For those that say Jack Hammer whatchamacallits work really well in grass are full of HORSE MANURE.

 

I'm mostly a swim jig and spinnerbait guy but I've had some laying around and tried them out last night doing a little shore fishing before MNF.

 

I think I caught 7 and landed 4. Seemed like a decent quick outing.

 

HOWEVER, I'd say almost 60% of the casts were ruined and I was basically reeling in a nonfunctioning bait.

 

Weeds? Work well?

 

Get out a here!

 

 

 

 

Cue the Zman prostaffers in 3.....2.....  😁

No affiliation with anyone...

 

But just because certain baits "work well" in certain environments, doesn't mean they're going to perfectly come through any of it. It's common sense to a point how well a certain bait can do in certain situations. 

 

This is a prime example. Does a bladed jig (regardless of brand) work well around grass? Yes, it does. Does it have a large blade on the front and an exposed hook that can hang up in grass? Yes, it does. Does a swim jig work well around grass? Yes, it does. Does a swim jig have a large blade on the front and an exposed hook that can hang up in grass? No, it does not. It's very streamlined and more optimally designed to come through grass. In my experience, a bladed jig works well for submerged grass where the grass is 1-2' below the surface. Where as a swimjig can come through grass that is nearly fully emergent. 

 

Using the same philosophy - Does a squarebill work well around wood? Yes, it does. Does a squarebill still get hung up in wood? Yes, it does. It has treble hooks, so it naturally will hang up from time to time. Does a texas rig work well around wood? Yes, it does. Does a texas rig get hung up in wood? No, it basically never does because the hook in buried inside the plastic so only your line can get wrapped around the wood. 

@HawkeyeSmallie vibrating jigs work excellent around grass.  But it can't be the extra thick stuff that a swim jig will get through better.  And if you're catching grass then as soon as you feel it on the lure you gotta pop it through.  Most of the time a good pop with some slack after will clear it (and trigger fish).

37 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

@HawkeyeSmallie vibrating jigs work excellent around grass.  But it can't be the extra thick stuff that a swim jig will get through better.  And if you're catching grass then as soon as you feel it on the lure you gotta pop it through.  Most of the time a good pop with some slack after will clear it (and trigger fish).

 

Yeah I can snap a swim jig through weeds EASILY and many times it catches fish.

 

For some reason, ripping a JackChatter was much more difficult. It doesn't take much debris for that blade to stop working.

 

I'm not giving up on them but a swim jig with a 4" paddle tail is still my #1 go to in weeds.

 

It's hard to ignore the success many have with them so I'll keep trying, just in different circumstances.

 

Weeds is a no go for me.

@HawkeyeSmallie- the type of grass also makes a difference.  Thin stringy stuff like chaga or dying milfoil won't affect the action as bad but are harder to shake off.  Things like curly or wide leaf pondweed there is no hope most of the time.

 

A weedless vibrating jig can help in some circumstances also.  Throw a queen tackle switchblade onto one of your swimjigs if the weedguard is the issue.  That is how my dad fishes all of his vibrating jigs.  It helps around brush for sure.  

3 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Weeds is a no go for me.

 

"Weeds for thee? None for me, thank you very much!" 

 

I used to feel the same way. I used to feel that way about many types of cover. It wasn't fun and I had neither the time nor the patience. I didn't even like dabbling round the edges. And if bass could talk, I imagine they would state their preference for it to stay that way, LOL.

 

But something changed along that path and I decided that I would try to explore, make friends, and eventually embrace at least some types of weeds. . . at least occasionally. The same goes for reeds, cheese mats, trees, bushes and all other manner of 'stuff' bass tend to gather in, in order to have a peaceful lair in which to hang out. Every once in a while, I get rewarded for this newfound (at least to me) curiosity.

 

Fishing is supposed to be fun for most recreational anglers, so fish whatever way is fun for you. The weeds will be there waiting if you have a change of heart.

 

 

Bladed jigs aren't great in weeds for me either.  When I am constantly getting hung up, I switch over to a spinnerbait.  It bounces off vegetation better.

Loads of grass here. And I'm an avid bladed jig fan. 

 

As with all things, depends on the thickness of grass. Depends how well your tackle if suited to "popping" the bait off of grass, and your technique, etc All of this matters and there is a bit of a learning curve.

 

But, as with all baits..some are better suited than others. And the Jack Wagon is FAR from the best grass bladed jig. It's probably 4th or 5 th and a pretty big delta at that. The one I use reminds of a swim jig in use.

 

So a better bladed jig would make all the difference. Or split the difference and try a Grass Piece or Imakatsu Zinx Chatter since you're already expert at a Spinnerbait.

I'm just a regular schmuck, not a pro-staffer for anyone.

 

A crisp, fast, MH, straight braid, and this: Z-Man Project Z Weedless bladed jig - Tackle Warehouse

 

About the only thing that'll stop it is if filamentous algae is draped on the weeds.

 

Who said a bladed jig is good in weeds?  It might be good at collecting them, depending on the weeds.

 

Is it good over and around weeds? Yes, absolutely.  You can't exactly rip one through like a swimjig but if its thick, every bait collects weeds. The only bladed jig I have pulled through weeds, with a little bit of success,  is one from OSP. It has a weed guard but its still questionable. 

@PhishLI- uugggghhhh.  Filamentous.  Worst thing in the world.  In the lakes that have it I'd love to drop about 6" of gravel across the entire lakebed.  

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I'm just a regular schmuck, not a pro-staffer for anyone.

 

A crisp, fast, MH, straight braid, and this:

 

About the only thing that'll stop it is if filamentous algae is draped on the weeds.

 

 

This. The design matters.

 

Weed guard and pointed nose are what the Jack Wagon lack. It's also what hinders it in grass.

 

Addressing these issues makes a tremendous difference. 

Not a bladed jig fan but…..Berkley Slooberknocker looks like a good design to get through weeds with less hardware to snag the grass.

Anglers use lipless crank baits with treble hook and rip them through weeds!

Tom

 

8 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I'm just a regular schmuck, not a pro-staffer for anyone.

 

A crisp, fast, MH, straight braid, and this: Z-Man Project Z Weedless bladed jig - Tackle Warehouse

 

About the only thing that'll stop it is if filamentous algae is draped on the weeds.

 

Now that’s interesting.

Didn’t know they existed.

 

5 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Now that’s interesting.

Didn’t know they existed.

 

There are a number of interesting bladed jigs on the market.

 

My favorite has weed guards on top and snag guards on the bottom. 

 

It's exceptional.

When there’s six inches of snow I don’t drive my wife’s Camry. I drive my RAM with 4 wheel drive.

18 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I'm just a regular schmuck, not a pro-staffer for anyone.

 

A crisp, fast, MH, straight braid, and this: Z-Man Project Z Weedless bladed jig - Tackle Warehouse

 

About the only thing that'll stop it is if filamentous algae is draped on the weeds.

 

I picked up a few a couple weeks ago, I’m going to use them in wood myself. They’re made in the USA. I removed the skirt on some of them as well. 
 

I'm not sure who said the JH or EVO is weedless but that’s not happening..time to use a different bait as far as I’m concerned. 
 

How you like those? 

On 9/25/2025 at 6:19 AM, F14A-B said:

I picked up a few a couple weeks ago, I’m going to use them in wood myself.

The majority of what I fish around here are pretty shallow millponds, so no flooded timber, and practically no laydowns, so I can't say how well the project zed comes through wood. I can say that you can fish them right through lily pad fields, crisp milfoil, and coontail. For some reason or the other, my brother resisted trying mine out for the longest time. One night I was whacking them good, so he finally capitulated. He was shocked at what he was able to fish it through. Additionally, they sound different than typical VJs because the blade doesn't strike the head due to its shape. This has been a real plus in places where they're uninterested in the chaos of types with a heavy "click".

 

On 9/25/2025 at 6:19 AM, F14A-B said:

I'm not sure who said the JH or EVO is weedless but that’s not happening..time to use a different bait as far as I’m concerned. 
 

How you like those? 

Supposedly the EVO is good in wood, but I have no firsthand experience fishing wood with mine. It isn't good in weeds, IMO. JHs? Meh. Paint chips off the blade.