Any thoughts on when to use a jig and trailer vs. a tube vs. craw worm on texas rig, c-rig or jig head vs. beaver vs. other imitations?  I fish Alabama waters for largemouth and spots typically.  

Not sure on how to use the craw jigs cause I have never really tried it that much.  Yet from what I have learned watching others is they let it fall to the bottom which is the time when bass strike the most.  After it hits the bottom you let it sit for a little while to imitate that it is hiding under some grass or whatever ever.  Then jerk it toward you so it rises up at a shallow angle then let it fall again.  Or you could use a combination of the jerk method and swim method.  To do that you reel in the line moderately as you pull up slightly on the rod so as to let it "swim" along the bottom.  The craws instinct is to move as swiftly as possible and hide as much as possible to avoid being seen.  Its the sudden movement that makes the strikes because that is when they are off the bottom and in the open.  

My guess is that bass will linger around in one location like an alligator until it sees something move along the bottom, then when they sneak up on it and that something moves again they strike.  On some occasions when you get your line caught on an object with a jig and it suddenly frees itself it will fly out and a bass will strike it hard.  Not sure when would be the right time of day to try this but my guess is whenever the bass are hungry they will eat just like any other animal, but crawfish are their favorite.  Hope that helps.

That's a great question...and I'm not even remotely qualified to answer it.    I'm going to predict that the answer will have more to do with which is best to work through certain types of cover without hanging up or whatnot (rather than which looks more real, etc.).  I can't wait to hear what others have to say.

I'm also going to predict that this thread gets moved to the Fishing Tackle section  ;D ;D ;D

Woah...you're talking about several different rigs with several different pros/cons each, so it's hard to really compare.  I'll give it a go though.

Starting with the carolina rig...it gives a weightless presentation on the bottem.  It allows baits to move freely, where a t-rig or jig does not.  It's prone to hanging up....very very prone but is faster than jigs or t-rigs in deep water.

Jigs are great at flipping and pitching into cover.  They are extremely useful in all types of cover with a multitude of presentations that are really hard to narrow down.  Fish will almost always hit a jig if it is presented the right way.

T-Rigs (creature/craw baits)- are great at penetrating heavy cover, such as laydowns or submerged grass.  If the weight is pegged to the bait, you might as well call it a jig (works the same way).  If not, then it is a blend between c-rig and a jig under water.

As far as waht to use and when...I call it personal preference until the fish tell you what they want.

Pretty much what Aint Texan said!

To address using what, when, & where; it really depends on personal preferences

I prefer Texas Rigged Plastic #1 therefore I carry 2 rods with a Texas Rig, 1 is rigged with a 3/16 oz weight, a 2/0 or 3/0 hook for fishing small worms/craw worms/creatures. The second is rigged with a ¼ oz weight, 3/0 to 5/0 hooks for fishing large worms/craw worms/creatures.

Next is 2 rods rigged with Jigs, one is rigged with a light jig-n-craw or spot remover type jig. The second has an Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jig, 3/8 or 1/2 oz Black/Blue, Gene Larew Salty Hawg Craws

Now for the when and where

I carry these 4 rods rigged this way year round but as to which one I throw first is simple I pick one up and throw it. If I get bit on it I keep throwing it and if I don't get bit I change.

It's that simple  

If you're not fishing for hawgs, and just looking for numbers and you know theyre feeding on craws go with a soft plastic like a crawbug on a jighead first, or possibly something like a yum wooly hawgtail in a craw color.    

The T-rig may also be fished C-Rig style.

In the usual manner, T-rig a floating worm like the Gambler Floating worm (forget trick worms, most of them sink).

Now slide the bullet sinker about 30" ahead of the lure, then jam a toothpick into the rear-end of the bullet sinker, to peg it in place.

Roger

I think the particulars of the bait will matter based on conditions and presentation.

If the bass are under matted grass and you need a heavy weight to penetrate, I have used worms, beavers,igs and tubes all with success.  

On more open bottom, I have also used all with success. Some days slow, some days fast.  Some days alot of hop and jerking. Some days no erratic movement at all.

You really need to experiment with baits and technique and let the bass tell you what they want on any given day.

This is the same techique i use...this is from somebody who makes his trailers which i love right now....

read it and it should help.This techique works for me.

I personally fish a jig and pig as a crayfish imitator only therefore I think to myself what the traits of a crayfish are. They crawl on the bottom and burrow under rocks or debris on the bottom of the lake.

When I make a cast I let the bait sink, you must always watch your line, a lot of times they will hit it on the initial fall and your line will either twitch, stop before it should, or start going sideways, when this happens reel up the slack and set the hook.   If the bait makes it to the bottom I will wait about 3 or 4 seconds and then drag it about 6-8 inches (Right now he's just cruising on the bottom), then pause, after 3-4 seconds drag again, and repeat this.  Once I feel any obstruction, I pause then shake without dragging, I feel this simulates the crayfish trying to burrow under whatever obstacle it just bumped into.  Then I give it 2 quick very short snaps, this would simulate the crayfish fleeing from a predator, then let it hit bottom and repeat the whole process.  A lot of times right after the pause when you go to drag again it will feel heavy, set the hook. Hook sets are free, If you haven't fished a jig a lot , it takes time before you can get a really good handle on determining fish bites from obstructions.   Practice makes perfect and when in doubt set the hook.

That's for mostly open water hump style fishing and beating a bank. In cover I like to throw it in the nastiest stuff possible and shake it around then repeat casting to it (pretty much pick it to pieces.)

Don't ever think there is such a thing as to shallow, I use to cast to about a foot off shore till a guy on the back of my boat beat me bad, the fish were in that spot right on the bank, now I cast to were I'm pretty much hitting the shoreline.

Those are just a few of the ways I fish a jig that have been very successful for me.   It's always good to try new techniques whether you use any of the above or create your own, it's good to experiment.

I feel this is a valid question also! In using t-rigged, carolina, pegged plastics or jigs we are trying to present the bait as crawfish (what is said to be the favorite forage of the bass) so it seems to me that the drag and pause presentation would be the most productive. That is what I do most of the time Choosing the bait on the other hand is quite confusing :-/  When I look at plastics that are the most popular I feel this forum is probably the #1 place to gather that info. What I have noticed is the senko is probably the go to plastic. WHY??? I don't know either but it works. I have in my arsenal some crawfish imitations that are so lifelike that they pinch you when you take them out of the bag  I have yet to catch a fish with them but I have caught many with the senko or the wooly hawg tail (thus the confusion) they don't even look like crawfish.  :-/