To Peg Or Not To Peg.

[Dypsis]

So although I really like to throw 3/8oz (or less) Bullet weight on my soft plastic - I'm still not sure under what situations to peg and when to let it be free. Or how it affects the bait.

I know there may not be a perfect answer but just any tips would be great.

[MainelyBASS]

For me personally, the only time I peg is when I am punching mats or other types of thick vegetation. Otherwise the weight falls a lot faster than the bait and it often clogs up the bait with grass.

 

 

[Catch and Grease]

For me personally, the only time I peg is when I am punching mats or other types of thick vegetation. Otherwise the weight falls a lot faster than the bait and it often clogs up the bait with grass.

*2, I like the weight free when casting Texas rigs because it makes the bait have more action IMO

[kikstand454]

X3

[iceintheveins]

When fishing grass/weeds or targeting cover, peg it. When casting in more open areas, don't peg it.

[mjseverson24]

always have rigs set up pegged and not pegged, 99% of the time the pegged rigs out fish the others, but i am usually in some kind of grass. on rocks and or wood i could probably get away with not pegging it, but i like to know exactly how my bait is moving when i move the rod, and not pegging makes it sometimes difficult to tell...

 

Mitch

[BasshunterJGH]

For me personally, the only time I peg is when I am punching mats or other types of thick vegetation. Otherwise the weight falls a lot faster than the bait and it often clogs up the bait with grass.

X4!

[ww2farmer]

I peg about 99.9% of the time. But I am always fishing moderate to heavy cover.

[Bluebasser86]

Peg it in grass, heavy cover, or when I'm skipping. 

[Catch and Grease]

I'm surprised so many peg it in grass when casting, might start pegging my weights more and see what happens...

[Grizzn N Bassin]

I'm surprised so many peg it in grass when casting, might start pegging my weights more and see what happens.

ill pegged my worms when there not hitting it on the fall sometimes.. its just time consuming for me waiting for the worms to drop on top of grass at some spots. id say im pegged   when fishing thick stuff. But i really like dragging the weightless soft plastic typically a big worm over the grass or they hit it on the fall. some days they don't want that so ill pegged to get in the grass a little more.

[tholmes]

always have rigs set up pegged and not pegged, 99% of the time the pegged rigs out fish the others, but i am usually in some kind of grass. on rocks and or wood i could probably get away with not pegging it, but i like to know exactly how my bait is moving when i move the rod, and not pegging makes it sometimes difficult to tell...

 

Mitch

^ I agree. I peg the weight almost all of the time because I almost never fish a T-rig in open water. 

 

Tom

[Catch and Grease]

The only problem I have fishing un-pegged weights in grass is that the weight will sometimes get on one side of the grass and the bait will be on the other so your bait wont fall properly, it'll kinda just sit there while your weight is falling on the opposite side.

[J Francho]

I only peg in wood or pads.  In heavy grass, I've been using a big jika rig instead of a punch rig. 

[Bass Junkie]

I always run the weight free. If I find myself in a situation where the weight would need pegged I switch to a jig.

[Mike L]

On my plastics rod, I allways have a bobber stop on the line, allways.

This way I slide it up or down depending on the cover Im fishing.

In florida you can be punching a mat and then it opens up a little with holes or scattered, mildly thick vegetation in an area of a few yards.

On one rod I'll put 2. One on top of the weight and one on the bottom.

This way I can peg or not peg by just sliding the stopper up and down the line.

Mike

[primetime]

Great idea with keeping bobber stops on all the time...Such a simple idea yet I have never heard of anyone doing it and it makes so much sense....I love to turn around while fishing a heavy mat and make casts out to the open water and I like my worm to fall without the weight to slow the descent, plus I believe having a beed in between the weight increases strikes as the weight, bead and worm all crash down if not bit on the drop...I will just shake it for a good 10 seaconds and let it sit after touching bottom and many strikes happen as soon as I start to lift my rod. I figure everyone is so focused on punching, and alot of people I have seen punching get way too close and are too loud imo, so I do well as I know alot of bass will retreat to deeper water if pressured all day or have noise above them that is heavier than usual..

 

I catch more fish during the weekends in areas that are not very productive during the week, but on weekends they will take of too avoid loud music, jet skis etc...Sometimes the key is finding an area that looks like it never gets hit much and is somewhat close to an area to feed.

[aavery2]

The only problem I have fishing un-pegged weights in grass is that the weight will sometimes get on one side of the grass and the bait will be on the other so your bait wont fall properly, it'll kinda just sit there while your weight is falling on the opposite side.

What we commonly call a pegged T-Rig, is properly known as a Florida Rig.  The Florida rig uses a weight screwed to the nose of the bait, or a weight pegged to the line at the nose of the bait.  The rig was developed to fish heavy grass in Florida.

[smalljaw67]

Like everyone else, if I'm in cover I peg my weight using a bobber stop. I use to peg my weights all the time until a friend, who happens to pour soft plastics, gave me a lesson that works incredibly well. Rig up the T-rig as normal with the weight free and then use a highly buoyant worm, my favorite is a custom poured stick worm that has no salt and some kind of micro bubbles or something in it to make it float as it will float a standard wire 4/0 worm hook. Anyway, make you cast as close to cover as you can and after you're on the bottom you can work the bait without it moving from the spot you're on. By simply lowering and lifting the rod, the floating worm will rise up as the line slips through the unpegged weight, by letting the worm move up and down in one spot is just a killer tactic when fish won't hit any thing, I use this method when I can't get bit even on a standard Senko, it is a last ditch effort to salvage a day because it is boring to fish it as it often takes leaving the worm in one spot as long as 10 minutes but it is almost a certainty you'll get bit.