Favorite Winter Soft Plastic Grub Set Up ?

[ChrisD46]

Fishing an grub on a ball head jig is considered an “old school” bass technique - but still can be deadly in cold water months I have read . I have a few different grub offerings (Zoom , Kalins , BPS ) but have not settled on a small ball head jig head suitable for the short body soft plastic grubs … If you are fishing grubs I would appreciated learning more about your favorite ball head jig and weights you use ?

[rangerjockey]

In the Ozarks we call that scubbing. Just reel it fast enough to keep in moving along the bottom.

Nothing fancy in the least any 1/4 oz ball head with a hook that's the right size for a Chompers or BPS 4 or 5 inch salt and pepper grub .

A Yamamoto 7ft Medium spinning rod with 8lb. line.

[Pat Brown]

Honestly the Yamamoto smokes all the other grubs in water below 48°

 

The thin tentacles undulate in current subtly when other plastic sorta just sits there.

 

My favorite jig head for these around here if not on a Siebert finesse jig would be on any weedless EWG jig head design on the market.  I like the Siebert one for this as well!

[bowhunter63]

1/8 ounce long shank jig head. I really like the Rage grub or Zoom fat Albert 7ft 6 rod with 10 lb braid . Just above the bottom slow 

[rgasr63]

You might like the Peanut Craft ball head jigs. They make them with different size hooks in the same weight size. 

[rangerjockey]

1 hour ago, Pat Brown said:

Honestly the Yamamoto smokes all the other grubs in water below 48°

 

The thin tentacles undulate in current subtly when other plastic sorta just sits there.

 

My favorite jig head for these around here if not on a Siebert finesse jig would be on any weedless EWG jig head design on the market.  I like the Siebert one for this as well!

 I have to ask about the 48 degree water and what makes the Yamamoto single tail special ?

[Pat Brown]

I wish I knew exactly why the plastic is more flimsy and moves more but plastic seems to 'harden' in cold water and the Yamamoto is so soft it stays natural looking.  That's all I can theorize.  I use lots of grubs but in cold water I use the softer plastics.

[TOXIC]

If I’m going to throw a grub, no matter what time of year, it’s going to be a Yamamoto twin tailed hula grub on a 1/4 oz gamakatsu football head jig.  

[Mobasser]

I like Kalins 3" and 4" grubs. Clear glitter and Ron's Craw have been good colors. My jigs are Eagle Claw 1/8 oz with a sickle hook.                           I also sometimes use a Man's Stingray grub in avacodo color, on the same jig.

[ne_dan]

Gamakatsu round jighead in anything from 1/8 to 1/4.  Depends on depth and what size hook I want.  I also like the Bass Pro Round Head Pro Jigheads, slightly longer hook shank, good VMC hook for the price, only thing I don’t like is it only comes in 3/0 hook.  The Gami has a vertical line tie and the Bass Pro has a 60 degree horizontal tie. 

[Catt]

[OkobojiEagle]

Gopher Tackle "Big John" mushroom head...

[WRB]

Not a grub but a 4” ribbon tail worm on a Gamakatsu Dart head jig.

I use 4” Screamer* in Shad** color on 1/8 oz dart. Reason is the thin long tail swims in cold water or any temperature water.

Tom

* US Bait co

** smoke with fine silver, gold and standard black flake.

[padon]

ive been fishing manns stingray grubs in smoke and avacado color for 30 years.i like a 1/8 or 3/16 mushroom head . an outcast tackle ned head with a wire weed gaurd works well. the stingray has a flat tail that doesnt have a ton of action which works really well in cold water.

[GRiver]

I’ve used Netbait’s paca crawl small or like @rangerjockey or @TOXIC said ….. a twin tailed grub with a skirt is great, with as little weight as you can get away with and twitch it real  S-L-O-W alone the bottom.
 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

The Gammi ballhead is really solid, but the smallest hook available is a 1/0 which isnt ideal for alot of the baits I use.  

[looking45]

I use a hand poured 5” grub. These heads keep the bait from sliding down the hook. You’ll lose the head before the bait comes off

[softwateronly]

On 1/18/2024 at 2:50 PM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

The Gammi ballhead is really solid, but the smallest hook available is a 1/0 which isnt ideal for alot of the baits I use.  

 

I grabbed some from my last digitaka order, but here's some TW options I've used and liked...

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Keitech_Super_Round_Tungsten_Jig_Head/descpage-KSR.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Decoy_VJ-77_Plus_Guard_Ball_Jig_Head_4pk/descpage-DCVJ.html

 

and a new one that looks interesting, but expensive...

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Range_Roller_Jighead/descpage-ORRJH.html

 

and this might be able to do double duty...

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Core_Tackle_Hover_Rig_3pk/descpage-CTHVR.html

 

scott

[GetFishorDieTryin]

These are nice, especially the super rounds with the small limerick bends.  The keepers work well enough, and the collars can separate after heavy use, but by that time I feel like I got my money worth out of them.

The decoys are nice too, but you have to tie an effective keeper on them.  The shrink tube does make it easier.

I like the hover heads, but I havent had a chance to use the #4 yet.  The line tie is actually above the hook point, which im not crazy about.  I'll probably bend them out a bit when I get to use them.  

[Munkin]

On 1/8/2024 at 4:04 PM, Pat Brown said:

I wish I knew exactly why the plastic is more flimsy and moves more but plastic seems to 'harden' in cold water and the Yamamoto is so soft it stays natural looking.  That's all I can theorize.  I use lots of grubs but in cold water I use the softer plastics.

 

Cold water stiffens the plastic for lack of a better word. This is why I pour my hairjig trailers in super soft plastic. They usually only last 1 or 2 fish but in 38 degree water it is worth it.

 

As for ballheads I just pour 1/8 or 1/4oz on whatever hook that the shank length matches the bait.

 

Allen