techniques on pitching jigs

[beer batter]

Hi all!

My usual technique come early season is verticle jigging with minnow just because I have a better feel for how far I am off the bottom or even on the bottom. When I pitch jigs I seem to lose that sense of knowing exactly what depth my jig is at unless I can feel it getting stuck on bottom structure.

If I drag it on the bottom, I more often than not catch weeds or rocks causing me to lose my bait. I'd like to learn how to better pitch my jigs to cover more ground.

What do some of you guys do? Drag it on the bottom? How do you keep from weeds or losing bait? If not on the bottom, how do you sense what depth your jig is at?

Ciao!

[Chris Haley]

Weeds usually are not a problem in the early spring. If you're fishing areas with dense die off weeds, chances are you are in the wrong area. Early spring you want to be fairly close to spawning areas, as the walleyes are spreading out after the spawn. These areas are rocky/sandy points, sand bars and sand/gravel break lines and river inlets/outlets. Getting caught in rocks is just a hazard of the game. A few tricks are to use round headed jigs such as a Fireball, and keeping your jig moving. I like to pitch shallow from a deeper position and snap jig my way back to the boat. The fun part about spring jigging is the fact that the weeds are nopt grown up yet, or you're in sand/gravel/rocks where there are not any weeds. When fishing these conditions you jig up and lower your rod tip with the fall keeping some contact with your jig. By doing this you will feel the tick of a pick up, or when you go to jig again you will get that weight like a rag on your line. Set the hook!! An eye wants to see your net.

[This message has been edited by Chris Haley (edited 04-16-2004).]

[Chris Haley]

Oh and another point. Walleyes traditionally do not suspend until later in the season. Fish them off the bottom, jigging anywhere from inches to a foot or two at a time.

Now someone is going to come on and say that in Erie they suspend year round. This is true and since I don't get out on erie much from northern MN, my info does not pertain.

[IceHawk]

You could use the countdown method this will give you a idea about what depth your jig is at. Pitching jigs takes practice. Alot of times in weeds and rocks popping a jig is the answer, other times in the sand a slow drag will put more fish in the boat. The key to success pitching is being able to detect strikes over hooking weeds or etc. I like to pitch right to the edge and open pockets in the weeds. When I feel I've hooked weeds I give my jig a hard snap this gets my jig clean and alot of times will trigger a reaction strike from a eye. In weeds plastics are my prefered choice with live bait a second choice. Fishing sand and rocks,I prefer to tip my jigs mostly with live bait with plastics being a strong second. Finding out what the eyes want and how they want it is the key to putting eyes in the boat.

[Chris Haley]

When in doubt, set the hook!!

[fish4ed]

I like to fish plastics when pitching. As opposed to vertical jigging I will try to size the jighead so the retrieve keeps the bait just ticking the bottom on occasion - mostly 1/8 and 1/4oz, unless fishing deeper water or very heavy current. I have also used minnows, but you can't really lean into your casts without losing the bait. Later in the year I will sometimes use half crawlers and/or leeches for pitching, but even these baits aren't as durable as plastics.

Another tip - if line visibility isn't a huge issue (like during spring on the rivers) don't be afraid to use a little heavier line. I'm using 10-12lb monofilament right now on my baitcasting rig. If you do happen to hang up, you can often get your rig back by straightening the hook on the jighead. Just bend it back and sharpen the point, and you're right back in the game!

Cast shallow, retrieve just fast enough to keep slack out of the line, and hang on!

[lindy rig]

Do use plastics and live bait at the same time? What I mean is a jig head with plastice body, then tipped with minnow or leech. Or do you prefer to use one or the other?

[fish4ed]

I personally use the plastics without live bait, mainly. When vertical jigging with fatheads I will sometimes add a plastic body for a little extra color. I do use scent on my plastics, more to cover than as an attractant.

It's probably a confidence thing, but most of the plastics I use have some tail action so I generally don't want anything else hanging off the back of the head to interfere with that.

[musky hunter]

If you are not already doing this, thread the minnow through the mouth, out the gill plate, and then back in through the body. You'll lose a lot less doing this and pick up more short strikers. In my opinion, many people fish with way too much line out. As you so correctly identify, they lose control over the presentation. You also might try a long rod, like a 9' steel head rod, if you are going to make long casts. By holding you're line up higher you will maintain better feel.

[2dalake]

Make sure you are letting your jig fall on a tight line and WATCH it. I use a high-vis line with a jig because I catch about 20% of my fish on the drop and most of the time I never feel them at all, I just see the line "jump".

[PK3]

Are any of you concerned with having a drift sock out while jigging? Or, are you casting on the downwind side of your boat and working the jig back to the boat?

[Chris Haley]

You want to pitch to the downwind side if at all possible. The boat will spook fish in shallow water, so drifting over them first and trying to catch after usually isn't that effective.

[Chris Haley]

That also takes the wind sock out of play.

[Northlander]

Like 2dalake I use high vis line in windy conditions. The bow I have in the line "Jumps" or "Twitches" when I get a hit. I dont feel anything. With regular line you wouldnt see lots of those hits. Also as stated above a tightline drop helps a ton.
Longer rods for longer casts and drifts is a must in my book.
Also Fireline or Power Pro will put more fish in the boat when jigging because you will feel more and feel it as it happens.

[2dalake]

Using 4 or 6lb test helps with those long casts. The lightest you can get away with.

[can it be luck?]

Too many variables to pinpoint anything when it comes to jig fishing. Depth, time of year, fish's aggressivness to bite, bottom content, jig weight, forage, wind, drift speed, anchoring, open water structure, shoreline casting, and the list gos on.
I will say this though, if I have a drift sock out it usually means my boats moving at a decent clip and the wind's blowing. Unless your fishing a HEAVY jig, you better hope for some of those "suspended" walleye Chris mentioned.

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[2dalake]

When it's that windy I go to a crankbait as a rule.

[rms]

Fish with the lightest jig possible for the current, wind conditions and/or depth. Pitch the jig out and let it fall until the line goes slack then reel in with the motion the fish tell you they want. Sometimes hopping, swimming, snapping or dragging will be preferred. If you are picking up little weeds or debris from the bottom just increase your retrieve speed in little increments until your lure comes back clean.

[Big Northern]

I pitch a lot of jigs and one thing that helps is using light wire hook jigs. This way you can usually get your jig back with steadily increasing pressure if you get snagged. this also means you have to set your drag lighter than normal, at least I do, so if you do hook that hog you reduce the chance of the weakened hook straightening. I also stick with 6 lb. max line for better casting distance.