i was wondering what everyone use with football jigs like as plastic trailors and line. i bought a few last week and going to try them out this weekend. any help or tips would be helpfull
thanks
zach

Spider grubs are quite popular and also plain stick baits are too. As for line I would use a braid or flourocarbon. Is this for a baitcaster or spinning reel?

baitcaster and what is a spider bait ? like a crawbait?

I like to use 10 to 12 Berkley 100% fluorocarbon line on a baitcasting set up. I use Berkley chigger craw and GY Double Tailed Grubs for trailers almost 90% of the time.

A spider bait is the the thingy in my avatar.
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Fish it on a jig head (either with or without a weed guard depending on weeds) or texas-rigged on a 2/0 EWG hook.

I use Mr. Twister Comidas and Sandworms, paddle-tails, and french-fry looking baits.

I throw the heavy ones on braid (though that is probably overkill) and the light ones on mono.

They are a bait that I mix into my jigworm, jig-n-chunk, t-rig routine. They're not a starter normally, but they are a regular.

Hiya -

I like football jigs.

You can put about anything on them really. Spider grubs seem to be the standard, but craws are good too. I REALLY like creature baits like a 4" Northland Brush Hog or something similar for smallies, and the 6" version for LMB. One of the best options though, which not many people seem to do, is just put a tube on them. (Ray - shush on the Sandworms, ok? )

What I use for line depends on the jighead. For big football heads in the 5/8 to 1 oz range with heavy hooks like the All Terrain Rock Jig you almost have to throw them on braid or heavier flouro or mono. I usually use #17 Fluoro. You kind of need heavy low stretch line and a pretty powerful rod to get hooks, especially on a long cast. I throw them on a 7' Med-Heavy power fast action rod.

I do throw lighter football heads a lot though. Northland makes some now (the Butt Head - the name kills me...) in 1/8 to 3/8 sizes, with a lighter wire Ultrapoint, and Gamakatsu also makes a good light football head with a light wire Gammy hook. Lunker City makes a great one with a premium hook and a wire weed guard, but they're about impossible to find - usually have to order 'em online. Kalin's makes a light head too, but the hooks on them are horrible. I throw these on much lighter gear - a 7' Med power fast action rod with #12 fluoro. Easy to get hooks, and you won't straighten hooks out like you can using these heads with braid or heavy fluoro. A 1/4 oz football head with a 4" tube is a great smallie catcher...

Fishing the things is pretty simple. I fish them on rocks and gravel a lot, or outside weed edges where the bottom's fairly clean (if it's mossy you're maybe better off with a Carolina Rig...). Bomb them out, let it sink, then just put the rod tip down and crawl it along the bottom. If you feel it bump into something I let it sit there and shake it a little so it tips back and forth. Sometimes hopping them works too.

Best thing to do if you're new to them is get them somewhere in shallow water for a few minutes so you can see what they do and what it feels like when they hit something on the bottom. Helps visualize what's goin' on down there...

Cheers,
Rob Kimm