Best Jig Presentation When Hitting The Water

[BassFishingMachine]

Hey, I just heard on the show Basspro today, that you should always let the jig fall on slack line when it first hits the water. Why is this? I like to cast out to a specific peice of cover and immediately be in contact with the jig. Most fish hit the jig when it first hits the water so I like to be in contact with it immediately when it hits the water. I understand that they say to watch your line instead, thus enabling you to have slack line when the jig enters the water, but watching the line can be frustrating and I rather just feel the jig.

So what are the negative sides to letting the jig fall while in contact with it? Is it that if the water is deep the jig won't land where you casted it because of the tension on the line? If so, im fishing fairly shallow water so maybe thats not a issue for me. Do any of you keep in contact with the jig as it falls? Also I believe its easier for you to watch the line on the initial fall when fishing from a boat, so I believe you boat owners should have no problem with this matter.

[=Matt 5.0=]

A jig that falls on a slack line will (normally) fall vertically. A jig that falls on a tight line will "pendulum" back towards the user. I watched the same show today with KVD. One thing to keep in mind is that he is fishing fairly deep, I would say 20+ feet if I remember. He prefers to target specific parts of a stickup or bush, and let the jig fall straight down...keeping it as tight to the structure as possible. Hope that makes sense. Just my .02..not an "expert" by any means. Just my thoughts.

[BassFishingMachine]

So then letting it pendulum back to me in water thats about 2-4 feet wouldn't make much of a difference, no?

I thought it was 10 feet he was fishing no? I dunno I was watching it and running to the comp back and forth, so didn't get all the info 100% clearly.

[Catt]

I shallow water (15' or less) I use semi-slack line following the jig to the bottom with my rod. In deep water (over 15') I'll strip about 2 or 3 arms lengths letting it fall vertically and count it down; if it stops before what I perceive to be bottom I reel down and set hook.

[SCBASS]

I'm not an expert so correct me if I'm wrong. I believe the reason is to maintain a vertical fall as mentioned but also to increase the fall speed and allow it to move through cover easier.  My reasoning is that the head is pointing straight down, not on its side.  If you have a hard time feeling the bites with slack line, then I would keep a little tension.  It is not going to make a huge difference either way so go with what your confident in.

[Tin]

I'm no expert either but I dont let my jigs fall on slack. As soon as the jig hits the water I engage the reel and make sure there isnt too much slack. I do this for 2 reasons, one I'am usually fishing very shallow water and two because 90% of my hits come on that initial fall, some a split second after the jig hits the water. I want a small amount or no slack line so I can get a good hookset. I cant use a longer rod either because when I'am throwing jigs I'am usually skipping them under cover. Just my .02 cents.

[Al Wolbach]

I can assure you if you are not watching your line with or without slack you are probably missing fish. It is almost impossible for a fish to suck in a jig without the line jumping or making some type of movement. With slack in the line the fish will not feel you first. I don't mean having line bunched up on the surface of the water, but not tight either, just a bow in the line. I prefer to have some slack.

Regardless of how you fish, with or without slack, you should be line watching.................Al

[bmadd]

As far as your lure presentation being affected by the pendelum action in 2-4 ft. of water, it depends on your fish and your water clarity. If your fish are active and can still see the lure then it shouldn't matter. But when the fish are lock-jawed or there is low visibility then it could make all the difference in the world. Also, you can keep a slight amount of slack in the line and still feel strikes.

[RoLo]

Needless to say, a vertical descent is vital when you're trying to parallel a stickup, bridge stanchion, dock piling or the like.

Aside from that however, I don't "always" insist on a slack-line fall.

Jig fishing is among the most difficult methods of fishing, and the main reason for this

is because many pickups go undetected, or certainly unconverted, especially for the novice jig fisherman.

On my boat, whenever someone is having a tough time sensing the pickup, I always suggest that they glide the jig on a tight line.

In this manner, they never lose contact with the lure and feel every pickup. This is an advantage that will sometimes outweigh

the advantage of an unfettered vertical descent. I know this is true, because after suggesting a tight-line glide,

I've already been outfished by so-called novice jig fisherman :-[

Roger

[CJ]

I let em' fall on slack in all depths. I feel bass prefer a vertical fall and I believe they hold on better with less line tension. I even allow some slack on the pause.

[Alpster]

I have a tendency to pitch a little beyond the stump, stickup or weed edge so the "pendulum" will swing toward my intended target. I like to keep as little slack in the line as I can without it being real tight. Quick decisive hooksets are the key to not losing fish. I often jerk the bait out of the water. It makes my fishing partners a little nervous, but it works.

Ronnie

[dave]

The term I have always heard is "controlled slack line."   Controlled is the key.