Vertical jigging

[Trany]

What is the best aproaches for this? Do you look for a shelf or structures to sit on and pray to get some walleye hits?

[Chris Haley]

Vertical jigging is done mostly when the fish are in deep water. Usually the fall. Look for them with your electronics and troll/backtroll slowly over them. The deeper the water the better for vertical. If you're in shallow water the boat will scare them, so vertical is not effective. In the fall, you'll find them usually at the bottom of steep breaks adjacent to main lake structures or shoreline points. This doesn't mean they won't be off shore breaks though. Vertical is one of my favorite fall presentations.

[lindy rig]

So for spring time walleyes, would you recommend pitching the jigs toward shore? Otherwise drift? Plastics or live bait?

[IceHawk]

Alot depends on the water clarity. I have had decent success fishing vertical in shallow stained water, with a chop on the surface being a big plus. The key is to be very quiet, with limited movement in the boat and use your trolling motor rather then your big out-board. If the water is clear then I use a casting or long line approach. I would try all methods vertical, casting,pitching and of course plastics to see which technique works the best.

[wallyH]

If in shallow water you might as well throw on a float and a jig. Alot easier and exact same presentation. Also useful when it's windy and you can't keep your line vertical.

Wally H

[PerchJerker]

As mentioned in some of the other posts, I like vertical jigging from mid-summer through fall when the fish are on deeper structures like reefs. Use your electronics to find the fish, then sit right on top of them.

In shallower water where the fish spook more easily and the electronics don't show much of the bottom, I prefer to pitch jigs in shallow, or have the boat moving to cover some water and keep the jig a ways away from the boat.

[Chris Haley]

Pitching jigs shallow is the best time of all!!! Early spring, pitch your jigs against wind blown rocks, the tops of break lines and the edge of reeds. Jig fishing is not only a great way to score some eyes, but you are always catching northerns and perch to boot.

[musky hunter]

I think of vertical jigging as a technique to use in current. Even though the jig may move with the current, keeping it "vertical" under the rod tip gives great feel. Current + dark water = walleyes right next to the boat! It's just amazing to me that you do not always have to throw the jig 150' to catch a fish, the ones right next to the boat taste just as good.

[Guest]

I fish mostly stained water and backtroll with jigs very slow and mostly use a 25 hp.......i catch them in 5-6ft of water by lifting my rod tip an inch or two and bang the rocks.....doesnt spook em even with the 25 horse........as stated.....you can pitch them to shore and retrieve slowly........it just takes a little time to get to know what the diff kinds of bottoms feel like.....rocky..mud....gravel...etc......and what the bites feel like....from a slam to a tap.....and just inhales......the lighest of bites.....but i'll take a jig n minnow over any method if i could only pick one....good luck fishin!!!