Dragging vs. Slow Lift and Drop for Winter and Early Spring Jig Fishing?

[papajoe222]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

The pace/speed and action induced into a jig retrieve not only changed seasonally, it can change hourly.

I never drag a jig uphill as it will snag to often. Uphill is good tactic pre spawn (“Spring up, Fall down”). Working jig straight uphill required skills learned by losing them. Working a jig uphill at a 45 degree angle is uphill and snags less.

 

This is worth repeating. 
As mentioned in the OP, dragging works most of the time. Being attentive to changing conditions is just as important when fishing during the cold water season  as during the rest of the year.

 

spring up and fall down is something I do unconsciously, but I forget about retrieving on an angle until I loose a couple of jigs. Then the lite comes on, sometimes. 

[Deleted account]

I always get a raised eye brow or a "poor you" look when I say this, but I seldom fish a jig in cold water, there are better options most times.

[Cbump]

First I’ve heard spring up fall down. What’s the premise behind this?

[Deleted account]

35 minutes ago, Cbump said:

First I’ve heard spring up fall down. What’s the premise being this?

 

I thought it was bros before hoes...

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, Deleted account said:

 

Hard to tell cause of all the sniveling at the weigh in, but apparently there is this new alkazeltzer screw on bait floatie thing out there. 

Someone on here will buy some and report back, I’m sure ?

[Bankc]

I almost always hop.  Dragging, in most of the areas I fish, just kicks up a bunch of mud and hides the bait.  A slow hop produces much better.  

 

There are a few areas where I can and will drag.  Sometimes it works.  Sometimes the hop still works better.  But I will say, that often times the trick to the hop is to make your lifts very subtle with long pauses.  And to get it off the ground, you have to put a bit of speed on it, so you can't lift too slowly.  It can take me 10 minutes to retrieve a bait sometimes, with 10-15 second pauses, and hopping the bait maybe six inches at a time.  Just a quick pop to get it to move, and then immediately let it die.  And watch your line, because it often won't be falling long enough to feel a bite.  

[WRB]

“Spring up & Fall down” based on the bass migrating direction.

Dragging a jig through muck doesn’t work.

Cold water period bass tend to locate in deeper slightly warmer water near steeper bank, channels and humps where their prey source is. 
Small moves can result in a few feet of depth change on steeper structure.

There is a big difference between hops and strokes, usually inches vs feet.

Tom

[Catt]

11 minutes ago, WRB said:

“Spring up & Fall down” based on the bass migrating direction.

 

I do both year round depending on where the bass are located on the structure. Generally I prefer fishing uphill, I believe I stay in contact with the bottom better.

[JediAmoeba]

On 3/26/2023 at 6:13 AM, Catt said:

I work a jig the same way I work a Texas Rig which is Ole School with the only difference being the hops are smaller.

1) Make a long cast

2) Strip 3 or 4 arms length of line, this will assure a vertical fall

3) Count the bait down, 15' of water count to 20 to make certain the bait is on the bottom, do it in your head if need be

4) Pause a good 30 seconds after the bait reaches bottom

5) Lower your rod to the 2 o'clock position while reeling slack & feel for anything unusual

6) Move the rod from 2 o'clock to 1 o'clock in three motions

7) Pause 30 seconds & feel for anything unusual

? Repeat 5, 6, & 7 all the way back to the boat

Some times I'll simply drag the jig along the bottom really really slow

20 seconds to get to the bottom? You must be using lightweight jigs? I am usually running 3/4 oz+ for bottom contact and skipping. 

[Catt]

11 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

20 seconds to get to the bottom?

 

11 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

Count the bait down, 15' of water count to 20 to make certain the bait is on the bottom,

 

1/4 oz - 1' per second 

[GoneFishingLTN]

On 3/26/2023 at 5:13 AM, Catt said:

I work a jig the same way I work a Texas Rig which is Ole School with the only difference being the hops are smaller.

1) Make a long cast

2) Strip 3 or 4 arms length of line, this will assure a vertical fall

3) Count the bait down, 15' of water count to 20 to make certain the bait is on the bottom, do it in your head if need be

4) Pause a good 30 seconds after the bait reaches bottom

5) Lower your rod to the 2 o'clock position while reeling slack & feel for anything unusual

6) Move the rod from 2 o'clock to 1 o'clock in three motions

7) Pause 30 seconds & feel for anything unusual

? Repeat 5, 6, & 7 all the way back to the boat

Some times I'll simply drag the jig along the bottom really really slow

Would you mind how long you wait when you pitch a jig into cover or your process on the subject 

[Catt]

3 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Would you mind how long you wait when you pitch a jig into cover or your process on the subject 

 

You asking about pitching vs casting?

[GoneFishingLTN]

10 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

You asking about pitching vs casting?

Yes sir

[Catt]

14 hours ago, GoneFishingLTN said:

Would you mind how long you wait when you pitch a jig into cover or your process on the subject 

 

10 hours ago, Catt said:

 

You asking about pitching vs casting?

 

Well actually I don't flip or pitch.

 

I do what I call a "roll cast", with my lure hanging 12-14" from my rod tip, I will make a backwards C with my rod tip. To picture it in your mind point your finger out & simply make a backwards C. 

 

I can hit any target from the distance of a medium flip out to as far as you can cast. Something I learned bank fishing as a kid.

[GoneFishingLTN]

5 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

 

Well actually I don't flip or pitch.

 

I do what I call a "roll cast", with my lure hanging 12-14" from my rod tip, I will make a backwards C with my rod tip. To picture it in your mind point your finger out & simply make a backwards C. 

 

I can hit any target from the distance of a medium flip out to as far as you can cast. Something I learned bank fishing as a kid.

Once you hit you target how do you retrieve it? Drags mixed with a hop here and there?

[LrgmouthShad]

You know, maybe it’s just me, but I do not have a formula for how I work a jig. 
 

Yes, I will let it fall on a slack line.

 

Yes, sometimes I will shake it when it’s still. Most of the time when it’s up against something.

 

But otherwise, man I might make a triple hop here, then next slow lift here, then next double hop… oh look there’s a stump lemme shake it quick…. Okay no bite lemme pull it over… then maybe drag it…. 
 

I do not care about how I’m “supposed” to work a jig

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I do not care about how I’m “supposed” to work a jig

 

Random movements 

 

Unless something scares the crawfish its movements are random. Kinda like you're doing

[galyonj]

41 minutes ago, Catt said:

I do what I call a "roll cast", with my lure hanging 12-14" from my rod tip, I will make a backwards C with my rod tip. To picture it in your mind point your finger out & simply make a backwards C. 

 

Roll casts are my jam. I can't stand up to fish because my balance is so bad, so that's how I get around not having the reach to pitch a lure. Roll casting is how I learned to do what little skipping I can.

[Deleted account]

 

[LrgmouthShad]

10 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

 

Since when have you started being helpful on this forum?

[Functional]

I'm so glad this thread exists. I've don't nothing but aggressively hop a jig based on how I saw them fleeing me when I used to catch them. Going to try dragging them and shaking now. Maybe I can learn a jig lol. 

[A-Jay]

Lots 'Good Stuff' in this one ~

For me Dragging vs. Slow Lift and Drop for Winter and Early Spring Jig Fishing is pretty much a bit of just about everything mentioned in these previous replies. 

Something I'll add and have mentioned before, revolves around my mind set during the presentation.

I prefer to believe that a big Old Bass is the master of her domain and is keenly aware of everything in it, including my bait.  So when I'm Not looking to illicit a 'reaction' type strike,

I like to try and sneak my bait back to the boat WITHOUT being detected.  Meaning, I'm doing very little with the bait that would be seen as attempting to draw attention to it.  

(sort of like what most everything a bass eats does all day). 

It's usually a slow deal which works well in the cooler water we're discussing here.

However can also be totally good just about anytime. 

btw - I do the same thing with a vibrating jig early season.

A-Jay

 

[LrgmouthShad]

45 minutes ago, Functional said:

I'm so glad this thread exists. I've don't nothing but aggressively hop a jig based on how I saw them fleeing me when I used to catch them. Going to try dragging them and shaking now. Maybe I can learn a jig lol. 

More important than how you work, IMO, is rate of fall and profile of the jig. And above that, is ever-important location. Where you throw it. A jig is easy to fish. I don’t even consider it very different from a t-rig. The bite is the same. 

[Catt]

5 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I don’t even consider it very different from a t-rig. The bite is the same.

 

Yes sir ?

[skywalkerV]

On 4/8/2023 at 9:13 AM, LrgmouthShad said:

More important than how you work, IMO, is rate of fall and profile of the jig. And above that, is ever-important location. Where you throw it. A jig is easy to fish. I don’t even consider it very different from a t-rig. The bite is the same. 

 

Fairly new to incorporating the T-Rig or Football Jig to my arsenal, what does a bite feel like on these? Am I just line watching?