Jig Retrieves

[iceintheveins]

How do you guys retrieve your jigs? Do you just a lift fall or slowly swim them in on the bottom. Also, if your flipping to cover, do you reel in your jig quickly for another flip once it leaves the other?

[Catt]

This will come as a major surprise to many who thought they knew something about my fishing style.

Jig fishing time breakdown:

Flipping a Jig: 10%

Pitching a Jig: 15%

Casting a Jig: 75 %

I'll flip a jig or any bait only during the spawn; I flip to specific cover letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

I'll pitch a jig or any bait during pre-spawn to post spawn; I pitch to specific cover letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

I also pitch jigs or plastics in matted vegetation during warmer months; I pitch to specific targets letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

The strongest part of my repertoire is working deep water structure which I'll do year round day and night.

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

8) 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

[Jig Man]

I swim twitch, slow roll, burn, hop, pop, and drag them depending on water temp and depth.

[Sam]

Catt mentions the secret of jigs, shaky head and some finesse presentations.

LET THE BAIT SIT AFTER YOU CAST IT.

We throw the bait out and start to reel back, immediately.

Try throwing the bait and LET IT SIT for at least 30-seconds, if not more.

I am a Type A and it drives me nuts, but it does work.

Last week I caught two bass in a pond fishing a shaky head by casting, letting the bait sit for at least 30-seconds, and then moving it a little, letting it sit once again.

The guy I was fishing with caught only two dinks while I caught the two keepers.

Another friend, a bass guide, loves to fish his moccasin blue finesse worm by using the same "cast and sit" technique.  He is extremely successful with this presentation.

Give it a try and let us know of your results.  

[Crestliner2008]

Great responses here on fishing a jig. I, too, believe in letting your offering sit for awhile before even thinking about moving it. There's a lot to be said for "dead-sticking"! I also believe that after the initial drop & pause, everything after that is less productive. JMO.

[hawgwalker]

This will come as a major surprise to many who thought they knew something about my fishing style.

Jig fishing time breakdown:

Flipping a Jig: 10%

Pitching a Jig: 15%

Casting a Jig: 75 %

I'll flip a jig or any bait only during the spawn; I flip to specific cover letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

I'll pitch a jig or any bait during pre-spawn to post spawn; I pitch to specific cover letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

I also pitch jigs or plastics in matted vegetation during warmer months; I pitch to specific targets letting my lure sit for 15-20 seconds then shake it a couple times and then retrieve.

The strongest part of my repertoire is working deep water structure which I'll do year round day and night.

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

8) 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

You must be in a different time zone from me

[grimlin]

Catt nailed it...I've let my bait soak for over 5 minutes at times.

Finding plastic that has some slight movement while sitting out there is the KEY thing in my opinion. This is where having the right skirt on can play a big beneficial factor also.

Jig is also my number one bait in heavy current waters.Throw the jig upwards to the current and let it float back.All i do is keep up with the slack in line.This is the deadly technique on one spot where i fish.The current does the work for me. ;D

[iceintheveins]

Good ideas guys. Do you have any trouble with your jigs picking up weeds when you swim them back through early weedgrowth?

[Catt]

Many anglers think a silent approach when fishing jigs in grass is the proper approach; by that I mean they want the jig to fall quietly through the grass and come through the grass cleanly. My approach is to be noisy, that is I want my jig to cause a disturbance by moving grass as it falls and when its coming though the grass.

I can not tell y'all how many bass I've caught by casting my jig into the thick outer edge of a grass mat and then simply applying pressure, release, applying pressure, release until my jig springs free. The instant the jig clears the grass BAM a bass nails it with such aggression you might think it was mad.

I think of it like this, unless the bass is facing your jig as it enters the grass with the silent approach your jig will likely go unnoticed but create a little commotion and that bass will not only turn but swim towards your jig.

I use this approach when using Texas rigged plastics around grass which is the main reason I do not peg my weight; I want my plastic separated from my weight, I want my plastic to get tangled up a little bit.

If the bass can't see it they darn sure aint gonna bite it

[adclem]

Many anglers think a silent approach when fishing jigs in grass is the proper approach; by that I mean they want the jig to fall quietly through the grass and come through the grass cleanly. My approach is to be noisy, that is I want my jig to cause a disturbance by moving grass as it falls and when its coming though the grass.

I can not tell y'all how many bass I've caught by casting my jig into the thick outer edge of a grass mat and then simply applying pressure, release, applying pressure, release until my jig springs free. The instant the jig clears the grass BAM a bass nails it with such aggression you might think it was mad.

I think of it like this, unless the bass is facing your jig as it enters the grass with the silent approach your jig will likely go unnoticed but create a little commotion and that bass will not only turn but swim towards your jig.

I use this approach when using Texas rigged plastics around grass which is the main reason I do not peg my weight; I want my plastic separated from my weight, I want my plastic to get tangled up a little bit.

If the bass can't see it they darn sure aint gonna bite it

Nice food for thought.  Will have to try this out.

Later,

[Jeff H]

Fishng a jig isn't rocket science.  It has more to do with where you put it than how you move it or what color it is.  Sure, those things are important too, but the whole idea behind fishing a jig is precision.  

So, the "ol school" methods of subtle movements and dead-sticking are simply those of experienced jig fishermen who understand what the jig is meant for....and they know where to put it, when to put it there and why they are putting it there.

That off my chest, while I have tried "swimming" a jig, that method will never (overall) account for more fish than fishing a jig on the bottom. If they are willing to chase and hit a swimming bait they are pretty active and will hit most anything.  

[bigfruits]

be the crawfish

i let it sink, wait as long as i can stand (for me that equals about 10 secs) then i shake it in place, wait, drag it a few inches, wait, hop it a couple times. when they bite it remember what it was doing when they bit and repeat that.

if you havent used jigs much, a good idea is to put your jig in shallow water where you can see it and watch what it does when you move your rod tip. find a sexy combo and try it out on the fish.

[iceintheveins]

Sounds like I need to slow down. I have caught some fish when swimming jigs but most of them have been on the fall or picked up off the bottom.

I will try little bottom hopping too.