Jiggin newbies... :/

[Jordyn Kaufer]

My dad and I are really interested in getting into jiggin' but we really don't know what type of jigs to buy/use and what to use them with..

We have jigged for eye's before and have caught only a couple..

We are really interested in getting into jigging withh plastics..

My questions are,

-What type of plastics to use.

-How big of jigs to use.

-What colors are good normally.

-How do you work the jig.

-What type of live bait to use when not using plastics.

If you could, please be kind of specific on the plastics and jigs because I get confused easily!!!

Thank you in advance,

Jordyn Kaufer

[Drewski]

If I use anything other than live bait while jigging it will be Gulp Alive leeches or minnows.

As far as jig color goes, I've always done well with pearl, gold, chartruese, and orange but it never hurts to experiment.

For jig size, it really depends on the conditions/depth you are faced with. If you are shallow or it's calm, a 1/16oz or 1/8 oz will work fine. If you are fishing deep or on a windy day you may need something like a 1/4, 3/8, or sometimes even a 1/2 oz.

As far as working the jig goes, it really depends on the mood of the fish. If the fish are really aggressive, an erratic or fast snap and drop motion will usually work. If the fish are neutral or negative a slow lifting and droping motion usually does the trick.

When not using artificial bait, I will use minnows or leeches. Minnows will work great during spring to early summer. Leeches will turn on early summer until late summer/early fall where the minnows will come back into play.

Hope this helps!

[Jordyn Kaufer]

that helps drew!

Thanks!

[mozy]

Another thing to remember is to make sure you both use different color/size jigs. This way you can pinpoint what the fish want/don't want a lot faster. I agree with drewski's color selection. I usually try to get the smallest jig I can, and I choose it based on depth/wind/current etc. until I find the size that is keeping my bait at the desired depth.

[Northlander]

Use the lightest jig you can while still being able to feel the bottom well. Some days a fish will hit any weight jig but on most they like a slow drop and thats why a light jig is better of course.

Colors for me are Chart, Orange, Glow white, Gold, Silver, pink, pearl and greens.

Biggest thing I can say about jigging is get a nice light and sensitive rod. A superline really increases feel as well but a real good rod will still have a great feel with mono on it.

Tag the rod up with the smallest and lightest reel you can. Tons of really nice rods and reels out there so I wont go into naming them.

Hit a store, find some rods in your price range and grab some reels and start partnering them up on a few rods you like.

Bring a 6'-8' piece of line with a paper clip on one end. Put the paper clip on the tip of the rods your testing and pull on the line and flex the rod.

Buy the best rod and reel you like and you can afford.

Remember you want something light. This is important when jigging many hours because it lessens fatigue.

Usually a 6' to 7' rod is good for jigging but thats a lot of personel preference. Im 6'6" and have longer arms so I like a 6'6" to 7' rod for jiging. I will go longer when jigging in current.

Hope this helps you out.

[metrofisher7]

The best color jig is a combination of yellow and orange and i would recomend a 3/8 size jig because it is very versitle. Hope this helps.

[Fish Head]

If fishing the shallows, I would pitch a 1/8, possibly even a 1/16. How to fish the jig will take some experimenting. It will vary with the mood of the fish. Early in the season its hard to beat a jig and minnow. Latter in the season you can try a crawler or leech. If I jig with a crawler, I usually pinch it off and use only half a crawler. For plastics, a twister tail is always a good option too. Chartreuse and pearl have been good colors for me on the twister tail. For the jig head, just keep trying different colors. Some days color makes no difference and some days it makes all the difference in the world.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

thanks all!

[Jordyn Kaufer]

What kind of jigs are good to use? like Fireball, gumball, lipstick jigs?

[riverrat56]

Types of jigs all serve differnt purposes. The fireball jig is a short shank jig and made for presenting live bait. I prefer to use fireball jigs when using leeches, I will also use half night crawlers on them, but I usually use the stinger hooks then as well.

Gumball jigs have longer hooks and will fish very well with plastics, I like these jigs for fishing with minnows, especially larger ones. Run the hook through the lips and then out the belly of the minnow near where the tail starts, the minnow will be "upside down" but it will ride the hook very well and help hooking percentage.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

Are lipstick jigs any good for walleyes?

I have a bunch of them and i cant decide if they would work or not/.

[Jordyn Kaufer]

Quick question...

I listened to the jiggin podcast and he mentioned something about using bigger bass plastics, what would those bigger bass plastics be like just the bigger plastic works or what..?.

[OnAFly]

In some situations I have had luck with the 5 inch sinking Gulp minnow and the Powerbait crayfish. I would actually use a bass jig with the crayfish and just a mushroom jig with the minnow (which looks more like a worm than a minnow to me, but whatever...it seems to work ok).

[ate1cropy]

One color that has stood out above the rest for us the last couple years is the red white and blue ones. They make them in the fireballs and sometimes I find them in the gumball style. My uncle likes the gumball style because he hooks the minnows in the mouth out the gills and back up the belly. minnow stays on a lot better and you get more second strikes if you miss the first time. Only time I use plastics is when im getting a lot of small fish or the fish are very active, seems to get the larger fish to bite. I really like tipping a Fuzz-E-grub with a minnow. Good luck

[OnAFly]

I'll second the Fuzz-E-Grubs, I've done well on Mille Lacs with the bigger fish on those.

[fishinfey8]

When the walleyes are being finicky I have found that jigging a decent sized split shot sinker that is placed about 6-10in. from my plain hook. I use a whole small-sized crawler and blow it up a bit so it floats. Just cast on to the top of a break, and just slowwly slide it down the edge...the blown up crawler keeps your bait at eye-level (ha no pun intended). This is how I fish alot during the summer. There are even times where i just let it sit in place for a min. or two before moving it, then let it sit again etc...just match the right bait to the right time of season.

It's nothing new, just slows down the presentation alot. It seems that those walleyes sometimes just like a bait sitting in front of them so they can suck on it before actually inhaling it.

Also I will do the same type of thing except with a live bait spinner which is about 2.5ft. . Then I will probably use 2 splitshots or just one big one. You may need a longer rod like a 7' to cast better, I manage with a 6.5'. Cast on top of the break the same, but on your retrieve snap and pull the spinner quickly, then let it sit. This allows the spiiner to flash and spin for a second or two, then stop. This seems to work for bigger fish in shallow(2-5ft.), and medium(5-10ft.) breaklines,shorelines,weedlines you name it.

I don't know if you would call this jigging or what, but it works for me!