The jig, the bite, the hookset

[IgotWood]

I got into a really good jig bite yesterday. I seemed to get a bite on just about every target I pitched my jig at. But for some reason, I had a very tough time hooking up. 

 

As soon as my jig settled on the bottom, I’d feel a tap. I set the hook immediately, and missed. After several misses, I tried waiting until I felt another tap or the line to get tight, but it never happened. I’d set the hook, and still, swing and miss. Caught one small fish, and hooked a horse which spit the hook about halfway to the kayak. 

 

The same thing was was happening to my buddy who was following behind me with a Senko. What gives???

[LCG]

Could be sunfish or bluegill pecking at the jig. 

[r83srock]

There isn’t much better than a good jig bite! You could have been getting pecked by panfish, but I feel it’s unlikely that often in a day. One way to know is to check your trailer. Is it torn up or have heavy sandpaper like abrasions? If so, that’s a bass doing that. Bass will often inhale a jig to where you may not feel it, but you will likely feel him spit it. Make sure you have slack out of your line, if you aren’t already, and really watch it. If you see that line jump, set! What weight jig are you using? A lighter jig like 1/4 or 3/8oz, can sometimes give you an extra second or two. Often, a big one ounce jig will get spit out fast, and that can be an indication for me to go lighter.

[IgotWood]

I thought panfish too for a bit, but the bites were occurring right up against structure. I had two trailers come back missing a claw, if that makes any difference. 

 

Oh, and was fishing 3/8oz. 

[the reel ess]

8 minutes ago, IgotWood said:

I thought panfish too for a bit, but the bites were occurring right up against structure. I had two trailers come back missing a claw, if that makes any difference. 

 

Oh, and was fishing 3/8oz. 

Panfish are vicious. They'll rip a plastic to shreds. I've had a jig tied on all season and one thing that I've noticed consistently is that the bite doesn't usually feel like anything. I usually notice the line moving before I feel any weight. I reel up any slack until I feel the weight and quickly set the hook hard. 

[Big Rick]

Also some bait attractant sprayed on the jig and trailer will often make a bass hold it longer. That'll give you a few precious seconds to set the hook. At least Berkley thinks so, lol!!

[rtwvumtneer6]

I'm a shore angler 90% of the time, so I'm stationary.  Thus, any movement of the line or lure that I didn't cause is a good indication of a fish.  

 

That being said, put me in a boat (or in your case, kayak) and I start swinging on grass, rocks, twigs, etc.  What I'm getting at is your jig may reach the bottom, but you may be feeling it fall off a branch or slide off a rock and mistake it for a bite.  

 

This wouldn't explain the missing appendages, but it's a trap I fall into all too often.  I know this because it drives my tournament partner crazy.  I swing on everything and anything the first 30 minutes in the boat until I realize we are moving.

 

Anyway, just a different angle on the question.  Give them some time.  If they pick it up, it'll be in there long enough for them to check it out.  

[Bluebasser86]

Did you try changing colors or weights? Sounds to me like you had almost the right bait, just something wasn't quite right to get them to totally commit. 

[IgotWood]

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Did you try changing colors or weights? Sounds to me like you had almost the right bait, just something wasn't quite right to get them to totally commit. 

I was fishing pb&j and after a while I stopped getting bit so I went to black blue and started getting bites again. Didn’t change weight though. Will keep that in mind next time for sure. 

[jbrew73]

Bream/Bluegill = Pecker Heads.    Nuff said.

[RHuff]

I was having the same trouble at the beginning of the year. I made two changes that really helped me land a few good fish and earned me several top 5 finishes this year during my club season. 

 

1) If you match your trailer to your jig skirt, try contrasting the colors. For example, if your throwing a green pumpkin or an orange/brown jig, then match it with a black trailer. If your throwing a black jig, then put a green pumpkin trailer on. The contrasting colors seems to look a little more realistic underwater to bass, especially in clearer water. If you already contrast your colors, then try matching them up. Some days it seems they like them contrasting and some days they like them matched. You'll know what's right or wrong for that day. 

 

2) I was getting hook sets but as I was bringing in the fish I was losing them, telling me that I was NOT getting a good hook up, or at least as good as I thought I was. I switched from a right handed reel to a left handed reel on my jig rod. Most of my bites were coming as soon as the bait hit the water and occurring as I changed the rod from my right to my left hand. I'll man up and admit it too - I wasn't strong enough with my left hand to control the heavy rod on the hook set and to pull the fish through the cover. Switching to a left handed reel allowed me to keep the rod in my right hand the entire duration of the cast, including making much stronger and quicker hook sets and a lot better pressure on the fish during the fight. 

 

The combination of the two changes were trial and error and adopting them really helped me land fish that I was missing earlier in the year.  

[Choporoz]

My initial reaction to OP was to try some MegaStrike and see if you couldn't get them to hold on a bit longer.....but after reading this

On 9/17/2018 at 8:38 PM, IgotWood said:

I thought panfish too for a bit, but the bites were occurring right up against structure. I had two trailers come back missing a claw, if that makes any difference. 

 

Oh, and was fishing 3/8oz. 

I change my answer after reading about the missing claws, however.   I usually take that to mean bluegills.  And when I put MegaStrike on my craws, it just compounds the problem.  Some days MegaStrike only makes it worse because some of those little bugger hang on until they rip off appendages.

[bholtzinger14]

Maybe this might help if its actually bass hitting it.

After reading more post it does not look like it was a hook set problem. I think changing color and adding scent might be your best bet.

Anyways....its a good jig fishing video.