From an early age, Dan Brozowski has loved researching and trying new techniques for catching bass.

I’d like to introduce you to a technique and rigging that I have been using in some form or another for years. There’s no clever name that I could coin, but it’s still very successful nonetheless. Like the title describes, the technique involves burning (quickly retrieving) a heavy jig and trailer combination across the bottom. Very similar to working a Carolina Rig, this technique keeps the bait itself in direct contact with the bottom at all times, not suspended off the bottom, away from the weight.

Let’s first take a look at the main component, the jig.

Basically, I use three types of jig heads. They are plain jigs, no type of skirt material, and no fiber weed guards.

The first two jigs, and currently my personal preference, are swivel head type jigs. If you’re not familiar with them, the lead head is not molded onto the shank of the hook, but rather attached to the hook eye with a ring in the lead head itself. This allows the hook to swing freely from the lead, creating a rather unique action.

There are several makers of this type of jig head, but I have been using primarily Strike King’s Jointed Structure Head Jig in the 1/2-ounce size, and Gene Larew’s Biffle Hardhead Jighead in the 7/16- through 11/16-ounce sizes.

The swivel attachment is the key here, as it allows a different type of action to the trailer, much more erratic than just a plain jig head. On occasion, I still use a standard football type jig in the 1/2- to 3/4-ounce head with no weed guard. Football heads were my first choice when I started practicing this technique, and still work well. But with the introduction of the swivel head type jig, I just prefer the action.

No matter which jig style is used, the trailer is rigged weedless, therefore there’s no need for a fiber guard. If you’re curious as to why not use a jig with a skirt of some type, the reason is quite simple: Due to the jig ripping along the bottom, most skirts just will not hold up against the bottom makeup, and quickly tear off.

As far as what type of trailers to use, you can choose what you like. Creature-type baits and crawdad-type bodies are normally my favorites, as I think this technique mimics the action of a fleeing crayfish along the bottom But I have used toads, made primarily for surface fishing, straight worms, lizards, and have tried paddle type minnow swimbaits with success as well. My preferred plastics need to have some thickness or mass to the baits. They’re not necessarily long baits, but rather large profile baits, which seem to draw the most attention. No matter what type of bait you choose, rig the bait weedless for the most part. This is certainly not a technique that shines with heavy weed cover, which leads us to the next topic: bottom makeup.

This technique, while very successful, works well on rather hard bottom. Weeds, large snags, brush, or heavy rocks cause this bait to hang up, destroying the retrieve and its action. The ideal bottom types would be hard bottoms, clay for example, sand bottoms, or silt areas without weeds, with minimum obstructions. The occasional rock or two are fine; normally the bait just bounces off these type objects, which then leads us to the retrieve.

Once you find an area clear enough to fish this technique, the retrieve is pretty straight forward. Make your cast, let the bait settle to the bottom, then burn your bait back home, very similar to just burning a crankbait back in. How fast you retrieve depends on the weight of the jig, but you need to reel at whatever speed keeps your bait in contact with the bottom at all times. This is not a swim jig technique. Also, this technique is not designed to pause or stop your bait, but rather to keep that jig moving forward at all times.

Burnin’ a jig along the bottom is not a subtle approach. Bass react quickly and violently on the strike, so waiting for a tick or bump on your line similar to, say, flippin’ or pitchin’ is not necessary. You’ll know when a bass decides to come and play!

I use a longer, softer-action rod for this technique, similar to the action of a crankbait rod, from 7 feet, 4 inches to 7 feet, 11 inches in length. The softer tip action allows the bass to inhale the jig, rather than a stiffer action that can pull the bait from its mouth.

With thinning weeds, the fall season seems to be a great time to work these large jigs across hard-bottom areas. I’m not sure if bass think these are large crayfish, or some other type of bottom dweller scurrying from one spot to another. Whatever the reason, these baits seem to appeal to the bass’ desire to pack on the pounds for the upcoming winter season. Give this jig technique a try; hopefully, it will be as successful for you as it has been for me.

It’s never too late to learn a new fishing technique. Find some in the November issue of MidWest Outdoors, available now at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.