I have my best luck fishing jigs with a sweet beaver as a trailer, but about half of them split down the middle before even catching anything because the lead keeper cuts the bait in that thin section. If I'm not careful they end up cutting little spots even just rigging it.  Any rigging tips? Or are there other brands that have a little more meat to them.  Also would the chunk trailers be about the same action?

Sweet beavers are loaded with salt. Maybe try another brand that’s more durable like Yum wooly bug, missile baits d-bomb, big bite baits yomamma 

I don’t thread them up to the keeper.

Tacklehd.com has some very durable beavers on sale for $1.50 per 10. A little thin though, not sure how they will do on a jig if you’re having issues with the sweet beaver

I noticed this too the very first time I tried them. I actually threaded them on sideways as if trying to imitate a fish/tail. Worked well for me.

1 hour ago, paulmandude said:

Sweet beavers are loaded with salt. Maybe try another brand that’s more durable like Yum wooly bug, missile baits d-bomb, big bite baits yomamma 

This is a good suggestion

Rage Bug is a little thicker.

Banditio bug and rip off all other flappers except the main big ones

The rage bug works well, but I'm looking for a more dead action. The rage bug and bandito big have a more active flapping like a z craw does.  I have been eyeing up the d bombs though.

It's a shame they stopped making the YUM Bad Mamma. I still don't get it. 

Snip keeper, dab of superglue.

If you want a trailer with similar action to a sweet beaver, I would look for something without the flange which produces more of a flapping motion v. the slow wavy motion of a beaver.  Something like NetBait B Bug, Strike King Rodent, Berkley Bunker or Creature Hawg, D-Bomb (the D-Bomb will have more action than the sweet beaver).  I would try the NetBait as I think they have a slightly fatter body.  Some of the chunks like the Zoom Super Chunk would work as well.  All of these have lower resistance and a higher rate of fall, just like the sweet beaver.

Ordered a pack of the netbait, a max scent creature hawg, and a couple packs of chunks.  I may try to snip a little of the keeper as well.  

 

Thanks for all the suggestions!

What brand and style jig you have with a big barb?

Tom

1 hour ago, WRB said:

What brand and style jig you have with a big barb?

Tom

I wondered the same thing but my post was getting too long.  All of these trailers should work on a normal jig.

Most all of them are siebert outdoors. The keeper stops in a pretty sharp point.  The jigs are amazing, so I really am not looking to swap brands.  I cut slice out of sweet beaver and threaded it on and the point of keeper is just barely within bait at the thin point. I took just the point of the keeper on a couple and it seems to give me enough room, as well as trying to pull the bait out some as I'm going over the keeper. 

6 hours ago, Bassjam2000 said:

Snip keeper, dab of superglue.

 

 

This is a great suggestion if you want to keep using that one particular trailer bait. 

8 minutes ago, RB 77 said:

 

 

This is a great suggestion if you want to keep using that one particular trailer bait. 

True, it’s got its limitations, but I think it’s worth it if it’s your number one trailer as he implied.

This is funny.  Was trying to solve this exact same problem last week.  I went through all the beaver like baits online to try to find more durable one.  Really just want the body to be solved instead of having the slot as that's where they always break first.  

 

Based on my search Thinking im going to try Baby D Bomb and the Net Bait one.

 

So there is an elaztek one which is the Zman Palmetto bug but I don't want to deal with elaztek on a jig. 

 

Also note on the Maxscent Creature Hog. I love this bait but one thing to keep in mind on jig is they actually shrink over time as they loose their scent/Maxscent juice.  So may need to replace them more often if you want the original size or scent.

I dislike the the business but I have to admit BPS makes a great beaver style bait called the river bug.  You used to be able to get them for less then half of what they charge now if you bought them at the right time.

Zmans palmetto bug has a beefy body, but it's a little bigger then what I usually use on my jigs.  I really like them for pitchin and mojo rigs.

The reason RI Beavers work good is they are soft with movements that create bass to strike. 

Clipping the jig barb down in 1/2 should resolve this problem. Also try adding a dab of Mend-It in the barb to lubricate the soft plastic and hold it together.

Don’t cut the nose of the beaver off it holds the double body together.

Tom

Try a pit boss instead.  Same basic shape...thicker body.

 

I use sweet beaver lures a lot, and have the same "complaint"...that thin part in the middle tears pretty easily.

 

Still gonna use em bc they catch fish lol

22 hours ago, Deebo said:

Most all of them are siebert outdoors. The keeper stops in a pretty sharp point.  The jigs are amazing, so I really am not looking to swap brands.  I cut slice out of sweet beaver and threaded it on and the point of keeper is just barely within bait at the thin point. I took just the point of the keeper on a couple and it seems to give me enough room, as well as trying to pull the bait out some as I'm going over the keeper. 

FYI…I had a few Siebert jigs and can see what you mean with the keepers slicing too big of a channel.  I don’t use them, so I decided to see if the points could be bent more upward.  The keepers were pretty soft and bent easily and they still held the trailer just fine.  I also removed the keeper on the underside and left the top one the same and that worked as well.  Just thought I’d share.

Gambler little otter is solid bodied.

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