JimR Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I'm looking to get into fishing the faster current this coming season. And not just on top, suspended, or free rolling, but on the bottom bolder bouncing! I found last year that this was failry productive. Almost as much so as seams, eddies, and slack water. I also caught some walleye doing this which was fun. I primarily just used a 1/2-3/4 ounce football jig tipped with various craw imitations. I also used a shaky head w/worm which is one of my favorite LM baits. Problem is I lost probably 10$ or more a day to snags I couldn't always retrieve. My question is: Is there a better setup/retrieve that I could use to help me not lose so many lures? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Dragging the bottom is always going to cost you baits. One thing that MIGHT reduce the number of lost baits is to try bullet shaped weights. They don't seem to hang up nearly as much as round heads or football heads. Either a bullet sinker that is pegged or slides on your line or bullet shaped jig heads like the Brewer Slider Heads or Luck E Strike jigs. I don't think that either of the jigs I mentioned come in weights as heavy a 1/2 oz though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotth Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 swim bait hooks that have the weight already on the hook work pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm M Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 jigs such as the Mr Twister weighted keeper hooks or the swim bait jigs that have the weight on the hook shaft are more snag resistant than jigs with the weight on the nore or head of the jig, up by the eye of the hooh however you want to term it. The nose weighted jigs have more of a tendency to drop into the crevices in the rocks and get stuck[snagged]. The jigs with the weight on the hook shaft, the weight tends to have more of a keel type effect and helps the kinda glide over the crevices. I have found that using flurocrbon can also add to the snagging issue as it has a tendency to sink and settle into rock crevices when the jig sits. Another option is to use much heavier jigs than normal, cast downstream and slowly retrieve against the current. Not a perfect solution but it got me a 22 inch smallmouth last week. If you have a water craft, try vertical jigging, much more control account less line out and you can use lighter jig swhich always helps. Gravity, current and weighted lures, a tackle makers best friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bterrill Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Losing lures in heavy current. You can go lighter jigs on thinner line get down easier. Stop using monofilament line and switch to braided 20/6 Power Pro or Suffix braid attached via palomar knot. Go from losing lots of lures to almost none. .5 to .75 oz is very heavy and likely to hang up a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bterrill Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 Bend the hook back and forth a few times to weaken it to bending out when you do a snag. make shorter casts like Norm said. Provided you have stained to murky water. Short casts in clear water= no fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 The three way or Wolf River Rig comes to mind. Pencil shaped weights are said not to snag as much. Use lighter line on the dropper with the weight. Fishing downstream as Norm suggests has a lot of advantages including the tight line that keeps you in control of the bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm M Posted January 15, 2012 Report Share Posted January 15, 2012 with the 3 way or wolf river rig, I like slinkies or sand bags for weight. slides a lot easier than lead over snags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Thanks for the replies guys. What a wealth of knowledge. I use fluorocarbon mostly. Mono only on topwater baits. Sand bags? Was that a joke? I'll try some of the things you guys mentioned. I'm also thinking about making some of my own jigs this spring. Well, tight lines everyone, just not the kind that leave you 5 bucks in the hole;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm M Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 a sand bag is a length of parachute cord filled with sand and sealed at both ends, a slinky is the same except filled with lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 a sand bag is a length of parachute cord filled with sand and sealed at both ends, a slinky is the same except filled with lead. Norm, where can you get pc? That stuff is is strong as nails... and I can see where it'd be less prone to snag. Everyone in my kids scout troop got survial bracelets made out of pc for Christmas so I know a little bit about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm M Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Norm, where can you get pc? That stuff is is strong as nails... and I can see where it'd be less prone to snag. Everyone in my kids scout troop got survial bracelets made out of pc for Christmas so I know a little bit about it... here is one example http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/users/gary/blog/simple-sandbags-for-river-fishing-124158.aspx you can heat seal both ends and punch a hole with a awl. add spilt ring or snap if desired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Norm Thanks for the link on shoe lace sand bags. I stopped at the Kankakee on the way to my dads this past weekend tried calling you. Anyway didn't get any fish but lost a bunch of sinkers and jigs trying to fish a frozen over eddie. No river eats lures better then the Kank. Norm knows his stuff on this one. Phil F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Lots of places sell the cord. The problem is what color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Paracord Store Looks like a good material for Super Wonder Worms, Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 here is one example http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/users/gary/blog/simple-sandbags-for-river-fishing-124158.aspx you can heat seal both ends and punch a hole with a awl. add spilt ring or snap if desired I like that idea... could also be used carolina style then. Just might have to make some of these just to play with. Thanks Norm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 I like it too. Basically we're talking carolina rigging with a more snag proof weight. As far as "fishing bottom in fast current", I would rank the Carolina rig #3 for smallmouth. I'd rank it #1 of we were talking catfish or walleye in fast current. For smallmouth I would go with the previously mention weighted keeper hook #2 and I still think the charlie brewer slider is the #1 fit for the topic. The slider has a more nose down tail up effect on plastics which is great for craw immitators. The weighted keeper offers a more horizontal presentation for minnow immitating plastics. I have some trouble with the weighted keeper if I'm using a soft or beat up plastic. The prong holding the front will fall out and then the presentation snags easily like a weighted wacky rig. The downside to the carolina rig in heavy current is some plastic baits will corkscrew causing a unatural presentation plus line twist if you don't use a swivel. I can see the advantage of the carolina rig when casting downstream. The charlie brewer slider head would be best fished in heavy current casting straight upstream to 3/4 casting upstream. You will want to keep your rod tip up high to keep the line out of the current as much as you can. If you have the correct weight your lure will gently tumble downstream maintaining bottom contact. Gently reel in the slack so you can feel every bump on the bottom or the tell tale thump of a big smallmouth inhaling your offering. It really pays to have a quality rod and a no-stretch superline for this type of fishing. Without it, it can be tough to tell the difference between bumping a rock and getting a hit. Be sure to check your line often because constant contact with the bottom wears down the knot and line quickly. This fast current smallmouth fishing can really pay big dividends during those hot dog days of summer into early fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR Posted January 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Sure can pay off Paul. The CB Slider sounds like just what I'm looking for. I'll give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim A Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 line control/communication, braided line, and avoid casting upstream beyond the extent you think necessary to get your jig/rig to the bottom before it lines up with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Meade Posted February 10, 2012 Report Share Posted February 10, 2012 JIm, I've had success for a long time with the Ken Darga Illinois rig for bottom bouncing with plastics in current on the Fox. I'm sure his original articles are somewhere back in the newsletter and website archives. Basically it's one or more Bull Shot sinkers, 1/16th oz., pinched on six to nine inches above 1/0 to 3/0 hook. Cast perpendicular to stream flow. Feel it bounce. When hung up just pop it off. I rarely lose a rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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