How Do U Fish A Jig In Weedy Bottomed Northern Lakes/ponds?

[MassBass]

Went out (bank) fishing today with the intent of fishing some of my new jigs. I fished a craw pattern siebert brush jig with a matching lizard trailer. My problem is I cast it out and let it fall on a semi-taught line and then start the retrieve; I get nothing but weeds. weeds, weeds, weeds. The jig i was casting was I think 1/2 oz. I like to use a 6' rod when bank fishing because I can get the accuracy and nimbleness in close quarters. So that weight jig was my best bet for slinging it far. I just get bogged down in the weeds and can't fish it effectively. I can cast it out and swim it back quickly to avoid the weeds but that defeats the purpose of a jig slow dragged on the bottom for cold water fish. Wut should I do because in the summer the bottoms of these waters are even more weedy than they are now? How do I drag a jig without getting buried in weeds? After working with my jig and only getting a pickerel to follow, I switched to my best chatterbait and caught a bass  over 3lbs.     

[F14A-B]

Try a T-rig, I only use jigs in rocky areas, sand flats or pea gravel, brush... When it's that weedy, I'm throwing a Trigged plastic of some sort..

[Catch and Grease]

I don't have luck fishing jigs on silty/weedy bottoms ethier, I'd try a Texas rig as well.

My theory is the jig is just getting buried in the weeds/silt and the bass can't see it, a Texas rig with a sliding weight will make it so the weight sinks in the weeds/silt but the bait stays above. That's my theory.

[deep]

Try A-Jay's punch-ish rig. Given a choice, I prefer to have a skirt on my plastics. Also, brush jig is the wrong kind of jighead for grass. Plus, the sort of hook that brush jigs usually comes with is a poor choice for casting situations. Using a lighter jig might have helped too (I didn't get your logic).

[geo g]

I agree with the two above. Go to something more appropriate for the conditions. Make fishing easy, not difficult.

[tatertester]

Try using a drop shot rig .Attach a 12-18inch line below the weightless hook and lure with a weight on the bottom . Allows your bait/hook to be above the yukky bottom ,and in the strike zone without fouling as much.Works great.

[lectricbassman]

I fish a similar bottomed pond and have wanted to try a jig. I know t rig works butid like to start using more jigs. Assuming i was going to buy some new jigs, What style of head would work the best.

[A-Jay]

Try A-Jay's punch-ish rig. Given a choice, I prefer to have a skirt on my plastics. Also, brush jig is the wrong kind of jighead for grass. Plus, the sort of hook that brush jigs usually comes with is a poor choice for casting situations. Using a lighter jig might have helped too (I didn't get your logic).

 

This rig might reduce some of the weeds one picks up but won't eliminate it.

 

The situation the OP is describing may not be the best place to fish a jig or any nose weighted bottom bait. 

 

 Perhaps a drop shot or a Carolina rig - a technique that will present a bait above the bottom cover making it easier for the fish to find.

 

Either way - here's the rig.

 

A-Jay

[fishguy613]

The farther you cast that jig out the more you will get hung up, try casting shorter or pitching it out there keep your rod tip up and hop it over the weeds rather than drag it through them. Try to keep vertical as possible on your presentation.

Also give Texas rigs a try I've been using them more than jigs lately for largemouth, they get hung up less depending on the plastic used.

[CWB]

Tough to do from shore. From the boat, I make medium length pitches and let the bait fall to the bottom. Give it a few twitches and pulls and reel it up and do over. You're usually gonna get bet as it nears the bottom or on the first twitch. This is also after fish have been located on another type of bait like a buzzbait or spinnerbait. Fishing along the outside edge can be good if you can cast parallel to it.

[smalljaw67]

If you want to fish a jig with that kind of bottom you need to use a lighter weigh, what it sounds like is the place you are fishing has a soft mucky bottom with weeds and the 1/2oz jig is getting buried in the muck and pulling the weeds with it. Try a 1/4oz or 3/16oz finesse jig and instead of dragging it you can slow hop it, just like fishing a Texas rig, you simply lift the rod to pick the jig up off the bottom and then as it falls you simply follow it down with your rod, depending how cold it is, you may want to let the jig sit for 10 seconds or so between movements.

[primetime]

I struggle with the same problem in bottoms full of weeds or silt especially if bank fishing since you can't pitch a jig vertically all that well unless you have full access to the entire shoreline. I would try a dropshot like mentioned above or simply use a modified c-rig or split shot rig with a worm and split shot 18" above the worm, this way the worm will rise above the weeds every time you move it and not get full of weeds...Even then, often I have to go weightless or nail weights and just fish slower since some weeds are too much for any weight.

 

[OkobojiEagle]

Charlie Brewer Spider pro head or Spider wide gap jigs will work in your situation.  You appear to be more interested in playing with your tackle than catching fish...

 

 

oe

[hatrix]

Try using a drop shot rig .Attach a 12-18inch line below the weightless hook and lure with a weight on the bottom . Allows your bait/hook to be above the yukky bottom ,and in the strike zone without fouling as much.Works great.

Chances are its much higher then 18" off the bottom.

[MassBass]

Charlie Brewer Spider pro head or Spider wide gap jigs will work in your situation.  You appear to be more interested in playing with your tackle than catching fish...

 

 

oe

Yes I was playing with my new tackle but I knew when to put on a proven lure for the situation I encountered. I didn't let trying a fancy new jig prevent me from catching fish, i caught a good one! 

[papajoe222]

You're going to have to sacrifice casting distance if you want to stick with a jig as the heavy one you mentioned will burry itself in the weeds/muck.  If you want to go with a jig and not a T-rig, I'd suggest a light shakey head and a floating straight tailed drop shot worm.  The combination of a light jig head and worm won't burry into the weeds, it'll either rest on top or slightly into the weeds depending on the type and thickness of them.  You can use either hop/rip/ or shake presentation for the tops of the weeds.  If you want a bottom presentation, you'll need either a swim jig with the line tie at the nose, or a T-rig.

[MO_LMB]

Its all about the jig head shape. I fish from the bank and use a darter style head with the line tie in front of the lead. The most effective way for me to fish is by getting in as deep as I can in the weeds and pulling it though. You can feel when it really loads up with weeds. Just give it a few quick jerks and they will come off. 

[mjseverson24]

In those situations I use a 1/4 oz jig with a rage chunk ( nice slow fall ) and I just let the jig sit for a while watching the line, I then hop it a few times, reel it in and do it again. This is power fishing, you are looking to catch the fish in the immediate area of where it lands. This technique allows you to cover a lot of water thoroughly because you can catch fish in any location in the water column... 

 

Mitch

[Heron]

I agree with everything above,

 

However, just FYI....casting a C-rig can be problematic when bank fishing amongst the bushes and trees.

[J Francho]

You need to pop and stroke the jig, to clear the grass, and let it settle in a new spot.  The problem isn't the bait, it's the way you're fishing it.  If you want something to drag through the weeds, then some of the suggestions above will work well.  If you want to fish a jig, you'll have to learn how to work those weeds horizontally.  You are popping it up to the surface, to the next spot, and then letting settle, penetrating the next patch of weeds or pocket in the weeds.  Often, you get bit when popping it off the weeds, too.  Be ready, even if you think you're just clearing weeds.

[Heron]

No problem.  the first thing you do is swim down there to the bottom with a shovel, and dig all those weeds out.

[GTechL1]

I have a similar situation in the pond in my front yard. Yes a Texas rig is probably better. A Drop Shot is probably best. But if your a die hard jig guy like me you try to find way's to make jigs work in any situation.

So in that respect I agree with smalljaw67. I have tried many finesse jigs in my pond. Strike Kings Bittsy Flip is good. I have had Excellent results with the Stanley Finesse Jig. Also Stand-Up Heads either with a silicone skirt or

tied with bucktail. Hope this helps

Gary

[Felixone]

I have had similar issues when attempting to use a jig.  This is part of the reason I haven't used them much.  I don't have a baitcaster, and I fish from a sit-in kayak so pitching and flipping are difficult.  I have a process that more or less works.  I am able to more or less hit the spots I want.  The problem I have is that when trying to retrieve the jig I end up just collecting weeds/grass.  Based on some of the more helpful comments here I think I have some ideas on what I am doing wrong.

 

1.  Not attempting to "pop" the jig up above the grass

2.  Not retrieving fast enough to keep the jig up above the grass after the pop

 

Although I still haven't caught anything on a jig I want to get proficient with them as a couple of my regular spots have a lot of lily pads and other emerging weeds.  I have tried frogs, and dragging software plastics (senkos) over the top of the weeds.  Unfortunately they are very dense and there frankly are not many places for a fish to even bust through to get my lure.  I know there has to be bass in them if I can just get down in there.  This lead me to try punching through with a jig.  Unfortunately I gave up after I kept plowing weeds when I would try to reel in for the next cast.  At least now I have some things to try.

 

Thanks everyone!

[papajoe222]

One suggestion that addresses clearing a jig, or most lures, of weeds; use braided line or heavy fluorocarbon. Other lines have too much stretch. There is more than one way to fish a jig and the style of jig you use will either make the task easier or more frustrating. It's a learning process, but well worth the time you spend doing so.

[Inflatable Raft Bum]

Use a Senko as a trailer, adds bulk, profile length, and lets jig fall at 45 deg angle on retrieve vs srtaight down