Jigging

[Brade4]

When jigging for walleye, how far off bottom are you usually?

[Drewski]

I all depends on how active the fish are. Let them tell you. Use your electronics, and experiment on different depths and jigging motion/aggressiveness.

A good general rule that I would go by however is anywhere from right on bottom to about 2 feet off.

BTW BKS, I'm loving the avatar!

[s2h]

Same as drewski. 0-2 ft.

[Brade4]

How about off of a rattle reel when not jigging?

[AlwysFshn]

I like to be 6 - 9" off the bottom if I am using a set line for walleyes.

[mn_bowhunter]

I almost always have set lines 1' off and jig 1' off as well. When they come in I work them up off the bottom. I've had walleyes chase my jig as high as 10', but that's rare. Usually if they come up a foot or two they crush it.

[Jim Almquist]

I am with mn_bowhunter. Start at a 1' and see what type of mood they are in. To attract them in I will lift my lure 4-5' off the bottom and jig it back down.

Food for thought- A walleye can inhale your lure or I should say your bait and you will not feel a thing when they are in a neutral or negative feeding pattern so don't assume that you are going to always feel the hit. When I have a walleye that is right on the lure and I am jigging I will just lift it up a inch real slow and if you feel anything set the hook. I can't tell you how many times that they were just sucking on the minnow head and never really hit the lure. It makes for a real nice hook set right in the lips

[Surface Tension]

I'll start just off the bottom and see how that goes.

I'll for sure have a flasher along and will pay attention to that.

If the eyes are coming in very tight to bottom I might drop to 6" off and even pound bottom once in a while. Having the gain adjusted correctly to show that very slight hint that a fish is entering your cone angle pays off. When that eye comes in closer I'll watch how it reacts. It might take that jig right away or it might need some coaxing. A slow lift might be the ticket there. If it leaves I'll pound the bottom to get it back.

So for me starting out at just off the bottom is the norm.

I've been on bowl shaped lakes in the evening jigging bottom then suddenly there is a brief blip up high. Time to investigate that. Sure enough the eyes were foraging up high.

[crothmeier]

I watch the flasher and jig close to the bottom and try to get the fish to rise up and take the bait. I few little jiggles at whatever deptht the fish is, then a rip up about 3-4 feet and let the bait fall back down to about 6" abotu where the fish is. keep repeating and the fish usually will hit it on the way back down.

[PerchJerker]

It's all about watching your electronics.....

For starting points, I usually have my deadstick set 9"-15" above the bottom --- closer to the bottom in dark water, higher off the bottom in clearer water. I don't jig the deadstick very often but I occasionally drop the bait to the bottom then raise it back up to the set depth, or raise it a foot or two and let it fall back to the set depth.

For jigging, I will actively bang the bottom, pull it up high and let it flutter back down, and shake it and hold it right above the bottom or about a foot above the bottom ---- all the while watching my flasher trying to determine what the fish want.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Usually I jig the majority of the time around 18-24". I will drop if down, maybe pound the bottom but majority of the time my bait is around 2'. I figure the fish locate the bait easier when its higher up. If I find that fish are cruising lower and not willing to rise up then Ill drop it to them.

[Ed Carlson]

I jig were my Vexilar tells me the fish are at...see no fish my jig stays dry and I move tell I see them..than I jig.

Walleye can be on the bottom to 20 feet off the bottom...done both for walleye on the same day in the same spot in fact..even right under the ice even while fishing deep water..seen that situation too. Most anglers right high riding fish off as carp or something else, don't be so quick to jump to that conclusion...often big walleye ride high even in the day.

My point is modern electronics is the key to knowing were to jig at any given depth and time...trust it...and use it.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I move alot but when it comes to walleyes I usually give a hole a minute or two to show a fish or not. Ive dropped my jig into a fishless hole (according to the flasher) only to have them shoot in on the drop more times than Ive dropped the flasher in a hole and saw walleye already there. I use the move til I see them more so for panfish...

[scoutWBL]

I'm no pro but here is my take.

1)An ice buster or a dead stick set with in 1ft of the botttom.

2)Forage Minnow, Buckshot, or Rattlin Flyer 1-2ft up.

I let my electronics do the rest and adjust.

[Chef]

Walleyes eye are designed to see "Up" since they are a predator fish.

Active Walleyes will move as far up as they need to to grab food (within reason, of course). If your Jig is set too low and the fish are cruising 3-5ft. off the bottom they aren't going to see your offering, especially with a set line. I've hooked more Walleyes personally by jigging 3-5 feet off the bottom. A lot of cruising Walleyes will by-pass your offering and you won't see them on your camera or flasher, but, if your bait is high enough for them to see it and they're interested, they will grab it.