The scrounger head is one of those bass fishing techniques that for whatever reason does not get the credit or publicity that it deserves.
Over the past 10 years, I have been slaying bass on this setup and it seems to be one of the best kept secrets in the fishing industry.
So let me break it down and give you everything you need to know about scrounger head fishing for bass.
A scrounger jig head is a super simple yet effective bait. It is composed of a ball head or fish head jig with a clear plastic bill at the front.
This clear bill has a concave shape and causes the the jig to rock and wobble side to side as it is retrieved in the water.
The scrounger head is usually rigged up with a minnow style bait.
This setup is much like a finesse chatterbait in the way it moves and feels in the water.
I have found that you can really fish the scrounger head all throughout the year.
It was made popular for fishing ledges in the pre-spawn and fall months, but these days anglers fish it year round with tons of success.
The scrounger is realistic and finesse enough to catch bass in cold water and can be fished fast enough to catch aggressive warm water bass as well.
Scrounger fishing is a very visual style. You are using a finesse minnow or worm and letting the plastic bill give it some action.
If the water is very dark and muddy, you lose the visual appeal of the presentation that makes it so effective.
I really only fish the scrounger when the water clarity is above 2 feet.
This way the bass can hone in on it easier and get the whole bait, including the single hook, in their mouth.
When fishing pressured water there are two primary tactics that you should implement to have success.
These are finesse and uniqueness. First, bass get picky and focus on eating smaller, more finesse types of meals.
The scrounger is quite, doesn’t have too much action, and is nice minnow sized meal. Perfect for these pressured bass.
And second, you need to be unique. Pressured bass are constantly being targeted by other fisherman.
They see crankbaits, chatterbaits, jigs, jerkbaits, and all the other mainstream lures over and over.
But very few fisherman use a scrounger head jig setup. So this gives you a huge advantage on pressured lakes and ponds.
The scrounger is primarily an open water bait. This is one reason it was popularized with ledge fishing.
If you can find some suspended bass on sonar or have seen bass cruising in open water, tie it on.
The scrounger head is pretty good for fishing rocks, but is not a great setup for fishing grass or wood.
I it is perfect for suspended bass or shallow bass. Because of the different size jig heads, you can get very heavy ones and fish it quite deep.
But I tend to stay away from that because I feel like there are better options for deep water fishing.
There are really only two styles of soft plastic baits that I ever rig up on a scrounger head.
These two are a minnow style bait and a finesse worm.
I would say that at least 80% of the time I am fishing a scrounger, it is rigged up with a minnow style bait as the trailer.
And this is what the scrounger head was designed for. A realistic minnow bait that shimmies and shakes through the water.
And when I say “minnow”, I am talking about straight or fork tail baits that don’t have any action on their own.
Paddle tail or curl tail swimbaits will cause the bait to have too much action, too much resistance, and too much vibration.
You lose the beauty of simplicity and realism. Actionless minnow baits are by far the best and most used type of plastic for scrounger head fishing.
Although the scrounger was made to fish minnow baits, I take a bit of liberty and have some fun with it.
A small finesse worm looks amazing on a scrounger jig head. The worm swims and bends around with a tremendous amount of action and visual attraction.
But since the worm is straight tailed, there is no extra resistance and vibration.
The 20% of the time that I rig up a worm on the scrounger head is almost always in very shallow water.
I fish in on or just the bottom and bounce it off shallow rocks or wood. It looks just like a small eel, leech, or worm. And it definitely gets bit.
Also Read: Best Scrounger Head
There are two rigging setups that I use for my scrounger heads.
The first is a finesse setup and the other is a heavier duty setup for fishing the bigger scrounger heads.
This is when I’m using a 1/4 to 1/2 oz jig head. I’ll pair it with a small minnow or worm.
I like a medium action spinning rod and either straight fluorocarbon in super clear water or a braided mainline and fluoro leader.
Anything from 8-10 lb fluorocarbon is ideal.
Once I get to the 3/4 and 1 oz scrounger jig heads, I have to use heavier gear. A 7 foot, medium-heavy action baitcaster is just about perfect.
Again, either straight fluoro or a braid to fluoro leader. And I’ll bump the pound test of the line up to 12-15 lbs.
When it comes to retrieval, it is exactly the same as a paddle tail swimbait. Just cast it out and reel it back in.
You can add occasional pauses or jerks. This can be great if bass are trailing it but don’t want to commit.
But most of the time, you just want to use steady retrieve and let the clear, plastic bill do all the work for you.
The scrounger head is a versatile and visually appealing bait that can be a game-changer in your fishing arsenal.
Whether you’re targeting bass in clear to stained water, dealing with pressured fishing environments, or looking for a reliable open water bait, the scrounger head has proven its worth.
By understanding how to rig it, choosing the right trailer baits, and employing the appropriate gear setup, you can maximize your chances of success on the water.
So next time you’re planning your fishing trip, consider adding a scrounger head to your lineup and see the difference it can make in your catch rates.
