Favorite swimbaits and jigs for A-Rigs

[Junk Fisherman]

I've definitely have to upgrade my A-rig arsenal.  What baits do you like and in what conditions?  How about jig heads?  Any other tips?  Any info is appreciated.  

[A-Jay]

~ My version of the A-Rig for Brown Bass ~

 

Right off the bat, I will say that I threw an A-Rig for the better part of two seasons, trying to force feed it to smallies.

Got a lot of great casting practice but that was about it.

But once it clicked - it was a Beauuuuuuuuuutiful Thing.

Now, I'm semi-addicted to the thing.

 

Ok So - the A-Rig for me is a really interesting deal.

First, it's a bit of a bear to fish for any length of time.  Obviously it doesn't cast very well (more of a full body heave or lob than an actual cast) but it does require quite a bit more effort to fish than most anything else I throw, in Michigan anyway.

 Second - the strikes are straight up vicious and every brown bass I've caught on it has been in the plus size class - so there's a decent reward for the effort expended.

 As for what clicked: I initially even got the idea to fish it for brown bass from Mark Zona.  But rather than actually watching how, where & when he was having results - I thought I could just go out - throw the thing around a bit and hook up.  Didn't happen. 

   Once I went back through what he was offering, and really digested the deal,  I was eventually able to get on some fish. Took a while though. 

 So like I said, I love throwing it because the strikes are great and so far, it's been a big fish catcher.  However, it's not a deal I use all season or on every lake.

   I have found two specific situations where I use it effectively.

 The first starts pre-spawn, but not super early.  More like once the water temps get to about 55 or so - and there's plenty of fish shallow(er) say less than 10 ft.  Clear water helps but not totally needed. But smallies are sight feeders so clean is usually better. 

hat is needed are long casts.  The fish have to be willing to chase the bait - so if it's too cold or too dirty - they will not. I usually start throwing it once the smallies start to follow a jerkbait to the boat without eating it - often they will eat this thing - hard!

This bite will last right up to the spawn for me - and then a little into post spawn - but not that long - as brown bass will often head deeper pretty quick and I'll use something else out there (usually a drop shot or spy bait). 

 The other A-Rig bite comes back in the late summer - first week of August.  I have found several Huge Smallies Super Shallow early morning (very first light) hunting perch right at the edge of the inside weedline in less than 5 ft. Unusual to say the least but that's were I got my PB so I don't ask questions, I just go fishing. These big fish are super spooky way inside in such skinny water and getting them to eat has been a challenge - top water works, but that bite dies fast each morning - so once I tried the A-Rig, it was on like Donkey Kong.  I was surprised it didn't spook them, as it hits the water like a bomb, but they'll follow it and eat it - no problem.

 Good thing is, a little later in the morning and again in the afternoon, these same fish move out to isolated weed clumps in 8-12 ft - waiting for the next low light to go back inside & eat again.  By throwing the A-Rig around this clumps, I'm often able to get a few more bites from some great fish, I'd often given up on in the past - sometimes at noon with the sun just blazing !  Tons of fun. 

 How I fish it - I use a 7'6" MH Mod stick, 20 lb Tatsu and a 6.6:1 reel.  A SK short Arm Rig, all 1/8 oz VMC Boxer heads and either SK KVD Swim N Shiner or Rage Swimmer - I like the baits right around 4 1/2 inches (I'll trim them if I need to).

 While watching Zona hammer smallies with this thing, he kept talking about how he wanted the rig to kind of "hover" in the water column.  I didn't know what the heck that meant ?  But after getting some fish, I sort of have an Idea.  The A-Rig is certainly not a contact bait, meaning you can fish it around cover but you can't be in it at all.  But where it is in the water column and at what speed, is EVERYTHING.  Traveling along, about 2 feet off the bottom seems like the sweet spot. And while there are times when they will smash it while I Burn it along, best results come when I can retrieve it just fast enough to keep "hovering" along in the correct slot of the water column.  Either way, I want this thing right in their face when it goes by - not way above or below them - right in their grill.  Almost seems like it angers them the way they hit it.  Intermittent quick reels handle turns, that make the rig 'jump ahead' a little - can be Money ! 

 Finally, I do not do much largemouth bass fishing locally, however I have fished the A-Rig south of the border for those giants last two trips.  Most all of the how-to present the bait still seems to apply.  I just use bigger gear & bigger baits to do it. 

Heading into this next season I will be looking hard to broaden my A-Rig fishing application horizons just about every chance I get.

More to follow (hopefully)

A-Jay

[Junk Fisherman]

What an incredible, detailed answer.  Thanks.  

 

I've caught a few good smallies on it but I definitely need to dial it in like you.  I think I have been fishing it too fast and not letting it get down enough.  Hopefully, I can get a few on the A-rig in a month or so from now.  

[LrgmouthShad]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Super Shallow early morning (very first light) hunting perch right at the edge of the inside weedline in less than 5 ft. Unusual to say the least but that's were I got my PB so I don't ask questions, I just go fishing.

That's incredible. Kind of like a largemouth scenario.

 

Awesome post

 

I'm of the opinion that this one should be pinned in the smallmouth forums. Really detailed coverage of fishing the a-rig for smallmouth

 

Edit: Wait, sorry, just realized this was someone else's post and not specifically for smallmouth. Disregard. I'm tired. Guess I need more coffee

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

That's incredible. Kind of like a largemouth scenario.

 

Awesome post

 

I'm of the opinion that this one should be pinned in the smallmouth forums. Really detailed coverage of fishing the a-rig for smallmouth

 

Edit: Wait, sorry, just realized this was someone else's post and not specifically for smallmouth. Disregard. I'm tired. Guess I need more coffee

 

It already is ~ 

A-Jay

 

[LrgmouthShad]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

It already is ~ 

A-Jay

 

cool deal

[softwateronly]

27 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

What an incredible, detailed answer.  Thanks.  

 

I've caught a few good smallies on it but I definitely need to dial it in like you.  I think I have been fishing it too fast and not letting it get down enough.  Hopefully, I can get a few on the A-rig in a month or so from now.  

 

If you're in LM territory at all, I'd say start throwing it now.  A bladeless A-rig is a go to for me from ice out till post spawn.  This year I've been using 3" & 4" largo shads, have caught dozens of fish, but no giants yet.  Fishing uphill or parallel to a break was my usual method, but running docks downhill has gotten a lot of bites for me this spring.  I feel like a 7'5 or longer rod makes fishing it much more productive and enjoyable in the clear water I'm usually in.

 

scott

 

 

 

 

  

[Junk Fisherman]

19 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

If you're in LM territory at all, I'd say start throwing it now.  A bladeless A-rig is a go to for me from ice out till post spawn.  This year I've been using 3" & 4" largo shads, have caught dozens of fish, but no giants yet.  Fishing uphill or parallel to a break was my usual method, but running docks downhill has gotten a lot of bites for me this spring.  I feel like a 7'5 or longer rod makes fishing it much more productive and enjoyable in the clear water I'm usually in.

 

scott

 

 

I would definitely throw it in Lake Michigan now.  I just haven't had good weather on the weekend to fish Lake Michigan locally-yet.  I've been chasing largemouth in inland lakes especially with some upcoming tournaments.  In a little over a  month I'll be up north where I'll definitely be using one.  

[king fisher]

        I am new to the A rig, and most of the time I fish around wood, and am too chicken to throw it around anything that may take that much money away from me in one cast.

        The time of year is coming when I fish some underwater humps, and ledges and I plan on throwing the A Rig often.  I fish Skinny Dippers on underspins, and jig heads often when they quit hitting crankbaits.  I usually pick up a few more fish with them and have been doing it for awhile.  I purchased an A Rig last year, and had tried it some, with no luck.  One day the crankbait died, and I put on an underspin with skinny-dipper, and caught two right away.  It was one of those rare times, fishing, when I actually thought of the obvious.  If they hit one swimbait, wouldn't they like 5 even more.  I only had an hour of daylight left, and was a feeling to lazy to take the time to change to the rig, but I am sure glad I did.  Other than needing shoulder surgery a few weeks later, the A Rig was a phenomenal success.  I haven't tried any other types of swimbaits, but the Monkey is on my back about the lack of variety at this very moment.  I simply nose hook the top two baits with hooks, and use ball head jigs on the bottom baits.  The Bait Monkey has me looking at special swimbait heads, and I'm looking forward to reading about which ones people recommend on this post. 

[gulfcaptain]

So I fish the a rig starting when the water hits 54 all the way up till spawn, some in the play spawn and then chasing suspended fish. Then again late fall when the temp hits 60 and falling. As for heads I like the 6th Sense swimbait heads 1/8 size. Bait wise I throw  4" shad style baits, and if I go finesse,  Keitech  ball heads 2/0 1/8th with a 3.5 swing or 3.3 fat. 

[softwateronly]

49 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

I would definitely throw it in Lake Michigan now.  I just haven't had good weather on the weekend to fish Lake Michigan locally-yet.  I've been chasing largemouth in inland lakes especially with some upcoming tournaments.  In a little over a  month I'll be up north where I'll definitely be using one.  

 

Just to make sure I was clear, LM meant green bass.  I'm a shore angler on Lake Michigan and have yet to try the A rig.  Jigs, traps, and dark sleepers have always seemed like my best baits, I should probably give it  a try.  I'd definitely trust @A-Jay's brown bass system, but want to say that for me, no soft water is too cold for large mouth to hit an A rig.  3 hook, 2 or 3 dummy, 1/8oz heads, let it hit bottom, pop it off and start a slow steady retrieve.  Every 2-3 handle turns I put some quick chop in the retrieve and it certainly seems to trigger bites.  Best of luck, every bite feels like a giant!

 

scott

[EzyEric]

@A-Jay When fishing it shallow do you still use 1/8th heads and just fish it faster?