A Hard Learned Lesson on the Upper End

[rps]

First the good stuff -> I went out at 8:00 this morning and fished until 12:30. I found the water to be 77 to 78 degrees and you could see bottom to about 2 feet, maybe 3.

I fished a 6 inch straight worm in purple with blue flecks, and rigged it jika style with a 3/16 sinker. I caught 17 or 18 fish with two keepers. One was a spot and one was a large mouth.

The pattern will not surprise anyone. Points with timber or flooded trees in 5 to 15 feet of water. Basically the edges of the flooded stuff.

Now the hard learned lesson. In the past I made some jika rigs using snap locks. I posted about it. The rigs I fished today are identical to the example pictured in the old post. As of today, no more. I hooked a sow today. Got her up to the boat where I could see her. I will say six pounds plus. She shyed from the net and then was gone. When I reeled in my line the snap lock was basically straightened. I just ordered some split rings and will, from now on, make the rigs the PITA old fashioned way.

 

[bjovan]

I found out the hard way also this spring. Snap locks while ez to to put together will fail on big ones. Sucky!!

[Carl W]

That's a tough loss!  Especially to see the fish so well!  

[Stein]

I liked the post, not because of the lost fish but because I have never heard of a jika rig.  Definitely going to try it in Canada.  The rocks are different there than TR/BS.  All granite boulders.  Very sticky to baits.  If you fish a plastic on the bottom it is unlikely that you will get successive casts back to the boat.  Thinking of going with the split ring to the hook and the lightest cheap snap I can find on the weight to the ring.  Might even try tying it with some 2lb or 4lb.  Just one of those things you never think of.  At least a hangup you still have a chance to get most of the $ back.

It used to be that when snagged on a t-rigged worm you just break off, retie and move on.  Plastics and hooks were cheap.  Now it's $1.00 for a hook and a plastic so I'm not as flagrant with breaking off.  Forget using jigs up there at $3.00 a pop for jig/trailer.  Fish are there, though so need to be able to contact them.  We have resorted to just cheap tubes/grubs on cheap bulk pack BPS ball jigs because it doesn't hurt so much to lose them and up there the SM don't seem to care what you throw but I'm sure we are missing fish that aren't interested in a tube.

[rps]

2 hours ago, Stein said:

I liked the post, not because of the lost fish but because I have never heard of a jika rig.  Definitely going to try it in Canada.  The rocks are different there than TR/BS.  All granite boulders.  Very sticky to baits.  If you fish a plastic on the bottom it is unlikely that you will get successive casts back to the boat.  Thinking of going with the split ring to the hook and the lightest cheap snap I can find on the weight to the ring.  Might even try tying it with some 2lb or 4lb.  Just one of those things you never think of.  At least a hangup you still have a chance to get most of the $ back.

It used to be that when snagged on a t-rigged worm you just break off, retie and move on.  Plastics and hooks were cheap.  Now it's $1.00 for a hook and a plastic so I'm not as flagrant with breaking off.  Forget using jigs up there at $3.00 a pop for jig/trailer.  Fish are there, though so need to be able to contact them.  We have resorted to just cheap tubes/grubs on cheap bulk pack BPS ball jigs because it doesn't hurt so much to lose them and up there the SM don't seem to care what you throw but I'm sure we are missing fish that aren't interested in a tube.

Good luck! I hope the rig works out for you.

[m&m]

rps, thank you for practicing catch and release. Some just get released before you can touch them. 

Mike

[kjackson]

Are you thinking split ring to hook and then small snap to sinker?  I like the idea of being able to change weights without fussing with the blinking split ring...

[rps]

7 minutes ago, kjackson said:

Are you thinking split ring to hook and then small snap to sinker?  I like the idea of being able to change weights without fussing with the blinking split ring...

Exactly. I don't care if the weight pulls off.

[Sore Thumbs]

Owner makes pre-made Jika rigs. With or without tungsten. They aren't cheap by any means. They do seem to be durable though. 

[Dhunter1]

What's a Jika rig?