New Baits

[Juan Grande]

Based on some recommendations in this forum, I picked up some new baits at FF yesterday. I got a couple Jawbreaker spoons and some Lake Fork plastics (ring fry and craw tubes). I think the ring fry are pretty straight forward and I'll probably texas rig them or fish them weightless. How about the craw tubes? Do you guys T-rig them or fish them primarily as a flipping/pitching bait or as a trailer on a jig?

The Jawbreaker spoon seems pretty versatile. The package says that it's a topwater lure, but I guess I thought of it more as something you'd fish right under the surface. What's the best situation to use this type of bait? Thick weeds or around pads?

Thanks

[Craigums]

I friggin hate jawbreakers...seen them put some nice fish in the boat though. Guys in my club throw a trailer hook on and a double tail grub and burn it over vegetation.

[bemidjibasser]

Jawbreakers are a good bait to throw in heavy cover like rice and pads or reeds.

I like to use the ring fry as a dropshot bait, and the craw tubes either texas or carolina rigged.

[bryguy247]

Not a big fan of the Jaw Breaker, but really like the Lake fork tubes and craws. In most cases I T-Rig them, but on ocassion I will set the tubes up on a Jig or even trail them on a swim jig.

[RK]

I love Jaw Breakers. Not many baits fish as well in rice, and they're great around pads and rushes too. Skip and skitter them over mats, drop them in holes, can kind of walk the dog with them even. If fish are hitting short, either a weedless hook and trailer, or Texas rig a grub on the back.

Craw tubes are great about any way you want to fish 'em. Fish just eat tubes...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[ALL_IN]

I agree with Bemidji, I like to use the baby ring fry for drop shotting. Craw Tubes are my "go to bait" I T-rig them.

ALL IN

[Juan Grande]

Got another question, for T-rigging do most of you use tungsten weights? What's the best way to peg a weight and what are the pros and cons of pegging?

[thatoneguy]

@ Juan - a gold Jawbreaker is by far my favorite search lure to throw over heavy cover. I almost always fish it plain, but will occasionally add a trailer if I want to present a bigger profile. Your hnch is also correct in that it works great as a subsurface bait. You can even fish it lower in the water column, though the lower it sinks the more pike are attracted to it

[RumRiverRat]

Toothpicks for pegging.

The new Tungsten weights give you a great feel for the bottom.

I peg when I want a compact presentation. I will peg when pitching and flipping pads and millfoil mats.

Ring Fry rigged on an Weighted Extra Wide Gap hook is a great bait for fishing the edge of pads.

I use Ring Fry weightless rigged around docks for Largemouth a lot.

Craw Tubes rigged with a jighead inside the tube is a good option for fishing rocky areas. Texas Rigged with the weight Pegged around weeds and wood.

[Cecil]

I always use tungsten. I peg with rubber bobber stops. Saves the potential line damage of a toothpick and lasts longer as well.

[ALL_IN]

Got another question, for T-rigging do most of you use tungsten weights? What's the best way to peg a weight and what are the pros and cons of pegging?

I almost always peg my weights. they make rubber pegs, in different styles and types. I have even used a bobber stop which works just as well. I do not use the toothpick trick because of the chance of line damage.

Plus... bobber stops, or the rubber pegs I get are cheap... which is always a bonus!

[TonkaBass]

I second cecil. I rig a craw tube with a 1/2 to 1 oz. Tungsten depending on the cover and fall rate I want with a 4/0 superline EWG gammy. Deadly combo for fishing grass. Jawbreakers are good in the rice where they became famous on leech lake. The guys up there use them as a search tool and use a one two punch with a texas rig or jig as a pitch back bait to fish that miss the topwater. If you've never used one they are fun to fish because you can really mess with the retrieve to match the fishes mood!

[JP Z]

I use Jawbreakers a lot on my bay. The retrieve I use is Cast, Reel, Repeat. Quite simple, but yeah Toothies scarf them so be warned.