Question about weedless jigs

I've been using the 1/16 oz. jig heads with the "Y" plastic weedguard. Now these jigs are molded on the "sickle" style hook, which do not bend (but they definitely break if you try to straighten them). The problem I'm having is with hook set.

I'm using a B n' M 7" SHSS with a braid mainline and a 4' section of fluorocarbon going to the jigs. Casts beautifully. But my hook-up ratio is becoming terrible with these jigs! Not sure if I'm doing something wrong or what, but when I switch to standard open hooks, my ratio goes back up again.

What am I missing here?

Are you setting the hook "lighter", being as you have braid/fluoro line ?? Are you watching the line or waiting to feel the hit ??

I can't imagine the Y guard being the problem, since I started with them on 1/16oz jigs w/#4 Aberdeen hooks using 4# test mono on a UL rod (and a 7' Sam Heaton) and saw no hookup ratio problems. And now I'm using them with #2 Aberdeen hooks and 6# test on my 6'6" ESP and my 6' Ardent rods, and am not having hookup problems.

I've been using the braid & fluoro for several years now and am quite use to the hookset (with regular jigs). If the Y-guard is not the problem, maybe it's just a coincidence that I'm experiencing these problems? I'll continue to work with them to see if they can become part of my arsenal. But right now I'm just having doubts.

I also tried the CB Slider heads and am having problems getting connected with those as well! I push the hook completely through the plastic and push it back in, but again, I'm getting plenty of hits, but with few connects. It could be a mind-set thing too, but I do enjoy trying new things and I am usually open to new tackle & techniques.

I have the regular jig weedguards for mine, i used to leave all 9 fibers kinda fanned out but realized it had a lot of drag in the water and i was missing fish aswell. I now cut them down to only 4 fibers and split those 4 into a Y shape, my hang ups havent increased and i noticed a much quicker fall rate an hook up ratio too. I cut a few down to only two fibers thinking one on each side will work but it wasnt enough to keep it from rolling over.

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Originally Posted by Crestliner08

I've been using the braid & fluoro for several years now and am quite use to the hookset (with regular jigs). If the Y-guard is not the problem, maybe it's just a coincidence that I'm experiencing these problems? I'll continue to work with them to see if they can become part of my arsenal. But right now I'm just having doubts.

I also tried the CB Slider heads and am having problems getting connected with those as well! I push the hook completely through the plastic and push it back in, but again, I'm getting plenty of hits, but with few connects. It could be a mind-set thing too, but I do enjoy trying new things and I am usually open to new tackle & techniques.

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I use the brush guard, y guard, and slider style head. I am usually dropping straight down in the brush when using these. I lacked confidence in hookups as well, and just forced myself to use them. I honestly don't notice a problem, but I guess it's possible that they are just nailing a jig dropped straight down in the brush:dono:dono?

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Originally Posted by ET Fish

I use the brush guard, y guard, and slider style head. I am usually dropping straight down in the brush when using these. I lacked confidence in hookups as well, and just forced myself to use them. I honestly don't notice a problem, but I guess it's possible that they are just nailing a jig dropped straight down in the brush:dono:dono?

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Yeah, I think it's probably just a confidence thing with me. Like I said, I'll continue to try, but it's tough sometimes. Most of our fishing is not vertical in brush, but rather casting & trolling along dense weedlines.

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Originally Posted by Crestliner08

Yeah, I think it's probably just a confidence thing with me. Like I said, I'll continue to try, but it's tough sometimes. Most of our fishing is not vertical in brush, but rather casting & trolling along dense weedlines.

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FYI ... I don't use weedless jigs for trolling. I don't trust the fish to hold onto the jig long enough (or hard enough) to allow rod tension to make the hook penetrate the roof of their mouths. I don't have much experience trolling with them ... I just trust open hook jigs more when I don't have the rod in my hand when the fish hits.

I like to "see" the hit (line movement) when I'm casting, which is why I reel slow enough to keep a slight bow in the line as I retrieve (plus I use hi-vis line). If I want to feel the hit, like when I'm using my 7' Bionic Blade rod & braid (tied directly to jig), I will pinch on a small sinker about 12" up the line from the jig. I did that one time, a couple of years back, and was surprised at how hard the "thump" felt ... even from the 9" fish I was catching. :Rofl

IMHO, I feel the Y gaurs is too stiff. I too trim about half the fibers off my weedless. Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing the fish or is the fish just kind of pushing the jig away.

Get rid of that limp wrist rod and get a rod with some backbone. When you set the hook with that rod it takes too much time to move the hook. 7' fast action medium light or even medium.

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Originally Posted by Gamblinman

Get rid of that limp wrist rod and get a rod with some backbone. When you set the hook with that rod it takes too much time to move the hook. 7' fast action medium light or even medium.

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Agreed. I don't often use weedless jigs, but when I do, I use heavier action rods.

:dono guys ... I started with Y-guard weedless jigs back when my primary jig casting rod was a 6' Zero Gravity rod. Then when I started out shooting docks in Tenn, I switched to a 5' Quantum UL ... and I had no trouble hooking fish with those jigs when using either of those rods. Even my 5' ESP UL, before I broke it (my fault), had no trouble sticking fish with those weedguards. And along the way I used a 7' Sam Heaton Sig Series, and saw no difference in hookups.

I'm not real sure what the problem is with Crestliner08 not getting good hookups :scratchhead but I wouldn't be too quick to blame the weedguard. Not from my experience perspective, anyway.

I switched from sliders and weedless heads to hand tied and will never go back. I can catch 20+ fish without having to adjust or replace plastic and I hardly ever get a light bite. BandB Weedless jigs on Facebook - won't let me post pic but Coosa Shad is my favorite colorAttachment 274345

I use BG slider heads rigged weed less. I have no problem sticking crappie, with light 10' Uncle Bucks rod. I quick wrist snap an they are on. Of course - this is single poling with short line.

Thanks for all the great responses! Guess I just have to give them a bit more time. :)

I meant Charlie Brewer Slider jig heads, with slider mounted weedless, they work great. Their is a exception- small crappie 5-7" do not hook up well.

OK.....from what you folks have previously posted here, I decided to do a little local fishing from shore with one rod and only the Slider heads and grubs. I read and re-read the instructions posted here, from Charlie Brewer on Weedless Slider Fishing as well. Great read by the way.

I now believe it was in the retrieve that I was having problems. Once I settled down and focused on the retrieve as outlined in the treatise, I started to feel the tiny ticks. Setting the hook aggressively took care of my hook-up problems with small (4" - 5") sizes, up to and including the larger fish in this particular pond (8" - 11"). I concentrated deeply on the feel & retrieve and it was remarkable that I was able to nail just about every fish that hit. Unfortunately, I got bit off twice by one the pond's resident pickeral! Oh well.

Now I'm going to go back to the "Y" guard jigs and focus my efforts on hooking more fish with those. Thanks again for all your support here.