Solution I've posted many times:collared jig heads will kill even the toughest of plastics really quickly .
limits tackle and constant pursuit make the toughest I have seen but as mentioned less tail action
1.Either buy no collar jigs or flatten the collar with pliers and cut them off using a wire cutter and then
2.Easily attach a soft plastic grub grip using the following method:
wrap once tightly:
snip one end close and bend tight with pilers:
bend wire into an L shape:
swing the tip into the grub, worm or any other soft plastic:
The grub grip NEVER limits strikes. Works for any size or style jig.
Wouldn't fish without them:
In fact I caught 49 fish (4 species) yesterday using only soft plastics and the grub grip with bass as small as 2-3"!
Collars destroy soft plastic or if enough fish are caught the grub constantly slides back down the hook making the grub useless.
Doubt anyone on this forum has ever tried it even though I proven over the years that grubs can be used over and over for far more fish caught than not using it. It take little time and effort to make. A buddy I fish with uses Crappie Magnet Grubs with the gripper and caught over 30 fish on one single grub before the tail fell off!
S10CHEVY LIKED above post
I tried spoonminnow's method and didn't care for it. Part of it was probably my inexperience with attaching the wire.
I like Richard Gene's method. I use upholstery thread (uncoated) instead of dental floss (the dental floss seems like a bad idea due to the wax coating). I run the end of the thread through the eye so I can keep it gripped and wrap down the shank most of the way to the bend, then run it back up. This puts both ends of the thread up near the head. A small drop of super glue holds the thread ends near the head. I do several jig heads this way. Snip the ends once the glue has taken hold. Then thread your baits on. Once the bait is straight, I pull it down, put superglue on the rest of the thread on the shank, and push the bait back to the top. Superglue will bond it within a few seconds.
I put the thread down so far and superglue it all the way because those danged bluegill will abuse that bait. If you glue just up toward the head, they'll rip the body further down.
The downside to this method is that changing baits means changing hooks. Playing with superglue on the water isn't as much fun as it sounds.
I am bias i only use my jigs (slabanator jigs). This may sound far fetched but i have went fishing 3 or 4 days in a row using the exact same jigs and caught over 100 fish on them. That is pushing with 4 poles. The jigs splitting when you put them on is more than likely where they have mot been dual injected and from using very soft plastic. The same thing can happen if you use to hard plastic.....this is the very reason i started dual injecting my shad type baits...
https://Slabanatorjigs.com/
AND Slab-A-nator crappie jigs on facebook
CRAPPIE USA CLASSIC WINNER 2018
Crappie Monster makes some good tough baits,.I been using there Uppercuts and they really hold up well plus they catch fish.I saw on there website that they make a shad style bait as well,I never tried it but if its like the Uppercut then it will be durable.
I got some Chinese baby’s shad type, a little tougher but Plastic smell pretty bad, crappie max is also tougher but all in all BG baby shad is the best.
Try my way of rigging, I tested them for the past 300-400 crappies, it last at least 15-20 crappie, last night I only used one BG baby shad for at least 30 crappie. I like this better than super glue for easiness of changing plastic.
S10CHEVY LIKED above post
Small company I’ve had a lot of success with is Pourhouse Custom baits. Excellent selection on these tough baits too. I’m partial to the Nervous Wrecks series.