Hook Sets With Weedless Jigs?

[Bassackward]

When I set the hook....you know it!  I used a jig and pig setup for the first time today and missed my first 3 bites.  I decided that maybe a wasn't waiting long enough, so on the next bite I waited until I saw the line streaming across the water.  I set the hook..........nothing! I had to change something, so instead of setiing the hook I just reeled in as fast as I could.  I didnt miss a bite after I started doing this.  The only thing I could think was that the weed guard was causing the missed fish when I did a quick hook set.  I guess what Im asking is if this is normal.  Am I supposed to set the hook hard like I usually do, or do I just reel in quick?

[MBeery]

Do you trim the weed guards on your jigs before you throw them?  I know that a lot of time the individual plastic strips are joined together at the end.  Try trimming a bit of the end off and spreading the stips out so they fan out at the end.  Make sure that you don't trim the guard too much, cause when you bend it back sometimes it will be below the hook (found that one out the hard way many a time)  If the guard is not flexible enough it could be preventing the hook from setting on the hard set.  Maybe when your are just reeling in, it is putting enough steady pressure on the guard to pop the hook through.  Give it a try, it might help.  In my experience with weedless jigs I have not had a problem using my normal hookset.

[Nick_Barr]

I first on all my jigs, cut down the weedguard.  About 1/8 above the hookpoint when bent down.

Then on jig hookset, I belive in a hard "SNAP" Hookset, where you leave a littlw slack line and then you set the hook as hard as you can. I believ you get a better and harder hookset doing that with weedless jigs.

Also, you can thin your weedgaurd to soften it up.

[jomatty]

jigs are one bait that i do not give them any time with.  when i detect a hit i hit em and hit em hard, with a little slack in the line.  imo its not like plastics where they will hang on to it for a long time.  when i get a hit i lower my rod tip while reeling in most of the slack, but still leaving a slight amount and set it like i mean it.  i thin my weedguards but dont shorten them, as i believe shortening them dosent make much difference since it is the stiffness that is important and shortening them dosent help that.  some people think it makes them stiffer and hurts hook ups.  i dont necesarrily believe that but i dont think it helps any.  

matt

[Siebert Outdoors]

Thats unusual.  I doubt I could catch a fish without setting the hook on a jig.  Like Jomatty said you cant be late on the hookset or the fish will usually spit it out.  Also alot of times little fish will just tug on the trailer making you think you have a real fish bite.  Most of my nicer fish bites are more of a tap and then the line moves.  Little ones play around more with the jig it seems like.  

[FIN-S-R]

I get rid of the weed guards entirely and t-rig my trailer to make it weedless...its more weedless this way and hooksets arent much different than what youd do on a shakey head or t-rig

[senile1]

Trim and thin out your weed guards as already suggested.  And as Jomatty and GMAN stated, you generally want to set the hook quickly with a jig.  To answer your question, no, fast reeling isn't the way to improve your hookup ratio with a jig and pig.  Your fast reeling technique is a trip.  I'm surprised you hooked any fish that way.  Can you give more details about how the fish were hooked, size, etc?

[Bassackward]

Thanks for all the advice.  I have trimmed the guard down, but i didnt think about slimming it down.  I think that will probably help a lot.  The fish I was catching were nothing more then a pound, so maybe I was just feeling little fish playing with it. Thanks again

[senile1]

  Quote

Thanks for all the advice.  I have trimmed the guard down, but i didnt think about slimming it down.  I think that will probably help a lot.  The fish I was catching were nothing more then a pound, so maybe I was just feeling little fish playing with it. Thanks again

Hmmm . . . . your smaller fish must have been hooking themselves due to their aggressive attacks on your lure.  The big guys usually give you a little tick or you see you're line moving off one way or another and you have to set the hook quickly.  

[Guest avid]

My jig prep includes all three of the following

shorten, thin out, and fan the fibers of the weedguard.

trim the skirt to the bottom of the hook

use a pair pliers and open up the hook gap an additional 10 percent or so.

Jigs are one of most reliable hook up lures.

[Chris]

1. Trim the top of the weed guard at a 45 degree angle.

2. Thin the weed guard out in the front if it is thin cover or in the back for thick cover.

3. Trim your pork chunk. You want to cut the front of the chunk at the hook hole and make it look like a wedge.(trim on the fatty side)

4. Trim your skirt so that it is about a 1/4" past the hook.

5. Make sure that the weed guard isn't painted together.