Smart Fish?

[slabslinger]

Im a fan of both hi vis line and small weed guards on my crappie jigs i mainly fish deep brush vertical jigging in the winter months a buddy of mine swears up and down that i would catch more fish with clear line and no weed guards he states the fish can see either of them and that i will still catch fish just not as many. The water i fish isnt muddy but it isnt crystal clear either? The same buddy just so happens to be a guide for local fishing charters. That doesnt mean i dont question him though what do you think about weed guards and hi vis

[jusanothajoe]

saw a fishing show where they had an underwater camera showing the crappie biting the jigs. water had to be clear to see this. they were using hi-vis line, you could not see the line under water. plus hi-vis is all I use and it seems to scare a good many in my boat when I go. you might miss a fish or two with weed guard. but I doubt you'll miss any more than you do tying on jigs. if your tyin on, your jig aint in the water and your missin fish too.

[Bronson]

I love fishing with weedguards and have caught a lot of crappie using them. However, the last two years I almost never use a weedguard when tightlining. Yes, I do lose some jigs but to be honest, I'm surprised I don't lose 5 times as many every time out. With experience you learn to feel with your jig head and bump up against cover. You feel it crawling up a branch and when you feel it nudge into a branch, you relax it and let it fall away. Many times I will bump the cover or drag it over and let it fall. A great way to get a hit.

Most tightliners will tell you that any one can catch them when they feel that thump! It's when you can't really feel that much different but you know something not right that separates the good ones from those who want to be. A lot of the really good crappie will take it and just ease off. If you're not paying attention, he will spit it out. Still happens to me all the time.

Save your weedguards for casting or when you are tightlining really, really thick cover. Even then, I would recommend the Y guard over the others. Another thing I do is use a smaller hook than is normally called for that jighead weight. Easier to get thru and around the limbs.