getting 'eyes' to seal the deal

[gophish]

from all our reports on the DL forum i've found that many people are getting fish to come in and will follow a jig up several feet off the bottom but cannot get fish to commit to the bait.

what are some techniques that any of you have used with success to get those fish to bite.

one thing that has produced and put big eyes on the ice is for us has been a dead line floating under a bobber with a jig and minnow and set about three feet off the bottom. fish have come in and just hammered these.

gophish

[Wables]

Two things that I do are putting a dead rod next to my jigging rod, and dropping my jig to the bottom and pulling it back up. Slowly reeling the jig up usually works for me, though.

[gophish]

i used a jigging spoon this weekend at LOTW and was able to bring them up and get them to commit. my problem withthem is that i dont always like fishing with a dead minnow because i always used crippled minnows (remove the tail behind the buthole) and feel that the natural action of a cripple does the job. the dead line is definately key though.

gophish

[Matt Johnson]

One of my best walleye presentations is a 1/8 oz jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head. For LOW I would go with a gold spoon with a flutter action as it falls. Something like a Custom Jigs and Spins Slender Spoon, JR's Tackle Crusher, Scenic Tackle Angel Eye or a Bad Dog Lures Pin Minnow. Can't go wrong with any of those presentations in my opinion.

I would also try a size 6 horizontal jig too. Going to a smaller presentation can get a lot more strikes from negative fish too. Don't be afraid to use maggots for walleyes as well.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Captain B.R.K]

As said before regarding a deadstick. When I'm walleye fishing and have time to get a deadstick down- I will. Having a minnow swim around by your bait will give those eyes a feeling of comfort.

Also what I do is if I'm having a hard time picking fish up, but I'm seeing them on the vex. I'll pound my jigging spoon into the bottom (muck or sand). This creates a simulated wounded bait fish effect- eye thinks bait is trying to swim away from prey.

Actually had it happen this last weekend. Pounded my lure into the sand and then when I lifted it back up, I got a a strong strike.

[Wables]

Quote:

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Also what I do is if I'm having a hard time picking fish up, but I'm seeing them on the vex. I'll pound my jigging spoon into the bottom (muck or sand). This creates a simulated wounded bait fish effect- eye thinks bait is trying to swim away from prey.

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That's funny! I do the same thing, but I always figured that I was mimicing a minnow eating off the bottom. Regardless of what the fish thinks, it works!

[Snag]

I haven't had much luck on the dead stick until this year. I heard Terry Tuma at the ice show talk about putting a heavier than normal split shot about 5 inches above the hook. It helps to keep the minnow from swimming around too much. I've been doing the same thing on my tip-ups and have caught have had lots of luck with the eyes this season.

[Lostit@theHole]

My best luck comes on downsizing (smaller than you would think) and to just quiver the jig. Also many times i won't even feel the bite, its too light. In these cases make sure your hook is very sharp and slowly lift your jig to feel any weight. Good luck.

[Ice9]

This matches my experience last night, but I kept losing fish on the way up. Once you get that cagy walleye to commit, and you feel the weight of the fish, do you let him take it away a while or do you set immediately? And does the single hook vs. treble hook change your technique here?

ice

[Tripleplay]

Ice9,

Just was up at LOW this past weekend and on Saturday the eyes had to be enticed a bit. I actually did the best with a vertical teardrop jig and minnow hooked very lightly just below the dorsal fin. When I marked a fish (I had the jig 6-9" off of the bottom), I'd wiggle it slightly to get the minnow moving and if the fish came up I would wiggle again and sometimes raise the bait just a bit.

Once I felt fish, the first few times I set quickly and missed for the most part--after that I would actually lower the rod tip slowly towards the hole until I knew the fish was moving off with the minnow. I didn't miss many fish after giving them a bit of time.

One thing about LOW is I was allowed enough opportunities to figure out what was working and unfortunately I don't think any one tactic/technique will work every time. The truth is the other guys in my house were setting the hook on their jig poles as soon as they felt weight and they caught fish, but also lost alot more on the way up.

[PERCHJR]

Walleye fishing on Waubay, in NE South Dakota has been great for the last few years and I seem to have no troubles with them coming in and smacking my lure!! My best weapon is a Buckshot Rattle Spoon tipped with a minnow, and usually a few waxies will do the trick to, when they are hungry, another good standby is the Genz Worm, they both work great around here!!!

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FISHING!!!