jigs

[scooter11]

im sure this has been talked about, but i couldnt find anything with the search for jig hooksets.  this is my first year trying jigs and after reading aloooot of material over the past couple weeks, i tried fishing with a jig yesterday.  it worked out really well, they were biting it constantly.  the problem was everytime i went to set the hook the jig would pop out of their mouth.  i know some people cut off the weed guard, so my question is, what does this do from a standpoint of hanging up the jig in weeds and timber?  if anyone has any tricks that help with the hookset im all ears, thanks guys.

[Shadcranker]

My guess is that you may have a rod problem or you are not taking the slack out of your line before setting the hook.

Rod- you need a lot of backbone to drive a jig hook in well. If you are not getting the hook all the way through the fish's mouth / jaw / skin, then the rod is does not have enough backbone, or your simply not setting the hook hard enough.

Slack- if you do not reel down and take out most of the slack, you are setting the hook with way too much slack, which doesn't allow you to pop the hook through the fish's mouth. Make sure and reel most of the slack out, and then set it hard.

Only other thing I can think is the fish may be spitting the bait. Try a good craw scented attractant, like Bang Pure Craw, They may hold on longer with the taste and scent of real craw.

As far as the weedgaurd goes, they come full, meaning they are intended for thick cover. I always trim the guard up to in-line with the bottom off the hook, but I thin strands only if I am fishing more sparse cover. If you need all the guard, trim it up to the hook bend, and simply fan the fibers out to where they are not all in one area.

SC