Tips to Reduce Snags from Bank

[Drawdown]

Especially when fishing soft plastics “uphill,” working a lure from the deep to shore, I struggle to keep it off the bottom. As a result, I lose a lot of bottom contact lures, whether or not the hook is exposed.

 

Should I be raising my rod tip when I think the bait is getting close to a sharper “incline”? I try to “pulse” the bait by gently twitching my rod tip, but that alone doesn’t keep it *just* off the bottom when going “uphill.”

 

I’d also love to be able to confidently bounce the bait off the bottom (as opposed to dragging it, which is a recipe for a guaranteed snag), but it seems like even letting it fall on slack line can get me immediately stuck.

 

I know snags are inevitable—I’d just like to reduce the number of times I’m forced to break off a jig, Texas rig, or round ball head.

 

Another thing I *just* started trying in a snag-prone area was rigging a 7” Stick-O like a Child rig. Guess you could call it a “man child rig,” lol. Had to be 7 times the number of casts before I eventually snagged it, too. Just need to figure out how to work the bait. It’s like a mix between a Neko and a weightless Texas rig.

[Jig Man]

Have you tried a Toyko rig with mono on the dropper?

[Deleted account]

27 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

Have you tried a Toyko rig with mono on the dropper?

How is that not named the Kyoto rig yet, LMB guys slipping...  

OP: Some bottoms are just more sticky than others, If a heavy weight that settles on the bottom is getting snagged most of the time, a better approach would be to fish something lighter and learn how to glide it or scrape it on or near the bottom, and adjust the amount and type of action from the bait, needles to say hook in the bait.

[Drawdown]

40 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

Have you tried a Toyko rig with mono on the dropper?

As in, use mono instead of the little wire that most Tokyo rigs sold at the store come with?

 

I’ve never fished a Tokyo rig.

[scaleface]

I feel your pain . Go cheap . Lead weights , Eagle Claw hooks , bargain bin soft plastics .

[MidwestBassAttack]

What weight are you using on your Texas rig? 

[Drawdown]

When fishing from a boat obviously this is less of an issue. Pretty much always can get it loose (though we probably spook fish changing the angle on the lure) unless it’s hooked solid into a semi-soft material like wood.

Just now, MidwestBassAttack said:

What weight are you using on your Texas rig? 

I’ve tried 1/8oz and 1/2oz—but not pegged it either time.

[Deleted account]

13 minutes ago, Drawdown said:

but not pegged it either time.

Don't do that.

[scaleface]

What do you think you are snagging on ?Are your baits getting wedged in rock , or dragging over brush ?

[Glenn]

 

[BayouSlide]

There's a point off the entrance to the dock on a local lake that always draws a number of bank fisherman. If I can't catch a bass there, I generally will boat someone's lure ?

[Bankbeater]

Most of the time when I hang up a t-rig it's because the weight has gotten behind something.  Try t-rigging weightless.

[Drawdown]

6 hours ago, scaleface said:

What do you think you are snagging on ?Are your baits getting wedged in rock , or dragging over brush ?

I’ve snagged both, I think, but I have a better time getting loose from rocks by changing the angle, or even just letting the line go slack before snapping back. So it’s the weight getting caught in the rock, and whether I get loose depends on whether I can change the angle, depending on what the bank looks like.

 

Those thin wire finesse hooks seldom let do from logs, however. Though I have broken off some tree bark with a the 5/0 hook on a structure jig.

 

Permit me to ask this: does the direction I run the line through the hook eye on, say a   skirted jig, affect snag likelihood?

 

I know while drop shotting the direction of the line matters hugely for the orientation of the hook…but I wonder if since I began drop shotting I’m more likely to go through the eye in such a way that I’ve become more snaggy than I used to be. Since I started fishing a drop shot, Neko rigging has been near impossible. I snag so fast.

 

I actually always go through the “front” of the hook eye since I started drop shotting—obviously this is irrelevant to round ball jigs, or any other bait with an eye that faces left and right of the hook shank, instead of “north-south.”

 

[A-Jay]

@Drawdown

This type of rig has worked for me in similar conditions you've described. 

Simply a Texas rigged plastic with a skirt added.

A light lead weight can help as well; 1/4 oz.

Allows the rig to 'glide' rather than dive. 

A-Jay

 

[ChrisD46]

20 hours ago, MidwestBassAttack said:

What weight are you using on your Texas rig? 

^^Bingo^^ ... Use as light a weight as possible (1/8th oz , 3/32nd oz.) to maintain bottom contact while slowly retrieving back to the bank .

[BigAngus752]

14 hours ago, Drawdown said:

even just letting the line go slack before snapping back

Only two suggestions I have:

1. Lightest possible weight for the conditions

2. Most important step 1 of trying to free a snag is be extremely gentle.  If you are slowly dragging and feel like you're starting to snag the give it a very gentle jiggle (this will also tell you if you've got a snag or a soft bite). 

 

I've had this happen numerous times:  Snag. Open the bail or press the thumb bar and set the rod down on the deck (so the snag line doesn't yank the rod into the water).  PIck up another rod and keep fishing the same spot making sure not to cross my own line.  Get done and pick up the first rod to find that the breeze or the wake from a passing boat has freed my snag.  

 

Don't stress too much about snags.  Buy lots of hooks and weights and swing away. 

 

[garroyo130]

Agree with others above. I fish from the bank and when I'm fishing deep (15ish feet) I will throw split shot worms, deep diving crankbaits with trebles replaced with singles, and sometimes jigs. The jigs are the only ones I lose but thats rare even with a dragging retrieve. Texas rigs and carolina rigs I lose every other cast. 

[ATA]

1- Go weedless as much as possible.

2- Go as light as possible.

 

This is my experience of years and years of bank fisherman. Wish you best luck.

[Bass Rutten]

The Jika rig with light skinny weights and narrow baits comes cleanly through everything I’ve ever encountered except for that nasty green slime.

[geo g]

As a guy that fishes limestone man made lakes with lots of weeds 5 days a week, and then the boat on weekends.  I know your pain.  Over the years I have made several changes to help solve the problem.  As ATA suggested, with Texas rigged plastics, go as light as you can.  I go weightless most of the time.  To get deep, I just fish slower with pauses.  When you feel resistance but no tick or movement, it is rock or vegetation on the other end.  don't keep pulling but give some slack then with the rod high snap it up off the bottom.  The slack first,  allows the bait to get away from the obstruction before the small quick snap to free it.  This often get it free from rock edges.  These sharp drop offs usually cause most of my snags.  Keeping constant pressure on the line after feeling the restriction, only guarantees getting caught on rocky ledges.  Good luck, weightless is the way to go.

[Luke Barnes]

I'm a bank angler and what i found is to go lighter on the weights. The lure stays up and doesn't get buried down in the snaggy stuff as easy, the lighter it is. Atleast it seems that way to me. 

[PaulVE64]

Most of the time that I'm fishing uphill it's a shelf. I always try to throw as parallel as possible.

If I cant do that I pop the lure after 1st contacting the bottom of the "hill"

I'm trying to pop and drop on slack line that is reeled in enough to keep me above the bank.

Fish from the depths can strike and the smaller bank fish might reaction strike it.

 

Hope that helps.

 

[Bankc]

On 7/30/2022 at 5:11 PM, Drawdown said:

I’ve snagged both, I think, but I have a better time getting loose from rocks by changing the angle, or even just letting the line go slack before snapping back. So it’s the weight getting caught in the rock, and whether I get loose depends on whether I can change the angle, depending on what the bank looks like.

 

Those thin wire finesse hooks seldom let do from logs, however. Though I have broken off some tree bark with a the 5/0 hook on a structure jig.

 

Permit me to ask this: does the direction I run the line through the hook eye on, say a   skirted jig, affect snag likelihood?

 

I know while drop shotting the direction of the line matters hugely for the orientation of the hook…but I wonder if since I began drop shotting I’m more likely to go through the eye in such a way that I’ve become more snaggy than I used to be. Since I started fishing a drop shot, Neko rigging has been near impossible. I snag so fast.

 

I actually always go through the “front” of the hook eye since I started drop shotting—obviously this is irrelevant to round ball jigs, or any other bait with an eye that faces left and right of the hook shank, instead of “north-south.”

 

It depends on what kind of knot.  If you're using a palomar, then no.  If you're snelling the hook, then the eye of the hook can act as a fulcrum to swing the hook out (or back) when under pressure from the line.  It's not a huge effect, but it is there.

 

Try switching to EWG hooks.  Find ones with the eye in line with the hook point.  That will reduce snagging, as the hook itself won't stick out from your line of travel.  It'll also probably reduce your hook up ratio, but you can mitigate some of that with a good hookset and keeping constant pressure on the fish. 

 

Also experiment with pegging your weight.  Sometimes, pegging the bullet weight to the hook will keep it from separating and reduce snags caused by the weight.  Sometimes, using a heavier weight that's not pegged can make it easier to pop free a snagged hook.  Sometimes a lighter weight with a sharper cone comes through easier.  It all depends on what you're getting hooked on.  If you're fishing the same area often, play around with those elements to see what works best.  

[RDB]

1).  Use the lightest weight you need.

2).  When you first feel the snag, don’t put a lot of pressure on it or you will wedge it more.

3).  Use lighter line snaps with your off hand to pop it free.  You may have to snap it quite a few times but it will usually break free.