Losing lures on rocky bottoms 2024

tentimesover reply :

I lost another of my jigs yesterday fishing on the bottom in rocks. It's getting frustrating as well as expensive losing tackle to the rocks. I'm rigging the jig with a brush hog trailer (as an example) and I don't believe that it's the hook that is getting caught. Instead I think it's the whole jig that's getting lodged in the rocks. I move the boat over it and try a number of different pull angles but nothing works but to break the line.

How can I work these jigs on a rocky bottom without losing one about every half hour?

Jig Man reply :

Where I fish the life expectancy of a jig is one cast. That is why I make my own and carry hundreds in the boat. I don't even bother to try to get one back when it is hung up. I will give it a couple of bow and arrow tries then I break it off. I plan on losing from 5-10 jigs on each trip because I fish rock piles much of the time.

That said, there are a few things which will lessen your chances of getting hung up: lighter weight jigs tend to hand up less than heavier ones, football heads work rocks better for me than most others, swimming the jig just off the bottom will catch fish and keep your bait on the line.

I'm sure some of the other guys here can give you some more ideas.

If all else fails, look for a cheap source for jigs.

fishizzle reply :

have you tried a lure retriever pole?

sounds like a good investment

TENNESSEE NEWSOME reply :

I used to have the same problem. When I first moved to TN from Florida, I had a terrible time. This advice helped me tremendously.

#1. I got a longer rod. I now use a 7' rod when throwing jigs. I also use a heavy football head jig. Football head rolls along rocks easier.

#2. Use a higher gear ratio - My baitcaster is a 5.4:1 I believe.

#3. Pull the bait along the bottom with the rod as opposed to reeling the jig. When you feel the jig come hit a rock that might cause problems, barely hop it.

This is the advice someone told me when I wanted to keep my jigs and t-rigs with weight on the rocky bottom. Good luck. Oh, and if you're in rocks, there's a good chance there's fish!

Koop reply :

Buy stock in GMAN ;D

Skinnyh2ofishin reply :

Jigs are tough in the rock because, like you said, it's not the hook getting caught, it's the head sliding between the rocks. The slingshot technique mentioned already has saved me countless times since I learned it fishing with a guide in Alabama years ago. It doesn't work every time, but i've found that with enough practice it's pretty effective. One tip is to use that technique as soon as you get hung up rather than trying to pull it free first. Try to stay in contact with your jig and as soon as you feel it stop and you know it's not a fish, give it a light pop with the slingshot technique and quickly lift the rod to pull the jig up and over the rocks if it comes free.

Aside from just trying different retrieves and hangup removal techniques and equiptment, if you're catching fish in the rocks then just determine how valuable those fish are to you. I go through a lot of toads fishing slop here in FL, and I just figure in $10 or so into the cost of my fishing for the day for the packs I'll use. Granted I'm losing mine to fish and not rocks, but again, if you're catching fish with jigs in the rocks then what are ya gonna do?!

If the fish are feeding more aggressively, you could always try fishing a crankbait in the same colors as the jigs that have been working for you. I find a good deep diving crank bounces off the rocks much better than a jig, but you're still gonna lose one occassionally.

Just keep trying and give 'em H--l!

burleytog reply :

If you aren't willing to lose a lure, take up another hobby.

Marshfisher reply :

It sucks but that's somehing you need to live with if you want to fish a bottom type lure in rocky places. I fish a river alot and it's expected I'll be losing stuff before I even leave home. As long as it's not my entire rod, like happened once, I can live with it. I completely gave up using jigs there except for light 1/8 oz and tubes that never really get to the bottom with the current.

Buy bulk or make your own.

Raul reply :

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If you aren't willing to lose a lure, take up another hobby.

Can 't say it better.

Glenn reply :

I fish rocks alot, and here's what I've found:

Never use grass jigs (bullet heads), darter heads, or anything "pointy"
Football heads work best
Bow-and-arrow trick can be your friend, but first try to gently jiggle it free. The bow-and-arrow can free it, but it can also wedge it in further.
When it gets stuck, go back over the spot and pull/jiggle it from the exact opposite direction. This almost always frees it.
As a last ditch effort, point the rod directly at the lure and pull back hard. It will either pop free or you'll break the line.
Always check your hook for sharpness, and your line for frays. Frequently sharpen the hook and retie.

Hope that helps!

Tucson reply :

Glad I'm not the only one who loses these things by the handful.

Raul reply :

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Glad I'm not the only one who loses these things by the handful.

Typical Raul on-line BPS order

3/0 hooks ? ....... 2 packs

2/0 hooks ? ....... 2 packs

1 crank of this

1 crank of that

2 packs of this worms

1 pack of those grubs

jigs ? ........dang boy, 30 of this ones , 30 of those ones ....... let 's make it 40 of the first ones.

So you are not alone, you have no idea how many times I hang up and loose a jig on the first cast.

grimlin reply :

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Buy stock in GMAN ;D

Well said....I think he has the best jigs for the best price.

I don't kick myself in the head anymore when i lose so many now.

WRB reply :

Fishing jig is rocks;

1. Use the lightest jig that you can fish effectively.

2. The best head design for broken rock or baseball size river rock is the round or pea head. Next best is the stand up spider jig head, followed by the football head.

3. Try to keep the jig moving slowly up and over and through the rocky areas. The jig head snags between the rock crevices, when the line drops between the rocks and lets the jig settle into the rocks.

4. Work the jig down hill, not up from deep to shallow, shallow to deeper water or parallel with a slightly down hill movement.

5. Use a high floatation trailer. The trailer should float upright when the jig is setting on the bottom.

Freeing a snagged jig in the rocks is possible; first try not to pull hard, instead left the rod tip high overhead and whip it so the rod bounces the line. If that doesn't free it, try a different angle by moving the boat about 30 feet away form the snagged jig in the opposite direction. When you are 180 degrees around from the original direct and whipping the rod doesn't free, it's time to pull hard and hope it doesn't break off.

The type of jig you use and the retrieve technique is key to not loosing jigs all the time. Flipping style arkie jigs with weed guards are a poor choice for casting and retrieving in rocks. I rarely use a weed guard with fish deep rocky structure lakes, prefer to use a Hitchhiker spring and 1 1/2" segment of a finesse worm to protect the hook point.

WRB

flechero reply :

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I fish rocks alot, and here's what I've found:
When it gets stuck, go back over the spot and pull/jiggle it from the exact opposite direction. This almost always frees it.

That's the best advice there is... and often times the only way to free a jig or weight in the rocks.

Muddy reply :

I find fishing rock in lakes always, iImean always more effective fishing deep to shallow, better and more fish this way , almost 100% of the time.( have tried both ways to prove this to mysealf) This was one of the first things taught to me when learning how to jig, thanks Catt for that!

I like to use the lightest jig HEAD: I do not used regualr jigs I use Jig heads with plastic trailers.

Burley hit it on the head, you are going to loose jigs, get used to it or buy golf equipment

Glenn is 100 % right : either

Go back in the opposite direction, with a bit of pressure they frequently get unstuck

LEARN How to Bow and Arrow them out

Football heads work great in rock, so do some ot the Slider Snagless heads.Most of my fishing is done with these 2 heads.

SirSnookalot reply :

Where I fish there is nothing but rocks and get a lot hangups, this is what I do and get most lures back.

I open the bail or put the reel in free spool and lay the rod down. I want no tension from the line around the tip, have broken a few that way and I never jerk the rod, good way doing this repeatedly will snap a rod, done that too. Grab the line and jiggle it with tlc and lots of patience. If the jig is lodged and this method doesn't work, give it a good yank, either comes from or it's gone.close your bail, tie a new one on and go fishing.

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As a last ditch effort, point the rod directly at the lure and pull back hard. It will either pop free or you'll break the line.

My observation when I see weekend warriors doing this....success, one out of 100.

snapping the line slingshot style, have seen it done dozens of times with a success rate of zero.

Oh yeh, if you are using braid don't yank the line without a glove, braid will cut you, I wrap the line around my shoulder and pull.

Muddy reply :

Well if you fished bait casting equipment in FRESH WATER, you would see the single best way to get a single hooked lure: Mostly jigs and t rigged plastics , out of rock is the sling shot method. I first learned it at Lake Fork Texas, I forgot whether it was LBH or Glenn that showed me this, I can tell you I fish 100 days a year and me and most of the other fellas I fish with have around a 90% success ratio with this method. In deeper and shallow snags.

SirSnookalot reply :

I'm talking freshwater and I fish well over 300 days a year in it. Rocks are rocks where ever they're at. Type of reel being used would make no difference as to recovery method, it's the lure or jig that's stuck. Go with what's best for you, I like the way I do it.

Muddy reply :

I find that current or lack of current has an effect on getting jigs out of rocks successfully. In the presence of a current, on rivers and when I am fishing the Jetty in Breezy, if you get the jig free, the current can put it right back, if you do not use a more profound snap, best way I can describe it. The current has a nasty way of flipping the jig, so the hook is prime to reset it self on rock, this does not happen in lakes

Bait casting rods by nature of how they are built, have a different action than spinning equipment( in relation to guide placement/spline)

so the action is different when using the bow and arrow method of dislodging single hook lures from rock, major difference in the respone to the motion, which is what pulls the lure free. I thank you anyway for trying to straighten me out , since you get to fish all year long, and I am limited to the summer.

Fishing Rhino reply :

Quote
I find fishing rock in lakes always, iImean always more effective fishing deep to shallow, better and more fish this way , almost 100% of the time.( have tried both ways to prove this to mysealf) This was one of the first things taught to me when learning how to jig, thanks Catt for that!
I like to use the lightest jig HEAD: I do not used regualr jigs I use Jig heads with plastic trailers.

Burley hit it on the head, you are going to loose jigs, get used to it or buy golf equipment

Glenn is 100 % right : either

Go back in the opposite direction, with a bit of pressure they frequently get unstuck

LEARN How to Bow and Arrow them out

Football heads work great in rock, so do some ot the Slider Snagless heads.Most of my fishing is done with these 2 heads.

LOL Muddy. Depending on the ball you play in golf, they can cost about four bucks each.

I play two dollar balls. No different than fishing. Some days I lose none, other days as many as six or seven.

Golf ain't a good substitute if you worry about losing gear.

Maybe knitting, needlepoint, or crochetting.

Muddy reply :

Quote

Quote
I find fishing rock in lakes always, iImean always more effective fishing deep to shallow, better and more fish this way , almost 100% of the time.( have tried both ways to prove this to mysealf) This was one of the first things taught to me when learning how to jig, thanks Catt for that!
I like to use the lightest jig HEAD: I do not used regualr jigs I use Jig heads with plastic trailers.

Burley hit it on the head, you are going to loose jigs, get used to it or buy golf equipment

Glenn is 100 % right : either

Go back in the opposite direction, with a bit of pressure they frequently get unstuck

LEARN How to Bow and Arrow them out

Football heads work great in rock, so do some ot the Slider Snagless heads.Most of my fishing is done with these 2 heads.

LOL Muddy. Depending on the ball you play in golf, they can cost about four bucks each.

I play two dollar balls. No different than fishing. Some days I lose none, other days as many as six or seven.

Golf ain't a good substitute if you worry about losing gear.Maybe knitting, needlepoint, or crochetting.

Yea, but at least you get to wear funny pants while you play it. ;D

Fishing Rhino reply :

There are other similarities with golf.

In golf, you try to get a ball in a hole, then once accomplished, you take it out, then try to do it again.

In fishing, you try to get a fish out of the pond. Once accomplished, you put it back into the pond, then try to do it again.

In both, you end up where you started, with nothing to show for it, and possibly losing gear in the process.

Now, about those funny pants. I wear them to cover my even funnier legs.

I usually wear chinos in rather plain, boring colors. The jerseys are another matter.

roadwarrior reply :

The best investment there is for fisherman that fish from a boat

is a lure retriever, period...Still, in a rocky environment, especially

on a river, the "life expectancy" of a jig is very short. However,

my theory is: If you aren't getting hung-up, your aren't fishing in

the right place to begin with. The bottom line is that you should

expect to lose jigs or fish something else.

8-)

SirSnookalot reply :

I agree that the current can get you hung up again, happens all the time. This morning I was fishing current, got hung up I did the snap routine, it didn't come close to working, jiggled the line by hand and voila out rather quick. I tried it 1 more time after that and the same result. I'm willing to try anything that might help.

I totally disagree that the spine of b/c vs spinning rod would make any difference, especially if the spinning rod was a 20 or 25lb class rod.

Today was a great day, no jigs or lures lost and I'll post the results in the other species section.

Rw is right,in the long run you're gonna lose a bunch.

Muddy reply :

Good trick, learned from the Jetty rats: If you try the snap method, in a current, do it more side arm, than overhead and sweep back when you feel the lure come loose, lessens the hang up potential; Works better than overhand for me.

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Losing lures on rocky bottoms 2024

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