MUD BUGS IN THE BELLY

[grid]

Was out fishing last night and caught a few.  an old boy had a 2 pounder that he was filleting.  :'( He did say he normally catch and release all his bass but this one swallowed the hook so he was taking it home.  The belly was huge and when he opened it, it had 5 crawfish inside!  He said this wasn't the fish bass that had 1-2 craws in their belly.

My question..

This lake is a old gravel pit.  Very steep sides and very clear.  Most of my bass I catch are in 15-20 feet of water.  Bottom has a short, dense mat with hydrilla.  What is a good crawfish type bait for this type water.  I tried a jig last night but had a hell of a time pulling it through.  It just came up with lots of weeds.

[Matt Fly]

What kind of weed guard did your jigs have?    I like texas rigged craws with a pegged sinker or screw lock weight that helps baits pull thru easier.

What kind of jigs are you throwing?

Matt

[Guest avid]

Your talkin Florida fishing dude.

What we do down here is T - rig a craw type bait but use a screw in sinker or peg your sinker to the nose of the plastic.

This is (surprise!!!) called a  Florida rig.

It is much more weedless that ANY jig.  trust me, I have tried them all.

[airborne_angler]

I have recently gained confidence in Baby Brush Hogs and I feel they imitate a crawfish well. The Bass Im catching are gorging themselves on Crayfish so I know the "bugs" I use will catch em. They are gorging themselves so much they are puking.

[Cephkiller]

I have recently gained confidence in Baby Brush Hogs and I feel they imitate a crawfish well. The Bass Im catching are gorging themselves on Crayfish so I know the "bugs" I use will catch em. They are gorging themselves so much they are puking.

What kind of hook are you using?  In the photo it looks like it is nearly straightened out and that fish isn't big enough for that much pull.

[airborne_angler]

It didnt straighten it out. Its a Matsuo hook, I forget what style,it has some wierd angles on it, Does sickle hook sound right?

[.dsaavedra.]

thats disgusting dude! hes got a nice lil gut on him for his size. that looks like a regular worm hook that isnt EWG. i have several from eagle claw.

[Cephkiller]

It didnt straighten it out. Its a Matsuo hook, I forget what style,it has some wierd angles on it, Does sickle hook sound right?

Gotcha!

[Guest the_muddy_man]

MUD BUGS IN THE BELLY : that desribes a condition i get every time I visit Louisiana

[grid]

as to what type of jig I'm not sure.  Never had too much confidence in them.  But I want to learn how to fish them and do more often.  i get so agravated when they log up with weeds!  I have baby brush hogs.  I will try texas rigged.  I fish alot that way with worms and do well.  Thanks men for your help.

[Catt]

Terry Oldham's jigs are the best for fishing in Heavy Grass, equipped with super strong Gamakatsu hooks, premium silicone skirts, and Oldham's Screw-Lock system allows you to fish all day using just one or two trailers.

This is the jig that's been winning all the money on Texas lakes with deep grass.  

[Marylandbasser]

for a soft plastic crawfish use the berkly powerbait Chigger Craw with a quarter ounce wait. It's the best crawfish imitiator i have used.

[justfishin]

You are fishing in 15-20' of water in thick grass? Jigs like the one CATT was talking about would be my first choice but, another good choice we use around here would be a 4" tube, 4/0 Gammy G-Lock hook with a 1/4-3/8oz bullet sinker that is pegged. Insert a rattle. A great all around choice as far as color would be Black/Red Flake, it works everywhere for green bass. Also, don't be afraid to try Green Pumpkin or Junebug as well. Remember, that grass floats on top but, underneath it can open up. This time of year fish the dropoffs. Say a area runs around 2-8' then drops off to a creek channel. They like to move up and down these channel walls this time of year. Later and higher the sun, thicker and deeper the cover. By all means thats not a rule, just a suggestion. Let them tell you where they are at and don't be afraid of the thick stuff. I see a lot of guys go along the outside edges because its easy. Don't be afraid to flip in the holes way back in the thick.

[grid]

everytime I try to use a jig it is hard pulling to get through the tall grass.  My jig loads up with the grass and i have to pick it off.  I'm trying to pull it slow on the bottom but at times I feel I need to hook the truck up to it to pull it through.

[BassHunter69]

MUD BUGS IN THE BELLY : that desribes a condition i get every time I visit Louisiana

;D ;D muddy that goes for humans and fish alike   ;D ;D ;D