Lite swim jigs

[Don]

I like a certain baitcast reel that I have. It’s an inexpensive Kastking $39 dollar reel. It has 12lb Big Game on it now. Last year I used it for skipping but found md33 to be much better.

I want to put together some 3/16 bitsy jigs tipped with 3 or 4 “ shiner. I have reason to believe( based on last years limited success) that at a few of my favorite shallow lakes in poconos that it will produce well with the above jigs but I feel that I should be using a very stiff line for a straightforward hook set.

So if I were to take off the 12 lb mono what would you consider the best lb floro line for chucking these lite jigs.

 

[troutspinner]

I would lean to 8# on a medium light spin setup for that method.

 

[Don]

why, is it not heavy enough to operate easily on a baitcaster?

 

[troutspinner]

why, is it not heavy enough to operate easily on a baitcaster?

Correct. 8# is finesse territory. May not be the best tool for the job?

 

[Solitario Lupo]

I wouldn’t even waste my time with fluoro. Don’t get what the thoughts on for a hook set as it’s not the line.

 

[Don]

I had read that floro works great good with lite Jigs when fishing for Panfish and other fish that have a lite bite. And so I thought I would set up one rod just for light jigs. I don’t use spinning reels anymore. I do have a Baitcastor with 30 pound Braid on it perhaps I should just buy fLoro for the leader

 

[troutspinner]

I tried using 15# braid at one point for Crappie as it seemed to be the "trend" with all of the experts on YouTube. . The only thing that changed was that I was tearing through their mouths. I'm sure those guys made a few bucks from J Braid and the like though.

 

[Don]

Ive no doubt. But on my lite combos I also have trouble settling hook sometimes. It’s nice to feel the bite and gently increase the cranking to let them hook themselves on the lite wire hooks I’ll be using.
Picked up a 3/16th white Missile brand jig tonight.

 

[A-5]

Ok so when do I tell you the knot to use for proper presentation with jigs ?

 

[truecrimson]

I don’t use spinning reels anymore.

Well, there's your problem.

 

[Don]

Ok so when do I tell you the knot to use for proper presentation with jigs ?

Tell me now so I can argue in a public forum.

 

[Don]

Well, there's your problem.

Arthur Rightus is the problem. Otherwise I would use the nice reels I have.

 

[Don]

Swim jigs for Feb pickerel. 3/16th ounce. I have 2, 3, and 4” Kieteck shiners and other stuff to go onto them.

 

[A-5]

Loop knots are best but I kinda refuse to do it at this time

 

[A-5]

Try your knots. Palomar knot I think holds them ok

 

[Don]

Palomar is nice as is the loop knot. But I simply use a knot that I can tie in my sleep: Improved Clinch.

 

[A-5]

Ok. But it doesn’t sit properly

 

[Don]

I don't mind tying the Palomar if there is a large advantage. I use, or have used the Palomar for attaching lures directly to braid but since I now add a tippet of mono to the braid I've simply used an ICK to attach lures. If I'm missing something splurt it out....I'm learning. I decided to discontinue most other complex knots due to negligible advantage.

 

[Don]

So back to Sol's comment on why waste time with Floro....

Much of the reading I've done suggests that a stiff stiff line gives you more feel for lite biters (Crappy and sometimes perch) and also the ability, when using thin wire hooks, to avoid the need for "setting the hook"...you merely just continue to reel in and the fish will hook itself. If a stump is caught instead of a fish then the line will be strong enough to open the hook and pull free. According to some comments the best time for this is when casting through winter weeds in stump fields using swim jigs.
So for one of my rigs I want to use either pure 20lb floro or 40lb braid with a 15lb floro leader. I'll tie on Bitsy Jigs or 1/0 EWG wire hooks tipped with 2, 3 or 4" Shiners.
When summer comes this rig will be used for 3/4 oz football jigs and crawlers but with a mono leader instead.
Thoughts?