Jigging -Technique/Color/Depth

[Bun_Wagon]

Hi All,

I would like to discuss and hear back from everyone what your jigging techniques, color and depth off the bottom are.

I read a post a few days back about a jigging shad rap, basically jig until you see the fish on your flasher and then just a twitch to get them to bite.

At the end of last year and so far this year, that seems to be effective using a jigging rap as well.

Typically we fish in 35-40 feet of water and jig anywhere from 1' - 2 1/2' feet off the bottom. Once and a while you can get a fish to bite after you see them on the flasher to bring the bait up 1' - 3' more as well. I prefer the #5 clown and the #5 green glow tiger. We have had some luck with the black and silver #5 & #7 black/sliver with snowflakes on it. Trust me when I say I all the colors and all the lures… Last weekend I caught a 10” walleye on the gold puppet minnow hooked in the middle eye. We try all of them but usually go back to the clown, glow tiger of the black silver. Caught a couple last year on the moonshine and the ice darters. Good lures with good action, just hard to get anything to consistently produce a good bite.

Previous to last year I was able to catch fish with aggressive jigging and they would just hammer the jig. Nothing like that last year of this year so far. Very soft bites.

Interested in your feedback and opinions,

Louie

[CrankYanker]

Yea what you said!

[slammer]

Fished yesterday from 2 till dark in 30 ft of water and was very slow until 4:15 and then started marking lots of fish. Tried every thing and about the only thing that started working was a Buckshot lure in glow red. Caught at least 8 sublegals, can't remember, but they only hit it about 4-5 ft off bottom or more. Would not take it in the 1-3ft off bottom range. Have not caught a walleye on tip-ups yet this year. Fish seemed more aggressive last night. Missed quite a few too. Turned off completely at 5:30. Very poor week of fishing , maybe a weather change will help.
Always amazes me how these fish can see and will start coming up when your jig or rap is still 15 feet or so off the bottom. Just gotta keep changing it up cuz what works one day won't the next. Go figure!! Slammer!!!!

[jtourangeau]

when I stop marking fish I put down a 7 or 9 rap and ripit 5-8' off bottom.second rod deadstick w/spoon and bait[minnow,wiggler,chicken leg,ect]bout 1.5' off.fri at 1130 this produced a nice 5lber.the fish came on the graph at 2'off and went up about 3' to inhale the rap.nother cool tec is to pound the bottom.when the rap is on the bottom,point the rod tip down and pull off about 7in of line so you have a lot of slack.then pop the rap bout 1' off and drop the tip so the line is limp when rap hits.when you repeat this the lure will hop from spot to spot on the bottom looking more realistic then something always returning to the same spot.the more slack you give it the farther away it can go from your hole.jt.

[Bun_Wagon]

Thanks for the tips folks! I'll give them a try this weekend. Heading off the Narrows to start on Saturday morning and then will go from there.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Don't keep beating a dead horse. If two fish in a row check out your bait without biting, change it! Keep switching until you find something they like.

Also, always have a second "change up" rod rigged and ready. If you have a fish really interested in a swim bait like a Shiver Minnow, but it still won't bite, reel it up and drop the "change up" rigged with a spoon down to them. Sometimes that quick switch to a bait with a completely different color and action will turn a looker into a biter.

[lipripper4x4]

I also have found that when rippn the bait to attract them ,once they start to follow,never let the lure go down not even a little or they will take off.If they stop u stop but never drop.GOOD LUCK & RIP SOME LIPS!!!