Losing fish on jigs

[smedley]

I have converted to strictly jig fishing this year and was doing pretty good until the last few trips out. I can't seem to keep a fish hooked up. Last night for example I lost 6 keepers at the boat and another 5 or 6 before I got to see them. I tried different sizes, shapes, and body styles. I use solid tubes, assassins, and twister tails mostly. I'm thinking that I need to go thru all my jig heads and sharpen them all. I don't feel like I am doing anything different than I was earlier in the year when I didn't have this problem. any ideas?

[skiptomylu]

I have converted to strictly jig fishing this year and was doing pretty good until the last few trips out. I can't seem to keep a fish hooked up. Last night for example I lost 6 keepers at the boat and another 5 or 6 before I got to see them. I tried different sizes, shapes, and body styles. I use solid tubes, assassins, and twister tails mostly. I'm thinking that I need to go thru all my jig heads and sharpen them all. I don't feel like I am doing anything different than I was earlier in the year when I didn't have this problem. any ideas?

I am really big on sharp hooks and think that makes a huge difference. One other thing is size of your hooks especially using soft plastics because of the narrow the gap of the hook. Also if you are using really small hooks they seem to have trouble at times. Sharpening your hooks will help I am sure!

I have started using Sickle hooks and I like them a lot because for example on a #4 hook the gap is larger than the older style and I don't think as many come off.

I also like tubes, but they also have the problem of less gap and use a smaller hook.

Hope this helps,

Skip

[ak-moose]

make sure your jigs are swiming true thru the water and also open the gap on your hook with a set of needle nosed pliers.....

[NIMROD]

Losing fish on jigs seems like it comes in spells with us. Granted sharp hooks and wide gapes helps. But it seems like when crappie bite easy the hook ups are not as solid. They are usually hooked in the soft part of the lips or bottom jaw. This is caused by soft strikes , loose line , and or strikes on the fall. The days when they clobber a bait we have solid hookups and loose very few. If they are biting solid and we hook them deep in the roof of their mouths. That is great cause we lose few. Those off days we sometimes lose more than we land.

[Darryl Morris]

Something else to consider is the time of year and how aggressive the crappie are feeding. During the spawn and post-spawn season the crappie are more aggressive feeders. Therefore, they inhale the jig and run which results in a good deep hookset and with a jig usually in the roof of the mouth. When the crappie are not feeding as aggressively, they will become more finicky and slowly flirt with the bait more resulting in a more subtle bite and a shallower hookset. Sometimes the bite is so light that I've found myself setting the hook on the "blowout" because I never felt the fish suck it in and I either miss them altogether or I just barely lip hook them which can result in lost fish.

[ceb]

I would try downsizing the bait. Either goto a smaller tube skirt or trim the tentacles back some. This way, they have to get a better "bite" on the bait to see if they want it. They may be sucking on the end of the bait without getting the hook into their mouth very far. Also, are you casting or vertical jiggin?

[titleman]

Smedley,

I think Darryls' answer is right on point. More particularly, for me, it is more of a late summer event. When the fish are not as aggressive the soft bite can disrupt your "normal" hook set timing.

If your experiencing this with a vertical or stationary presentation, I wouldn't get carried away with a lot of soul searching (and hook anguish). If it's happening while trolling or swimming the jig, that might be a different thing.

Titleman

[fish.on]

Take a net. When you have caught a number of fish you can usually tell a "soft hook set". know as soon as you feel that hook tearing to ease up a bit and let the drag do its work. Then net them. You still lose some though.

[sac-a-lait]

I'm a purest too...Jigs only. But during the summer months I tip with a NIBBLET...The scent seems to make them bite it harder than they do normally for this time of year...They still lite hit it and come up with it too...But they will hang on to it with the nibblet, giving me time to react to the limp line alowing me to THUMP him for a solid hook up.

[smedley]

I'm not missing that many. Once I get them hooked they are getting off. they are knocking the crud out of the jig and I can fight them for a few seconds then they are gone or I get them to the boat and one head shake and they are gone. I know that a net will help with losing them at the boat but losing them when I'm trying to get them to the top is something else. I know that I hooked an easy limit last night but only go three keepers in the boat. These crappie are really hitting hard for summer time fish so I'm not sure if it's the light bite theory. I think it's me doing something wrong. Maybe I'm trying to "horse" them in too fast.