Fishing jigs in brush/heavy cover

[born2climb]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place for this thread...feel free to move it if not.

 

I caught my first jig fish three years ago, after throwing one randomly for years and getting bored when not getting bites, and going back to Texas-rigged worm/creature baits, due to both confidence and familiarity. I am now hooked on jig fishing, and I'm trying to learn more about it. My biggest misconception through the years was the "weedless-ness" of jigs. They have a weed guard....they're WEEDLESS! (Only to have them hang up cast after cast in brush.) By my thinking, either there's an art to fishing a jig through cover and brush....or there are millions of jigs beneath our bass waters.

 

So is there a "trick" to getting a jig through the thick stuff? Cast/cover orientation? (Parallel/perpendicular casts?) More vertical jigging as opposed to dragging THROUGH the cover? I keep a check on my weed guard to make sure it's flared out to provide as much protection as possible.

 

HELP!

[Pat Brown]

A weed guard is actually more stiff when it's condensed down the center but really, IMHO a jig is generally not what I reach for first when fishing heavy brush loaded with snags.  I prefer jigs in standing timber/stumps/pads/laydowns/rocks/over hanging trees/dock pilings/sea wall/rip rap/big points/little cuts with hard bottom/humps/ledges etc.

 

Heavy brush, I just throw a t rig or a shaky head or something where I can bury the plastic.   👍🏼

 

Try a punch skirt for a jig presentation in heavy brush and see what happens!

[LrgmouthShad]

Generally if I can get a t-rig through it, I can get a jig through it. I love a jig in heavy cover. If it is really thick cover, treat it like heavy vegetation. Do not drag your bait across that stuff. Drop it in, work a little, pull it out. If you feel your jig start to hang, gently pull the jig over. You can also drop it and shake it on the far side of the obstruction, then do the same on the near side. 
 

The type of jig matters. Over time you will get a sense for how stiff weedguards need to be for working in timber. I do not fan mine out and leave them just reaching the barb when I pull it down. 

 

[Bankbeater]

I would rather fish a weightless plastic or a Texas rig in the middle of a brush pile.  The only time I will fish a jig in brush is when the brush is deep, and I can get a boat directly over it.  Then I will drop the jig straight down through it like punching a mat.

[Reel]

Follow the limbs, don't drag your jigs across them.

[Choporoz]

https://siebertoutdoors.com/products/ols/products/extreme-brush-jig-xtr-brs-jig26

 

The line tie on this is perfect for nasty laydowns

[casts_by_fly]

If you’re bank fishing you’ll struggle more because the trees are generally laying away from you and you’re pulling into the crotches. If from a boat it’s easier. Fish along the branches and not across as noted. Heavier hard mono helps as opposed to braid. You have to get the feel for sliding a jig up and over the branches and not setting into them. Also spread your weed guard and mash it down closer to the hook. It should look like a fan and not a stick. Also, you will loose jigs. You can’t catch them if you don’t put your lures where they live. 

[T-Billy]

I pretty much just fish jigs on structure and moderate cover anymore.A flipping rig with a snelled straight shank comes through the gnarly stuff way better than any jig, and gets more bites IMO.

[VolFan]

Accept that you will lose jigs. It happens. I prefer to fish casting from what was the treetop towards what was the bottom/root portion, parallel to the trunk. I don’t bomb casts, just target holes. You slither it gently up to and over limbs. I use the rod tip and rod movement to lift it over; generally this way you know the hook point is up. Perpendicular is ok, but really tough in heavy fresh treetops. Even the type of tree and the age can make a difference.

[WRB]

We have 27 pages of jig fishing questions and answers top of this forum enjoy reading.

Snagging jigs in brush usually results by using a jig not designed for brush or too heavy weight.

As you correctly identified a weed guard doesn’t prevent snagging it does protect the hook point hooking weeds or stuff

like brush when properly finessed through by you.

Strike King Hack Attack FC jig has all the features a good brush jig needs; hook eye located at the modified bullet head, short compact design, strong sharp hook, spring soft plastic trailer attachment.

Suggest using a 3/8 oz size.

Do not yank on the jig to free it just gently jiggle free using the rod tip to lift the jig up and over snags.

Seiberts brush jig works and is a stand up design takes a little more skill, a 1/4 oz to start with.

Soft plastic trailers either SK Rage tails or Yamamoto twin tail 4” for 1/4 oz, 4” or 5” for 3/8 oz.

No need to modify the fiber weed guard.

Tom