Fished Black Lake the first two days of this year with a good life long friend and his step son. We iced 21 walleyes and 7 pike. Was kinda nice setting up on 10 inches of solid ice, whereas the Saginaw Bay and River (near my home) have been null and void of really thick ice conditions for almost 2 years now. Looking like we might get some this year though.

Anyway, the lures and techniques used on Black by my bud and his step son are a little dfferent than my own proven motis-oper-endi techniques on the Bay. Which of course got me thinking about a new board question.

While I was there, we fished on a ledge that went from 2 feet to 15 feet in 30 yards. Very un-like the flat expanses of the Bay. My bud advised me to RIP the Gold/Orange Do-Jigger up some 2 feet and let it fall back on a slack line. Now, if I did this on the Bay, old man walleye would take off like a shot if he was eyeing up my offering. It may draw them in, but take it easy after that. Also, instead of having it set the 4 to 6 inches above bottom like I usually do on the Bay, the hover depth was set at 2 feet above bottom. This was the only part that made good sense to me, because we were on a sharp ledge. And being 2 feet off bottom allowed for more fish crusing at or along the ledge to see the offering better.

So what is your favorite walleye jigging technique on your lake? Are you a Ripper, a short snapper or a gentle lifter? And how far above bottom do you let the lure settle?

Fishing with a Vexilar, I found myself jigging much more aggresively when I knew there was no fish within 10 ft. of my lure. It seemed to really help draw them in to take a peak. After I got their interest, I jigged much more subtle, if at all, sometimes just a gentle lift or drop a few inches could get a strike. Now without the vex, you don't really know if one is staring it down or not. I am sure I scared away alot of fish by jigging to hard and often when their was a fish near my bait. I always settled my bait to 12" to 18" above the bottom and actually came up higher to appear as a fleeing minnow. I saw on more than one occasion when a bunch of bait would show up on the flasher up as high as 6 to 10 ft. off bottom. Then, shortly after they went through, I see big red marks as high as 5' to 6' off bottom and actually above my lure by several feet. They will chase them up aways off bottom, I've seen it first hand.

Waeyes.
Good answer and analysis waeyes. Indeed, the ol'Fl-8 has both changed the way I fish and how I react when the BIG RED BAND appears. And I'd have to concur, that I to jig a little more aggressivley until I know something fishey is in the hole along side of my offering. Never really ripped the spoons like I did on those two days though.