crashing jigs through submerged bushes

[merc1997]

i got talked out of retirement to fish a benefit tournament.  won first and big bass (6.34).  but, i wanted to discuss the technique and i never hear of anyone use, but it has more than once for me over the years with the right water conditions.  right now we have high water with submerged buck brush in 5 to 9 feet of water.  most bass here are still feeding and not on beds.  now most would be thinking spinner baits, bladed jigs or square bills.  keep in mind you have to have a jig that you can crash into and through the bush, and not hang up, for this technique to work, but it will catch better quality most of the time. 

these bass are positioned in the top of the bush waiting to ambush shad coming by.  you make a long cast parallel  with the brush and quickly work it back.  when you contact a bush you quickly come up and over the bush and let it cost off.  the bass will knock slack in your line.

i have caught lots of bass over the years when we have this type of water conditions with this technique.

bo

[merc1997]

this pic did not post with the other one.  this is the setup i used.

bo

[apenland01]

Great tip Bo!

[Donald Garner]

Bo, tks for sharing the trip and picture with us.  That's a nice keeper bass there you're holding.

[Wizard]

Wave action has pretty much stripped the buck brush from LOZ but I know the technique.

Wizard

[Bassinkorea]

We have those exact high water conditions and flooded brush right now on the lake we fish our tournaments on.
I will give it a try next time I'm there, but first, can you explain what the red text below means?   

these bass are positioned in the top of the bush waiting to ambush shad coming by.  you make a long cast parallel  with the brush and quickly work it back.  when you contact a bush you quickly come up and over the bush and let it cost off.  the bass will knock slack in your line.

[merc1997]

We have those exact high water conditions and flooded brush right now on the lake we fish our tournaments on.
I will give it a try next time I'm there, but first, can you explain what the red text below means?   

these bass are positioned in the top of the bush waiting to ambush shad coming by.  you make a long cast parallel  with the brush and quickly work it back.  when you contact a bush you quickly come up and over the bush and let it cost off.  the bass will knock slack in your line.

typo, should be coast off.  so, when you pop it over the bush instead of letting it drop straight down, you keep slight tension on the line and let it glide away.  kind of swing to you.  sometimes you will get bit on the throw in if you land close enough to a bush.  the big one popped it before i even had the rod changed to my left after the cast.  needless to say, you have to instantly react and not think about it.
bo

[Bassinkorea]

typo, should be coast off.  so, when you pop it over the bush instead of letting it drop straight down, you keep slight tension on the line and let it glide away.  kind of swing to you.  sometimes you will get bit on the throw in if you land close enough to a bush.  the big one popped it before i even had the rod changed to my left after the cast.  needless to say, you have to instantly react and not think about it.
bo

Got ya. Like pendulum?

[loomisguy]

Bo,  Looks like ya thinned that skirt out some ?

[merc1997]

Bo,  Looks like ya thinned that skirt out some ?

the bass did that.  i went through 4 skirts saturday.  that is why i never liked hand tied.  it does not take long for bass to tear all the strands off a skirt even if it is hand tied.  much easier to just slip on another one.

bo

[merc1997]

Bo,  Looks like ya thinned that skirt out some ?

here are a couple of pics of a new skirt before and after trimming.

bo

[zippyduck]

Bo,
Hush! That is the technique I use on several of our highland reservoirs in the spring. The bass just hunker down in the trees and a Nu-tech is the only way in and out without disturbing the area.

Oh I trim most of the jigs in the spring and shorten my trailers also.

[merc1997]

Bo,
Hush! That is the technique I use on several of our highland reservoirs in the spring. The bass just hunker down in the trees and a Nu-tech is the only way in and out without disturbing the area.

Oh I trim most of the jigs in the spring and shorten my trailers also.

trailer style and length is one of those things you have to let the bass tell you what is right.  i switch around a lot until i find something they will bite.  species can make a difference on how full of a skirt to use also.

bo

[TNDiver]

Question, why do you trim the top of the skirt?  Also, when feeling the bite, is it the usually double tap/tug or do you feel the use move away or do you feel it getting engulfed? 

[Oldfart9999]

Question, why do you trim the top of the skirt?  Also, when feeling the bite, is it the usually double tap/tug or do you feel the use move away or do you feel it getting engulfed?

Too much thinking, you feel set the hook. You feel and try to figure it out you lose the fish, don't think, REACT.
Rodney

[merc1997]

Question, why do you trim the top of the skirt?  Also, when feeling the bite, is it the usually double tap/tug or do you feel the use move away or do you feel it getting engulfed?

well, you just opened another whole can of worms about detecting bites.  unfortunately we are not all blessed with the same amount of feel or reflexes.  but, there are things to do which i feel help.  braid is a great no bite detector.  you will feel bites with braid that are not felt with floro or mono.  how you hold your rod is another factor.  i hold the rod in front of the reel and the line laying underneath my thumb.  you have a much better feel of what the rod is transmitting and you will even be able to feel the tension of you line change on the inside of your thumb.  then the hookset is being made with the biggest set of muscles and will therefore be quicker and more powerful.

i have watched so many people in the boat with me over the years go on point and by the time they set the hook, it is toooooooo late.  it is like playing slap hands with the bass.  you have to be quicker than the bass.  they can suck in a lure and spit it back out in the blink of an eye.  knowing and understanding what your lure is doing at all times is essential.  anything that happens that should not have SET THE HOOK!  don't think.  react.  these rules apply to any lure.  top water would be the exception, and when dealing with bass that are pinning your lure to the bottom.  knowing when this is happening comes with experience.

a book could really be written about this subject.

about skirt trimming.  this too comes from experience and knowing which species you will be encountering most often during the trip.  time of year, water temps, how close to spawn or after spawn all factor into this process.  right now in my area, we are approaching the period where any skirted jig may not get looked at.  i will still use a jig with plastic such as a baby brush hog or a swimmy tail lizard, but no skirt.

hope this will help.  if you go to NuTech Lures you tube channel, you will find many of these things explained.

bo

[TNDiver]

I think I speak for a lot of fishermen/women when I say I am sure I have missed a lot of bites.  I have seen some of your videos and they do help.  I have tried to hold my rod the way you do but it feels weird, but I think I just need to get used to it and with practice it will become more normal.  Thanks for the tips as always!

[merc1997]

I think I speak for a lot of fishermen/women when I say I am sure I have missed a lot of bites.  I have seen some of your videos and they do help.  I have tried to hold my rod the way you do but it feels weird, but I think I just need to get used to it and with practice it will become more normal.  Thanks for the tips as always!

after you get used to it, you will wonder how you fished the other ways.

bo

[TNDiver]

Just looking this over again. As usual, some great teachings from Bo.  He will be missed dearly.  Too bad we can't put together some of his material for a pdf book.