Scrounger jigheads and the best techniques for scrounger fishing

Now is the best time for scrounger fishing in North America. Scroungers can attract and catch bass year-round, but in July-September when the weather and water are hottest is best. 

During the heat of summer, bass school near where water forms a current as deep as 30 feet. This includes ledges, docks, humps, rock formations, and any other place a bass can hide on the down current. 

Bass use these down current points to target baitfish like shad. As bait moves past the cover, bass strike. You can use this technique to lure bass, too, thanks to the scrounger’s ability to more closely mimic a real baitfish than just a swimbait or lure alone.

What is a scrounger?

Scroungers are just jig heads featuring a flexible plastic bill that should be easy to bend by hand.  Other than having a quality hook, the bill material is the most important aspect of a scrounger. There are several scroungers available on the market, but some bill materials provide superior action and performance.  

Because scroungers are accessories that have to be paired with soft baits, Castaic sells the Kitana Stagger Scrounger Jighead and the soft body Jerky J for one of the best fish-catching combinations on the market.

How do you use a scrounger?

Scrounger and Jerky J Bass Fishing

Thread the scrounger through the swimbait so the hook portion protrudes out of the back. The flexible bill should be pulled over the jig head to rest in the groove behind the eyelet.  It is important that the bill is “cupped” toward the eyelet. Once this is done, attach a snap and tie it on. This setup gives the swimbait a new “head”, like any ordinary jig, and the bill will give it incredible action.  Be sure to use a straight tail style swimbait as a paddle tail will “compete” with the action of the bill and become less effective.  

It may seem counter-intuitive, but you can often increase your luck by fishing the jig near the bottom of the water column and even let it hit occasionally. Cast the scrounger and swimbait a long distance. Then drag the scrounger and swimbait along the bottom near down currents. The bill should provide plenty of action, but give the lure slight cranks and twitches to create additional movement.

Experiment with the speed of your retrieve and the placement of your rod tip. Holding your rod up will keep the bait towards the top of the water column while holding it down will work the bottom.  Some anglers go as far as keeping the rod tip under the water to help keep the scrounger on the bottom and have often experienced success with this method. 

The Kitana Stagger Scrounger gets its name from the action created by its unique bill material as it staggers through the water luring big strikes.  The bill material has been specially formulated and cut to specific measurements to create maximum action and performance. Of course it is outfitted with razor-sharp Kitana hooks for unparallelled hook-ups.  

What other baits can be used with a jig head?

The Jerky J has proven our most popular partner with the Kitana Stagger Scrounger. But any soft plastic straight-tail swimbait can be used.

Reviews from pro angler Jason Lambert

Tennessee pro Jason Lambert has one of the most impressive records where he racked up 101 pounds, 9 ounces at an FLW Tour event on Kentucky Lake in 2018, the biggest four-day weight total in that organization’s history.  At 2018’s FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake, professional angler Jason Lambert walked away a champion thanks to the Jerky J and a modified 1-ounce version of a scrounger jig. 

After his success, Lambert partnered with Kitana Hooks to develop a commercially-available scrounger based on his model that became the Kitana Stagger Scrounger.

1 thought on “Scrounger jigheads and the best techniques for scrounger fishing

  1. […] front blade on a Stagger Scrounger Jighead displaces a lot of water, which gives foraging bass something to hone in on. Its unique […]

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