why are texas rigs and jigs and other things called weedless when they get caught in the weeds all the time

notice it says weedless not weed free.

notice it says weedless not weed free.

 

That is definitely not how that suffix is meant to be used. When you say something is needless or pointless it means they have NO need or point, not that they have a few.

 

As for the OP, rigging something weedless usually just makes it come through the weeds easier with a few jerks of the rod. Not always, but usually.

I fish in weeds all the time. I use weedless rigged worms and plastics. I use the mister twister top props, mepps timber doodles, the eagle claw hooks with most of my senko' s and creature type baits. I hardly ever had a problem with weeds to date.

This sounds more like user error, though nothing is 100% weed proof.  If you think these aren't good designs for fishing weeds, try tossing a crankbait with treble hooks in the weeds, and see what works better.

 

Jigs have a brush guard.  It helps keep them from hanging up on brush and timber.  Some head designs are more weedless than others.  A classic Texas rig is very weedless, especially if you leave the sinker to slip on the line. When you hit some weeds, shake it a bit to get it through, not yank it through.  I've found that a jika rig has replaced 90% of my T-rig fishing, as it penetrates weeds better with lighter weights.  Lastly, some baits and trailers have a lot of bulk or width to them, and don't slide through weeds as well as others.  I trick worm will come through grass better than a big creature bait with appendages.

Like I said before I will use one fishing trip to clear a path thru the weeds like a small channel. Then I fish that cleared spot with topwater and shallow crankbaits. It seems to be really productive too.

what should they be called that would denote their ability to be fished in heavy cover?

what should they be called that would denote their ability to be fished in heavy cover?

 

Weedlessish.

Would you buy it if it said weed magnet?

Weedlessish.

O.K. - I like that one.

Otherwise it would be "less prone to weed fouling than the other thing". Or something. Semantics.

I use texas rigs all the time and have NEVER had a weed issue.

I use texas rigs all the time and have NEVER had a weed issue.

 

'NEVER'?

 

I guess a bit of weed on the lure is not really an issue, you just take them off and keep fishing, is that what you mean?

'NEVER'?

 

I guess a bit of weed on the lure is not really an issue, you just take them off and keep fishing, is that what you mean?

 

pretty much, but ive never had a big weed or anything on it.

When I'm T-riggin, if I'm not bringing up some vegetation, I'm not in the right areas. Lately I've been bringing it by the bushels, so it seems. I've also caught my fair share of fish out of that underwater jungle. Weedless just means less weeds to me unless I'm fishing on a sand bar.LOL

I'm going to assume everyone with issues is rigging the T-rig properly.  There's plenty of articles and videos here to show proper rigging. 

 

Some weeds are just a pain.  Eel grass is one.  If your bait comes within 10 feet of it, it will stick to it, lol.  Problem is, on some lakes, that's the best cover.  The advantage of a Texas rig is that the hook point will not pick up weeds.  Therefore, you can hook bass in weeds without worrying about filling the hook up with grass and not get a hook set.  That's the problem the T-rig solved.  Thread a worm onto a ballhead jig.  Fish it in the weeds.  That's how we used to fish.  Not much fun, and you'll stay to outside of the weeds with an exposed hook.  Then the T-rig changed all that.  It opened the door to a whole new world of spots for me when I leaned about it.  Don't worry if you get a few weeds stuck to the bait - you'll eventually learn to feel them, and how to use finesse to shake them off.  That also generates strikes, btw.  Fish don't care of there's a bit of plant stuck to the bait.

You can try a split-shot/ carolina/ mojo rig. Usually the weight (and bead etc if you use them) pick up most of the weeds, leaving the bait mostly weed-free. Use a neutral buoyancy/ floating bait (i.e not a senko) to help your cause further. If the weeds are some sort of grass with any length, adjust the length between the sinker and the hook so that the picked up weeds do not cover the bait.

 

I assume you're good at detecting bites and avoiding gut hooks. Detecting bites is a little difficult with all those weeds and stuff fouling up the sinker.