Short strikes

[NIMROD]

I am strictly a jig fisherman. Lately in this heat I keep getting tons of missed stikes and tubes pulled of my jigs. Blamed it on small Bream and Crappie. About decided it was short strikes after catching several descent Crappie outside the mouth and one in the belly. Saw some spiderriggers pull up to a brushpile I was working catch several real quick on live minnows. I was catching a few but things happened when they pulled in with 8 poles baited with double minnows. I refuse to use live bait anymore but know at times can make a difference.

[Cmj]

I know you dont believe in nibbles, but they have stopped short strikes for me numerous times when the bite is light or finicky.

[yikess]

Now is the time for the smallest jig you have in the box if you don't pull crankbaits.

[Locator79]

Why refuse to use live bait? It catches fish.

[talltimber]

I'll venture a guess - more money, pita to fool with and try to keep alive, another stop to make (or someone else to wait on if the shop doesn't open early enough).
Just a couple of reasons why I don't like fooling with them, although I will occasionally.

[Locator79]

I like to use jigs too, but if the bite gets tough, sometimes minnows or wax worms will save the day.

[Slabo]

Now is the time for the smallest jig you have in the box if you don't pull crankbaits.

I usually go to a small solid body jig or a small hair jig something in the 1" in length range. and slow down my presentation

[Kman]

If it is the same bite I get this time every year, minnows wont totally solve it anyway...they'll help, just like a nibbler will, but the strike STILL feels like a 3" bream is machine gunning it. I used to SWEAR it wasn't a crappie, still feels weird..but it IS crappie. Caught 22 Saturday morning and EVERY one of them hit this way...here is what I do.


You MUST....MUST have a good sensitive rod. I use a sams super sensitive in 9'!!! 9' is CRUCIAL because I own a Sams SS 10' and it is a BROOMSTICK (sorry sam) compared to the 9'. Then you MUST...MUST use a hi vis yellow line that you can SEE! I use stren Hi vis gold 8lb.

When vertical jigging (which is all I do, I don't fish any other way) drop the jig in the pile ( I do NOT change the jig size, I only use 1/16oz with tubes, maybe I should go smaller, but I don't), when you get that "weird bite"...do NOT set the hook, you wont catch him. Instead watch your rod tip and your line...if your line is moving or running, you can set hook then...most of the time it wont be though. Instead begin to SLOWLY lift with steady soft slow pressure and watch that rod tip. If the rod tip begins to bend (you WILL NOT see this in a thicker 10ft or 11 ft rod, cue the arguments but you wont) then hes got it, but don't set it, just keep LIFTING the rod, eventually the hook will grab him and the weight of the fish will set it. YOU MUST have a net ready as these fish can not be given the slightest bit of slack or they are GONE! Remember, you don't have a REAL hookset doing this.

Your catch ratio will go thru the roof.

[Huntalivesh23]

I watched a video of Todd huckabee on knot tying for jigs. I always used a palomar knot for jigs to keep them laying horizontal but he ties loop knots to let the jigs lay at about a 45 degree angle so when they come up they are catching the hook rather than biting down on the hook. I tie my jigs this way now because it made alot of sense to me. I'm still fairly new to the sport and most of y'all have probly heard of tying this way. As far as using the live bait part I read in the live bait forum about a homemade minnow tank so I built one of these and it can hold a ton of minnows so that way I don't have to make another stop and I just bought me first house and am about 200 yards from the water of my home lake and 2 miles from to ramp so to go to the bait shop is heading the complete opposite direction. Now I just stop by there on my home from work and pick up about 10-20 dozen minnows and I have them right there at the house

[Kman]

I watched a video of Todd huckabee on knot tying for jigs. I always used a palomar knot for jigs to keep them laying horizontal but he ties loop knots to let the jigs lay at about a 45 degree angle so when they come up they are catching the hook rather than biting down on the hook. I tie my jigs this way now because it made alot of sense to me. I'm still fairly new to the sport and most of y'all have probly heard of tying this way. As far as using the live bait part I read in the live bait forum about a homemade minnow tank so I built one of these and it can hold a ton of minnows so that way I don't have to make another stop and I just bought me first house and am about 200 yards from the water of my home lake and 2 miles from to ramp so to go to the bait shop is heading the complete opposite direction. Now I just stop by there on my home from work and pick up about 10-20 dozen minnows and I have them right there at the house

I too tie my jigs this way