Snagged bottom fishing need help.

[Chrisb1]

 Hello new member not sure if this is the right location or not but I need to ask a guys a question, in reference to bottom fishing with drop shots Carolina rig's Alabama rig Texas rigs how do you keep from getting caught and hung up on the bottom in rocks and trees.?   It seems all I do is spend time retrieving my shaky heads and drop shots? Most of the time I it seems to be my weights hung in rocks. I use egg shaped, come, and even the 2" long stick weights they advertise no snags. It seems even with my umbrella, A rigs the weighted head with my 3" shad and plastics are hung up every 5-6 cast. 

 

What at am I do wrong

fishing Lake Hickory and Lake Norman North Carolina

45 degrees water temp

throwing flutes w/ weighted hook, shaky heads, drop shots everything. Fishing shore past docks, 40-60 deep bridge pylons, structures, deep holes.  crappy fishing, grubs, small buck tails.

[BobP]

If you are fishing from shore there's really no way to not get snagged throwing a dropshot or any sit-still presentation.  As far as moving Baits go, you just have to develop the touch to know when your bait first touches down and start the retrieve before it can settle into the rocks. The occasional snag is inevitable.  If you use mono or fluoro line, check out a video on the "bow and arrow" method of getting a bait unsnagged (plucking the line repeatedly under moderate tension to free a bait).

[Chrisb1]

I'm sorry I should have mentioned I'm fishing from a Boat. The thing I keep seeing on finesse fishing is slowly move your bait, let sit for long period, vibrate the rod, drag it 2-3 feet and let it settle. I do catch fish this way, just seems I'm spending a ton of time on the trolling motor going in the the good fish or get my rig unhooked or unstuck in the rocks. 

 

I defiantly need need to work on that feel of it coming across the Rock and noticing the drop and to scooting across the gap. Even with down imaging watching my lure I get snagged...lol. I'm a terrible fisherman I know, just started 3 months ago but spend 3-4 days on the water, rain or shine and even this past weekend in 8" of snow. I have to get better at some point.

[georgeyew]

You can try a texas rig to come through the cover easier.

[Chrisb1]

Thanks I will give this a try tomorrow

[Angry John]

I recently watched a video where a guy used two smaller ball weights vise one large one to keep the rig from getting hung up.  Havent tried it myself but may be worth checking.

[scaleface]

If your fishing rip rap , the weight is what gets wedged .  Heres a good way to combat this . The weight needs to be smaller than the bait and up against it  , not free sliding or separated from  . I like to use a roadrunner and then about a  two inch section  from the middle of a  senko style  worm   .The roadrunner because of the thin head and the senko type worm because of the thickness and casting weight . It looks weird , short and stubby but the head  doesnt become wedged, the worm does and can almost always  be pulled free .For example  I fish the rip rap below a small dam on a river and I "never " see anyone else bouncing their lures in the rocks ,if  they do  they end up snagged on almost every cast . I do it for hours and lose very few baits if any . 

  

[hunterPRO1]

alot of times just going to the opposite side will get you unsnagged if none of the above works.

[corn-on-the-rob]

17 hours ago, BobP said:

If you are fishing from shore there's really no way to not get snagged throwing a dropshot or any sit-still presentation.  As far as moving Baits go, you just have to develop the touch to know when your bait first touches down and start the retrieve before it can settle into the rocks. The occasional snag is inevitable.  If you use mono or fluoro line, check out a video on the "bow and arrow" method of getting a bait unsnagged (plucking the line repeatedly under moderate tension to free a bait).

Bow and arrowing absolutely works with braid too!

[WRB]

Let's start with the A-rig, never let it sit on the bottom or retrieve it through brush it will get snagged!

The weights shape and weight dictates how snag proof it may be. For drop shot the weight is designed to come off when snagged....drop shot. Cylinder shape "mojo" weights are your best choice with both drop shot and C-rigs, use as light weight as you can an d still make bottom contact maintaining controlled slack line. Drop shot 1/8 oz works good. Broken rock or rip rap is the most snag prone type of structure, you can't let the weight fall inbetween crevices without it snagging.

When you feel the weight start to snag don't pull it tight, instead lift the ROF tip high and gently shake the rod tip agianst the slack line to bounce the weight out of the snag. If shaking the weight loose doesn't work try the opposite direction by moving your boat and repeat. At last resort try pointing the rod tip at the snag and pull the line tight like a bow and arrow and let go of the line to snap the weight free of the snag.

Good luck.

Tom

 

[kickerfish1]

It is just part of the game. I lighter weight would be my suggestion though you may sacrifice casting distance.

["hamma"]

Be sure to cast "ahead" of you. If you are dropping straight down or letting the lure sit, while your moving away? this will create more snags then fathomable.,...Cast ahead of yourself and alot of snags will be eliminated

[Chrisb1]

Guys thanks so much for all the help. I went to a smaller weight head a 1/16th head and I haven't had anymore problems. I also went to a shorter leader on my drop shot and over 300 cast today I was only hung twice... I also caught 19.78lbs of spotted bass in 4 of my biggest fish today....14 fish total, 43 degree water. It was a great day on the water.