Jigging form?

[jflo21]

Just a question for all of you out there--- is there a right or wrong way to jig? I'm sure everyone has their own way of doing it but, is there one style that I should always try? any info regarding jigging and the different styles would be appreciated!

[Deitz Dittrich]

I suggest you find some clear water, and try your different lures and look down the hole.. Look to see what actions your lure makes with different movements. Some lures like more subtle movements, some seem to work best when ripped... But all will depend on the mood of the fish that day. Sorry I am not of more hope, but its more of a try and try again approach. There really is no wrong way of doing it. But some days there is a "Better" way.

[Rebeleye]

To provide one example, I was fishing for pannies last Sunday with a small Frostee tipped with a couple waxies. Every time fish showed up on the Vex I would reel the lure up just above the fish. Gave it a couple of short lift's to get their attention. Then I had to hold completely still before they would hit.

Once again it goes to show that I would have been "fishin' in the dark" without my flasher.

[boatfixer]

It also depends on the line,lure and depth. Deitz probably has the best suggestion, and even at that, I've been out one day and using the same set up the next day and the fish will react differently to it. Using a flasher or camera is helpful to see what gets their attention. I used to fish with a chronic alcoholic, and all he had to do was "try" to hold still, but the shaking drove the fish nuts!!(KIDS, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!)

[palisade1kid]

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Just a question for all of you out there--- is there a right or wrong way to jig? I'm sure everyone has their own way of doing it but, is there one style that I should always try? any info regarding jigging and the different styles would be appreciated!

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From what I can tell hard jigging and pounding the lake bottom is purely a way to get some attention.

Once fish are in the zone(below you)simply pulling your bait away should trigger a strike.

Some days it'll be higher,some days lower.

We are having this discussion already in working the water column.Hit the link and join us.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1232668&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[slipperybob]

I jig like a music conducter.

Sometimes I write my name out with the tip of the rod,...,geez not sure but a lot of time that pause and pulling tip to the side works for me.

[Kyle Sandberg]

I like to jig based on what the fish dictate. If they want to lure swimming or bouncing (agressive fish) I'll keep pounding the lure once they come up. If I find the fish are in a nuetral or negatinve mood it takes a little more coaxing and I usually will downsize to make the meal more presentable. Twitching the rod tip and sometimes just letting the lure sit seems to be what woks for me. Getting out and doing it is the best way to learn.

[rockman]

A suggestion here, for some media to view on jigging techniques, is In Fisherman's Ice Tech Jigging Secrets.I have the VHS tape, although I believe it comes in DVD. Doug Stange,In Fisherman- Editor in Chief, goes over several techniques for jigging flash lures, and swimming lures.Stange shows how he does each technique with rod in hand, out on the ice/lake. Lots of applicable information here.In Fisherman also does a segment on deadsticking,but most of the tape/dvd is jigging techniques for walleye,northern pike and lake trout.

[Jim Hudson]

In general... For jigs, such as for panfish... Using a pencil grip (form) on your rod will be the best way to control movements... Same can be said, with jigging spoons and swimmning lures for all species.. But at times with these last two, an overhand grip (form) is needed to get more erratic movement or longer movements per se..

The movements, pounding.. dabbling.. nodding... quivering.. etc can then be controlled to the mood of the fish... The fish will tell you what they want by their intensity (shown on a flasher or LCD)... So many variables that a book can be written, and there are a lot out there that do go into this... But time on the ice will show you how to adapt in certain situations, thats the number one way to learn.

A couple of tips that are always key though:

If you have fish under you before dropping a lure.. Work that lure down the water column.. Do not just drop it to the fish... Slowly descend the lure, swimming it or jigging it as you do... You will see the reaction of the fish immediately.. either by leaving (telling you, change up your lure ie downsize, etc) or by moving up to meet the lure and taking it, etc (here you may have to adapt too, pulling the lure away after the fish meets the lure but will not take it initially, or some other jigging motion to elict a strike)...

Also, if a fish comes into you jigging routine.. Be it whatever you are doing.. Do not stop... Keep that rhythm going, it drew the fish in.. Now seal the deal... Keep it going, raise it away, and usually it is an iced fish... Lots of people stop what they are doing once a fish moves in.. And the fish leaves... That rhythm pulled them in and interested them and they wanted it.. Then as it stopped.. They see that it is no longer food worthy or loose interest.

I second the In-Fish video.. Stange goes into detail on different jigging approaches.. Or search for stuff written by him and others on the same stuff... Very useful..

[rockman]

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If you have fish under you before dropping a lure.. Work that lure down the water column.. Do not just drop it to the fish... Slowly descend the lure, swimming it or jigging it as you do... You will see the reaction of the fish immediately.. either by leaving (telling you, change up your lure ie downsize, etc) or by moving up to meet the lure and taking it, etc (here you may have to adapt too, pulling the lure away after the fish meets the lure but will not take it initially, or some other jigging motion to elict a strike)...

JKH, the first thing that comes to mind with your example, is heavily pressured and/or negative crappies. I have seen it happen many times, as well, where dropping a lure to quickly will scatter the fish post haste.I am sure other species of fish do the same thing to one degree or another,but a controlled drop can make all the difference in a days fishing success,especially with crappies. Does that seem to be the case for you as well?

[Jim Hudson]

Rock

Yup, crappies for sure.. And by doing a controlled drop to the fish, you will see if those fish want to come up to the bait as well... But, even with perch.. walleyes.. 'gills.. or what have you.. That first initial drop down the hole is controlled.. It really can tell you the mood of the fish and allow you to adapt from there.

[jflo21]

thanks for all the great info! I will be giving all of this a try tomorrow-- will be leaving for LOW later on today! Hopefully I'll be able to out fish the group!

[msshadrapala]

I say that its different every time you go fishing..where you go,the time of the day,the weather,etc...try experimenting! Thats the fun of fishing,...to try new things and playing around w/trial and error!

GoodLuck!

[slipperybob]

Quote:

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In general... For jigs, such as for panfish... Using a pencil grip (form) on your rod will be the best way to control movements... Same can be said, with jigging spoons and swimmning lures for all species.. But at times with these last two, an overhand grip (form) is needed to get more erratic movement or longer movements per se..

The movements, pounding.. dabbling.. nodding... quivering.. etc can then be controlled to the mood of the fish... The fish will tell you what they want by their intensity (shown on a flasher or LCD)... So many variables that a book can be written, and there are a lot out there that do go into this... But time on the ice will show you how to adapt in certain situations, thats the number one way to learn.

A couple of tips that are always key though:

If you have fish under you before dropping a lure.. Work that lure down the water column.. Do not just drop it to the fish... Slowly descend the lure, swimming it or jigging it as you do... You will see the reaction of the fish immediately.. either by leaving (telling you, change up your lure ie downsize, etc) or by moving up to meet the lure and taking it, etc (here you may have to adapt too, pulling the lure away after the fish meets the lure but will not take it initially, or some other jigging motion to elict a strike)...

Also, if a fish comes into you jigging routine.. Be it whatever you are doing.. Do not stop... Keep that rhythm going, it drew the fish in.. Now seal the deal... Keep it going, raise it away, and usually it is an iced fish... Lots of people stop what they are doing once a fish moves in.. And the fish leaves... That rhythm pulled them in and interested them and they wanted it.. Then as it stopped.. They see that it is no longer food worthy or loose interest.

I second the In-Fish video.. Stange goes into detail on different jigging approaches.. Or search for stuff written by him and others on the same stuff... Very useful..

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Great info...I sometimes don't even think about why I subconsciously change my grip when I'm trying to change my jig technique.

[mtheis]

What I have not seen in this thread is the usefulness of a camera. When you can actually see the affects of your jigging on the fish down there you will learn very quickly what works and what doesn't. Also you will see the effectiveness of different colors and even compare different lures. This has really increased my knowledge of jigging.

[joneshat11]

I truely believe there is no such thing as the right jigging action to do. The main thing is that when you are jigging pay attention to what you are doing while fishing. First thing to do is make sure that you watch your electronics. Pay attention to what you are doing to bring in the fish to your bait. Once the fish comes in pay attention to the action that you make to make the fish to bite. Pay attention so you won't miss a bite. Once you find the action that is working stay with that action. Pay attention so if that action no longer works and then work on a new jigging action. There are days that paying attention to your actions that are done with your bait will be the difference in a days catch. I truely believe that your jigging action is as much as patterning fish as is drilling new holes and being mobile.

[mtheis]

I just came back last weekend from a nice trip to Mille Lacs. I went with two other men, and we fished in the same house together. (So the holes were probably 6 feet apart from each other). I was the only one who had a camera. I was able to out fish them probably 4 or 5 to 1 because I could readily see the affects of my jigging on the fish. I found out that pounding the bottom with my Fiskas jig, and then raising it up about a foot, gave me the best chance at catching the active eaters and enabled me to cull the smaller ones from my jig. That is the power a camera gives you compared to a Vex (which they both had). It also enabled me to find out quickly which color they prefered that day (clown colored).

[looneyducer]

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I jig like a music conducter.

Sometimes I write my name out with the tip of the rod,...,geez not sure but a lot of time that pause and pulling tip to the side works for me.

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I tried this today. I had three walleyes hit on the B right after the slippery.

[GatorBait]

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What I have not seen in this thread is the usefulness of a camera.

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Can't agree more. last week I was setup w/camera with tons of fish around but no bites. So I started trying different presentations. After an hour, I struck gold. It consisted of getting bait to bottom, then ripping it about 2ft high and start a slow/jiggling fall to the bottom and repeating. Drove them nuts and the aggressiveness came right out of them. On a different lake today, all I had to do was just barely move the jig and they smacked it. Always soemthing different.

TightLines,

Gatorbait