Jigs or Lindy rigs

[tacklejunkie]

I know. We have a ways yet till open water fishing but which do you guys like better? I had an experience this fall were I fished a local lake and did well on Lindy and a blown up crawler but later fished the same spots with a jig and minnow and did better. If given a choice between those two methods, which do you prefer?

 

 

[Tom Sawyer]

It greatly depends on how the fish are positioned in the water column. If they're hugging bottom, a sign of neutral or negative fish, I'll drop a jig first. Fished slow near bottom, sometimes just dragging it along works. Next, would be a longer snell lindy with a plain hook, maybe a single bead. Higher riding fish tend to be more aggressive, then a lindy spinner rig. Cover water with speed, keeping off bottom and in the strike zone. If that connects with fish, I'd grab a crankbait to eliminate the need for putzin' with livebait. Let the fish deside... 

[PRO-V]

90 percent of the time a jig. Fish it according to the fishes mood. And with a gulp minnow on it always jig it aggressive. Only use Lindy's or spinners when fish are neutral or highly scattered.

[Big Dave2]

All depends on lots of different circumstances. Body of water, time of year, types of spots I want to fish, etc.

 

Also, don't forget trolling with Rapalas and the like. I've been fishing a lake every year that when we first started fishing it 20+ years ago we all jigged or used Lindy Rigs. We discovered several years later that most times the best way to catch walleys on this lake at the time of year we are always there, is to troll floating shad raps, kind of fast, through shallow water. I'm guessing that doesn't work at all times of the year though.

[paceman]

For me hands down I prefer lindy rigging. That way I always feel I am near the bottom. I struggle with jigs as I am not sure where it is in the water column. I fish a lot of muddy/weedy lakes so I don't want to drag on bottom and when fishing drop offs and points I am not confident  in keeping the jig in front of fish.. I also have gone to mostly bullet sinkers on my rigs. A lot less snags on junk in the water....

[fishingstar]

I mostly lindy rig I have the last few years I have been trying to more jigging.

Later in the spring I have started to use nightcrawler with a slow death hook

with great results.  

[tacklejunkie]

1 hour ago, paceman said:

For me hands down I prefer lindy rigging. That way I always feel I am near the bottom. I struggle with jigs as I am not sure where it is in the water column. I fish a lot of muddy/weedy lakes so I don't want to drag on bottom and when fishing drop offs and points I am not confident  in keeping the jig in front of fish.. I also have gone to mostly bullet sinkers on my rigs. A lot less snags on junk in the water....

 

 What weight of sinkers do you  like with your Lindy rigs?

 

 I tended to stick with the 3/4 or less regardless of how deep I was fishing but I’ve seen some walking sinkers that were an ounce or more 

 

 Never tried the bullet sinkers but that might be an idea this spring 

 

Edited February 2, 2018 by tacklejunkie

[paceman]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 8:40 AM, tacklejunkie said:

 

 What weight of sinkers do you  like with your Lindy rigs?

 

 I tended to stick with the 3/4 or less regardless of how deep I was fishing but I’ve seen some walking sinkers that were an ounce or more 

 

 Never tried the bullet sinkers but that might be an idea this spring 

 

I primarily use 6# test so can use lighter weights. 1/4 oz when fishing less then 15 feet and if not to windy. 3/8 -1/2 oz when fishing deeper and when windier.

[elusivecrappiecatcher]

I personally used to big a jig fisherman... Now I don't waste my time with it. 

 

So many other tactics out there that will out produce and are much more fun. Lindy rigging has its place. But when fish are not on the chow I want to cover water. This is when I break out the bottom bouncers and pull slow death around. Or pull big creek chubs (5-9") around.

 

 

[BobT]

Jigs for me. There's just something about the challenge of feeling that subtle pick up when a walleye sucks it in. About the only time I use something else is if I'm looking for a meal and jigging isn't producing. In those cases, depending on the time of year, I might choose to go with a Lindy rig or deep diving shad rap.

 

I find the raps will work well on a local lake (not mentioning the name ) during the dog days of summer (late July and August). I've discovered that the weed growth seems to die of on certain areas during the summer where it was thick earlier, leaving clean bottom sections within the weed growth. I'm talking areas of no weeds in 7-11 feet of water with weeds both shallower and deeper. I'll speed troll (up to about 5mph) those raps so they tick the bottom and trigger walleyes. In these areas all the rules are broken by the eyes. I'll catch 'em in 8' feet of water, midday, with calm water and bright sun using those raps. Of course I also wrestle with the northerns and bass too.