Fallen timber....... 2024
Mottel reply :
There’s this spot that I fish often - but one of the problems with it is that there’s this one thick tree that has fallen right in middle, and I’ve got snagged on it multiple times - WITH A T-RIG!!!
I don’t want to avoid that tree because that’s probably where all the bass are hiding out, but what are some ways I can fish that fallen tree and NOT GET SNAGGED - and hopefully catch some fish?
Sam reply :
Are you using weedless hooks?
If not, consider purchasing some and set them up Texas rigged on your plastics for all techniques.
Your sinker can get hung up on the tree but you will have more success in running the plastics over the tree trunk without any problems.
jbmaine reply :
Are you fishing from shore or boat? If you can, try to get closer so you are bring your bait up thru it, rather than horizontally dragging thru it.
Mottel reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 3:46 AM, jbmaine said:Are you fishing from shore or boat? If you can, try to get closer so you are bring your bait up thru it, rather than horizontally dragging thru it.
That’s a good point. But does that mean I can not fish fallen timber from shoreline if that means dragging the lure through it?
On 8/6/2018 at 3:40 AM, Sam said:Are you using weedless hooks?
If not, consider purchasing some and set them up Texas rigged on your plastics for all techniques.
Your sinker can get hung up on the tree but you will have more success in running the plastics over the tree trunk without any problems.
I am using weedless hooks (t rigged senkos). The problem is mainly (probably) when the lure gets tangled somehow with the branches and gets wedged in I guess....
Mike L reply :
Peg your weight
Mike
Mottel reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 4:45 AM, Mike L said:Peg your weight
Mike
I am using a weighted hook
scbassin reply :
You might be fishing it in the wrong direction. Come from behind the branches & not into them.
jbmaine reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 4:11 AM, Mottel said:That’s a good point. But does that mean I can not fish fallen timber from shoreline if that means dragging the lure through it?
Not at all, but you might get hung up more often. Have you tried casting to the outside of this fallen timber? Maybe drawing the fish out? Or top water, over the tree. If you cast into it and feel you start to get hung up ( like in a fork of the tree) try slacking off a bit then a fast jerk to hop it over.
IgotWood reply :
As mentioned before, peg your weight. And also fish slow. Very slow. When you feel you bait making contact with the structure, lift your rod slowly so that the bait does not hang up. If it get stuck, gently shake it until it comes free. Hold on tight cuz this is when the fish usually bites it.
When i fish heavy wood, I prefer to use slightly heavier gear; 20-25lbs leader, and a heavy flipping hook. I also like to use a certain brand; Power Team Lures (completely unnecessary, but it works for me). The material they pour their baits is a little stiffer than most which keep the hook point from exposing itself so easily when it bumps some structure. The flipping hook and pegged weight I think are the key to minimizing hang ups.
You will lose rigs. There is no way to fish wood without losing a couple of rigs here and there.
BigAngus752 reply :
+1 on what @IgotWood said. I seek out those trees when fishing from shore and I fish them with T-rigs very "gently" with good success. If you feel a hang then give it some slack, jiggle it, gently work it through. Most of my hits have come when I've slowly pulled the worm over a branch or trunk and let it fall on the side closest to me. Boom!
I also usually fish this with Sufix 832 as my main line and a flouro leader. That helps when I do have to break it off.
burrows reply :
Throw a spinner bait over the submerged tree and bring it right threw the tree over the limbs and threw the cover spinner bait is weedless.
Todd2 reply :
A lot of good advice. Work it over the limbs slowly and when it pops over hang on. If it hangs up, loosen the tension and lightly shake it over the limb.
I know you are asking about t-rigs but I actually have better luck with jigs when throwing into laydowns. I use to trim the weedguards but I fish them right out of the package now and don't lose nearly as many and haven't noticed one bit of difference on the hookups.
One last thing, make repeated casts starting from the outside then into the heart of the laydown. When done hopping, slowly swim it back to the boat for the next cast. Sometimes they'll follow it out and hit near the boat.
Brew City Bass reply :
There are a few laydowns in my lake that will snag just about anything. I find a T-Rig worm with no weight comes through the best. If that gets snagged, run a spinnerbait on the sides, and over it. Sometimes I'll even work a frog or spook over the top and give it insanely long pauses and hope for a reaction strike.
burrows reply :
Running a spinner bait threw the trees, over it and on the sides of it can trigger a bite and if you do it right you won’t get snagged. Or just go with a pegged weedless trig as mentioned above...
Sam reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 4:11 AM, Mottel said:That’s a good point. But does that mean I can not fish fallen timber from shoreline if that means dragging the lure through it?
I am using weedless hooks (t rigged senkos). The problem is mainly (probably) when the lure gets tangled somehow with the branches and gets wedged in I guess....
Mottel, do not use a weight. You don't need a weight with a Senko.
You have to throw the Senko where the fish live and hide, which is inside and adjacent to the fallen tree. So getting hung up is part of the game. Continue to throw your plastics rigged Texas style. Try a wacky presentation for your Senkos and trick or finesse worms to note if it may slide through the tree limbs easier.
Try using a 1/8 ounce jig head (weight at head with a 2/0 or 3/0 hook) with a trick worm. You will not have to be concerned with pegging your weight or using a separate weight. You can go to a 1/4 ounce jig head but that is a heavy weight to throw into trees when there is no current. Provider jig heads are used by the pros. I think Tackle Warehouse carries them or go on line and Google Provider Tackle. They are excellent.
And tell us about the line you are using. If it is braid, do not use a leader. If it is fluorocarbon then what is the line test? You should not go over 8-pound test on a spinning rig. 6-pound test may be too light for the places you fish and a 12-pound test may be too heavy.
Consider pitching or flipping your bait adjacent to the tree. You need to do this first so you don't spook the bass that are within the tree's limbs. If the bass can see your bait they will come out and hit it. Then slowly move your target closer to the tree and its branches.
Looking forward to your input on the above queries.
scaleface reply :
Peg your weight and peg your hook .
Catt reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 3:37 AM, Mottel said:but what are some ways I can fish that fallen tree and NOT GET SNAGGED
One thing you need to understand & accept is ya gonna get hung up!
It's just a matter of when & how often!
Try to minimize how often by utilizing the tricks mentioned above.
I'll go 3 or 4 days & not hung up once, then hung up & break-off 3 or 4 times in a day.
That's the joys of throwing that weedless wonder we call a Texas Rig!
The flip side is the Hawgs ya hang ????
bagofdonuts reply :
you mentioned you are using a weighted hook. i would use a true texas rig, with a bullet weight.
DSTN reply :
After reading through this I was thinking exactly what @bagofdonuts just said. If you are using a weighted hook for this application maybe give what he suggested a shot (t-rig with bullet weight) and an EWG hook. I don't peg my weights a lot but I agree with those who said to peg it for this application.
Mottel reply :
On 8/6/2018 at 8:09 PM, Sam said:Mottel, do not use a weight. You don't need a weight with a Senko.
You have to throw the Senko where the fish live and hide, which is inside and adjacent to the fallen tree. So getting hung up is part of the game. Continue to throw your plastics rigged Texas style. Try a wacky presentation for your Senkos and trick or finesse worms to note if it may slide through the tree limbs easier.
Try using a 1/8 ounce jig head (weight at head with a 2/0 or 3/0 hook) with a trick worm. You will not have to be concerned with pegging your weight or using a separate weight. You can go to a 1/4 ounce jig head but that is a heavy weight to throw into trees when there is no current. Provider jig heads are used by the pros. I think Tackle Warehouse carries them or go on line and Google Provider Tackle. They are excellent.
And tell us about the line you are using. If it is braid, do not use a leader. If it is fluorocarbon then what is the line test? You should not go over 8-pound test on a spinning rig. 6-pound test may be too light for the places you fish and a 12-pound test may be too heavy.
Consider pitching or flipping your bait adjacent to the tree. You need to do this first so you don't spook the bass that are within the tree's limbs. If the bass can see your bait they will come out and hit it. Then slowly move your target closer to the tree and its branches.
Looking forward to your input on the above queries.
I am using 8 lb test Fluorocarbon, and I use a baitcaster.
CroakHunter reply :
On 8/7/2018 at 11:08 AM, Mottel said:I am using 8 lb test Fluorocarbon, and I use a baitcaster.
When I pitch heavy wood, whether its a jig or Texas rig, weighted or weightless im throwing no smaller than 17lb. Most of the time it's either gonna be 20lb big game or cxx or 50-65lb braid. A heavy or extra heavy rod and I'm trying to cross their eyes and flip em in the boat before they know what hit them.
Sam reply :
Sent PM
fishballer06 reply :
I would go up to at least 12-14 lb fluoro on your baitcaster. If you hook into a fish around that wood with 8lb line, that fish is going to break you off as soon as it gets down in that wood whenever you hook up.
Pegging the weight and tex-posing that hook point will help. You could also try texas rigging a weightless senko or Fluke and work that over those tree limbs.
BassNJake reply :
I would try what is being labeled the reverse rig for this application.
Take an offset shank hook and rig your senko so it is weedless.
Then take a nail weight or a screw and insert it into the back end.
(I take a lighter and seal the hole that I made if using a nail weight)
The beauty of this rig when working a laydown is after bringing it over a branch it will fall back towards the center of the laydown.
With a regular texas rig (using a bullet weight) because the weight is in front of the hook it will fall back towards you and away from the tree.
Since finding this set up, i've pretty much stopped using the traditional texas rig.
When my lake is at full pool there are a lot of willow trees and buck brush.
This rig can be pitched into the centers more easily than a texas rig or a jig and if pitching to the edge of one it has that tendency to fall back into the bush.
Also I have found that you can cast this out and twitch it like a fluke.
When fish are following and you kill it the bait falls back towards them, this triggers a lot of strikes.
Also to echo what the others are saying- you need a heavier line.
If you do get bit that fish is going to swim right into that laydown.
geo g reply :
On the texas rig you might be using too heavy a weight. Texas rig using no weight or a 1/32 weight. Bury the hook in the plastic deep so it is snag proof. Then fish it slow with a slow drag for movement and long pauses. Be a line watcher an slight pressure even while sitting still. Use heavy floro or braid and a stout rod. Pause as long as 30 seconds while in the tree branches. This should be pretty snag proof.
J Francho reply :
Hanging pegged T-rigs in trees really is a problem in the way you fish them. You have to be slow, use a sensitive rod, and gently feel your way through the limbs. Do not yank, pop, sweep, etc. That's a recipe for a hang up.
Jaderose reply :
I'll drop these things into anything. Rarely lose one.
Choporoz reply :
On 8/8/2018 at 2:10 AM, Jaderose said:I'll drop these things into anything. Rarely lose one.
Those UltraHeads are like magic. Even better for working rocky rivers
Jaderose reply :
On 8/8/2018 at 4:29 AM, Choporoz said:Those UltraHeads are like magic. Even better for working rocky rivers
Agreed. I've just about given up bullet weights. These things are the shiz-nizzy. I don't have a river like that but my little lake I fish does have rip-rap on the dam. These things hop all over that stuff with no problem. As far as down trees.....please. Go look at the pictures I posted of my little local in the "Ranting about Pleasure boaters" thread. That lake is FULL of limbs and trees and stumps. I RARELY lose these.
EGbassing reply :
If it's under the water, what about a topwater? A spinnerbait could also be a good option. They're pretty weedless.
YoTone reply :
have you ever tried using a jig? i dont flip heavy cover all the time but when i do i use the hack attack jig and have never snagged/broke off in hairy lay downs.
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