Thread: Jig Weight

I have heard this from a couple of guides that use livescope. However, I have also heard from others who do just the opposite and downsize in the summer/winter extremes. this past weekend, we stopped getting bit on 1/16ths and switched to 1/64th rigs and the bite picked back up....seems the more I know, the less I know.

Monday I was running 1/32 jigs with Fin-s-shad & slab sauce on a slow drift & not doing much. Tried letting out more line to increase depth with little success. Switched to a 1/8 oz. VMC swimbait jig with a 4" Keitech easy shiner in Pro blue/red and fished the same area, depth. I immediately started catching more and bigger fish. Most were hooked in the back of the throat instead of lip hooked, they REALLY wanted it. win/win.

Jim

I tie jigs for a few fisherman in Texas that will not use anything other than a 1/4 oz jig year around. They tell me that is it a waste of their time waiting on a jig to get to the fish. They can't believe that we use a 1/16 oz jig and it blows their mind to hear of a 1/32 oz jig used on standing timber

Originally Posted by STUMP HUNTER

I tie jigs for a few fisherman in Texas that will not use anything other than a 1/4 oz jig year around. They tell me that is it a waste of their time waiting on a jig to get to the fish. They can't believe that we use a 1/16 oz jig and it blows their mind to hear of a 1/32 oz jig used on standing timber

Ronnie, I think most of those guys in Texas are primarily fishing for White crappie. I think that makes a difference too, I believe they are more aggressive than Black crappie. Also, they tend to be deeper than the blacks...curious as to your thoughts???

Great discussion. I mostly striper fish but I am getting into single pole jig fishing for crappie more and more lately. It may be my imagination but I feel like I get hung a lot less casting jigs to submerged brush with a 1/32 than when I use a 1/16. Both jigs have the same exact #4 sickle hook. But I rarely get hung and can feel the jig sliding across the structure with the 1/32. I get a lot of bites when that happens. But if there is much breeze I have to go up in jig size when casting because the line will blow and you can't keep the lighter jig down nearly as well. Now if I drop straight down into the structure instead of casting, and try to slow reel up, I get hung a lot more with the lighter jig for some reason.

I've also noticed a diminishing return on the fall rate the deeper you fish them. I have watched my 1/32nd jig fall on live scope and it takes 12 to 13 seconds to get to 10 feet. I found some really nice fish on a little deeper pile yesterday hanging at 15 feet, so I just added another 6 seconds to my fall count thinking that would have me at 15 feet...wrong. I watched the jig fall on live scope and I was still way above them. To get down to those fish I had to let it fall 28 to 30 seconds, which amazed me. Obviously it's the additional drag of the line, but I was still shocked at the difference. But as soon as I figured out the right depth count I was nailing them. In retrospect, I should have taken a minute to try a 1/16 oz jig and compare the results.

The Point of my post is don’t be afraid to try something different than you’ve done all your life. Livescope has opened my eyes to new stuff and disproved a lot of stuff. Crappie are a strange and it seems evolving creature. It’s fun seeing and learning new things. Heard a Pro say don’t fish memories. That one is hard for me. That’s why sometimes it takes me half a day to find and figure them out. When you run out of options you have to try something new. It has salvaged a lot of bad days and you end up with another tool in the box.


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Originally Posted by tackleboat

The Point of my post is don’t be afraid to try something different than you’ve done all your life. Livescope has opened my eyes to new stuff and disproved a lot of stuff. Crappie are a strange and it seems evolving creature. It’s fun seeing and learning new things. Heard a Pro say don’t fish memories. That one is hard for me. That’s why sometimes it takes me half a day to find and figure them out. When you run out of options you have to try something new. It has salvaged a lot of bad days and you end up with another tool in the box.

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I really appreciate you sharing your experience. You do bring up a great point about being able to get a lot more casts in by not having to wait so long for the jigs to sink. I've used 1/8 oz and even 3/16 when throwing to open water schools I spot on Livescope in the winter. They seem to move so fast and I can get it down into them better before they move. It just never occurred to me to try the 1/8 around brush piles. I certainly will try it. Especially on the deeper ones.

Originally Posted by tackleboat

Since getting L. Scope I have changed my way of fishing a lot. Thought I’d share, I know some and maybe most will reject my conclusions. Here goes!! I use to fish 1/32 jig always and it was tough when fishing deep. I finally switched to 1/16 to speed up the drop. Catch Rates didn’t suffer. Back in the winter I was fishing spooky schools and couldn’t get close so I switched to 1/8 so I caught more. I have continued to use 1/8 about 80 percent of the time. I have watched how crappie react to the bait enough to remain confident in using the heavier jig. Very few are caught on a falling jig, they like to follow before biting so the heavier jig doesn’t hurt. The heavier jig is better on deeper brush because you can get multiple cast in the same time you’d wait for a 1/32 to get there. The heavier jig is way better on windy days. Less bow in the line and can feel the bite better. Conclusion is try a heavier jig, doesn’t hurt and has several advantages. You might find you like it.


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I approve of this post. lol
Nice post and yes I remember when you just fished 1/32nd and still catch crappie. There are times when different jig weights will do better. Now I am talking about casting single pole or vertical fishing. Black Crappie are more finicky than a white Crappie. I have fished both in different States. Top of brush pile even only 10 feet down sometimes a heavier jig works better. If fish are aggressive they prefer a faster retrieve over the brush pile a 1/8th will give you that staying horizontal adjust above them. Sometimes the jig weight will match the mood they are in.

I know I most likely stay longer on a brush pile then I should but I get the thrill of breaking the code. I really need to go to the stumps and laydowns more to get the bigger ones.

You are right Doug when we first talked about Livescope and I should get it to learn more and thanks for drilling in my head. The learning is so much fun.

Now and then I still fish old school drop a buoy and cast past the brush and retrieve over the brush pile without livescope. Thanks again for the great post.