to dope or not to dope

[strat5150]

that is the question.
I've been fnf fishing for years & ever since I started doping my jig with the punisher fish dope I've never stopped.I guess its addictive! I have had some pretty successful trips. I got to wondering the other day & I can't remember not doping my jig. My question is do some of you have a preference with water temp to not grease that jig down? It seems kinda funny to buy/make these jigs with all the fluff of feathers or hair & to grease them down to the point they look like a stick when your done.I must say it works well. Just curious on what your thoughts are.
maybe when to dope or not to dope

[elnutsmalljaws]

There are different opinions on this topic. The purpose of the fish dope is to mat down the hair on the jig to have less action for when the water gets colder and colder the baitfish will get more and more lethargic (sp). If no fish dope was on the hair then it would pulse and move a lot more than normal in the colder water so it would not be so natural looking. The fish dope also adds scent plus something for the fish to taste when they bite which will make them hold on a bit longer to allow you to set the hook. I put garlic fish dope on my jig heads from Day 1 to the last cast of the season. The only variance is whether I only put it on the jig head to allow the most action in the body early in the season when the water is warmer and the fish are more active to saturating the entire jig and squishing it in between the hairs then "molding" it into a baitfish looking jig later in the season when I don't want any movement at all. I don't have a water temp per say as the magic number when to fish dope it all or part or some on the body or a bunch on the body. I will keep playing around as conditions change and let the fish tell me what they want. Same as the retrieve, depth, duck feather, craft hair, color and other variances let the fish tell you what they want. I also make sure I use more Dope than normal when fishing grass beds because believe it or not it does make a difference in the jig will come thru the grass easier and not hang up as bad with the dope versus without. I will say that I NEVER make a cast without some amount of Garlic Fish Dope on my jighead for the FNF.

[Shimano4Life]

I am in agreement with elnut.....

I also think that scent works better in colder water and might just give you a little more of an edge, especially with a slow bite.

[elnutsmalljaws]

With no rattles, not a lot of movement, trying to deaden the action to imitate a very slow moving baitfish anything you can do to help your FNF jig attract or help with the bite is to your advantage. The fish dope absolutely does that.

I also put the Garlic Fish Dope on my jig trailer legs when fishing the deeper grass beds at Dale Hollow. Again, the "vaseline" substance stick to the legs and helps them come thru the grass without hanging up on the grass. It really does make a difference. I have 2 identical G Loomis / Curado outfits and have tied the same jig on both then doped one and not doped the other and there is a big difference in pulling the jigs thru the grass.

[know1]

Does anyone ever use anything other than the Garlic?

I have Garlic, Shad and Crawfish. I've used the Shad scent quite a bit.

The Garlic always makes me crave Olive Garden.

[roadrunner]

There are different opinions on this topic. The purpose of the fish dope is to mat down the hair on the jig to have less action for when the water gets colder and colder the baitfish will get more and more lethargic (sp). If no fish dope was on the hair then it would pulse and move a lot more than normal in the colder water so it would not be so natural looking. The fish dope also adds scent plus something for the fish to taste when they bite which will make them hold on a bit longer to allow you to set the hook. I put garlic fish dope on my jig heads from Day 1 to the last cast of the season. The only variance is whether I only put it on the jig head to allow the most action in the body early in the season when the water is warmer and the fish are more active to saturating the entire jig and squishing it in between the hairs then "molding" it into a baitfish looking jig later in the season when I don't want any movement at all. I don't have a water temp per say as the magic number when to fish dope it all or part or some on the body or a bunch on the body. I will keep playing around as conditions change and let the fish tell me what they want. Same as the retrieve, depth, duck feather, craft hair, color and other variances let the fish tell you what they want. I also make sure I use more Dope than normal when fishing grass beds because believe it or not it does make a difference in the jig will come thru the grass easier and not hang up as bad with the dope versus without. I will say that I NEVER make a cast without some amount of Garlic Fish Dope on my jighead for the FNF.

I would say it is obvious Elnut is a BIG doper. If he is I am.

Beep Beep

[elnutsmalljaws]

I would say it is obvious Elnut is a BIG doper. If he is I am.

Beep Beep

Definition of a BIG DOPER:

One who is hoping for Alberta Clippers in JULY
One who hates to see the sun in December
One who loves Tues, Wed, Thur when it is 30 degrees, sleeting, snow, rain, with a small chop on the water
One who was going to go fishing at Stoner Creek today but with high blue skies and 65 degrees will wait until Monday when it is supposed to be raining and 50

All of the above are definitions of a BIG DOPER, that is ME!!!

[strat5150]

Does anyone ever use anything other than the Garlic?

I have Garlic, Shad and Crawfish. I've used the Shad scent quite a bit.

The Garlic always makes me crave Olive Garden.

I've used only garlic & shad
garlic is impossible for me to get away from.
not long from now,all my gear,gloves,hat you name it
will hopefully have a hint of garlic.
I guess I was just curious if anybody does not use it at certain times or maybe has another favorite
thanks guys

[elnutsmalljaws]

Garlic only for me, If it ain't broke then don't fix it

[Hlleonard]

Definition of a BIG DOPER:

One who is hoping for Alberta Clippers in JULY
One who hates to see the sun in December
One who loves Tues, Wed, Thur when it is 30 degrees, sleeting, snow, rain, with a small chop on the water
One who was going to go fishing at Stoner Creek today but with high blue skies and 65 degrees will wait until Monday when it is supposed to be raining and 50

All of the above are definitions of a BIG DOPER, that is ME!!!

--
Hi guy....I just got interested in the F-N-F technique last couple of years after reading you guys posting about the system (mostly crappie fishing ) but I have caught a few bass on the thing,it is dynamite for crappie when you find them shallow,especially in the spring...Actually why I responded to your post was to ask why you resist the system on those great fisherman days like we are having this week, I have been lucky enough to have gotten to go twice this week and am going to Frymans tomorrow....crap, I'm getting long winded again...Monday I hooked two bass on the fly,both escaped before I got them to the boat but I did catch several crappie on the thing...I use to be a cold weather fisherman but birthdays have raised the temperature at which I'm willing to endure the cold for a day on the water, 45 or so is about the bottom line for me anymore...It seems like to me the conditions won't change a whole lot between tomorrow and Monday and tomorrow is going to be one of those great fisherman days...Great fisherman days and great fishing days aren't always the same day but the older I get the more I am apt to choose the fisherman day.

[elnutsmalljaws]

I target Smallmouth and Smallies HATE the sunlight more than Crappie, Bass and other fish that can be caught on the fly. The darker the sky the more the fish will roam and suspend versus hold tight to cover when the sun is up. Hard to flip and pitch into the cover with a FNF rod in hand and the reason that I would go to Stoner this time of year would be to FNF fish. I dont have another rod in the boat other than my 3 FNF rods for Monday. The absolute best days to FNF fish are overcast, sleet, snow and the worst are high pressure with not a cloud in the sky. I would rather fishin 30 degree rain sleet snow conditions than 75 and sunny when I am FNF fishing is the reason that I would rather fish this coming Monday when the forecast was high in the 50's and 40% chance of rain mostly cloudy versus today and yesterday conditions.

[Hlleonard]

I target Smallmouth and Smallies HATE the sunlight more than Crappie, Bass and other fish that can be caught on the fly. The darker the sky the more the fish will roam and suspend versus hold tight to cover when the sun is up. Hard to flip and pitch into the cover with a FNF rod in hand and the reason that I would go to Stoner this time of year would be to FNF fish. I dont have another rod in the boat other than my 3 FNF rods for Monday. The absolute best days to FNF fish are overcast, sleet, snow and the worst are high pressure with not a cloud in the sky. I would rather fishin 30 degree rain sleet snow conditions than 75 and sunny when I am FNF fishing is the reason that I would rather fish this coming Monday when the forecast was high in the 50's and 40% chance of rain mostly cloudy versus today and yesterday conditions.

--
Thanks....wish you luck Monday...The crappie fishin is pretty good there right now if you find the right spot.