Snags approach leave or go get?

[GoneFishingLTN]

What are approaches if you fish a stump field and let’s say you want to fish a lipless. Do you hit it with a jig or Texas rig first then a lipless that way your not chancing getting snagged as much with the lipless and ruining the spot from the beginning 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

100%

 

Another thing I've learned recently is that you don't want to throw a big swimbait first as it will draw all the fish off the area following the bait many times, and as many know they don't commit so many times on those baits.    I've just implemented this new change in my game.  Milliken learned this on FFS.  

[WRB]

Wood cover and treble hooks don’t go together without snagging. 

Square bills can deflect off of stumps and larger branches if you know how to work them. A lipless tends turns sideways do to the line tie near the center of the lure and snags easier.

A blade type lure works good with 1 hook upright, same with spinner baits.

Overlooked is the Scrounger that also works through wood cover effectively and the 6” sluggo trailer is a big bass lure.

Faster moving lures get strikes from more active bass and jigs or worms work better to precisely target the stump.

Tom

[928JLH]

Stump field is definitely getting the jig or Texas rig first. In my humble opinion a jig has caught more huge bass vs. any other lure. 

[Bird]

Spinnerbaits and Jigs would be how I'd go about it.

[LonnieP]

Hit it with the Jig first then the crankbait. I’ve lost a lot of crankbaits in the trees but I’ve also caught some big bass that way on days they didn’t want a jig or worm. Like Tom mentioned, a Squarebill will deflect off brush better than a Lipless.

[geo g]

Swim jig is a good one.  You can deflect off the wood and still draw big bass.

[Bankbeater]

I'll start off with a Texas rig to get an idea of what is under the surface.  After that, I will try a shallow running crankbait if the stumps are deeper than say a foot or so.  If I want to go deeper I will use a spinnerbait.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I throw traps in stump fields in the winter, but once the water begins to warm Im throwing a square bill over a trap.  If youre determined to throw a trap, you can do a few things to minimize snags.  Use the smallest and lightest wire hooks you can get away with and crush the barbs.  That way you can bend the hooks out and get the bait back without spooking every fish in the area.  Ryugi makes a really good duo hook that is thin enough to bend if you get snagged, but strong enough to handle a good fish.  If I want to bounce a trap off a stump ill remove the tail hook completely, so that I just have the duo hook on the belly.  Hook up % suffers, but its a compromise I'm willing to make at times.  

 

 

[papajoe222]

I'd approach it just the opposite of what others would do.  I'd use the lipless to locate active fish, then switch to a jig or a T-rig to fish the area. You can cover much more water in less time this way.

Cut off the down turned belly hook from the treble and carry a good lure retriever. I carry an extending pole type retriever and once you get the hang of using it, you can get unstuck and back to fishing in a couple of minutes. Even the knocker style will save you from loosing lures. 

[Catt]

17 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

let’s say you want to fish a lipless.

 

What do the bass want?

 

If they're chewing a lipless, guess what I'm throwing!

 

My thought process is hook em first, then figure out how land em.

[scaleface]

If their crushing lipless baits  I'll hit as many stumps as I can with it  then go back through with Texas rigs or jigs.  Lipless are not my first choice in wood though .

[Johnbt]

The first thing I do when approaching a stump field or local cypress swamp is take the bungee cords off the Frabill 15' Lure Retriever. 

[J Francho]

Stump fields are just screaming for a square bill or lipless bait, especially in spring. Fished with a medium power fast graphite rod (not the typical slow, mod, or glass blank), you can avoid snags because of the faster input you get. It's my plan to start with something that covers the area quickly, then pick it apart with something slower, if need be. 

[TnRiver46]

Stump field + trap = take the back hook off 

[king fisher]

Most of the time I will fish a spinnerbait, or other more weed less lure first, but for some reason I can't explain, I am not happy unless I leave one of my favorite crankbaits permanently snagged to the tree before I leave.  It doesn't matter if I caught 10 giant bass off of a piece of wood, on a T rig, I can't resist the urge to give a square bill a try.

[Darth-Baiter]

I high buoyancy square bill is what I would use.  One that you can stop and it floats away from danger. 
 

if it snags I’m going in there to try to get it.