Jigs in Wood Cover 2024
FreddoB reply :
Hey All,
As a newb to jigs, I've read a lot and watched a lot and use weedless (???) jigs. They catch bass! Lately, I've throwing SK Hack Attacks. Why are my jigs hanging up on wood when I "read" that they're "for" heavy cover like wood? They seem like they'd easily pull around the stuff without hooking up. Hooks are for fish lips only! Note that these jigs I'm tossing are not modified and I'd really like to put them into the laydowns on the lake I frequent to pull out a monster or two (...or more). Tricks and tips welcome and appreciated! Thanks!
beginningfisherman reply :
A lot of it depends on how you pull it through the lay down. If you move it slow enough that you can feel what the jig is touching (rocks, mud, tree, fish) you can decide how to respond to that. As you get more experienced, you can fish faster.
I use the the siebert outdoors brush jigs when I fish laydowns (actually for almost all of my jigging needs). I have found that they come through weeds very well. Maybe give them a shot if you still have problems.
WRB reply :
Try to visualize what your jig is doing, how the line is pulling up and around sticks and branches. If the jig slides down into a Y formed by branches. The fiber weed gaurd is pressed down as you pull on it and the hook hangs up.
Ease it through the cover, lighter weight heads shouldn't hang up as often.
Tom
scaleface reply :
I'm not good at pulling jigs through "heavy" woody cover . I much prefer to bury a hook in plastic .
riverbasser reply :
Nothing wrong with the jig your using. Normally if I'm working through thick wood cover I'm not very far away so I can work the jig up instead of horizontal like if i was far away. If you feel the jig hanging up don't pull, just give it a shake and let it down then pull it over the branch/stump
Catt reply :
On 7/19/2017 at 7:47 AM, riverbasser said:Nothing wrong with the jig your using. Normally if I'm working through thick wood cover I'm not very far away so I can work the jig up instead of horizontal like if i was far away. If you feel the jig hanging up don't pull, just give it a shake and let it down then pull it over the branch/stump
This ^^^^^plus
When it comes to jigs everyone has their own personal repertoire of confusion!
What I look for in a jig is a smooth transition from the line to the eye & around the belly, which requires the eye to be slightly rolled forward. The reasoning is I want my jig to follow the line up to the cover & then slide over or through the cover smoothly. I want a quality brush/weed guard & a quality hook, both are more important to me than head design.
If I'm working a shoreline or offshore structure I do not switch jigs just because the cover changed!
papajoe222 reply :
Like Catt said, everyone has their own idea of what's 'best' for a given situation. The reason is because we have become so familiar with how that jig acts when it contacts cover and the information we deduce from what is sent up the line from it when it approaches the cover. We have a history of what will get that jig, not only out of the cover, but how doing so will assist in getting bit. All of that comes from putting in a lot of time with a jig and is also why a seasoned jig fisherman relies on only a few styles of jigs.
That said, a heavy cover jig works best when pitched, or flipped short distances. That angle of the line to the jig works to it's strengths. I prefer an Arky head with a horizontal line tie that will flip the jig over a branch when popped just right. That flip not only clears the jig of the branch but gets the reaction bite a crank or spinner bait gets when bumping cover. I put that jig hook in many a branch learning how to achieve that result.
FreddoB reply :
Hi and thanks to "all" that posted their comments. I knew I'd learn here and I have...
Lesson #1: "Get closer". This might be a big part of my learning curve. I might be fishing these laydowns out too far lessening that angle and going more horizontal; need to try closer and more vertical.
Lesson #2: "More time out there". I'm a proponent of 'hands on experience' and looking forward to getting that 'feel' of what's going on under water at the jig so I might not snag up often.
Lesson #3: All the above and more from all those that responded... Thank you!
On the same topic, after hooking into a fish in a laydown is "up" and "out fast" the best tactic for getting the fish out of the cover? When I see a situation like fishing a laydown, even knowing it holds fish a lot of the time, the thought of getting it out of there once hooked is daunting at times.
More thoughts? Much appreciated and thanks!!!
riverbasser reply :
I will always try to plan an "escape route" but you gotta get bit before that matters which often means throwing into some nasty stuff.
If there is a better angle or cast I will try to go that way and if all possible try not to have to bring a fish over anything above the water because who knows when you will hook your next big girl and it makes me sick to lose a good one but that's fishing.
FreddoB reply :
On 7/19/2017 at 11:53 AM, riverbasser said:If there is a better angle or cast I will try to go that way and if all possible try not to have to bring a fish over anything above the water because who knows when you will hook your next big girl and it makes me sick to lose a good one but that's fishing.
So -- if the cast into the nasty stuff "does" keep the line in the water (it makes total sense), is hoisting this fish "UP" the approach to take after the hookset? Just cranking the reel and hoping for the best doesn't seem right to me. What's the suggestion for doing "after" the hookset? Thanks!!
Catt reply :
On 7/19/2017 at 12:03 PM, FreddoB said:
So -- if the cast into the nasty stuff "does" keep the line in the water (it makes total sense), is hoisting this fish "UP" the approach to take after the hookset? Just cranking the reel and hoping for the best doesn't seem right to me. What's the suggestion for doing "after" the hookset? Thanks!!
Sensitive: quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences.
Having an ability to "sense" or "feel" your jig is one thing, interpreting what you're feeling is a different matter.
Most anglers try forcing a jig through "cover" which is all wrong, you gotta finesse the jig through!
When you feel the jig starting to load up...stop. Release pressure, pull up until you feel heaviness again but apply slightly more pressure, then release, continue until the jig breaks free. You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head, you're just applying more pressure.
When fishing in cover (wood or grass) ya wanna set hook fast & hard turning the bass's head toward you & get em coimg up in one smooth motion!
BigAngus752 reply :
On 7/19/2017 at 7:43 PM, Catt said:
Sensitive: quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences.
Having an ability to "sense" or "feel" your jig is one thing, interpreting what you're feeling is a different matter.
Most anglers try forcing a jig through "cover" which is all wrong, you gotta finesse the jig through!
When you feel the jig starting to load up...stop. Release pressure, pull up until you feel heaviness again but apply slightly more pressure, then release, continue until the jig breaks free. You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head, you're just applying more pressure.
When fishing in cover (wood or grass) ya wanna set hook fast & hard turning the bass's head toward you & get em coimg up in one smooth motion!
Oh man, this is me. No idea what I'm feeling in the woods. I get resistance...YANK! Try for the hookset! FYI, 20lb Spiderwire braid will pull a 2in thick, 12in long section of wet tree branch at your head at approximately 45mph. I have to stop lifting weights...
Turtle135 reply :
My personal preference. I like a vertical line tie (like the Hack Attack Jig has) around grass and other vegetation. For finessing my way through wood I prefer a horizontal line tie. I think the vertical line tie can encourage the jig to roll to it's side some (bringing the hook point closer to the branch you are coming over).
WRB reply :
As long as the jig head design has the hook eye at the nose of the jig like the photos attached it should be able to go through brush or weeds with a good guard. Flat eye vs up eye makes little difference IMO. If the hook eye is on top of the jig head like a football jig , then the nose hits a twig and the jig flips over causing snags, head design is a factor.
We all have good and bad days fishing jigs, somedays we don't lose any somedays I have broken back to back casts, it's all about how you feel and finesse the jig through snags.
If you hook set very hard by lifting the rod only without continued reeling, the bass can turn, then you are in trouble in cover.
Tom
Catt reply :
Lunker Lures Rattleback Jig is the best timber jig designed.
Notice the smooth transition from the line to the eye & around the belly?
FreddoB reply :
On 7/19/2017 at 7:43 PM, Catt said:Most anglers try forcing a jig through "cover" which is all wrong, you gotta finesse the jig through!
When you feel the jig starting to load up...stop. Release pressure, pull up until you feel heaviness again but apply slightly more pressure, then release, continue until the jig breaks free. You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head, you're just applying more pressure.
When fishing in cover (wood or grass) ya wanna set hook fast & hard turning the bass's head toward you & get em coimg up in one smooth motion!
Uh oh Catt... You mentioned, "You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head..." and...well... I have "zero" (0) experience with those so ya see, I'm a newb but will look into those next I suppose.
Time to get on the lakes and bring ONLY the jigs and just get good with them; learning to become confident with 'em!
My new setup (not spooled up yet) will have what's needed to get them out of the cover if I do "my" part.
Thanks again and to all for the jig images and explanations...all helpful! 
NiX reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 2:21 AM, FreddoB said:
Uh oh Catt... You mentioned, "You want the motion to be similar to & as fast as working a shaky head..." and...well... I have "zero" (0) experience with those so ya see, I'm a newb but will look into those next I suppose.
Time to get on the lakes and bring ONLY the jigs and just get good with them; learning to become confident with 'em!
My new setup (not spooled up yet) will have what's needed to get them out of the cover if I do "my" part.
Thanks again and to all for the jig images and explanations...all helpful!
Before this year I had no confidence in jigs. I have been fishing with them for years and just didn't know what the hell I was doing. Now the jig bite is one of my favorites, the tick-tick reeling down on 'em and then swinging on 'em is so awesome!
Long story short, I decided in the spring time that I was going to get good with the jig and made sure to fish with it every time I went out. Now, mid-summer, I love the jig and I always have one tied on. I have gotten so much better with using them, less snags, better bite detection, I can feel rock/brush/lay downs, and overall I just have so much fun working it.
The best way to get good at it is hands on experience! Good Luck!
scaleface reply :
How do you guys feel about jigs with the one piece " Y " weedguards ? Those are the ones I use the most on an Arkie head .
papajoe222 reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 4:24 AM, scaleface said:How do you guys feel about jigs with the one piece " Y " weedguards ? Those are the ones I use the most on an Arkie head .
What was said earlier applies. If it works for you, our opinion doesn't matter. Personally, I've never tried a jig with that type of weed guard and you know how I feel about an Arkie head.
I always tell guys to work with what you have. If you struggle with it, then maybe look somewhere else.
scaleface reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 5:24 AM, papajoe222 said:What was said earlier applies. If it works for you, our opinion doesn't matter. Personally, I've never tried a jig with that type of weed guard and you know how I feel about an Arkie head.
I always tell guys to work with what you have. If you struggle with it, then maybe look somewhere else.
The reason I use them is because it is what the local tackle shop sold . They are hand poured . I bought them on cards by the dozen and still have quite a few left .
Catt reply :
@FreddoB
What I'm talking about is simple like shaking your jig in place, each time you release pressure & reapply pressure you do it with a little more force.
Keep in mind there will be times where it does matter what you do you'll have to break off!
MichaelCopeland reply :
I've tried my jigs a few times with and without trailers, no luck with them so far. Is it better to have a trailer instead of not having one? Was out in an aluminum paddle boat today. What a terrible experience that was. My friend was fishing too fast in my opinion and I was trying to fish a lot slower than him. My line would still be out there when he would start to paddle to a different spot. Very frustrating. He paid for the rental so I didn't really complain much. I wanted to try my jigs while in the boat but never really had a chance. So I guess I'm back on the bank's again for a while. So how would I fish a jig from the bank with little cover accessible from there?
NiX reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 10:16 AM, MichaelCopeland said:I've tried my jigs a few times with and without trailers, no luck with them so far. Is it better to have a trailer instead of not having one? Was out in an aluminum paddle boat today. What a terrible experience that was. My friend was fishing too fast in my opinion and I was trying to fish a lot slower than him. My line would still be out there when he would start to paddle to a different spot. Very frustrating. He paid for the rental so I didn't really complain much. I wanted to try my jigs while in the boat but never really had a chance. So I guess I'm back on the bank's again for a while. So how would I fish a jig from the bank with little cover accessible from there?
IMO it is way better to fish with a trailer on your jig. I have never caught one without a trailer on. I like to think I fish my jig pretty fast, but if I am not getting any bites I start to slow down.
I mainly fish from the bank and what I try to do is find cover. Now if cover isn't available I try to hit submerged structure. You can find submerged structure via google maps or google earth. You can also find submerged structure by throwing your jig out and feeling bottom. Drag the jig around, different structure has a different feeling, try to find rock piles or lay downs. Fish break points from a sandy to rocky bottom or a weed line.
Here is my favorite way to work the jig:
I cast it out and with my thumb slightly controlling the free fall until I hit bottom. Be prepared to close it up and reel down because hits can come on the fall.
Once I am on bottom I reel in the slack, maybe dead-stick for a bit, then with a little bit of slack in line I start to hop it all the way back.
I hop it back in a random pattern until I find what the fish want.
I really like to get on top of a rock and hop off the top and let it fall, I get a lot of hits this way.
Well, I am a little stoned and feel like I wrote too much. Good luck! tight lines
MichaelCopeland reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 2:40 PM, NiX said:
IMO it is way better to fish with a trailer on your jig. I have never caught one without a trailer on. I like to think I fish my jig pretty fast, but if I am not getting any bites I start to slow down.
I mainly fish from the bank and what I try to do is find cover. Now if cover isn't available I try to hit submerged structure. You can find submerged structure via google maps or google earth. You can also find submerged structure by throwing your jig out and feeling bottom. Drag the jig around, different structure has a different feeling, try to find rock piles or lay downs. Fish break points from a sandy to rocky bottom or a weed line.
Here is my favorite way to work the jig:
I cast it out and with my thumb slightly controlling the free fall until I hit bottom. Be prepared to close it up and reel down because hits can come on the fall.
Once I am on bottom I reel in the slack, maybe dead-stick for a bit, then with a little bit of slack in line I start to hop it all the way back.
I hop it back in a random pattern until I find what the fish want.
I really like to get on top of a rock and hop off the top and let it fall, I get a lot of hits this way.
Well, I am a little stoned and feel like I wrote too much. Good luck! tight lines
Thank you. I'll have to try it out the next time I get to get out on the lake. When is the best time of day to throw a jig?
Steveo-1969 reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 9:14 PM, MichaelCopeland said:When is the best time of day to throw a jig?
In my experience the best time of day to throw a jig is from 12:00am - 11:59pm. Choose your own time zone.
MichaelCopeland reply :
On 7/21/2017 at 12:42 AM, Steveo-1969 said:
In my experience the best time of day to throw a jig is from 12:00am - 11:59pm. Choose your own time zone.
Even in the early daylight hours(around sunrise) when the bass are feeding on insects and whatnot on top of the water?
Steveo-1969 reply :
On 7/21/2017 at 1:01 AM, MichaelCopeland said:Even in the early daylight hours(around sunrise) when the bass are feeding on insects and whatnot on top of the water?
Naturally fishing a jig won't always be the "best" presentation for any given situation. There is no such thing as a "magic lure". And I'm not suggesting you fish with a jig all the time and nothing else. You look at the current situation and take your best guess on the presentation that will get bites. In your above scenario most fishermen would choose some type of top water presentation first.
My point was you can catch fish with it any time of the day or night.
scaleface reply :
On 7/21/2017 at 1:36 AM, Steveo-1969 said:You look at the current situation and take your best guess on the presentation that will get bites.
This is the answer to most questions about bass fishing lures .
NiX reply :
Yeah, I throw a jig almost all the time. I can do everything I want with it!
FreddoB reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 2:58 AM, NiX said:Before this year I had no confidence in jigs. I have been fishing with them for years and just didn't know what the hell I was doing. Now the jig bite is one of my favorites, the tick-tick reeling down on 'em and then swinging on 'em is so awesome!
Long story short, I decided in the spring time that I was going to get good with the jig and made sure to fish with it every time I went out. Now, mid-summer, I love the jig and I always have one tied on. I have gotten so much better with using them, less snags, better bite detection, I can feel rock/brush/lay downs, and overall I just have so much fun working it.
The best way to get good at it is hands on experience! Good Luck!
Hey NiX - Yes sir - I agree! I never fished a jig until this year. Same with chatterbaits. Both work well for me and I'm building confidence using both but want to concentrate on fishing a jig like I fished for trout way back. The "idea" of "building confidence" in a bait, any bait, hit me like a brick this past winter as I crammed off the internet before hitting the water this spring. Growing up as a trout fisherman using only UL tackle, I knew my game well and was so confident in my gig that I would go out with one hook size (tiny), one bait type (salmon eggs in one style), one split-shot size ("B"), and catch them consistently if they were biting. I hope this doesn't come across as bragging; not my intention here at all but to make the point being: *KNOW your game* as we are both learning! Now I force myself to go out and throw a single bait or two all day (two different setups so no tying/untying).
All of you guys rock sharing your experiences, bait preferences, and rubber meets the road stuff. THANK YOU ALL!
WRB reply :
On 7/20/2017 at 6:40 AM, Catt said:@FreddoB
What I'm talking about is simple like shaking your jig in place, each time you release pressure & reapply pressure you do it with a little more force.
Keep in mind there will be times where it does matter what you do you'll have to break off!
Hold the rod tip upright at 12 o'clock and shake the tip into slightly slack line to jiggle the jig free, like Catt explained. This easier to demonstrate the write and how free up nearly any snagged lure before trying to force it free as a last resort.
Tom
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