White jig on beds, Trailer or not?

[ib_of_the_damned]

The bass should be spawning soon at the lake I fish and would like to know what you guys think about trailers on white jigs for bed fishing.  I have read elsewhere that trailerless is the way to go because the bass will pick up the whole jig as opposed to the trailer.  But on the flip side I don't feel that a jig without a trailer is very enticing...  What do you guys think?  And what else do you guys like to use on beds?  Thanks!

[FL_Sharpshooter]

I haven't tried without a jig trailer, but what I can tell you is that they WILL grab the claws of a craw. I was fishing a bed a few weeks ago, and every time I threw it back, the female would grab the bait by the claws and eventually tear both claws off by spitting it out of her bed. I never tried to fish it trailer-less, but that might be a good idea.  I was using a rage craw, but I suppose you could use something that has a little bit more durability, such as the rodent.

[hmongkidBee]

I haven't tried without a jig trailer, but what I can tell you is that they WILL grab the claws of a craw. I was fishing a bed a few weeks ago, and every time I threw it back, the female would grab the bait by the claws and eventually tear both claws off by spitting it out of her bed. I never tried to fish it trailer-less, but that might be a good idea. I was using a rage craw, but I suppose you could use something that has a little bit more durability, such as the rodent.

same thing happens to me too.  I was throwing a bluegill colored jig with a rage chunk and the bedding bass kept biting off the claws.  So I switched to a wacky rigged senko and man does it work.

[Thad]

One of the key things for me when bed fishing is the rate of fall of my lure. I don't use a jig a lot for this but when I do I will add a plain chunk type trailer just to slow the fall of the jig, along with changing the weight of the jig. You can shorten the legs if they are just eating the trailer or remove them completely.

BUT, by far my best lure for bed fishing is a grub. My father taught me how to bed fish and he is lethal with this grub:

We use the biggest hook that will fit the size of the grub and if they just take the tail, we remove it.

[CWB]

Can't help you as I prefer not to fish for bedding bass. JMHO

[tyrius.]

Bed fishing isn't about mimicking anything alive.  It's all about frustrating the bass enough to get them to attack your bait.  The reason you're using white is so that you can see it more easily and react to a strike more quickly.

I don't see why a trailer would be required.

[Hammer 4]

I prefer a sweet beaver in the mud color on a white jig...they get bit. Any other trailer color just doesn't seem to get the big girls playin..