UNDERWATER TEST: What is the best jighead weight?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- Fishing in a swimming pool won't give you a whole lot of bites, but that time is invaluable if you want to learn what your lures look like underwater. With area fishing in the doldrums, Marsh Man Masson visited his community pool following passage of a cold front to run three underwater tests.
For the first, he rigged a limbo slice-colored Matrix Shad on a 3/8-ounce jighead and repeatedly cast and retrieved it past the camera to learn the fall rate and action of the lure. Then he rigged the same bait on a 1/8-ounce jighead, and discovered something he hadn't really expected.
Masson then cast the lure on a 3/8-ounce jighead the length of the pool, working it the way he normally would with braided line. He did the same with monofilament, popping the rod as subtly as he did with the braid. This time, he got more of an expected result.
The final test involved casting the lure on a 1/4-ounce jighead under a rattling cork to observe the fall rate and action. Masson is a big believer in fishing light jigheads under corks, usually opting for a 1/16-ounce. He tried that as well, and confirmed the lighter jighead is the better bet for most applications.
Like the video? Be sure to give it a thumbs-up and subscribe to Marsh Man Masson on TH-cam. Also, leave a comment below. Have you conducted any pool tests of your own? If so, what did they show? Did those tests alter your approach in any meaningful way?
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Hey Todd I went fishing this morning and caught only 1 red the first 2 hours off a pink shad. Never got any bites but I seen a kayak pulling in a few trout near me. I was throwing 1/4 jig with every color variety imaginable. I switched to a 1/8 double rig dark red color. I limited out in 2 hours. This is the first time in a long time I limited out on trout. You're videos have really helped me become a better fisherman! If I wouldn't have seen this video yesterday I wouldn't have even thought to use a smaller size jig. I would have just given up and said it's not my day. It truly does make a difference at least sometimes. First time in my life I caught 2 at a time..I did it twice! Today was a great Day that I haven't had in a long time😊
Glad to hear it, Jimbo. Congrats on the big haul. Trout are tough to come by right now, so that's definitely a strong day!
He used a Heavier jig to prove his point. You (correctly) downsized your jig for the best presentation (color unimportant seeing as how there were a dozen colors that would have worked).
You can keep lighter lures in the strike zone longer.
or maybe the fish just showed up, or it was feeding time... thats the thing w fishing.. however never try to stop n figure out the puzzle but remember ya can be doing all the right things but if the fish arent there those things dont matter
I didnt really fish much growing up but my dad loved to do it. I went with him just enough for him to teach me the VERY basics of fishing. He passed away in November leaving me with his passion for it. He always wanted a boat. Ever since November, ive been itching to fish. I bought a boat this past Tuesday and ive been trying to gain as much knowledge on fishing as I can. After watching all of your videos I wish I could share the knowledge I now know about fishing with my dad! I learn something each time you post and will remember it when I bring my boat down to Golden Meadow or Grand Isle! Keep posting!
We definitely will. Let us know how things work out with the new boat.
TheModdingStar I'm holding back tears as we speak.... My best friend since age 11(I'm 41) and my only fishing partner passed away a few months ago and all I can think about is catching a limit in his honor. I'm just glad that he made it to see my boat... to this day he has caught the only fish in it!
Thanks for doing this. Just getting started with plastics and this really helped explain the technique.
One of you're best videos to date! It's cool to actually see the difference from a fish's point of view.
Thanks, Jimbo!
Ive just started jig fishing. This video was very helpful. Thank you.
VERY interesting and love your attention to detail! Keep these informative vids coming CAPT
Thanks for the video! This is exactly what i was looking for
Great series this in the pool video answered a lot of questions thanks
Im so glad ive found your channel u have taught alot that i didnt know thank again
Pool tests are my favorite so happy their back
Outstanding video man! I absolutely loved the cork test. Keep it up!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. This was a fun one to do.
Very informative and interesting video. Actually modified my opinion on mono vs braid, thanks and of course tight lines bro!
Glad someone is using the Riverwood swimming pool! I remember swimming there as a kid.
It's heavily used during the summer, believe me.
Very nice info thank you sir🎣
Very helpful
Thank you
Whenever I use a swimbait on a jighead with a 1/8th oz I take a pair of nail clippers and cut a couple "U" shapes close to the tail end on the top and bottom to decrease the amount of plastic and increase the motion of the tail =)
Shhhhhhh :)
Another great video!
Good talking points & nice UW footage!! With the softies I use both Paddles & non Paddle Shad. The NP's I'm usually castin' into Skinny H2O & I want 2 Dance the Plastic on the surface using 1/32 oz weedless because of the heavy Limerock bottom structure.With the PT's never more than 1/16 oz Xposed hook jigg. This gives me more Float or Decent time + I'm rarely flippin' in more than 5 ft. of fairly clear H2O.....Something 2 consider.....
if you want more action on the fall try one of those vudu minnows with the backward scoops on the tail
Good man
Love the scientist in ya
Cool video thanks for sharing
Thank you
Hi Todd,
I couldn’t find a way to message you directly, so I commented under a video. Your videos are great, and really help me with tips to use on the water. There is a video I would love to see. I would like to see a pool video of the action of swimbaits on jig heads with different knots. I want to see if a Norman speed clips, basic barrel with clasp, loop knot, improved clinch knot, etc effect the action on a swimbait. Thanks!
Great Job Todd, I’m in Raleigh NC, and I don’t get to go for the Reds like I would like, but, I do jig fish for LMB and I don’t have a pool...😂😂👍🎣👍🎣
I've always wanted to do this. Saved me some time lol. Awesome video bro.
It was a lot of fun to do. Thanks for watching!
Very interesting video, and thanks for posting it. In your first test, I liked the fall of the 1/8 better than the 3/8, which dropped the bait like a rock in a way that looked unnatural to me. Tail action is fine, but I still think a slow fall will get you more strikes. If you want more flutter maybe find a more flexible bait.
I am late to the comment section, but a if a bait is mimicking a dying fish (which the up and down motion is) then the tail paddling on the way down isn't realistic. The flutter of the tail on the upward motion is what is lifelike. I think the action on the 1/8th ounce jig is exactly what you'd want.
Another great video. I think the 1/8oz weight looks the most life-like during the retrieve. It's not just a big nose dive to the bottom. I never seen a fish act like that.
Yeah, I always tend toward lighter jigheads. My only surprise in doing the pool test was how the lighter weight limited the tail action of the lure.
The way the round jigheads fall over on the bottom, confirms why i use the square chinned ones. My default option in saltwater up to 60 feet is 3/8oz. In general the slower fall is more natural looking for our fish in New Zealand. Braid also helps set the hook
Great video! Definitely like digging deep like this. I’m a little surprised how little the paddle tail moved with the 3/8 oz. Matrix Shad has nearly the floppiest of tails. Anything stiffer than Matrix would probably look like a stick (i.e. Gulp Shrimp). You raise a good point about what bait the lure mimics. What plastic and lead head weight would you choose to mimic a fin fish?
If I were fishing around baitfish rather than shrimp, I probably would be tight-lining instead of fishing under a cork. Weight would depend on water depth. Every spring, trout move to deep holes to feast on young-of-the-year croakers, and when that's the case, I go with 3/8-ounce jigheads to get down in the swift current. Color depends on water clarity. Thanks for watching!
Good video; most fishermen have never viewed their lures from an underwater perspective. I feel your soft plastic jigs have a tail-plane design that requires lot of water movement over the small and very slanted tail-plane to deflect (wiggle). There are other manufacturers that design their tail-planes with different features to enhance deflection; (1) a much larger surface area, (2) mounted more perpendicular to the body, (3) a longer and/or more slender rear body design, or (4) a more flexible body material (like Z-Man). Any, or a combination of these designs, would allow the tail to deflect more with much less water movement, allowing you to use a lighter weight jighead for a preferred slow lure fall with lots of tail action.
really like you test I fish in south Carolina I fish all plastic but we have a lot of tide movement the tide is rising or falling don't know how it would. Work in our system thank for you test would love to fish with you great job fishing buddy
Good video👌
Okay--I also watch Chas Champagne's videos with Dockside TV (they sell the Matrix baits) and on the retrieve, he is whipping his rod up and down like crazy with the tip moving in 2 or more foot arcs rapidly and I'm talking about the fishing he's doing in winter weather--is one method better than the other?
you should put some fish in the pool ;)
thanks for the info.
if i can make a suggestion for your vids, it would be to have a small picture-in-picture of your rod tip, inside the footage of the jig action. that would make it even more compelling viewing.
cheers from down under. i'm just starting on soft plastics, as i've been pulling up more starfish than fish, on bait.
Your experience bucktail jigs....better with soft lures....??
Watching from Western Australia. Going to throw soft plastics in to wind, very strong currents, rough water from rocks or the beach. Hadn't thought of the fall rate once I get the lure where I want it.
5 * good video very nice help thanks !!!
Do pike and perch take a soft plastic lure that’s being fished under a cork ?
How well would a YUM Christie Claw swim in 2-4 ft deep water with a 1/4 Oz Jighead? I tried a 1/16 Oz and my Daiwa Coastal 200 does cast well since it’s extremely light-weight.
If you want to give your soft plastics more action set them in hot water for 15-30 seconds.
Keitech's will flap even weightless. 3/16 has still always been almost perfect for me...
Preach
When I saw the video, I stated in my head that the 1/4 oz was the best multi-situational bait (unless very deep and strong current, or very shallow). I think that I haven't changed my mind. Also, I sometimes use a curly tail for fishing bottom, and it definitely has tail action - although it doesn't make noise like a paddle tail, which I really like.
You know you’d be surprised I’ve been in crazy current situations and the 1/4 still produced that’s why I use it 90% of the time
Great Job, this is one of test I wanted to do, Thank You for the Help.
Also what rod were you using? Length action and power. Thanks Again
Thanks for watching! The rod I was using is a 6'8" Shimano Crucial in medium-heavy power with fast action. It's my go-to for jigging.
Marsh Man Masson Thanks for the reply
@@MarshManMasson I just started fishing n early learning pangs, but ur video really helpful. Do u have additional videos for beginners, I.e., don't know what type of rigs for different fish or types of water depths
I enjoyed watching this video even though I'm on the other side of MS. One observation in addition - no matter the weight of the jig, the speed of retrieval is important, many would benefit from a visit to a pool, the jig can differ in action between a long slow retrieve or a short quick one. I did sub and will be back. I love fishin'!!
Definitely true. Thanks for watching!
You should come to Venice and fish with me. We should be able to put a pretty good video together. Tight lines! 🤙🏽 keep up the great work.
While this video is quite useful, there are certain characteristics which it doesn't duplicate. Water movement, current, water turbidity or "color", and importantly the wind. The ultimate goal is to most closely duplicate the natural bait, and its movements. To me, bottom fishing a plastic, one should use as light a jighead as possible yet maintain contact with the bottom. Allowing the bait to "swim" when twitched, then return to the bottom. The same tactic Todd stresses when using a cork. You get too heavy on jig weight bottom fishing, and the result looks like a lead weight bouncing off the bottom. Little "swim action". Or fisherman who use too much movement, impatient fast delivery. Again, the bottom line is to duplicate natural live bait behavior, given the existing conditions.
awesome video. really helps and gives me some insight on how to use softbaits. still learning myself haha
Thank you for the great video. Do you have a particular brand of jig head you like. I have some heavier matrix shad golden eyes. I was about to order some of the 16oz, but I see those have the mini shanks. Are those ok, or do you have a better recommendation? Thanks for any help!
My favorite, far and away, is the Deathgrip Jighead. It's available at ghostminnows.com
Hmm. My malware won't let me to the site due to phishing. @@MarshManMasson
I go there all the time without any trouble.
I disabled my malware and ordered. I will not be denied my specko'd trouts!!! HaHa! @@MarshManMasson
I hane found the lighter jig heads are for covering mid to top column of water. Like if I’m in 40 foot and use light jig heads I wait to hit bottom then burn back to target the fish in the mid.
The heavier for fish schooling on the bottom.
How do you like those Versamax Bolt corks? Been meaning to give them a try
I like them a lot. They sound great in the water, and to me, that's more important than any other factor.
1/4 is the best for(for me)north Florida
Edit:Love the matrix shad great for reds in clear water her swimming it and hopping it off the bottom so
Swim,swim,swim(dragging on bottom by a jetty so it’s bouncing of the sand)Stop,Hop(two times)Repeat.
Or
Swim,swim,swim,stop,repeat
oR
(Dragging on bottom)Swim,swim,swim,hop,swim swim swim,hop, repeat. <
My three main ways. |
Last years fall break absolutely CRUSHED the Reds (15-21 inches still fun)|using that method caught like 50 in one day!
Awesome lure!
Those are exactly the 3 ways I fish large mouth bass.. gonna try in salt water next time
With the 1/8 oz I prefer like a chartreuse paddle tail big bite shrimp I’ve caught a lot of trout on it
Great comparison! I prefer lighter jigs in saltwater also. Bad thing about 1/16 oz jigs is they tend to bend or straighten out when a hoss is on, but with drag set correctly the fish will eventually be reeled in. I too prefer a 1/16 oz.! Sometimes I just use a hook with zero weight. Popping cork and circle hook works well.
Check out Deathgrip Jigheads at www.ghostminnows.com. The hooks in their 1/16-ounce jigheads are the same as those in their heavier jigheads. They don't bend.
Nice! I'll even throw crappie jigs with small 2" plastics on a light action rod for fun fights! I primarily fish from a kayak.
I took a friend of mine to a secret honey hole to introduce him to kayak fishing skinny back waters. I told him it was a flounder hole and flounder would be jumping up out of the water, which they were. He caught his first ever limit of flounder (5) on rod and reel. He now leaves his nice boat at home quite a bit. When he was out catching me, I began to mimic his retrieve and I stopped catching fish altogether. Later I realized he was fishing mono and I was fishing 30# braid, so mimicking his retrieve was pretty stupid in hind sight.
I can think of 2 or 3 other factors that might be interesting to test. First, various swimbaits. Of course you could break that down to differences in material and design. Obviously, a thinner, more delicate tail would produce more action on the fall. However, it would break off more easily as would a more stretchy plastic material. Another factor might be water temperature. Cold temps tend to decrease flexibility in plastics, rubber, etc. I don't know if it would make any difference...just curious. Finally, the salinity of the water might make a difference in buoyancy, which in turn might affect rate of fall and action.
What is an off-season. We fish year around in KY
My cat loves this video. He will come from across the room to watch. Also his favorite is the 1/8 oz 😂😂
Tell him to subscribe!
You need more of a paddle tail for the lighter weights. The one you are throwing is more of a spoon tail. Also you have to consider the colder water is making the plastic stiffer.
I was thinking the same, the little dipper n big bite cane thumper are ones of the best for tail actions.. the one he using is only good for fast retrieve for a good tail action
Make a viedo on how u set up your rig
Kinda late to the party but I've noticed Matrux baits have less tail action than say D.O.A. or Saltwater Assassin paddle tails. Would have been cool to see them compared to the Matrix Shads.
Tail action and grade of plastic softness makes a big difference. The lure shown isn't soft enough or the tail would wag on the drop with 1/8 oz. Much of the time fish respond better to lures that drop slower, but depending on the distance of the drop from the surface, may not have the time to show off a lure's action. I pour my own swimbaits and know this to be true.
Heavier jigs are fine for medium fast, long cast, horizontal presentations and punching through weeds, but less so for retrieve pauses with slow drop presentations and bottom jigging when slow retrieves are crucial. Changing to a small diameter braid or fluorocarbon might also improve that lure's action. JMO
Interesting video and gives me some new ideas but what's up with that swimming pool? I assume no one swims in that.
No, as I mentioned in the video, it was winter, so obviously the pool hadn't been cleaned in a bit. It's pristine in the summer.
in 2 meter water with a bit of current what weight jig head would you recommend I was thinking a 1/8
To be honest, it would depend on the wind. Flat-calm, yes, I'd likely start with 1/8, but if wind were pushing the line and, ultimately, the lure, I'd bump it up. Good luck!
Good Stuff!
Thanks for watching!
I would be interested in seeing a paddle tail, a straight tail, and a curly tail compared.
Very interesting info. Going to try lighter jig heads next time
You'll be glad you did.
Interesting cos those are the jighead I. Usually use
So what size do you recommend
Whoah! I’m about to buy me some 3/8oz jig heads for the swimbaits man! Ha ha! Leave the 1/4 and 1/8 for flukes and gulp shrimp!
I was definitely surprised by what I found!
Great job, cool thing to see!
Thanks for watching!
What do you say to doing a kayak fishing episode? Seems like it would fit in well in what you've been doing lately! I know a guy lol
I don't personally do a lot of kayak fishing, but I'm planning some for this summer.
I gotcha. I think it would make for some good content for this channel, considering its a growing sport. I have always thought it would be great to put two people who are good fishermen but don't have kayak experience against each other, particularly sight fishing reds. Its such a blast doing it from a kayak. Going to send a msg through FB, let me know if I can help. Again, nice job on the videos, it's great to get some info out of them rather than just a trip journal, which is pretty much all I do.
you do a great job but with jig fishing you missed the most important part of a swim bait you keep taking about the tail action but never showed it when you retrieved the lure. I would like to have seen the tail action on a steady retrieve with the different jig weights. Also when you have swim baits the tails are bigger would like to have seen which size tail gave you the most action. The steady retrieve is what is used fishing in 3ft or less water in Lafitte.
I guess I didn't do that because I seldom fish a straight retrieve. I'm always jigging a soft-plastic rather than just swimming it. Thanks for watching and for the suggestion!
We are just the opposite in Lafitte as finding water over 4ft is very hard. Our trout find their way into dead end canals which are full of grass and trash so impossible to jig. We use a slow retrieve but I have found that the lighter the head the less action you get from the tail. I have found the new swim baits with the new design work much better and give out unbeliever tail action. In our water the more tail action the more action. I had garage 13 at Pips place for many many years and fished the MRGO for years. We use to troll the area with the lead line when unable to fish the lake. Also a big change in Lafitte are our bass the size has now gone up to 3 and 4 pounds. Years past one or two a year now we catch a limit of fish that average over 2 pounds and no longer look like marsh bass. The number one bait after the water warms is a buzz bait sure has changed .
wish u had a current pool
I have come to find out that with lighter jig heads I tend to catch a whole lot fewer catfish and junk fish!
I’ve Had Phenomenal Success On Using Baits Weightless👍🏾🎣❗️
Especially That C-Pod By Reins👍🏾🎣❗️
"Nobody fishes a 3/8 oz jighead under a cork, thats overkill" looks at his rod next to him with popping cork and 3/8oz jighead, ahhhhh shi...
There is no off season in fishing just different spots
I thought you were from New Jersey.
If you would have put a keitech on the back of that jig, it wouldn’t matter what the weight is, that sucker would swim!
Is that not a swimbait not a hopping jig ???
It's a swimbait teamed with a jighead. Here in Louisiana, we call it jigging.
I don’t know why anybody still fishes with monofilament braid is so much better.
I dont know why...but 1oz = 28,35 gr.
BUT....1oz = 29,57ml.
Wtf????
Hello, I know i'm commenting late, but ml and grams are not always the same. Part of the equation used to convert grams to mls will change depending on the density of the material that you're measuring.
while your there clean the pool 😆😆😆😆😆
bro tail is not giving action nbcoz of the bobber not the leas weight on the jig 😂😂😂😂
Support your bro
77k views, 1k likes??
✅👍
I think you need a swinbait with somewhat decent action lol whatever you have on looks like trash. Try Big Joshy’s swim baits made in Ohio. Best you’ll find
There is no best jighead weight.
One problem with this experiment is that that water is not salt water.
I don't see the relevance, other than a slight change in buoyancy, but actually it's a saltwater pool.
You talk way to mutch with out saying anything sorry man