Question about CLEAR(transparent) weedguards for jigs....

[Alex M.]

Just got into pouring/tying large sized custom football jigs recently, and wanted know if anyone has any input on the clear(transparent) weedguards that are available?

Have you used them with any success?

Think the fish know the difference? Will it get ya more bites?

Do you feel that the weedguard should only match the jighead/skirt?

Pros? Cons?

Thanx in advance

Alex

[L Dub]

I prefer mine matched to the color of the jig.

my $0.02

[Jason C.]

I honestly dont think it makes a difference. If a fish is gonna eat its gonna eat. The only way I can see a fish eating a clear weedguard more then a colored weeguard is if the fish are targeting a smaller profile. Have you seen an arkie jig head with out a weedguard? It looks alot smaller, almost like its naked or something. Also it could make a slight difference while ur finesse jiggin with a puff ball jig or something like that. Those are the only times I can see a clear weedguard out performing a colored one.

Just my .02

[Phil]

Building and using Jigs myself. I use Floro on my large Jigs and Black, Brown, or Pumkin green on all my other jigs. Clear to me causes reflection and really do not like plain clear guards.

[Ranger Jason]

I have / use both and have experienced zero difference.

[DougH]

since it costs me about a quarter to make a jig, I don't use weedguards anymore. I think you get more fish without one period.
If you're paying $4 a jig, then get a weedguard...

[TD]

I have done hours and hours of testing for years on my jigs....fish don't care. When I tie up a jig I try to complement the overall appearance...most important is volume and water displacement then color...sometimes volume and color switch but water displacement is always a major factor...You would laugh if you knew what I use for weed guards on my jigs, but it works and it is almost stealth..all the best.

[Alex M.]

I have done hours and hours of testing for years on my jigs....fish don't care. When I tie up a jig I try to complement the overall appearance...most important is volume and water displacement then color...sometimes volume and color switch but water displacement is always a major factor...You would laugh if you knew what I use for weed guards on my jigs, but it works and it is almost stealth..all the best.

What DO you use ?????

[MARK D. INMAN]

I use the clear fiberguards in 9 or 11 fibers when i tie my puffball jigs in white or when i tie shad color jig. The fiberguards i have made are custom made by a company back east. They make them in 9 11 18 24 and 31 fibers in several different colors and in light med or heavy fibers. When tying light colors like white or and shad color you can even use black fiberguards.

[Alex M.]

I guess what I wanted to ask specifically was if anyone found there to be any advantages or disadvantages to using a clear weedguard on a green pumpkin or brown jig or other colored jig..not on a shad pattern or white jig.

3/4 or 1 ounce football jig to be exact....

Thanx...


Alex

[Oldschool]

To answer your specific question; it makes no difference.
The football head is poor choice IMO for heavy cover, adding a weed guard will not prevent the bulky shape head from hanging up in wood or weeds.
The original V wire guard works OK with the football head design, takes up less space.
The best option with weed guards is; no molded in weed guard.
The Hitchhiker spring clipped onto the hook eye and a split piece of 1 1/2" worm srcewed on, similar to shaky head, works very well. The worm section adds scent, color, movement and bulk to the jig...plus provides hook protection similar to a Texas rigged worm.
Tom

[Alex M.]

Fishing it on deep rocks...no grass or wood. Football head is the weapon of choice for me. I have a bunch of extra clear/trasparent weedguards and wanna know if I should use them on my colored jigs or not.

Or...Is there a way to paint the clear weedguards? If so what kind of paint would stay on after alot of abuse?

Alex

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

Tie some of them each way and rig two rods and go fishing. See if you can tell a difference.
I believe it will take 50 or sixty full fishing days and keeping good records to really get a handle on which is best.
After you have done all of that please come back and tell us what you learned

[Alex M.]

I love it...Jim is putting me to work...LOL...You're still a stud Jim...

I know I can trial and error it like that, but just wanted to get the scoop from others. Probably don't need 50 or 60 days per say, I could figure it out a bit quicker I think. But the jig bite isn't always on, so it may take a long time actually.
Some people are against the clear weedguards for one reason or another.

Has anyone tried painting them? If so what kinda paint did you use?

[MARK D. INMAN]

Sharpie pens work good on clear fiberguards too. Look in your e mail alex

[Alex M.]

Sharpies? Really? I'm gonna try that.
Someone else suggested dipping them in a bottle of the spike-it blade dip???
I really like the sharpie idea though. Do you think the color will fade after soaking the jig for prolonged periods of time?
Would it be wise to get another type of permanent marker that is larger with a flat tip on it, so that I can almost "brush" the weedguard with it?

[Jim Conlow Sr.]

Back about 6 or 7 years ago I fished a whole year in all of my fun fishing and a lot of my tournament practice fishing with nothing but Sencos. My intent was to learn the what, why, how, when and where of that bait.
My plan was to do the same thing with Jigs the next year. Some how are another I just never got the job done with the Jigs, So what I was hoping was that I could get you to do that research for me and then send me what you had learned

Thanks for the nice compliment, the girls always tell me the same thing but its nice to hear it from others as well.

Jim

[Alex M.]

Jim...

I've spent ALOT of time fishing jigs myself. Just not with clear weed guards....LOL. It's my #1 go to bait, and it catches some donkeys!
If I had to pick only 1 lure for the rest of my life, it would probably be the jig.

If you ever have any questions, etc...just shoot me a PM

Cheers....

[Oldschool]

Tried to give you advice and seem to have selective reading skills.
You don't need traditional weed guards in the type of over/structure you are targeting.
Big bass bite a jig like they kill a crawdad; vacuum it in the back of the mouth and crunch down between the cartlidge in the roof and tongue. If they feel something wrong, like a weed guard, it's blown back out quickly. Weed gaurds prevent the hook point from sticking the mouth soft tissue and you miss the majority of strikes, when casting and retreiving the jig.

Tom

[Alex M.]

Tom...

Trust me, I heard ya loud and clear. I Have fished many pre-made football heads without weedguards(usually with a hula grub), and it works great, except for 1 thing...I fold over allot of my hook points from foul hooking on rocks. I dont know about you, but once 1 mess up a hook that bad, the whole jig is done for me. Im not gonna try to resurrect it or anything...ya know. Plus I thin out and trim down my weedguard so it's flared out and pretty sparse. Personally I've never had a fish "spit" me while fishing a jig like this...

[mark poulson]

Alex,
There's a site where tackle makers go and trade tips.
www.tackleunderground.com
Try that site, and, under forums, pick the kind of bait you make. Then post your question. You'll get a lot of educated feedback.

[Alex M.]

Thanks Mark...

oddly enough, I created an account on there like 2days ago...LOL.
Only a few responses though...

[mark poulson]

Which forum did you post on?
I'll try and shake the answer tree a little.

[mark poulson]

Alex,
I saw your thread, and the responses. I guess it's not rocket science. Either dip it colors, or markers.
I carry markers on my boat, to touch up jigs, add color to soft plastics, and cranks. Once they dry, which is really quickly, I just put on some Megastrike to mask any remaining scent, and I'm good to go.
If you're making jigs and they sit for a couple of days after you color them, you shouldn't have any scent left anyway.

[Alex M.]

Good point...
I use megastrike too...but the crawfish one with the Yamamoto logo on it...
I also recently started using the pro-cure craw gel...man that stuff smells like feet and a$$...but works great

[some guy]

Amen Mark same here.. take your @$$ down to Staples and buy the Multi colored sharpie kits. I have a freezer bag in my boat of about 30 diff sharpie colors.. perfect for on the fly touch ups. Any thicker attractants will mask the smell.

[Alex M.]

And here I was...Thinking this was all a sharpie was good for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7tBOMfV6zU

MY BAD!

[Oldschool]

The fact that I fish my own custom hair jigs without a traditional weed guard should speak volumns. I rarely damage a hook on rocks and use Gamakatsu's 604, 5/0 hooks that are chemically sharpened and very difficult to reshapren with a diamond or wet stone.
My guess; if you are not consistantly catching bass over 10 lbs fishing our local lakes, using jigs, you are missing the strikes that you don't detect because of the weed gaurds. The bigger the bass, the more difficult it is to know your bit. It took me several years to learn that lesson.
What material are the clear fiber weed guards you are trying to color? If it's Nylon the Sharpie will dye it, if flurocarbon you may need to etch the fibers before using the Sharpie. Another option is Rite dye. Put the jig or weed guard in warm water mixed with Rite liquid dye, whatever color you are confortable with, leave in over night.
Tom

[Alex M.]

Tom...
I've been fishing jigs for a long time also. I'm pretty sure I'm past the point where detecting strikes is an issue for me. I know what it's like to get thumped, trucked, hammered, and even light pressure bites and subtle line movement. I use an extremely light and sensitive custom jig rod with braided line and a fluoro leader if that tells you anything. I've spent ALOT of time with jigs is what I'm sayin'. I fish my jigs around really snaggy/gnarly rockpiles and have caught plenty of toads doing that. I have also jacked up alot of hook points doing this also. Again...I thin out my weedguard..BIG time...like 5-6 fibers and flared out, simply to preserve my hook a bit longer. Never had any problems with this set up....

The clear weed guards are nylon. I think the best quick fix is the sharpies most likely...

[Oldschool]

Should be on the water today. IMO you are wasting your time. Give the Hitchhicker and worm segment to protect the hook point a try and you may never go back to the fiber guards. Sometimes you can lead a horse to water, but can't get it to drink.
Good luck and hope you catch that bass of a life time.
Tom

[Alex M.]

Wish I was on the water today...But I gotta make some $$$
My partner is out there today fishing jigs, so I'll get the scoop from him and go and "waste my time" bright and early tomorrow LOL

[brambo0311]

I use the clear weed guards on light colored swim jigs, or poison tail jig heads I pour for swim bait heads.

My jigs I use black, brown or green but there just color coded for the stiffness so I dont get them mixed up.

Honestly I dont think the fish care. Just make sure you spit on your bait.

[Alex M.]

Just make sure you spit on your bait.

Really....How Come

[brambo0311]

Thats a joke alex. Everyone has there little hocus pokus stuff. Bottom line is there are no secret baits. You put a reasonable bait in front of a fish and work it properly, she will eat it.

[Alex M.]

Thats a joke alex. Everyone has there little hocus pokus stuff. Bottom line is there are no secret baits. You put a reasonable bait in front of a fish and work it properly, she will eat it.

AGREED!
Good thing too, cuz I was just about to hauck some flem on my peanut butter and jelly colored jigs...LOL...JK