Thread: Vertical Jigging 25 fow.What weight?

Good question. I brought up the same question to my Dad since it has been said that 1/8" is the ticket of choice and most of my jigs are 1/16" he merely said put on two. duh! Why would you use a split shot and not have the opportunity to put another jig in front of the fish? My small brain cell cannot comprehend this. In the summer when you guys were nailing them on minnows on the drop shot rig and I was still fighting the urge I managed to catch a few that way using only jigs. Large weight on the bottom and only hooks and plastic bodies above. Worked. It worked but not as well as the cheatin' ways that you showed me. Maybe a combo with some cheat on the bottom and plastic on the top? I guess that it maybe a little cool to dip that hand in the minnow bucket this time of year? By the way, I bought some 1/8" heads just in case.:D I think that the best way is that we devise a scheme at the ramp the next time we catch the "Master" out that we distract him and look in his boat for what he has on. Our luck he would get wind of it and have his lures changed before he got back to the ramp.

A 1/32 oz jig would only take a count of 37-38 to reach bottom
A 1/16 oz Jig would only take a count of 28-29 to reach bottom
A 1/8 oz Jig should be less than a 25 count so why would you add any weight?
These calculations are based on 4 lb test and MY count, which may or may not be equal to 1 second.
Additional weight would only benefit the feel of the bite, most likely you are going to be line watching anyway.

GCF I have used 2 jigs of 1/16 about 1 foot apart before and it worked ok. I use brand J on the top jig and brand 007 on the bottom.

When slow trolling it is most improtant to keep the line close to or say within a 20 degree angle of vertical and preferably to your side or in front of you. When the jig is behind you or under the boat the odds of hooking up drops dramatically because of hook set angle. Then comes sensitivity and that comes with a good rod and 10' + rods have there place but when using a longer rod I think you lose sensitivity. Keeping your rod tip close to the water also increases sensitivity. I hardly ever feel a "thump" but most always just a little "tic". I don't think it matters if you are using two jigs per line or just one. Using two does increase your chances of catching fish but it also increases your chances of a hang up unless you're fishing in an area without snags. Weight or number of jigs is determined by the wind or current. I like to get by with as little weight as I can. Color is a personnel preferance, I think there are only two, light and dark.

Had I been more inclined to fight wind today I would have a bit more input. In my box I have jigs up to 3/8. I noticed a while back the memory of the line cut down the sensitivity a bunch. I bought some 2 lb braid for a little rod to throw 1/32 and haven't finished with that test yet. !/8 seems to straighten the line over 20 ft or so and I have tied some of those, along with some 1/4 to try. Cane pole uses 1/2 oz with good results so they don't care about the size, he says. When I know more, so will you.

Thanks for the input everybody. I am definately going more to jigs for the future. Spent my last check on some jigs today. lol. Will keep all posted as to how its working for me. I figure it will be better and will be more fun even.

Better to fool em than feed em.

Originally Posted by Fishawk

When slow trolling it is most improtant to keep the line close to or say within a 20 degree angle of vertical and preferably to your side or in front of you. When the jig is behind you or under the boat the odds of hooking up drops dramatically because of hook set angle. Then comes sensitivity and that comes with a good rod and 10' + rods have there place but when using a longer rod I think you lose sensitivity. Keeping your rod tip close to the water also increases sensitivity. I hardly ever feel a "thump" but most always just a little "tic". I don't think it matters if you are using two jigs per line or just one. Using two does increase your chances of catching fish but it also increases your chances of a hang up unless you're fishing in an area without snags. Weight or number of jigs is determined by the wind or current. I like to get by with as little weight as I can. Color is a personnel preferance, I think there are only two, light and dark.

Are you having greater success "backtrolling" to keep your line out in front of you? Maybe on to something here. The rod and line are a factor here as well. Do you think that you loose feel with a 2 piece rod? What length do you consider ideal?