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Fishing with
Jigs The
most used artificial lure... |
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No
other artificial lure will catch walleyes as consistently as a lead-head jig.
A jig is a natural choice for walleyes because it is easy to keep on the
bottom where the fish spend most of their time. Among
the most versatile of artificial lures, jigs can be fished in many different
ways. You can cast from an anchored or drifting boat, jig vertically while
drifting with the wind or current, or troll slowly while bumping the jig
along the bottom. And, you can fish a jig plain when walleyes are biting, or
tip it with live bait when fishing is slow. Casting The most widely
used jig-fishing technique, casting works well in shallow water. When
walleyes are in the shallows, drifting or trolling over them, or even
anchoring nearby, will probably spook them. But you will not disturb them if
you anchor at a distance and cast. To
work a shallow reef, for instance, anchor in deep water so the wind pushes
you into position for casting the desired area of the reef. If nothing bites
in a few minutes, pull up the anchor and re-position in a different spot.
Continue moving until you find the fish. Anchoring and casting also works
well for fishing eddies, pools and pockets in rivers. When
walleyes are scattered along a breakline, let your boat drift just off the
break and cast into the shallows. Use your electric motor or outboard to keep
the boat drifting parallel to the breakline. If you catch a walleye, toss a
marker and work the spot more thoroughly. To
catch walleyes suspended off bottom, count your jig down to a different depth
after each cast, then begin your retrieve. When you get a strike, repeat the
count on the next cast. Vertical Jigging
Use
a jig heavy enough that you can keep your line nearly vertical. Bounce the
jig along the bottom while drifting with the wind or current, continually
adjusting your line length as the depth changes. Keep your bail open and hold
the line with your index finger so you can easily let out a little more line
when the water gets deeper. When it gets shallower, reel in the slack so the
jig does not drag. When
walleyes are in deep water, vertical jigging generally works better than
casting. Because of the greater line angle, you can hop the jig higher and
give it more action. The extra action often triggers walleyes to strike,
especially in low-clarity water.
Another advantage of jigging vertically: you can feel strikes more easily.
Because you are using a minimum of line, stretch does not diminish the feel
of a strike as much as it would with longer line.
Vertical jigging is effective in lakes or rivers. In a lake, jig vertically
while letting the wind push your boat over likely structure. In a river, let
the boat drift with the current, keeping it at a likely depth. Jig Trolling
This technique combines vertical jigging with backtrolling. Lower your jig to
bottom, then troll slowly in reverse while following a breakline or exploring
a reef. Twitch the jig to hop it off bottom, then lower it back with a taut
line. Continually adjust your line length as you would when jigging
vertically. The
key to success in jig trolling is to move very slowly. If you troll too fast,
your jig will lose contact with the bottom. And because you will have to let
out more line, strikes will be harder to detect. For slower speed and better
boat control, always troll against the wind.
With any of these techniques, the way you work your jig depends on the season
and the mood of the walleyes. In spring and fall, when the water is cool,
small hops generally work better than big ones. But in summer, larger hops
often catch more fish. In late fall and winter, walleyes sometimes prefer a
jig dragged slowly on the bottom, with no hopping action. Because the
walleyes' mood can change from day to day, it pays to vary your retrieve
until you find the action that works best. Jig
fishing demands intense concentration and a sensitive touch. When a walleye
grabs a jig, what you feel ranges from a sharp tap to merely a gradual
tightening of the line. An active fish inhales a jig by sucking in water and
expelling it through the gills. This type of strike produces the sharp tap
sensation. When a walleye is not actively feeding, it simply swims up and
closes its mouth over the jig, causing the line to tighten.
Beginning jig fishermen fail to set the hook on a high percentage of their
strikes. They expect to feel a sharp tug, as they would if using a crankbait
or a spinner. But a walleye usually grabs a jig as it sinks, not as it moves
forward. So if you wait for a shrp tug before setting the hook, you will
seldom catch a walleye on a jig. The
best policy is to set the hook whenever you feel anything unusual. If you hop
the jig off bottom, but it does not sink like you would expect, a walleye has
probably grabbed it. What seems like excess drag from a weed may turn out to
be a walleye. And a slight peck that feels like a perch bite could be the
trophy of a lifetime. The
secret to detecting subtle strikes is to keep your line taut while the jig is
sinking. If you twitch your rod-tip, then drop it back rapidly as the jig
sinks, slack witll form and you will not feel the strike. Instead, lower the
jig with tension on the line, as if you were setting it gently on bottom. You
will detect more strikes if you carefully watch your line and rod tip. Many
times, you will see a strike that you cannot feel. If you see the line twitch
where it enters the water, or if the line moves slightly to the side, set the
hook. One
of the big problems in jig fishing is noticing strikes on a windy day. The
wind forms a belly in your line and buffets your rod tip, so a slight twitch
often goes unnoticed. To keep the problem to a minimum, hold your rod tip
low. The size of the belly will be much smaller, and the rod tip will not
whip around as much.
Selecting the proper rod is vital to successful jig fishing. Most experts
prefer a sensitive graphite or boron spinning rod to detect delicate strikes.
A rod about 5 1/2 feet long with a light tip and stiff butt is a good
all-around choice. The light tip responds to a subtle tap, yet the powerful
butt enables you to sink the hook with a slight snap of the wrists. Line is also important Limp,
premium-grade monofilament from 6 to 8 pound test works well in most
situations. Stiffer or heavier line comes off your reel in coils, so it is
almost impossible to keep your line tight. Many anglers prefer fluorescent
mono for jig fishing because it is easy to see. But in clear water,
fluorescent line will result in fewer strikes. You can see your line better
if you wear polarized glasses.
Attach your line to a jig with some type of clinch knot or with a loop knot.
A loop knot lets the jig pivot around freely at the attachment eye,
maximizing the action. Do not use a heavy snap, a snap-swivel or a steel
leader. They add weight and are more visible than plain mono.
One of the most common mistakes in jig fishing for walleyes is using a jig
that is too heavy. A light jig sinks more slowly, so walleyes have more time
to grab it. As a rule, use the lightest jig you can keep on the bottom. In
most cases, you will need about 1/8 ounce for every 10 feet of depth. You will
need a heavier jig to stay on bottom when fishing in wind or current.. Check
your minnow for teeth marks or ripped skin if you had a strike but failed to
hook the fish. Damaged skin on the rear half of the minnow means that
walleyes are striking short and that you should tie on a stinger. Attach a stinger
to a (1) hair or feather jig by tying the mono to the bend of the hook; to a
(2) plastic-bodied jig by tying the mono to the eye of the jig. This method
lets you change the body without removing the stinger |