Is this done for better hook sets? Lost a nice one yesterday. I no setting the hook is key, but I'm looking for a little extra help.

 

I do use braid line, so I could be jus ripping it out of its mouth....but just wondering about the brush guard

I trim mine just a tad to get a better hookset, as the majority of people probably do. Some people alter their lures just for confidence purposes.

I find that trimming the guard can help some in hook setting, but I mainly trim them when fishing heavy wood. It makes the guard a little more stiff, and in my experiences I lose less jigs doing this.

I thin mine out and spread them if I find them to be too tough.  A lot of guards are designed for heavier cover and I tend not to have as much of that around me.

I never trim them but always spread them out pretty good. I seemed to get more snags when I used to trim them.

I'm the opposite...

I always trim mine regardless of the brand,.

I trim to where the edge of the guard is even with the barb of the hook. I find that the stiffness after trimming is not that big of a deal.

Then spread them out a little.

 

 

Mike

No weed guard is more effective for high % hook sets! The debate on how to make a weed gaurd more effective at protecting the hook point from snagging cover without reducing hook setting into the basses mouth has long been a topic of designs of the weed guards.

The NuTec double weed gaurd is a good design, eliminates the problem of the jig hook rolling sideways when a bass strikes, the biggest cuase of missed hook sets. Softer fiber strands like 20 count verses 15 count fibers helps. Modifying the fiber bunch by spreading it out into a V shape and trimming can help a little, but does not resolve the problem.

I use jigs without a weed gaurd and add a 1 1/2" piece of finesse worm attached with a hitchhiker spring as mt weed guard. This only works in light cove, not heavy brush or weeds.

Tom