First smallie trip!!

[NewAngler]

So i told myself when i had a decent fishing story i would share it on the forum. With my par, at best, writing skills i will try to word it my best.

I went to a local relativley small river, in Fredericksburg, VA to wade for a couple hours and then head to work. I bring my dog with my every monday to fish, and usually tether her up to a tree. There was no tree where i was fishing this morning, so i took some logs and rocks and burried her leash with any debris i could find. I digress.

I got out to about waist high and started to fan cast out, as i am not experienced at all, so i thought this was a good starting point. I started at 9 o clock and finally made my way to 3 o cloack and BAM! a hit, a big hit, (at this point i have yet to catch a bass of any sort) i set the hook (so i thought) and started to reel it in, my dog gets more excited than i was, somehow weasled her way out and jumped into the river to get the fish. Somehow, it got away. I lock the dog back up and try for the same area that one hit... another big hit ,another loss.

overall, i had 5 hits, and lost them all, due to my lack of experience and timing, and the closest one to me was about 4 feet away before it got away. all in all, i had an amazing time wading for smallies, and i WILL be back to get those little boogers. (with out my dog)

I was using 4 in double tail grubs, watermelon color.

[Ern]

How do you have it rigged?

Let the fish take it more before hitting it.

Ern

[NewAngler]

t- rigged it, but i was using a shakey head hook... seemed to be productive..

[J Francho]

Set that hook!  Or try an open hook jighead.

[Ern]

If you are gonna t rig then you are gonna have to crank the hookset.  Idea is try to break the rod on the set.  I would tex-pose with a weighted worm hook before a shakey too.  Or the just a standard jighead.

Ern

[SuskyDude]

Use a standard tubejig head, and start hooking fish.

Your going to lose fish t-rigging tubes, no matter how good you get at it. On a jighead you have to really mess up to miss a hookset. A good quick snap of wrists is all it will take

Also, a common misconception is that you'll loose more tubes on a jighead than when you t-rig. The exposed hook is rarely the cause of getting hung up, it's usually the tube getting wedged between rocks thats the cause. In fact, when fishing rocks, the bullet weight of a t-rig will wedge up alot more than an internal jighead.

The only time I use a t-rigged tube is when I'm fishing heavy wood. I mean VERY heavy. Thats when the exposed hook of a jighead will get you in hang up hell.

[Ern]

:-?

How did we get from a 4" twin tail grub to a tube?

Ern

[SuskyDude]

:-?

How did we get from a 4" twin tail grub to a tube?

Ern

Yeah...that's a good question! ;D Ooops! I guess I missed that part.

Sorry NewAngler!

Either way, I'd still use jigheads for grubs. Pretty much the same theory applies.

[Crestliner2008]

Use a plain ball head jig in 1/8 oz. for your twin tailed grubs. You'll connect and stay that way. If you are worried about snagging (which is why I think you are using a shakey head?), just get use to it! I loose dozens of ball heads every season. It's part of the game. Especially if "catchin'" is your goal. The good news is that they are cheap. And if you're ambitious enough, get a mold and mold your own.