What Line for Attacking the Bushes/Brush

[DaveB40]

Had the opportunity to fish Rend last week, and was surprised to be fishing in
the brush with 14 pound mono. After spending 2 days in the brush, I can
understand why. Now my question to the members here is this, what type
and break strength do you recommend along with what length rod for this
style of fishing? Please be specific with your favorite brand, line strength and
rod length. Also when you fish the brush, do you tie a fluorocarbon or mono
leader to your presentation, be it jig/plastic or hook & minnow? Thanx for
helping out. Dave

[SIcrappie]

15 lb power pro original braid. Tru turn #2 hooks w/slip cork and a minnow. Check out Kyle Schoenherr YouTube videos on the technique and setup for Rend Lake bushes,, it works and I learned the setup from him. If you hang up the pp will pull it out, just bend the hook back into position and roll with it and don't look back.

[DaveB40]

Thank SICrappie! I was wondering about using PP for that type of fishing, since I use it on my other rods, for walleye and salmon, and on my short rods for crappie up north in Wisconsin. A couple of guys I ran into down there had a number of negative comments regarding the use of PP, claiming it was too lite and would be affected by the wind. I'm somewhat confused by those statements, since even when using a bare hook and minnow, you may have up to a 1/4 oz sinker above the hook! Thank for taking the time to read and answer my post. Regards, Dave

[SIcrappie]

There are two 1/4 oz weights in his setup. The weights are also a key to getting unhung, as well as getting in and out without hanging up.

Tie on your slip string, slide the cigar shaped 2-3 inch bobber on, then slide one 1/4 oz bullet weight with the small end towards the bobber, slide the other on pointing to the hook, then put on two small plastic beads, then tie on the hook. The weights need to slide up and down loose. The weights will help guide your line in and out of the bushes, and when you hang up (and you will) you can jiggle the setup and the loose weights will help knock the hook free. They too will be setting almost right on the hook when it's in the water, it limits the Minnows area of movement so you don't get hung under water as easy. The whole setup uses the taper of the cork and weights to help the bait get in and out. There is quite a bit of weight involved so I highly doubt you will have trouble with wind blowing the line.

As for rod choice try a bnm 12 ft bgjp. It's not as stiff as the brush cutter, but it's lighter and wears you out less. Also the plastic West Point locking reel is super light and cheap, or use the new little bucks best ultralight reel. They are just line holding spools, use your free hand to pull the line to the rod tip and carefully lower the bait through the bush by hand, don't just let it drop. Always work directly above the hole you intend to fish, and place the bait in from above the bushes, or you won't have room for a hook set. Keep the rod tip out of the bushes, never stick it in. Otherwise the line will get snagged and tangled around the tip.

When you catch a fish... Get him out of the water quick so he doesn't wrap you up. If he gets hung in the bushes on the way in the air, you can use a frog gig pole with a hook screwed on the end to use to hook his mouth and pull him out.

Fishing the bushes is fun!

[DaveB40]

SIcrappie, that sounds like a lot better setup! One question I have in regards to the bobber,
wouldn't a small Thill slider bobber be a better choice than those foam cigar shaped floats
by Comal and others ? Thank for the advice, I picked up a couple of 10ft rods at the Grizzly
Jig spring show and will try rigging them the way you suggest. I do have the 10ft Ultimate rod,
but I think I'll rig the other two rods I purchased with this system and give it a shot, next spring.
In the meantime, I got to get ready to head down to Crab Orchard, Little Grassy and Devil's Kitchen.
Thanks again for all the good advice and "Good Fishing" to you! Dave

[SIcrappie]

You could try the balsa floats or even the paulownia floats. I use the crappie stalker paulownia for fishing the stick ups on Kinkaid almost exclusively. A three pack of those are the same price as a bag of 50 of the comal. But I can see the crappie stalkers better from a distance. I think the most important thing is the shape, being tapered to help it go in and out of the branches/twigs.

[Hanr3]

I prefer 6# mono, bare #6 Aberdeen hook and minnow under a slip bobber. For pole and reel, I like St. Croix Premier spinning rod 6'6" single piece ultra light, fast action. Shimano Sedona reel.
If I break off, it's at the hook. Usually I straighten the hook out.