Being a jighead manufactuer, I can tell you these things.

Depth is NOT the only single factor in choosing weight. Current is a big factor, speed of retreive. How far you need to cast is also a factor. If your chasing reds, and you are in very clear water (this is especially true on a tower boat) you usually need some extra weight to get distance in order to not spook the reds with the boat or them see you before you see them.

The weight and shape of the lure itself is also a factor. If you throwing a tough/dense plastic its gonna weigh more than a much softer/supple plastic. Something that is more likely to catch wind when throwing (a DOA airhead for example) might need the 1/4oz to get the distance you need in that situation compared to a 1/8oz, even in shallower water. Compare that to say a gulp ripple mullet or even a chickenboy psycho shad, they will not catch wind nearly as bad.

It really depends on what you are wanting to target. Flounder you obviously want to use more weight because they live and feed on the bottom.

 

There ya go.....simplified it right up...

 

Yes, I flounder fish a lot, use everything from 1/16 to 3/8 depending on current, wind and length of cast needed. Having said that, if I am trout fishing, I try to go as light as I can throw, without a doubt I catch more fish like that, have proven it over and over. Only exception I recall, is when fish are holding deep over reefs in open bay, with fresh water on top. Have to get heavy to get deep. I have Carolina rigged a jig in those conditions before, or fished a light jig under a cork ( as much as 6-7' ) in order to get the better action with a light jig, but have ability to cast and get deep.

 

Not to Hi-jack this thread, but I am curious about everyones opinion on the size of the hook in relation to the soft plastic.

I normally wade fish from Rockport to Port mansfield and 90% of the time throw an 1/8 oz. jig head with a 2/0 shank hook.

I'm usually throwing one of the following:

Down South Lure
DOA 5.5" Jerk Bait
DOA Air Head
Gambler Flap'n Shad

My logic on using a 2/0 hook instead of a 3/0 or 4/0 is that the fish always targets the head of the bait, the shank goes through less of the body & allows for more action on the plastic, and that the 2/0 hook has a better bending moment during hook sets.

3/0 and 4/0 Jig heads are clearly more popular.

Why do some of y'all like the hook further back on the bait like Chickenboy does:

 

My reply was ment for this post. My computer is acting stupid loading pages.

 

This is what our year was like last year in Galveston bay - not normal because of fresh water. Late spring throwing 1/8 out of the boat in 4-5 ft of water. Early to mid summer - mid bay reefs - 9 ft of water 1/4 oz
Mid summer to August 3/8 oz on slack tides. 1/2 oz on strong tides 11 ft of water.
Most important thing last summer was staying in contact with the shell. For a summer bite - we were fishing really slow.


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This is what our year was like last year in Galveston bay - not normal because of fresh water. Late spring throwing 1/8 out of the boat in 4-5 ft of water. Early to mid summer - mid bay reefs - 9 ft of water 1/4 oz
Mid summer to August 3/8 oz on slack tides. 1/2 oz on strong tides 11 ft of water.
Most important thing last summer was staying in contact with the shell. For a summer bite - we were fishing really slow.

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Very simple. Flounder typically chase a bait from behind and that is what chickenboy likes to specialize in (not that his baits wont catch reds, trout, and drum. They certainly will!). Watch the video of the fluke chasing the bucktails on youtube. They tail strike several times. If a fish is going to hit a bait, I dont think its going to care if its heads or tails first. It just wants it in its belly. Our job as fishermen/women is to get the hook in its mouth, putting the hook a little further back helps. My jig heads use a 5/0 trokar. Im not affraid at all to use it on a 3" bait.

 

I like to stick with 1/4 oz for 3+ feet and more, any shallower I will go with a 1/8 oz. When I'm flounder fishing i normally use 3/8 to 1/2 oz depending on current.

 

I go as light as possible 1/16 oz most of the time. My neighbor taught me this. He's a wizard fishing rat tail plastics. He produces fish better even up to 6 feet with 1/16 oz than heavier jig heads. But heavier jigs work okay too sometimes. Now I use lightly weighted flies that weigh even less and they usually out catch my friends fishing With me tossing light jig heads with tails. I'd say use whatever the lightest that will still get you to the bottom.

 

It's more about the lure on the head for me. Currently I'm wading waist deep in shell and I need a 1/4 to get the DSL down bumping the shell while I'm ripping it for red. Trout are gonna eat a top water or I'm not messing with them this time of year


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I use 1/16 or 1/8 depending on the bait. Nothing heavier than that though.

 

Wish manufactures made more 3/16 -5/16 jigheads.
I use:
1/16
1/8
3/16(Knotty Hookers)
1/4
3/8

 

Thanks for the responses. While I always tell myself I want to simplify... I believe I really enjoy studying all the techniques and experimenting. Seems by all the responses I need to keep 1/16 oz, 1/8 oz and a 1/4 oz and determine the weight by depth fish are at, water current strength and what soft plastic I'm throwing. Anything that I am missing?

 

Another added question, my first question was based upon a traditional jig head, does a belly weighted hook affect your choice or does it respond differently to depth, current, etc?

 

I use the belly weighted hooks in heavier cover situations. Or if I'm fortunate to be fishing around grass beds/pot holes.

 

Great Info

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As for your short shank opinion.. My theory is if it's a small baitfish, the fish is going to hit it from which ever direction it wants, probably chasing it from behind. You will find fish eating bait head first when it's a substantially large bait. Best example is when you are throwing a 6"-10" swimbait for bass. The bass is most certainly going to try swimming beside the bait and spinning around to inhale it head first to help eat that large bait. I have witnessed this first hand

 

X2 ^^^^

I've also seen where Trout that haven't been biting , but are in the area, may start feeding gradually. Several times I've had one side of a tail pulled off of a Chickenboy. Then I catch some barely lip hooked. Followed by a full on bite where they are engulfing the bait. Remember that on a retrieve, the hook is always following the jighead. If a fish hits the head, a 3/0 or 4/0 will still arrive in his face in time. If there are tail biters, more fish will be missed with a shorter hook

There are some plastics where the action suffers if the hook is too far back. Most of the action on Chickenboys is fine with the hook place pretty far back.

 

choot man, 1 oz casts a mile and you can nock em in da head too. hevia da betta and can dubble fo bote anker.