Jigging Tactics/Methods

[BobT]

I'd like to start a discussion about jigging through the ice. Obviously bait, lure type, lure color, lure size, water clarity, depth, location, barametric pressure, and moon phase all play a role in our success. My success jigging in the winter is nothing to write home about so I thought it would be fun to hear about what others do for success and maybe I can learn something about jigging. Regarding the various species I mention below, what jigging tactics do you find successful? Anything you're willing to share would be appreciated.

Walleyes -

Northern -

Crappie -

Sunnies -

[slipperybob]

Personally I like to practice some of my finesse jigging in the fish tank. It gives me an idea of what it's doing when I'm moving the jig a few inches to a foot. It's how I learned to be confident with a rod tap method of jigging.

[bgcountry00]

Anyone else have any other insights as I have been have little luck jigging

[FLAG!!]

I think most people are over jigging when they aren't having tons of luck, assuming you're marking fish.. Very slight rod tips will dance your spoon enough to trigger strikes. I used to pump far too high/often and still do sometimes but slowing down seems to help.

[Korynta]

I cant say i have 1 method that gets em every time. 1 day it might be a dead stick, the next could be slight taps, long slow fall, bouncing in the mud or aggressive jiggin. Fish r like women, you never know what mood there in. Try everything till they respond is all i do!

[Traxxx]

The biggest thing I see people doing is over-jigging for walleyes. With walleye, sometimes you can be aggressive to get them to come in, but when they are present, subtle seems to get way more bites for me. I like to use more of a rythmic jigging with small continuous jigs. If a fish is coming in or up towards the spoon, I'll keep it at the current level. If the fish doesn't bite the first time after a couple seconds, I'll raise it slowly above the fish with small jigs, just a couple inches. If that doesn't trigger a strike, move it up a couple more inches if the fish is following. If I can get the fish to follow upwards, that tells me the fish is nuetral or aggressive, most of the time I can make those bite. If that doesn't work, drop it to the bottom, pound it off the bottom a time or two, then jig it quickly past the fish a couple inches. If that doesn't work, raise it up about five feet and let it free fall and stop it just above the fish. Lastly, raise it all the way up, re-glow it, then drop it back down. Hope this helps.

[LMITOUT]

One of the things that has helped me the past few years is using a slower falling jig such as the Eye-Dropper tipped with a minnow head. More flutter action on the drop and it is obvious to me that it has helped...big time. With more aggressive fish a spoon works fine, but if things get tough I'll put the Eye-Dropper on and it seems to wake up those sleepy walleye. Much more subtle presentation but with not so subtle results.

[BobT]

This is good information. Sounds like winter = slow and subtle or maybe finesse is the optimum.

[Borch]

I watch every fish on the flasher and note their reaction to what I'm doing. Every fish is different and some like it aggressive and other subtle. If the fish comes on your screen and spends time there it's interested. Just gotta figure out what the fish's trigger is at that moment.

[jjz]

The trick to jigging is finding the trigger. To attract fish lots of tatics work, the hard part is getting them to bite. For most any fish pounding usually will seal the deal, all you do is constant jigging .25 to .5 inch movements nonstop and watch the line for the strike. Most the time the fish just grab it and the line flex is less visible, walleyes will some times smack it hard down, crappies will often continue to rise creating more slack. If that dont work try holding the jig very still it often gets them bite. Sometimes especially perch and less often walleyes will pick the jig off the bottom if you let it sit still. I will also raise and lower the jig 1 or 2 inches while pounding and sometimes that can work. Biggest thing is when a fish is looking at your jig stop trying to attract more, focus on that fish pound the jig, if that dont work try holding it still, if that dont work try pounding it while raising and lowering it and if you notice any variation in how the line is acting set the hook!