Before I started exclusively fly fishing, my "go to" setup for bass in heavy current (ex. Hogs Back, etc) was to fish a 3" Berkeley Bungee worm or Bungee leach or power minnow, tip hooked with a #2 circle hook. A split shot would be place 12" up tbe line. The size of the shot was just enough to get the bait down but still allow it to tumble without having the shot get snagged up.
The advantages of this rig are that it's inexpensive, semi-weedless (due the design of the hook), and the fact that you don't have to struggle with trying to set the hook with possible slack line. With the circle hook, you simply reel in and apply pressure, the fish hooks itself.
Cheers,
Todd
How to properly fish a river with fast current and weeds?
When I'm in current I fish mainly looking for a quick reaction strike... your lure is never in a 'desireable' spot for long. I work spinnerbaits mostly, or switch to spinners if I want to go a little deeper (and if I'm not too worried about snags).
I'll also work a topwater lure... but only if it's fast water without any breaks.
If it's fast and you're not worried about snags (know the structure on the bottom), a fairly heavy jig dragged back along the bottom might give some results.
Todd B. - what do you mean by "tip hooked"? Just put the circle hook right through the tip of the leech/worm?
Cheers,
tallpaul
I'll also work a topwater lure... but only if it's fast water without any breaks.
If it's fast and you're not worried about snags (know the structure on the bottom), a fairly heavy jig dragged back along the bottom might give some results.
Todd B. - what do you mean by "tip hooked"? Just put the circle hook right through the tip of the leech/worm?
Cheers,
tallpaul
Tallpaul,
That's it. The way you would hook a leach is the same way I would hook a power minnow, bungee worm, etc. The circle hook should not catch on the bottom given that the hook point is curved in. It's definitely a finesse style of fishing. The only thing you have to remember is do not set the hook when using the circle hooks. Typically a fish will pick up your bait and start to run with it and self-hook themselves.
Take the stretch of pocket water at Hogs Back. You'd be amazed at how many bass you can pull out in and round the bolders, etc in the pocket water with this technique.
That's it. The way you would hook a leach is the same way I would hook a power minnow, bungee worm, etc. The circle hook should not catch on the bottom given that the hook point is curved in. It's definitely a finesse style of fishing. The only thing you have to remember is do not set the hook when using the circle hooks. Typically a fish will pick up your bait and start to run with it and self-hook themselves.
Take the stretch of pocket water at Hogs Back. You'd be amazed at how many bass you can pull out in and round the bolders, etc in the pocket water with this technique.
I've never made it far enough down the river to get to hogs back... but have been meaning to.
On the contrary, I was using 8lb Fireline on a 7' Compre spinning rod and under normal conditions all I required was a #7 sized split shot.
One of my pet peaves w.r.t. river fishing is the use of +20lb line by fisherman that like to chuck their baits as far as they can. They may lose their baits occasionally due to snags but the real problem is that they're getting nicks 25 yards or more up their line. Subsequently when they snag up rather than breaking off at the bait they break off at the 25 yard point leaving yards and yards of line in the water to cause more problems later.
One of my pet peaves w.r.t. river fishing is the use of +20lb line by fisherman that like to chuck their baits as far as they can. They may lose their baits occasionally due to snags but the real problem is that they're getting nicks 25 yards or more up their line. Subsequently when they snag up rather than breaking off at the bait they break off at the 25 yard point leaving yards and yards of line in the water to cause more problems later.