Do you wiggle it

[LSL Angler]

I read in Crappie World Magazine that when you drop down your jig you should hold it steady and not wiggle or jig it. It is natural instinct to give it a wiggle or jig like the name is. In the mag it says to just slowly raise it up 4" and the lower it. I know Beagleman always says he lower the jig down to the bottom, cranks its four times and bam, there is a fish. Wondering what everyone does, hold it steady or give it that secret wiggle? I noticed the fish never hit when i wiggle, but after i hold it steady.

[got crappie]

I hold steady and then dip it down about 4 inches and then hold again.Most of the time all depends on what they want that day.Try different things till you find out whats working.

[Jigging15]

Depends on the day I think. I caught a very nice fish in the Smithville tournament shaking the heck out of the end of my rod trying to get spider webs off the end of my pole. I was actually thrashing the hole rod tip in the water when the big boy about took the rod out of my hand. Then I have had days it had to sit perfectly still. But usually when dipping in the heat of summer I will sit the jig for 4-5 seconds and then give it a pretty good movement of 4-6 inches and then let it sit again. I have seen one of Trumans best guides on a promo video for Crappie Masters hold a minnow dead still for 15-20 seconds then yank it striaght up about two foot and then let it fall back down and then boom he would get bit. So no ryme or reason to it try differant things and let the fish tell you what they want.

[Joedog]

I generally have more luck holding it still or slow rolling it up. That said, it's dang tough to hold it perfectly still with a 10' dippin' stick after a few mugs of coffee!

Lots of times if I'm fishing with a float, it gets motion by the wind and ripples.

And there are days where slow trolling jigs is the way to go....which I know is more horizontal movement than vertical, but...still it's moving and I think there are days they like it moving, if the fish are very aggressive.

So...I'm with Dave and Jared....kinda depends and you just gotta figure it out.

[Joedog]

Oh, yeah....plus all the times where they hit it on the fall....which I SUCK at trying to figure out, but.....just sayin...

[Jigging15]

I also have had days when you could hold a jig by a tree for a while and nothing. Then start moving the jig away from the tree I would get hit. It is like the fish thinks the jig is going to get away and eats it in a reaction type bite.

[Hookin'&Cookin']

generally hold it still butt last summer on Truman tried all this and more to get a bite !Joedog said "slow roll it up" I do that as well as back reel to slow roll it down a controlled fall so to speak. what ever the fishes want butt most of the time there not interested in what I got! just my .02cents

[inaboat]

If the four inch drop and slow rise doesn't get the desired results, I have alot of success by beginning to crank line in painstakingly slow, beginning with the jig on the bottom. Three of us all caught fish using this slow crank method just last Sat. This method doesn't always produce, but it is another tool in the box.
Like you I don't have much luck "jigging" the lure. In general, the jig movement required is just trying to hold it still 10ft down with a 10ft rod at the end of your arm, standing on a moving boat.
If you think about it, bait fish don't jump up and down much but look more like the goldfish in an aquarium. At least thats the way I try to approach it. Try everything and the fish will let you know which method is correct.

[Dongotto]

Most of the time I like to reel it up at a snails pace with pauses in between. I fish mostly beds during winter so I like to put my jig on the outside edge then bring my jig slowly over the brush. I feel the pressure and work slow to get out of it. A lot of times as soon as I come of the brush I hold it still and get the bite. On windy days they seem to be up top more than still so it doesnt matter as much much, but when slow and low I like to make some noise.

[Jigging15]

My great retired lawyer friend call that the "Truman up" when fishing below the level of the fish and slowly and I mean he real slowly reels is up. Works great for ole Jim. Hope to see him do it this year as I did not fish with him a whole lot last year. The ole Truman Up. It works well also or at least for retired lawyers anyway.