Weed gards on Jigs

[scaledriver]

I was wondering if it is best to trim the weed gard on a jig or leave it as it comes in the package?  I am sure this has been discussed before but I didn't have any much with the search engine.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I trim all my jigs to be just above the hook point. I also reduce the # of strands it has and then i will spread/fan them out as well. If i am fishing very heavy cover i will leave it as is.

[scaledriver]

The cover where I go most all the time is very heavy. Do you feel leaving them as is will make it harder to get the hook set?

[DINK WHISPERER]

I would take some strands out and fan them but leave the length as is. Jigs require a hard hook set in any situation and that is further amplified in heavy cover! I use braided line on mine so it makes it a lot easier to set!

[scaledriver]

Thanks! I am gonna do that to some Jigs for this weekend.  I am trying to learn how to fish with jigs better.

[adclem]

That is the one area I am working on, the hook set!  I have missed so many fish because of improper hook sets.  I have to remember to really pull hard.

Dink Whisperer do you think braid makes a big difference?  I am currently using fluorocarbon.

Later,

[DINK WHISPERER]

That is the one area I am working on, the hook set! I have missed so many fish because of improper hook sets. I have to remember to really pull hard.

Dink Whisperer do you think braid makes a big difference? I am currently using fluorocarbon.

Later,

I think it makes a hug difference personally! The hooks on most jigs are the thickness/gauge of superline hooks. Making it harder to penetrate the bone like mouth of the fish. I was loosing a lot of fish with fluoro as well until i switched to braid on my jig/worm rod!

[Bassin for Walleye]

I don't get the point of trimming them off. Why cut it right off at the hook? It's gonna go past the hook anyway. Ask a bunch of pros and I bet 90% don't trim them, and they ebviously catch fish. The same with trimming the skirt to the bottom of the hook. I would only do it if I want a smaller profile or want my trailer to show more. I leave my jigs alone

[DINK WHISPERER]

I don't get the point of trimming them off. Why cut it right off at the hook? It's gonna go past the hook anyway. Ask a bunch of pros and I bet 90% don't trim them, and they ebviously catch fish. The same with trimming the skirt to the bottom of the hook. I would only do it if I want a smaller profile or want my trailer to show more. I leave my jigs alone

So how many pros have you spoken to about this? How much do you actually fish a jig? The less resistance that the guard puts up the easier the hook will penetrate in the fishes mouth. Only a few strands are needed to make it weedless anyways!

[Hammer 4]

I trim mine, and fan out the guards, but leave them all in.

[River Rat316]

I don't trim mine, never.  Take a jig with a full weedguard and one with out, hold it around the head, hinda like when a fish strikes it and its mouth covers the whole jig, now try to pull the jig out of your hand and tell me which one is easier to get to the hook. The one without it trimmed is, the longer strands are more flexible and you can get more of a mechanical advantage because they bend easier the longer they are. About the only thing I ever do to the weedguard is make sure it lines up with the hook good so it can do its job properly.

The only fish you are going to have a problem hooking with full weedguards are dinks, and I don't like catching them anyway ;D

[Catt]

I throw Terry Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch/Eye-Max jigs and have never found the need to trim the weed guard; on the rare occasions I'll trim a weed guard is when there is not much cover.

[TheHammer84]

I don't reduce the number of strands, but I shorten them to just beyond the hook point and fan them out.

[Pitchinkid]

Personally i dont trim or fan my weedguard. I fish some pretty gnarly timber and it would be hang up after hang up if i trimmed. I think it just depends on how thick of cover your fishing. I good hook set will have no problem hooking a fish through a thick weedguard. To answer adclem, i use nothin but 100% flourocarbon when pitching a jig. I have tried braid, but have had several break off's at hookset. Probably dont need to set a hook as hard as i do, but its a hard habit to break. Plus Trilenes 100% flouro is super abrasive resistant. Especially when your dealing with wood. It all depends on what cover your fishing and your personal style of fishing that depends on whether to trim or not or whether to use braid or flouro.

[aarogb]

    I leave about 10 strands of the weed guard and cut the weed guard down to where it is even with the point of the hook.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I dont alter the weedguard.

[rubba bubba]

Here's an Elite pro who trims his weed guards; maybe he's in the 10%?

http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/library/view.html?id=2239

It's at the bottom of the article.

[Bassin for Walleye]

Honestly I will say I have never talked to any Pros but I do know about youtube. There are videos on there of people talking about their jigs. If you watch one of the videos I posted the man makes a good poinnt. He says something like this, "Your gonna get snagged with a jig, but why trim the weed guard and make it easier to get snaggged. When going over a log or throught weeds, the weed guard will get depressed. But if it is trimmed to the hook point, it will just make it easeier to get snagged." Think about that for a while. And I'm not trying to make anyone mad ot anything, I just gave my opinion.

[looking4structure]

i run all my jigs stock