I sometimes use a paper clip and a bell sinker. Oh wait, someone said that.

I jig fish for crappie and whites. A trick that I've used for years is to use your fishing pliers to open and close the bend in the jig hook a few times to take the temper out of the metal. This makes the bend of the hook more flexible. It will still hold more than enough strain than your (correctly set) drag will allow, yet will straighten a bit and allow you to "get yer stuff back" if pulled slowly and firmly by hand. I fish brushy creeks often with ultra light tackle and 6lb. test mono. Sometimes I can fish all day without losing a jighead this way...and that's after snagging it several dozen times. This works great on a plain #2 Aberdeen hook for bait fishing for crappie in timber, too.

The spark plug idea is great. If you want a more environmentally friendly method that works a bit better, too, tie 30' of 1/8" braided nylon cord on to the loop of a 2 oz. bell sinker and put a snap swivel or paper clip(these rust, though) through the same sinker loop. Clip the sinker on to your main line when snagged, then pay out enough cord to allow the sinker to contact your terminal tackle. Hold your fishing line tight, and bounce the sinker against your hook and the snag with the cord. Using this method, if your hook remains stuck and you resort to breaking your line, at least your retrieval gear comes back into the boat instead of sinking to the bottom of your favorite fishing hole.

FM

That is a cool idea now I can use all my old plugs, I also use 30 lb braid and straighten hooks out.

If I snag in a brushpile, I generally use that rod to hold me in position and fish another rod until I am ready to move, then I retrieve my lure, however, using the rig Tommy Tidwell perfected and Ernest Paty shows on his video, I have never lost a jig in a brushpile.

Well Jeff
if you are like me you do not have the money to keep buying a pack of 2 jigs for $1.99 (for one pack of 2). so i will do anything i can to get a $1.00 jig back.

I still get hung sometimes, but 90% of the time I've been able to determine by the feel, when I'm gonna get hung. When I do, I put about 4' of extra line out, and whip my rod tip a few times. This will generally snap the jig out. If it doesn't work, I pull until it breaks or comes loose. Time spent fishing is more valuable to me that the 25 or 30 cents that I'm breaking off.

I also try different ways all are mentioned above. the one i do most is the one in the previous post.

My jig hooks will bend if I put some slow pressure on it by pulling straight back from the snag. Never really tried all these other techniques, but I'm sure they work real good.

I'm a firm believer in pre-bending my hooks slightly. It doesn't seem to affect my hook-up rate, and I've lunked 2 pound slabs over the edge of the boat. The line will strech far more than the hook will ever bend.

I use Guy's technique 90% of the time to get snags out. A few bucks in jigs per outing is nothing compared to the $20 in gas. Just part of the experience.

Also, if you get hung and your boat is off to one side of the brush, you can re-position your boat on the opposite side of the snag and apply a steady pull at a different angle. Sometimes it works.

my technique is about the same as guys too
it will vary a little depending how i got hung up
but i will sometimes cuss a little, not sure if that helps any

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