Intro, and looking for some jigging help...

[Buellrunner]

Hi everyone,

 

My names Jack. I started fishing with my grandfather 30 years ago....stopped for a while after he passed, and Im getting back into it now that Ive hit 32. I fish and have a cottage on Lake of Bays. Lots of Smallmouth, Lake trout (my favorite) and Whitefish (2nd favorite). I bought a 14 foot aluminum boat with a 15 hp tiller and hooked up a downrigger, fishfinder, and soon a transom mount trolling motor.

 

This fishing community is amazing! Glad I joined...

 

I hit a 10lb laker on Lake of Bays this weekend!.....sonar showed so many fish down at around 60-80ft.

 

I want to learn how to jig with light tackle for the lakers and whitefish. I dont know how. I also dont know what to jig...

 

Any good resources on how to jig properly? Do let the let the line slack when letting it go back down after Ive pulled up?

 

Really trying to learn this, as down rigging gets a little boring after a while...and the fumes from the motor are going to kill me

 

All the best!

 

Jack

[kickingfrog]

Welcome aboard. I like braided line for jigging, you'll get lots of tips on which brand, I say pick one, try it, learn it and if you don't like it try another one.

 

As far as technique... sometimes an aggressive jigging action is best, sometimes though less is more. I like to try to keep contact with the jig on the drop. Try Jigging spoons they aren't just for icefishing.

[johnnyb]

Welcome aboard indeed, Buell! My fave technique for the lakers is a 3 inch white tube jig, WITH a stinger, flopped right on the bottom. For the first 10 or 15 seconds, I just leave it...don't budge it...and expect a fish on the first slow lift. If nothing, then I let it flop again....and just twitch it a bit. Then big pulls up...slow or fast, depending on your mood...always letting it tumble down nice and slow, on a mostly slack line. Pay attention, as when it falls, it may seem to stop before resting on bottom -- usually an indication that it's been grabbed, and time to pull up! Otherwise, be ready as you pull up. And a dead/live minnow works to spice the tube up.

a 10 lb'er! Wait a sec...why are WE giving YOU the advice?!?! Thanks for the intro....get some pics next time!

[Buellrunner]

Thanks for the help guys. Ill get some pics up this time. Im going to try jigging this weekend..let you know how I make out...

 

All the best,

 

Jack

[solopaddler]

As you noted the fish you've seen on your graph have been suspended.

In the lakes I fish that's usually the case as well in the summer.

I sometimes spend more time searching with the graph for concentrations of suspended lakers than actually fishing for them...

Unless you already know, learn how to use your graph to it's maximum potential which means using it on manual mode and pumping up the sensitivity. You'll find more fish that way and will actually be able to watch your lure on the screen and sometimes see the fish hit.

Once you find them try to stay right on top of them, as vertical as possible with your presentation.

If it's windy use your electric if you have one to slow or stop your drift.

If you don't have an electric a drift sock will help.

If you don't have a drift sock, use a white 5 gallon pail .

I like to use a med hvy baitcaster spooled with some type of braid. If I'm marking fish at say 50', I like to fish my jig at roughly 45'. Always a lit bit above them..

I prefer larger bucktail jigs, 3/4-11/2 ounces tipped with either a strip of belly meat from something I've caught previously, or a large minnow. Obviously a trailer hook is mandatory.

Here's one of my jigs, usually anything predominantly white works pretty well:

 

 

The fishes mood will dictate how you jig for them. Sometimes large sweeping jigs of 5-6' with a quick drop is deadly. Other times just a subtle little shimmy and shake is better.

Key though is to never let your jig drop loosley, always maintain contact. Many times they'll hit on the drop and if you're not maintaining a tight connection you'll miss them.

 

Good luck and welcome to the board!