craw, SK rage craw and grub, pit boss, SK and Keitech swimbaits, chunks, grubs, Missile Baits beaver bait, sweet beaver I think. Buddy used many, some same, most different such as Vile Craw and Bug and Googan stuff, rage craw copy. The last trailer I tried and the one I thought for sure I'd crush em' on was the Yamamoto Zako. Nope, no crush. Lol.

Pat, thanks for the suggestions and yes, I've caught plenty on lead and tungsten screw lock and shank baitkeeper shaky heads with trick and other worms as well as baby brush hogs, the latter being a somewhat unique shakey head bait I think. Beaver baits on swing heads negative but I have pit bosses, sweet beavers, and z-craws. Football or rugby head EWG'S yes but not nearly as much as the shakey heads. Thing is, it's not ALL jigs I (we) don't or get bites with, it's only the silicone or "living rubber" skirted jigs (some trimmed, some not) with the multi-strand plastic weedguards (also trimmed as needed) and nearly all head shapes, weights, hook sizes, colors, and many different trailers. Finesse jigs as well. One thing I've wanted to try is pork trailers, just never did.