Weedless Jigs

I've never used them, as we do not have a lot of brush/wood cover to fish through. However, there is a section of one of our most productive lakes here, that does have some wood & brush to go through. Right now, our presentation focuses on bringing our jigs high above the cover, to avoid having to break off as much. I want to go deeper into the cover, so.....

My question is, if I start using weedless style jig heads, are they as reliable in hooking up the crappie, or will my hook-up ratio go down? I know that using weedless jigs while bass fishing, I can "set" the hook with quite a bit of force, ensuring the majority of hook-ups. I do not believe you can use those kind of hook-sets with crappie - yes/no? Any suggestions/comments?

Finally, what brand/make of weedless ball heads do you folks use regularly? Thanks muchly folks. :)

I like these weedless heads
Quikset Weedless Crappie Jigheads | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear
Catch ratio? Kind of a 2 sided answer, got to get to em to make em bite, I can fish some nasty stuff and get bit and seem to have no problem hooking them, fishing a plain head would be an exercise in frustration, might be slightly easier to hook em if you can get bit before hanging up. I wish somehow they could be made in 1/32 and 1/48.

i probe brush most of the time. i dont use weedless jigs but have thought about it many times believe me. lol over the years i got to wear i dont need them though. its all in how you jig it, for real. if you jig slow and easy you dont get hung much. and if it does hang you can shake it loose 95% of the time. another reason i use 1/8heads a lot of the time.

if you want to try them anyhow here is how to do it now for free and test. http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/i...2/IMG_2881.jpg
its a bread tie wire(if you can see it lol) it is just wrapped around eye and bent to work as a plastics holder and brush guard. no hindrance in hookups that i seen. i just dont bother most times where i fish.(its older "blowdowns" mostly) if your in really hairy or newer stuff, it mite do the trick for ya.

texas rig bobby garland slider.....on a bobby garland weedless jig head.......work it slow like a worm through cover.....

Well, I've only been using weedless jigheads for about 40yrs, now. Originally I used them for Smallmouth, just a weedless jighead & minnow. I started with Oldham's Sure-lock Weedless Crappie jigs (no longer produced) and when they were no longer available I went to a locally custom made weedless jighead. When I got down to my last one, I was lucky enough to have been a member here for a couple of years & got to know Grousefly. I had him make me those same jigheads, and I've been using them ever since. Originally it was 1/32 & 1/16oz ballheads with a #4 Aberdeen bronze hook with the Y-guard ... but, when I started using larger plastic bodies, I had him make both of them with #2 Aberdeen gold hooks. I also had him send me some of the fiber "brush" style weedguard jigheads.

I have not changed the power/speed of my hookset due to using a weedless jig, and I have never experienced a loss of a fish because of the weedguard. When I set the hook, I almost always stick them and land them. Doesn't seem to matter if I'm casting/swimming the jig, vertical jigging, shooting docks, etc. ... when I see or feel the hit, and set the hook, it's normally "game on".

If I'm throwing a jig, it's almost always at some form of wood cover ... usually blowdowns, brushpiles, or standing timber ... and I usually drag the jig over the limbs, or fish down inside them. Do I get hung up occasionally .... yes. But I've devised a method to lessen having that happen. As I'm reeling the jig back and notice that the line is no longer coming towards me, I realize my line is likely draped over a limb. I keep reeling until the line starts to straighten out or the rod tip starts to bend down, then drop my rod tip about 6" & lift it back up about 12" all in one continuous motion. This allows the jig to right itself (hook pointing up) and the 12" lift usually causes the jighead to bounce off/over the limb .... instead of turning on its side or upside down, like it would if I continued to reel the jig over the limb. I call it "bowing to the jig".

I've recommended these jigs to the members, on many occasions, and haven't heard any negative remarks from those that have tried them. In fact, several other jig maker members have added the Y-guard jigs to their line-up of custom made jigs.

Here's a picture of the two styles:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42...y/jigheads.jpg
(sorry about the fuzzy pic ... it was taken on a flatbed scanner)

Here's a picture of a sample of the various different styles of weedless jigheads that Grousefly makes :

Attachment 235282

And you can see the same two jigheads ... top row center (brush style) & the one to its right (Y-guard style). Also of note is the fact that the Y-guard also comes in clear, as well as black. And it may also come in red, but :dono (you'd have to check with Grousefly on that).

While the Y-guard style weedguard jighead is my preference, I've done equally well using the fiber brush style weedguard jighead. In fact, the 2.75lb Crappie I'm holding in my avatar picture was caught using the fiber brush style jighead.

Here's a better picture of the same fish (and you can see the fiber brush weedguard sticking out at the top lip of the fish):

Attachment 235283

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crestliner08

I know that using weedless jigs while bass fishing, I can "set" the hook with quite a bit of force, ensuring the majority of hook-ups. I do not believe you can use those kind of hook-sets with crappie - yes/no? Any suggestions/comments?

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I use the weedless spider slider head and "sweep" the hook like the late, great Charlie Brewer:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29qaNDer1yA

Thanks guys! Really appreciate all the responses. :)

I make mine. They work but you will still lose some.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/...pscf0464bb.jpg