When to jig?

[eyepatrol]

Usually when I go walleye fishing on the ice, I've got one tip-up set and on my rod I'm jigging with a spoon or something.

Since I'm not the most avid ice angler, my question is....is there a time of day to jig and a time of day not to jig? Is it better to have 2 tip-ups set during the day, then when primetime hits, pull one of the tip-ups and set a line down for jigging? I've never been all to sure about this. Like I say....usually have one tip-up set and am searching around with my rod/reel looking for active fish. I'll do this until an hour or so past sunset, then I'll go to tip-ups, or, if I'm in the portable, I'll set two lines down with slip bobbers.

Any thoughts or suggestions on this subject?

[Deitz Dittrich]

BC- I may fish walleye different than most, but this is what I usually do. I very seldome will put a tip up out. I will often run to rods near each other. One a dead stick/bobber rod with a small lure or even just a plain hook and minnow. The other rod I will use a more aggresive attack. Jigging spoon and a head. Often times I will not get many fish on the jigging rod(if conditions are hard) but I still feel that the jigging action bring the fish in for the bobber rod. If I notice that I am catching far more fish on the jigging rod, I will then just run 2 jigging rods and switch up the actions on the 2 rods, maybe run a swimming type lure on one and a jigging spoon ont he other.

Good luck!

[HARPOON-OR-BUST]

BC,

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I AGREE WITH DEITZ FOR THE MOST PART HERE. I CAN COUNT ON 1 HAND THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE WENT OUT AND SET UP A TIP UP FOR WALLEYES BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. I AM NOT SAYING ITS NOT POSSIBLE AND PEOPLE DON'T CATCH THEM THAT WAY BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE BETTER WAYS. I ALMOST ALWAYS WILL RUN 1 SET LINE AND 1 LINE FOR JIGGING (ALL DAY LONG). WHEN I AM SET UP IN A PORTABLE AND THE LINES ARE CLOSER TOGETHER I WILL HAVE THE SET LINE 12-24" SHALLOWER THAN THE JIG. I ISUALLY WILL JIG WITHIN 6" OF THE BOTTOM. LIKE DEITZ SAID THE JIGGING ACTION WILL BRING THE FISH IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE USING A BUCKSHOT OF SOME SORT. YOU CAN TELL THERE MOOD BY WATCHING THE FLASHER AND SEEING HOW THEY REACT TO THE JIG. ALOT OF TIMES YOU CAN GET THE FISH TO FOLLOW THE JIG BUT NOT TAKE IT WHEN THEY AREN'T AGGRESSIVE SO THEN I WILL JIG THEM UP THE 12-24" TO THE SET LINE AND MOST OF THE TIME THEY WILL SEE THAT AND TAKE IT. GIVE THAT A TRY SOMETIME.

[Maximum12]

Veeery interesting. I've never thought of putting down my two lines close together. I had this exact thing happen last weekend (lots of sniffers & few takers) & nothing ever touched my set line, which was around 50 feet away. I wonder if they might not have hit the minnow dangling five or ten feet off.

Thanks. I'm gonna try this!

[eyepatrol]

DD & HOB...

Thanks for the tips. Except for being in my portable, I've never tried setting up a deadstick nearby and jigging with another. I'll give that a go though.

Just a follow-up question...when jigging...do you let your jig pound the lake bottom a few times to rustle up some dirt/debris? I've heard this helps as it imitates a feeding baitfish. Ever heard of or tried this technique?

[HARPOON-OR-BUST]

I SOMETIMES WILL DO THAT, MAYBE NOT POUND THE BOTTOM BUT I'LL SET IT DOWN AND THEN SLOWLY PICK IT UP. LIKE I SAID IF THEY AREN'T RESPONDING WELL ON THE FLASHER THAT DAY I WILL TRY LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS FROM BIG SNAPS TO LITTLE QUIVERS AND THEN LETTING IT SIT STILL. IF ONE THING DOESN'T WORK TRY ANOTHER.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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Just a follow-up question...when jigging...do you let your jig pound the lake bottom a few times to rustle up some dirt/debris? I've heard this helps as it imitates a feeding baitfish. Ever heard of or tried this technique?

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This is really going to depend on the bottom content. If I am fishing sand or rock, then yes, I will letit hit the bottom, pound may be a harsh term, If fishing mud, or weeds, I tend to stay off the bottom, sometimes it can stir the bottom up too much.

here is a strange story... last year at lake of the woods, we were on a pretty tough bite, my buddie put his rod down to get a diet coke, so his lure was sitting on the bottom, his rod almost shot down the hole. I was a bit in awe of the catch..so I too layed my lure right on the bottom/slack line and caught fish. That was the only way we could catch fish that evening.

[eyepatrol]

Yeah, makes sense not to let the lure hit bottom in muddy murkey areas. Thanks for the info. We've got a southcentral fm get-together coming up in a couple weeks and I'll primarily be targeting walleyes. I'll use the method you've described and see how it goes.

thanks, bc

[Northlander]

I agree with these guys. Run a deadstick/bobber rod in 1 hole and jig in the other. The jigging will draw in fish to your deadstick if you cant get them on a jig. Perch seem to love the bottom "pounding" as do Pout and even Pike at times. Walleyes too.

Dietz isnt it cazy how some days nothings better than laying a minnow on bottom? Not often but its crazy when it happens aint it? Just watch out for those Sturgion! Been to LOW yet?

[Deitz Dittrich]

N-Lander, No not yet... not sure when I am going to make it up, probably not before the Iceseries.. And yes, very weird!

[RocketRich]

This last weekend on Gull I was watching the eyes on the bottom with the AquaView and trying everything. I used a small frosty with small minnow, plain hook, shiners etc... and it was fun laying the shiner on the bottom. It would lay on its side and wiggle. The eyes would come in and watch about 3inches from the bait but not bite. Then every once in a while boom we would hit one. It was fun watching. Perch were trying to each minnows about as big as them. Rocket

[MJP]

I also do the set line with either a jig minnow combo, or a glow tube hook combo with minnow. Then I am always jigging a Glow Spoon on the other line. I usually start with a smaller spoon, but if I don't get action reasonable soon, I switch to a bigger spoon to bang the bottom to get more movement going on down below. This actracts fish, and the more aggresive fish will hit the spoon, and the more timid fish will hit the set line. I love jigging spoons and have great success doing it.Good luck to you.

Matt