When do you peg a bait, and when would you rather unpeg a bait? Is there an advantage to each? I find myself pegging baits quite frequently, though mostly around lillys and such. Although pegging can be a PITA, because sometimes the pegged weight will slide, or won't be too straight on the front of the bait, it may be kinda crooked.

Anyhow, thanks for any info!

I only peg when I'm fishing very heavy cover such as grass or brush and I need to get the bait through without hangups.  I prefer the bait unpegged because I think the bait has better action and looks more natrual.  A fish has less resistance when they inhale a unpegged bait then a pegged bait which they will hold onto a little longer.

I only peg when I'm fishing very heavy cover such as grass or brush and I need to get the bait through without hangups. I prefer the bait unpegged because I think the bait has better action and looks more natrual. A fish has less resistance when they inhale a unpegged bait then a pegged bait which they will hold onto a little longer.

Do lillypads count as heavy cover?

I peg if Im pitching into something and my lure and weight seperate enough to hang up or cause my lure to not sink adequately. Basically I would conisider heavy cover anything that causes those problems for you (including thick lillies). I also will peg if real windy or strong current so my more buyouant baits like tubes wont drift away from the bullet on longer casts. Otherwise I try to leave it unpegged.

un-pegged 99.95 %  

I don't peg at all. If I'm fishing heavy grass or cover it is with a jig.

I only peg when I'm fishing very heavy cover such as grass or brush and I need to get the bait through without hangups. I prefer the bait unpegged because I think the bait has better action and looks more natrual. A fish has less resistance when they inhale a unpegged bait then a pegged bait which they will hold onto a little longer.

Do lillypads count as heavy cover?

Depends how thick the pads are? I use an unpegged t-rigged worm through scattered pads and they absolutely kill it! cbfishalot is right, it is more natural with a free sliding weight. Use it like that whenever you can get away with it!

I never peg.  But that's just me.  If the cover is that heavy I'll either use a weighted hook, or a jig.