prefferred jig weight and type

[CALVINIST]

When jigging for walleyes, what weight do you find most sucessful? Bonus question. what are your favorite type jigs to use? I basically started jigging last year, and I used bigger jigs, 3/8 to 1/2 oz. fireball and whistler jigs. I want to downsize to 1/8 and 1/16 oz. because I hear that is more effective in keeping the bait off the bottom-more hang time. Any reccomendations with working a lighter jig would be greatly appreciated.

------------------
<><<><<><
Calvinist
><>><>><>

[Seabass77]

You should match a jig to the conditions. One isn’t necessarily better than the others. If you are fishing deep or in current, use a heavier jig. If you are casting to shorelines with plastic, you will use a lighter jig. (The plastic will make it heavier.)

You also have to think about how active the fish are. If the fish are really active, casting out a jig and bouncing it back at a quick pace, you’ll want a heavier jig. For more inactive fish, use the lightest jig you can get away with. (Remember, you still need to consider depth and current, as you will want to keep in contact with the bottom)

As a general rule, with no current. I’ll fish a 1/8 oz jig 15 ft or less, ¼ oz jig 30 feet or less and a 3/8 oz jig 30 to 40 feet, etc. Some guys will even use 1/16 oz jigs for really shallow water, but I don’t run into those situations much.

Now add current to the mix and all of this will change and require heavier jigs.

[Sean]

When I jig fish I use 1/8 oz 90% of the time. A light jig will keep you from fishing too fast. When backtrolling keep your line at no more than a 45 degree angle from the boat, over 25-30 feet use a 1/4 oz. When casting use as light as you can. For me jig style does not matter, just the hook size does. A #6 hook does not work well with a 4" chub

[Sean]

Forgot to mention what I said does not apply to moving water or snap jigging.

[Ranckenstuff]

I agree with Sean. I find myself using 1/8 oz jigs the vast majority of the time. Also the new superlines will allow the angler to fish lighter weights and rods. Fireline with a flouro leader for a jig is a good way to increase feel. I dont stray from mono much, but last fall I did do well with the superline/ flouro leader to the jig setup.

If I am deeper than 20 feet or I am having trouble maintaining feel with the 1/8th oz, I will go 1/4 oz, but usually windy conditions and deeper water 20+ will make me do this.

If I still have problems mainaining feel I will add small sinkers to maintain feel about 8 inches up. ( usually when vertical jigging or still fishing)

I also rarely use 3/8th sinkers even in 30+ water because it seems like I lose twice as many fish due to poor hooksets/ jig being to heavy, this is why I add the small splitshots and it increase my hookset ratio.

Good Luck

edit: My favorite jigs are walleye knockers, Fireballs, and the classic Fuzz-e-Grub. Also the new wide gap red hook jigs look cool

[This message has been edited by Ranckenstuff (edited 03-19-2004).]

[LocalGuide]

I like to go as light as possible on average conditions. Less than 8' casting jigs and not to windy I like a 1/16 or 1/8 oz. Deeper than that I will go with a 1/8 or 1/4, around 20' I will go with 1/4 to 3/8, and any deeper than that I will go with a 3/8oz upto what ever I need.

If I am using plastics I will normally up my jig size one. Or same goes if its windy or im drifting. Just making contact with the bottom is the main thing and once you loose that you better upsize some.

------------------
AKA PikeEye 300
And keep those hooks sharp!

[musky hunter]

My rule of thumb: use as light a jig as you can and still maintain bottom contact. But I also like to use a jig with a long hook shank and wide gap because I thread the hook in the mouth, out the gill plate, and then back through the body. Prevents short hits from getting a minnow snack. I use 4#/10# fireline with a 15# flourocarbon leader for snaggy water. The 4# diamater gives me great feel. Deadly for 15-22" walleyes. But this year I am going to try bigger bait and heavier jigs for deeper water bigger walleyes.

[Guest]

I always use quarter ounze live bait long shanked jigs....no lead collar and long shanks cause of the way i hook my minnows...with the quarter ounze i can backtroll a little faster to cover water quicker because it maintains better bottom contact and i can feel exactly whats on the bottom better even if i cast them....

[MLaker2]

I primarily use 1/8 oz on quieter days and 1/4 oz on choppy water. I use a quality 6lb monofilament line w/ a quality rod. If you jig you are going to snag and loose some. I don't like the hassle of trying to break those fireline 4/10 style lines. I also agree w/ a show I saw w/ Al Linder, he uses mono because the extreme sensitivity provided by the firelines transmits back to the fish as well and can result in more drops by light biters. My .02.

[Pagz]

I like to use 1/8oz down to 12ft.Any deeper or w/choppy water I use 1/4oz or heavier. Fireball jigs are my favorite because you can easily add a stinger hook for those "short biters".I use a 6'2" med action Shimano Clarus rod w/6lb XT or XL mono line.
Good Luck!

[FI Guide]

I love the 1/8oz firball jigs. I have fished jigs for awhile and the best thing to do is make sure you can feel the bottom. Also match the color of you jig to the conditions that persent themselves. I have a tackle box completely full of assorted coleros and all different weights for the conditions

FI

[Matt Breuer]

If I had to choose one jig to take with me on an outing, it would be a blue/glow 1/4 oz. Phelp's half face jig. I will go lighter on calmer days, I like to use as small a jig as possible in any given condition, but I use a 1/4 oz. the most. Verticle jigging, the only way to fish!

------------------
Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]
-----------------------
Custom Jigs and Spins
Phelps Tackle
Today's Tackle
Stone Legacy
Ice Leaders

[CALVINIST]

Matt,

That Phelps half-face Jig is very unususal looking. I will have to get some for sure. Another thing that has my interest is jigging spoons in open water. Not a very common approach to catching walters in open water, but then again, sometimes you have to think outside the box in order to catch fish. Anybody ever mess with jigging spoons? I bought quite a few of different weights, colors, and styles, just to experiment with.

------------------
<><<><<><
Calvinist
><>><>><>

[tulikow]

For walleyes I usually start out with a 1/4 ounce Northland Fireball Jig tipped with a 3 inch Berkely Power Grub. If I am fishing deeper water (25+ feet) and this presentation doesnt work I would switch to a 3/8 ounce jig. If the 'eyes are shallow and are just tapping the bait I would try a 1/8 ounce jig tipped with a smaller grub or a medium leach or a small fathead.

[Matt Breuer]

The half face jig is awesome, they stand up when resting on the bottom, getting the bait in the air! I have used jigging spoons in the summer, never with great success, but I've given them a shot. Something I want to do more of this year is use jigging raps in open water!

------------------
Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]
-----------------------
Custom Jigs and Spins
Phelps Tackle
Today's Tackle
Stone Legacy
Ice Leaders

[Bear_arm]

What are your favorite colors for clear/stained/murky water?

I like
-blue/white for clear
-Chartruse for stained
-glo-orange for murky

[Mike Walerak]

I agree with what everyone has been saying. The general rule is to use the lightest jig that you can feel bottom with.
One trick that will allow the use of lighter jig, is to use the flourescent line (Green/Yellow). The colored line will allow you to see when the jig hits bottom before you actually feel it, or more importantly the sudden jolt of a walleye strike.

Many ask the question "Do fish see the line?"
That remains a debate. My feeling is if you think you could be doing better by adding and mono or flourocarbon leader. go ahead and do so. Most of the time I do so when fishing clear lakes, but don't normally do so on rivers.
Give the line a try, you will immediatly notice when your jig is hitting the bottom.

As for color, every one has their own preferences. Mine include Green, Char. and Orange. Maybe even a combination the three.

mw

[Matt Breuer]

My color preference has changed a lot in the past feew years. I used to be an orange chartr. guy, now I use blue, blue, and pink. I'll throw a glow green jig quite often too. Blue in clear lakes and deep water, and pink in stained water, as well as chartr.

------------------
Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]
-----------------------
Custom Jigs and Spins
Phelps Tackle
Today's Tackle
Stone Legacy
Ice Leaders

[Guest]

I use green..pink... black and chartrues in stained water......i used to use orange too but kept getting too many northerns....now you wont find one orange jig in my tackle box.....