All experts please answer this.

[Otto]

What is the best type of line to use for jigging 1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce jigs in 15 to 20 feet of water? Why is it better than monofilament?

[eyewitness]

It really depends on the type of rod your using. If you use mono, then a slightly stiffer tip will send back a better feel. If using no stretch superlines, a soft tipped rod should be used so that the fish doesn't feel you too quickly and also so you don't rip the hook from its mouth on the hook set. Also, if your fishing current or heavy wind conditions vs. slack water, a high test low diameter no stretch superline will have less bow in it allowing you a better feel of strikes. I keep a few rods spooled differently for different conditions. If I was on a budget and had to choose one line for jigging anything (including casting the shallows) I would go with 6# Trilene XL or P-line. Both are excellent.

[WAeyes]

That is some very good advice, I'd use it.

[livebait]

One more thing to consider is getting a line with some color in it. iI used xl in green last year found that in current I could see the line move on the water if a fish just picked it up and started to slowly move on the drop(thus not feeling the strike but seeing it before he spit the bait out). I will be trying something different this year, loved the ability to see a bite this way and on slip bobbers but felt the line was weak and brittle.

fear no fish

[tbomn]

Good advise, although I feel just the opposite. When jigging one wants to feel every slight touch of the jig. I use a short, 5 ft. long rod, with a very fast tip, spooled with Power Pro line. I find that the feel far exceeds mono on a longer rod. The hook set is fast, and you don't have to fall out of the boat setting it, just a fast, solid, snap set. This method is super on the river when vertical jigging in current. With the excellent feel you get with the short rod, and Power Pro line, there are very few fish that have the time to drop the jig.

I would say try different ways of jigging and find the one that works the way you want it to, in the situations that you fish.

Good Luck

[eyewitness]

Hey TBO, Sounds like your basically saying the same thing. Fast action tip rod with superline....always, especially in current.
I too use the green line for river fishing. With reduced visability the fish don't see it anyway and you sure can see it that much better. I use my index finger when jigging so typically am feeling as fast as seeing my bites on a tight line. Also, if I had to give one piece of advice to anyone learning to jig....SHARPEN YOUR HOOKS!!!
There is NO replacement for a razor sharp hook. I am suprised at the number of guys I fish with who don't check and resharpen their jigs on a continuous basis. Off my soap box now........Were you out on LOW this past weekend? If so, were the fish still shallow yet? (18-20'?)or have they moved deeper? Going up on Friday and haven't been up since New Years.

[tbomn]

Was not up to LOW, wish I was. Usually make 2-3 trips up during the winter, but this winter has been really nuts, probably won't get up until the March bite.

[River_eye]

It's personal preference. I jig many many hours in a season, in shallow, no-current areas, to deeper, fast-current areas. I use fireline, because the no stretch feel allows me to tell the difference between a bite and my jig bouncing off rocks. It also gives me a sharper more precise hookset. I've spooled up some power-pro to try this up-coming season.

In the shallower water, I think mono does fine, and it has a definate advantage, it's much cheaper. Although, I don't respool between areas, so I just stick to the superlines all the time.

Try both, if you develop a like for the mono, you will have extra money to spend elsewhere. My taste is for the superlines, I find it hard to go back after I've developed such a feel for it.

Some may say that you need a softer rod with the superlines, but I don't. You just need to develop a feel for them, then you know how hard to set the hook. Like TBO said, all it takes is a flick of the wrist. You can't expect to be a master right away, even though I jig so much and have been doing it for a number of years, I'm still getting better at it.

BTW, I use a 6'3" rod with an ex-fast tip for all my jigging. If you were to pick one rod for vertical jigging exclusively, you could go shorter, but the ex-fast tip is always nice.