Jig Fishing

[CrappiePappy]

Wow !!! This sure sounds like some really good info and also sounds like its coming from alot of experienced folks. Can yall go in more detail on the countdown process. Im sure it all has to do with weight of lure,line size ,etc. From what ive read so far i feel like i could go out and catch a few on the jigs if i can locate them

Genec pretty well nailed it on the "countdown" method, as far as it not really mattering what line size or jig weight you're using ... as long as you figure out what count puts your bait in the zone.

You can easily figure out how deep your jig falls per "count" (second), by using your depth finder. Find a spot that's 10ft deep & cast your jig to it ... start your "one Alabama - two Alabama" countdown when the bait has hit the water & you have closed the bail on your reel & raised your rod to the retrieve position. Don't reel in ... just keep counting until the line goes slack. If your bait is falling at about 1ft/sec ... slack line should occur at or close to "ten Alabama".

With that knowledge, you can then cast to the same spot repeatedly, and cover the water column in 1ft depth increases by counting down +1 sec on each succeeding cast. Once you find the depth the fish are suspended at, you'll only need to count to that point on each cast.

If you're casting over a brushpile or some cover that tops out X number of feet below the surface ... you can avoid hanging up your jig, by using the countdown to bring your jig just above the topmost part of the brush/cover. If you have to get into the cover to get a fish to bite, and you're using a open hook jig (non-weedless) ... consider using a vertical jigging presentation. If you have weedless jigs, or you "texas rig" your plastics on a open hook jig ... then you can continue to cast/countdown, and crawl your jig over/around/through that cover. Here's how I "bow to the jig" in order to avoid hanging up, while probing the cover with my jig :

(copied from one of my old posts)
" Even weedless jigheads can/do get hung-up, occasionally. Here's a method I learned, that can keep you from hanging up and/or freeing your weedless jighead from a snag (before it hangs into it):

"One thing that I haven't mentioned lately, that goes along with casting over submerged wood, even with a weedless jighead, is what I call "taking a bow" to avoid getting hung on a branch. Even weedless jigheads can & will get hung, sometimes. This can be avoided, to an extent. When retrieving the jig, usually the line will swing back to you ... and you will notice it at the point where it enters the water (it will continue to get closer to you, as you reel in). When it stays in one spot, as you reel in, that indicates that the line is draped over something submerged in the path of your retrieve. As you continue to reel, eventually the jig will come in contact with that obstacle. As it does, and when the rod tip starts to bend down, a lot of people tend to try and "jerk" the jig over it. That works, sometimes, but quite often - they get hung. I try and avoid getting hung in the cover I'm fishing, so as not to have to break off - disturbing the cover, losing the bait, or alerting the fish to any unnatural conditions. I do this by "taking a bow" - with the rod tip.
In essence - I wait until the jig comes in contact, and the rod tip starts to bend ... then I drop the rod tip about 6" towards the jig, and in one fluid motion raise the rod tip up towards me about 12". This is not done fast, like a jerking motion ... but, more of a slow drop and lift motion. What this does (or seems to do) is allow the bait to fall away from the obstacle - then when you lift it back (twice as far as you let it fall away) the head of the jig "bumps" the obstacle, and "hops" up overtop of it. Well, most of the time, anyway. The reason I don't drop it down 6" and then lift it up more than 12" - is that I want the jig to clear the obstacle, but remain in the general area. I will work a tree top over, with this method, bumping and bowing and hopping the jig over multiple branches. Another reason I don't pull the jig back more than 12", or reel it back in (once I've cleared the branch) ... is because I've had numerous occasions where I've had a fish hit the jig, once it cleared the obstacle and started coming back towards me. In fact, it's happened often enough that I almost "expect" to get a hit, when "taking a bow" over a branch."

... cp

[mikey1979]

I would love for me and my son to put 50 or 60 in the boat. Do yall put one or two jigs per line ?

[shipahoy41]

I would love for me and my son to put 50 or 60 in the boat. Do yall put one or two jigs per line ?

I use two personally.

[genec]

Mikey, if casting near structure or shooting a dock only one jig otherwise hang ups are for sure unless a cork holds off of structure,I myself only use one jig all the time, can better control bait better. CP, I have a question for you ,how do I suppose to count, one North Carolina ,two North Carolina , don,t know whether one Alabama would sound good with my Carolina friends,LOL ,just kidding.

[Donald@CrappieLogic]

stick your jig in there and if you aint hung up 60% of the day you aint doing it right

[CrappiePappy]

Mikey, if casting near structure or shooting a dock only one jig otherwise hang ups are for sure unless a cork holds off of structure,I myself only use one jig all the time, can better control bait better. CP, I have a question for you ,how do I suppose to count, one North Carolina ,two North Carolina , don,t know whether one Alabama would sound good with my Carolina friends,LOL ,just kidding.

... gene, maybe you should just count "one cackalaky - two cackalaky"


... cp

[bowhunter012463]

I try all methods but the one I use the most is using a fixed bobber and pop it twice and let it sit still then pop it twice again and let it sit still an repeat. and if no luck then move the bobber up or down 6" at a time until you find them and I don't like the bobber with the weight on them. most of the time the bobber will go under the water but sometimes it might just lay on its side. Other times I will cast it out with the bobber and reel it in real slow. As far as plastics goes, anything with chartuese, there is so many colors, just get afew like white/chart, black/chart, yellow/chart, red/chart or just straight chartruese but make sure it has silver flakes in them. I would also get some road runners too. Jigs, I don't think colors matters and been having luck lately with a plane lead head, no color at all. Weight of the jigs I would stick with 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz with a light wire hook so you can get unsnag cause you will get snagged and if you don't than you're not doing it right. Hope this helps. Don't be afried to talk to other fishing where you're at and ask them what is working for them and what depth. Most people will help you out and like to have someone to talk to.

[blackriver4x4]

Some Good Info In here......

[chucktx]

great info in this thread!!!!!!!

[skiptomylu]

I almost always use just one jig and in the spring and fall I longline a 1/32 oz Roadrunner and use one pole and one jig. In summer day or night I use both jigs and minnows, I tie on a 1/8 or 1/4 oz jig on the bottom and a hook (for me a Gamakatsu drop shot hook #2 or 1) and I find most of the bigger fish come on the jig, but do believe the smaller fish hitting the minnow can help get more fish active.
The first day this spring my neighbor and I trolled with the troll motor using the little Roadrunners and we limited (50) and didnt even work at it all day. We fished from 7:30 until noon and then from 3:00 to 5:30. Oh this was superbowl Sunday.
sorry pic didn't post first time.