Bladed jigs and rocks

[Bdnoble84]

Ive started dabbling a small amt with bladed jigs in the rocky, snaggy river i fish in. I am finding it very difficult to fish these baits without snagging in the rocks. I really love the idea of slowrolling one just off bottom, ticking the tops of the rocks or employing a rip jig retreive. What are y’all doing to keep from snagging in rock and rubble. 
 

i make my own so i can come up with just about any modification that might help.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Yo Yo it or Vomit Comit it and have a good understanding of the cover's depth.  That said I don't think I've ever been stuck on a rock before.  I'm trying to keep the bait from swinging around a limb or similar thing.     

 

Since the hook likely isn't snagging in rocks, the Project Z weedless series wouldn't help.  I'd assume your baits are lodging themselves in between rods or something.

 

If I know I'm fishing over a laydown that rises up to 5ft in the water column in 10ft of water, I'm throwing past the cover, counting to about 4 or 5 seconds, then lifting the rod several feet while reeling in the slack which kills the bait and allows it to flutter down a few feet, but still right above the tops of the whatever cover I'm targeting.   You'll stick tick the tops of stuff with this method because obviously things aren't exact, but you'll have much better control over where you bait is.  

[roadwarrior]

3 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That said I don't think I've ever been stuck on a rock before. 

[PressuredFishing]

29 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

doing to keep from snagging in rock and rubble. 

Crankbait

[LrgmouthShad]

Don’t do it. Large rocks will eat your chatterbait up. That along with laydowns is how I wound up losing all my jackhammers and swearing off chatterbaits.  The problem with me and chatterbaits is I try and get way too messy with them. 

[Deleted account]

25 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Vomit Comit

 

???

[casts_by_fly]

Fish a lighter bladed jig and keep your rod tip high.  You're still going to lose some, but you'll ride over more rocks than you are now.  With heavier bladed jigs, they will drop quick if you let off the retrieve or lower your rod tip.  With a lighter one they don't sink down in as fast.

 

3 hours ago, Deleted account said:

 

???

 

https://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/kc135onfinal.html

 

The vomit comet was the name for the zero gravity plane that simulated space.  It flew up to something like 80k' and then dropped on a 45 degree angle over and over again to give simulated weightlessness.  The name of the flight is self explanatory.  The reference is the yo-yo motion of the jig across the bottom.

[gim]

Maybe the current is causing issues with your chatterbait in the river @Bdnoble84?

 

I have used chatterbaits with success in rocky environments, but I was in a lake.  A river with a fair amount of current would be a completely different ball game.

[Bdnoble84]

3 hours ago, PressuredFishing said:

Crankbait

That too but just trying a different presentation that in my head should produce.

 

4 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Since the hook likely isn't snagging in rocks, the Project Z weedless series wouldn't help.  I'd assume your baits are lodging themselves in between rods or something.

Its hook lodgement quite frequently, i fish the same jigs (poisontail) without a blade and they are like a 4x4 on the right setup. Im thinking of setting up some weedless models and seeing what happens. That or come up with some swing heads with a weedless hook. 

[king fisher]

Your problem is using inexpensive chatterbaits.  Buy Jack Hammers, then you, will be to scared to use them.  You can't loose them in the rocks, if they stay in your box.

[gim]

4 minutes ago, king fisher said:

then you, will be to scared to use them

Haha.  This is why I refuse to use my Vision 110's in pike-infested waters.  Getting sawed off by a slime dart and losing a $25+ lure would send me into cardiac arrest.

[Bdnoble84]

51 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Your problem is using inexpensive chatterbaits.  Buy Jack Hammers, then you, will be to scared to use them.  You can't loose them in the rocks, if they stay in your box.

Haha, i dont buy jigs, chatters, spinnerbaits when i can make my own and make them how i want.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 hours ago, Deleted account said:

 

???

Reduced-gravity aircraft - Wikipedia   

[GetFishorDieTryin]

While I havent solved, ive found a few ways that really help minimize lost baits.  

Use a wide trailer, like a creature or craw.  It helps stop the bait from falling into tighter areas that they cant get out of.  

Use the lightest bait possible and keep the skirt somewhat bulky to slow the fall.

I found the Picasso Tungsten Football shock blades dont get stuck as much as the Arkie style and are way more snag resistant than the Project Z and other swim or grass jig style heads.

I found mono and some FC to be a little more forgiving then braid.  Once you snag a one up with braid its really stuck where as using a line with stretch I can work the bait out before its totally wedged.

 

[Susky River Rat]

I know people have great success with chatterbaits on the susky. It doesn’t get much more rocky than that. I am used to being snagged. Sometimes I go hours without one some times it’s five casts in a row. At least if you have a boat you can generally get above it and pop it out. If you want to play in the rocks you’re gonna snag there is no magic jig head or bait. 

[scaleface]

10 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Use a wide trailer, like a creature or craw. 

This works with jigs too .   A plastic bait wider than the lead-head will pull  free easier .  

[Bdnoble84]

7 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

I know people have great success with chatterbaits on the susky. It doesn’t get much more rocky than that. I am used to being snagged. Sometimes I go hours without one some times it’s five casts in a row. At least if you have a boat you can generally get above it and pop it out. If you want to play in the rocks you’re gonna snag there is no magic jig head or bait. 

haha, yes. Big reason I started pouring my own.

[Susky River Rat]

37 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

haha, yes. Big reason I started pouring my own.

I’m too lazy for that lol. 

[TnRiver46]

Every time I’ve let a chatterbait touch a rock (or any lake/river bottom), I never saw it again