Jigs for deep/shallow wood?

[red89]

I was fishing a backwater spot on the mississippi the other day and It was a pretty small channel with flooded trees on the edges. Besides the flooded trees, there were alot of trees/wood in the water even sticking up in 20 ft. of water and trees fallen down near shore(you get the idea). I tried throwing a jerkbait and probably caught like 20 bass on it. Tons of baitfish (I could literally see thousands of them swimming just under the surface over 20 ft. of water, so thats why im assuming the bass were so thick in this area.

Most of the bass I caught were under 18 inches, so I switched to an arkie style jig with a chigger craw trailer and very quickly caught my biggest fish of the day (5lbs.?) dragging the jig slowly on the bottom on the edge in maybe 13 ft of water. After that I tried fishing the jig some more, but I was getting snagged in the wood down on the bottom like crazy. Bent my hook out a few times pulling the jig out of logs on the bottom, and then finally broke the hook trying to pull off a log. Had one more jig of the same color, and tried fishing it really slowly, feeling for the wood and gently pulling the jig over it, but still snagged like crazy and broke another hook. Now I have two new jigs that look perfect, but worthless.

What should I use instead, or how should I have fished it differently is what I am wondering? I tried texas rigging the same chigger craw and fishing it with a 3/8 oz. TT weight, but no bites on that.
The most obvious answer to me seems to be that if I want to fish a jig in all that wood, I need to buy some with a heavier fiber guard. (I noticed the weed guard on these jigs is pretty soft, so I could understand how the hook could easily get hooked on wood while popping it over.) I just don't understand how so many guys say they flip and pitch jigs around wood after fishing that spot this weekend. Any suggestions on good jigs to fish in wood?

[LilJakeC]

When fishing jigs you need to live by the rule "If you aren't loosing a few jigs a day, then you aren't fishing a jig right." Loosing lures is just a part of fishing that we have to deal with.

[red89]

When fishing jigs you need to live by the rule "If you aren't loosing a few jigs a day, then you aren't fishing a jig right." Loosing lures is just a part of fishing that we have to deal with.

Yeah, I understand that. But I'm pretty positive that I need to fish jigs with a heavier weed guard, when I am getting snagged every cast. Revenge jigs any good?

[casers8]

Check out this article on jigs from Earthsports.com... http://www.earthsports.com/m/news/view/JIGGIN-AND-PIGGIN

[Okiebacker55]

You might try a jig with "cone-style" head. I fish a particular one in this style that minimizes snags on the bottom and around docks.
I disagree with the concept of "you gotta lose a few jigs to be in the right spot." I don't like to and seldom do lose many jigs. I believe that if you stay in touch with your lure and watch your line you can avoid many hangups.
Most of my jig bites on L/mouth and spots are mushy anyway. The smallmouth on the other hand leave no doubt. It's BAM! and then the line generally goes slack and they are off to the races.
The more you fish a jig the fewer you will lose.

[cadman]

You might try a jig with "cone-style" head. I fish a particular one in this style that minimizes snags on the bottom and around docks.
I disagree with the concept of "you gotta lose a few jigs to be in the right spot." I don't like to and seldom do lose many jigs. I believe that if you stay in touch with your lure and watch your line you can avoid many hangups.
Most of my jig bites on L/mouth and spots are mushy anyway. The smallmouth on the other hand leave no doubt. It's BAM! and then the line generally goes slack and they are off to the races.
The more you fish a jig the fewer you will lose.

I am going to have to agree with Okie on this. You need to find a pointed nose jig like a bullet head and or grass jig. Both of these are coned at the front, making it easier to get through brush and stuff. Also a heavier weedguard may help but I don't think that is the problem, I think it is the wrong choice of jig for that application. I personally would never fish an Arkie jig in heavy weeds or standing timber. That jig is good for dragging or swimming in open water or over rocks. I've been making jigs for a long time and these are just my recommendations. I'm not saying I know it all.