Lb test for jigs?

[PressuredFishing]

So I'm fishing 1/4- 3/8th original arkie jigs and am trying to use lighter line in the clearer water. With that said, what is the lightest line you guys can get away with for the heavier wire jig hooks? Perhaps 12lb is too light for the hook, although I would really like to have that as my goal line. Do you think sense I'm fishing more open water trimming the weed gaurd partially or fully off would allow me to drop down to this line weight? Thanks for your time

[ATA]

I use 12lb test tatsu for smaller jigs 1/4. Also if there is so many grass I use another set up have 40lb test maxquatro with 16lb test FC100 leader.

[MN Fisher]

15 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

With that said, what is the lightest line you guys can get away with for the heavier wire jig hooks?

Heavy wire hook jigs I don't go below 15#. Go with a good FC line and it'll be close enough to invisible to make up for the larger diameter.

15 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

Do you think sense I'm fishing more open water trimming the weed gaurd partially or fully off would allow me to drop down to this line weight?

Can you see the bottom where the jig is fished? Is it weed free even down there?

I'd leave the guard on - never know when you might cast into some heavy weeds.

 

[PressuredFishing]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Heavy wire hook jigs I don't go below 15#. Go with a good FC line and it'll be close enough to invisible to make up for the larger diameter.

Can you see the bottom where the jig is fished? Is it weed free even down there?

I'd leave the guard on - never know when you might cast into some heavy weeds.

 

When I'll be throwing them, it's weed free pebble bottom, not it's starting to become weed free. Perhaps I just upgrade from 12 to 15, may just be best.

4 minutes ago, ATA said:

I use 12lb test tatsu for smaller jigs 1/4. Also if there is so many grass I use another set up have 40lb test maxquatro with 16lb test FC100 leader.

Interesting that 12lb works for your lighter jigs. I think my 1/4th oz should be manageable because the gaurd isn't too still and the hook is lighter, the 3/8th oz ones are the ones that scare me a little more

[roadwarrior]

#15 Tatsu

[ATA]

2 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

the 3/8th oz ones are the ones that scare me a little more

agree with you, But also see the wire gage of it, If lower gage and thin hooks, you can still use 12lb test and also you can open the hook keeper brush by hand or even cut some off. for me I only use 1/4 with 12lb test.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

#15 Tatsu

Or InvizX if Tatsu is out of your price range....

 

or you don't get gifted some from a generous person.

[WRB]

No reason to use a heavy wire flipping jig when fishing deep rocky structure lakes with sparse cover.

Suggest using a wire guard football jig like Yamamoto with Owner or Gamakatsu 4/0 hook. You will need a few skirts* or use twin tail Hula Grub.    

I use 10 and 12 lb FC line for jigs in our clear SoCal lakes successfully. 

Tom

*Barlows Tackle and FishingSkirts both a good skirt choices.

[Finessegenics]

I don’t look at the weight of the jig. If it’s a thick gauge hook, my first choice is #15. 
 

If your jigs have lighter wire hooks then 12# is definitely fine, no matter the weight of the jig itself. 

[JustJames]

I have 3 setup for jig.

30lb braid no leader, 15 Abazx and 12lb Copolymer. I use different setup for different situation, bank or boat, deep or shallow. For bank fishing and not too deep alway 12lb Copolymer. Braid for when I’m on floating device.

[A-Jay]

28 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

So I'm fishing 1/4- 3/8th original arkie jigs and am trying to use lighter line in the clearer water. With that said, what is the lightest line you guys can get away with for the heavier wire jig hooks? Perhaps 12lb is too light for the hook, although I would really like to have that as my goal line. Do you think sense I'm fishing more open water trimming the weed gaurd partially or fully off would allow me to drop down to this line weight? Thanks for your time

You've received some great advice so far with regards to line choice.

However do make the mistake of over looking the role your rod will paly in this equation.

So whatever line you select, matching that to the right rod can pay dividends. 

And while we routinely consider a jigs wire hook size when choosing gear, 

over coming a big girls crusher grip on the jig, needs to happen before that hook can even pin her up.

Sometimes that's as much as a challenge as sinking the steel;

especially on a long cast.

We've all experienced it.

We get the bite, set the hook and then she plays tug a war with us until she decides to simply open that yap and break our hearts.

And we are left scratching our heads (or perhaps cursing a little).

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

[PressuredFishing]

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

No reason to use a heavy wire flipping jig when fishing deep rocky structure lakes with sparse cover.

Suggest using a wire guard football jig like Yamamoto with Owner or Gamakatsu 4/0 hook. You will need a few skirts* or use twin tail Hula Grub.    

I use 10 and 12 lb FC line for jigs in our clear SoCal lakes successfully. 

Tom

*Barlows Tackle and FishingSkirts both a good skirt choices.

Olay I will not use my heavier wire hooks for this application, I will use my finesse jigs. Good idea thankyou!

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

You've received some great advice so far with regards to line choice.

However do make the mistake of over looking the role your rod will paly in this equation.

So whatever line you select, matching that to the right rod can pay dividends. 

And while we routinely consider a jigs wire hook size when choosing gear, 

over coming a big girls crusher grip on the jig, needs to happen before that hook can even pin her up.

Sometimes that's as much as a challenge as sinking the steel;

especially on a long cast.

We've all experienced it.

We get the bite, set the hook and then she plays tug a war with us until she decides to simply open that yap and break our hearts.

And we are left scratching our heads (or perhaps cursing a little).

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

Yes this has been happening with the heavier wire hook+lighter rod+thick weed gaurd on 12lb line and I just can't get the hook in the mouth effectivley, I will upgrade my line I think for heavier gage wire hooks

[MickD]

I always  trim the weed guards.  They are  way too aggressive.  It doesn't take much to deflect a weed.

[Catt]

15# Big Game ?

[ironbjorn]

12 lb Big Game and Yo-Zuri Hybrid has always been more than enough for me.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, ironbjorn said:

12 lb Big Game and Yo-Zuri Hybrid has always been more than enough for me.

Ya but those two are odd-balls that I think are rated low. I know that 12#YZH actually tests out to 19.5# as rated by the IGFA

[Derek1]

Cutting down the weed guard will make it stiffer. Take a pair off pliers and pull a few out randomly around the weed guard to soften it. Do just a few at a time until you get what you want. But as said earlier jigs matched up properly with the rod should be just fine. 

[Kdizzle]

I use Pline Flouroclear.  As leader material of course with 30 to 40 pound braid.  12 for lighter wire jigs like Hayabusa make or 15 to 17 for heavier wire jigs like Dobyns make.

 

Its cheap.  It works.  I'm not a tournament guy so that's enough.

[WRB]

My 7/16 oz jigs use 5/0 Gamakatsu 114 hooks, .047D forged.

My jig rods are rated for lures 1/4-1oz and 3/8-1 1/4 oz, 5 & 6 power using 10 to 12Lb  mono and FC. At night I can get away with 17 lb Big Game. 

You need to get bit and our FLMB are highly pressured and get spooked easily. Smaller diameter line allows the jig to fall the right ROF to 15’ to 30’ the average strike zone in So Cal during day light. At nigh 3’ to 15’ is generally the active strike zone and line diameter is eliminated along with long cast.

Never caught a Giant over 15 lbs at night....lots of 10-12 lb bass.

Tom

[PressuredFishing]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya but those two are odd-balls that I think are rated low. I know that 12#YZH actually tests out to 19.5# as rated by the IGFA

Very interesting, I have noticed that alot as well with certain lines, the cheaper monos have a bigger diameter and break quicker, and the izorline coplymer lines have small diameter and are stronger, sunline fluorocarbon are even stronger and thinner diameter, perhaps the nylon chemical recipes each company uses. Don't know much about braid on the other hand

23 minutes ago, WRB said:

My 7/16 oz jigs use 5/0 Gamakatsu 114 hooks, .047D forged.

My jig rods are rated for lures 1/4-1oz and 3/8-1 1/4 oz, 5 & 6 power using 10 to 12Lb  mono and FC. At night I can get away with 17 lb Big Game. 

You need to get bit and our FLMB are highly pressured and get spooked easily. Smaller diameter line allows the jig to fall the right ROF to 15’ to 30’ the average strike zone in So Cal during day light. At nigh 3’ to 15’ is generally the active strike zone and line diameter is eliminated along with long cast.

Never caught a Giant over 15 lbs at night....lots of 10-12 lb bass.

Tom

Very interesting, perhaps I will keep trying the 12lb  big game, I do feel the lighter line helps present the bait better as well with rod. Do you set the hook similarly to a Texas rig? Harder? Softer? I have not fished jigs much so don't know much about hook setting them. Thanks for your help!

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

I have noticed that alot as well with certain lines, the cheaper monos have a bigger diameter and break quicker,

Actually - Big Game and YZH are lines well recommended here. I run 12# YZH on my crank-rig and 4# on my ML/MF rig (panfish and small cranks). I'm a fan...it's never let me down.

 

YZH isn't a mono - it's a copolymer with a different manufacturing process than other copolymers.

[Bankc]

I've frequently used 10# fluoro leaders with all of my jigs and never had issues with hooksets.  Though if I'm pitching around cover, I usually just cut off the leader and go straight braid.

[PressuredFishing]

10 minutes ago, Bankc said:

I've frequently used 10# fluoro leaders with all of my jigs and never had issues with hooksets.  Though if I'm pitching around cover, I usually just cut off the leader and go straight braid.

Very good to know, maybe I'm just setting the hook wrong, I'm setting it just like a t rig

[WRB]

37 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

Very interesting, I have noticed that alot as well with certain lines, the cheaper monos have a bigger diameter and break quicker, and the izorline coplymer lines have small diameter and are stronger, sunline fluorocarbon are even stronger and thinner diameter, perhaps the nylon chemical recipes each company uses. Don't know much about braid on the other hand

Very interesting, perhaps I will keep trying the 12lb  big game, I do feel the lighter line helps present the bait better as well with rod. Do you set the hook similarly to a Texas rig? Harder? Softer? I have not fished jigs much so don't know much about hook setting them. Thanks for your help!

You need to read Horizontal Jigging article In-Fisherman.

PM your email and will send you the article.

Tom

[FishTank]

15lb FC.  I am partial to Seaguar's Abrazx, Invizx and Tatsu.  All three work well but Tatsu is my favorite.