Scrounger Advice / Questions

[Djman72]

Long Story Short, I read a lot about these jig heads on this forum and decided to give them a try late last season/and this season. LOVE EM.

I bought the Luck E Strike brand from my local Cabela's and I've been having some troubles. They are very hit or miss on if they will actually vibrate/wiggle on the retrieve or not. I'd say it's about 50/50 each cast if it'll have the proper action. When it does, it's deadly and the fish nearly yank the pole outta my hand. On the other hand, it turns into a motionless jig head.

I'm not sure if I've got a dud batch of jig heads, the plastic fold that makes the vibration seems very flimsy and might be shifting. On the other hand, I could be fishing it incorrectly.

I've been using 6-10 pd mono line on both spinning/bait casting gear depending on the situation MF rods. I'm fairly certain i'm rigging the bait's I've been using correctly. I've been using zoom flukes, slug-go's, and other baits that don't have inherent action.

Any advice, and a recommendation on a solid brand of these jig heads I can order. I'm willing to make an investment, because this thing speaks to fish when I've got it running right.

thanks!

[papajoe222]

Try using a loop knot to attach them.  It'll give it the most freedom to move.

[A-Jay]

If you do a search for Srounger threads & posts you'll find a bunch.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/search/?&q=scrounger&type=forums_topic&search_and_or=or&start_after=1325376000&start_before=1460246400

It's not a super popular presentation but it is Very Effective & Outrageously Versatile.

I'm a big fan of the 3/8 oz long bill but do fish the 1/2 & even the 3/4 oz baits when the circumstances dictate.

After some trial & error - The Tremor head is the only bait I'll throw.   It possesses the best Blade size & stoutest hook I've found. 

http://www.tnrivertacklecompany.com/officialpage_006.htm

These bait "Balance" very well which may be part of the problem your having with the baits you're throwing now.  Clearly your trailer choice is crucial as one that is overly large or small (both on length & or mass) can retard the baits inherent vibrating action. Additionally, some swimbait type trailers seem to contradict the baits sweet shimmy - and that's where all the magic lies so that's a big problem.

If there was one single piece of advice I can pass regarding Scrounger type bait, it's that you can never fish them Too Slow.  The slower the better.  And a pause is often so very good too.  Think Low & Slow and then slow down some more - regardless of the water temp.

Good Luck

A-Jay

[smalljaw67]

A-Jay has given you the best advise , and that is your trailer and how it affects your presentation. The first thing is if your jig didn't come with a snap, then use one, but it should have came with a size 2 or 3 Duo Lock Snap. The next part is crucial, these come in a short, medium, and long bill, the short bill one has to be reeled fast in order to vibrate, the medium one will vibrate at just about any speed and the long one will vibrate at only a slow retrieve, a little too fast and it will sort of lay on its side and just come in straight. When you say MF rod, do you mean a medium power rod with a fast action or a moderate fast action rod? That can have an affect also but it is either the bill type or the trailer like A-Jay has said, I use the 1/4oz with a 3/0 hook in a medium bill with a Zoom Fluke Jr., I think the 4.5" slug-O is too big and the 3" is too short, the 4" fluke Jr. seems to work the best and the action of a small swim bait seems to cancel out the action from the head, it make seem to kick a little faster but that is it, with a fluke Jr. it makes the bait come to life while keeping the profile small.

[lakeannaangler]

These baits are super effective.  In the summer we catch dozens of smallmouth on the shenandoah river. 

 

[zeth]

14 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

http://www.tnrivertacklecompany.com/officialpage_006.htm

 

enough said.