jig and float retrieve ?

[flymoron]

Do most of you do a slow steady retrieve? Or a retrieve and pause? Do you use a split shot? Fixed or slip float?

Thanks
Flymoron

[skeetbum]

My take is like this. Pitch and let it settle. Then tap with 1” rod tip movements and let set. No take, either tap a bit harder or slowly reel a turn or two on the reel and let it set. If subtle action doesn’t get it then I get aggressive and rip the float across the surface about a foot and let the jig drop and settle. This is the way I was introduced to jig and float and I was taken to school by the teacher. Once i got the idea we went fish for fish. The fish will respond to the retrieve they want so start slow and progress till they eat.

[DockShootinJack]

What Skeetbum said. Vary your retrieve until you find one they can't resist

[Ketchn]

most of the float ketchn we do is what I have trained them to do , we use a fixed float and a jig and nothing else .
a very slow steady return is best ,sometimes they want a twitch or 2 ,but more often than not just keeping it barely moving is the ticket .
in the spring you can crank it fast and twitch it and pause it and all sorts of things and get bit , the rest of the year not so much .....
but to be sure it aint always that way , the river fish "used to " like it jumping like a popping cork for speckled trout in the middle of the summer....
as mentioned it often has to be adjusted a bit to what the fish are wanting to see ....
was float ketchn the other day in 8 feet of water with the jig set about 6 down and VERY slowly dragging it by a short brush pile on a big lake , the takes were so subtle you mostly only saw the float slowly sink after they hit the jig , they wanted nothing to do with any extra action and or sitting it still .
thats my 27 cents worth on this subject and or that's all I got to say about dat ....

[shipahoy41]

I also confirm what Skeetbum said. He has given you excellent advice. I also prefer a slip float as opposed to a fixed float. With a slip float you can control the accuracy of your cast much better and can immediately change the depth of your presentation by moving the float stop knot or rubber bead up on down some. The fish will generally strike your presentation as the lure settles back down under the float.

Mike

[Ketchn]

Ship is right on the accuracy thing , but if the set up is ultra lite with a tiny jig , it will make you crazy trying to use it , everything will have to downsize bigtime and be just so so ,to get it to work properly .....
really light jigs dont want to fall with even just the line as resistance