Casting Jigs-How Far Do You Cast Them?

[ghost]

I've been shore fishing quite a bit since the weather around here isn't all that great to get a small boat out.

So I've been refining my jig feel since the crankbait & topwater bites have been way off.  I'm getting the feel back on what a jig bite feels like but I've been casting a long ways to get any bites.  I'm not pitching to any cover since there really no bass to be seen shallow.  I'm getting hits on the fall & dragging it on the bottom & I'm going as deep as 20'.

But I'm missing hook sets either due to I am casting so far or more likely a bluegill or smaller bass is playing w/ the jig.  lastly, I'm using from either 30-50 lb braid so I can feel everything on the bottom & am thinking that I shouldn't be missing any hits on hook sets.  I'm using MH rods so I know I have enough power to set the hooks.  Hooks on the jigs are way sharp....

So am I just casting too far to get a proper hookset?

[MattinOK]

If your using a really powerful hookset; you may be ripping the hooks out of the fishes mouths. Braid needs much less of a hookset than mono. A good flick of the wrist is all you need. You probably already know all this though.

[central_fl_fishin]

Braid really helps for feeling the strikes using jigs cast far, especially in grass.  What I do is once the jig hits bottom slowly take up the slack, hold the tension slightly, jiggle, then quickly sweep up the rod tip and let it fall again

[Bankbeater]

A couple of the ponds that I fish are very clear. I cast out my jig far enough to where I can't see it anymore. I will bring it back across the bottom or swim it back depending on what the bass want. When the jig gets close enough for me to actually see it, I'll bring it back in. If I can see the jig then the bass going after it can see me.

[J Francho]

If your using a really powerful hookset; you may be ripping the hooks out of the fishes mouths. Braid needs much less of a hookset than mono. A good flick of the wrist is all you need. You probably already know all this though.

I do not recommend using a flick set with a jig in cover. When ripping jigs, at distance through weeds, you want to use a two part swing: reel down, and whack them, bringing your rod at an angle perpendicular to the fish, and then lift the fish from the cover, all the while reeling in as fast as you can. Otherwise you'll lose it in the weeds.

EDIT:  Oops, I read the OP wrong about cover, but even so, I still recommend crossing their eyes.  if they have the jig in their mouth, the hook will penetrate, other wise you run the risk of not hooking the fish at all, and losing it later in the fight.