Jigging Technique

[180 EyeQ]

I was on the river this past weekend, and after watching other guys vertical jigging technique I started thinking about which technique do the majority of jiggers use? See poll above.

[135 I.Q]

What are your options ? What are the conditions ?

Watching and learning from Canadian Native fishing guides is the best ever way to be a jig meister.

[Jim Ordway]

Lifting, holding,dragging, snapping..... depends on water temps, botton content, activity of fish, type of bait,current, etc. Try them all and find out what works. And then after all your efforts you will find out you have the wrong color jig:) Fun ain't it?
Take care,

[2Labs]

I let the fish tell me on a given day what they want. I experiment until I find a technique that works.

For instance, your choices might also have included (and I am sure other posters can add more options) ...
- holding still, just off the bottom (like using a slip bobber without the slip bobber)
- twitching gently -- just barely moving the bait a couple of inches at a time -- just off the bottom

The fish on a given body of water can change their minds from one day to the next regarding what attracts them. Took me a long time to figure that out.

[karpbuster]

I was on the river this past weekend, and after watching other guys vertical jigging technique I started thinking about which technique do the majority of jiggers use? See poll above.
I will swim it slow, or jig it fast - really whatever it takes to catch fish. Sometimes, I kind of drift off looking at the duck over there and my jig falls and comes up. Bang fish on ... I guess I need to get deeper and slow down. LOL

karpbuster

[Morton]

I'll usually start with w/ a 6" lift, hold 6 seconds, drop, repeat, in cold water .... after that probably a drag, lift, hold, drop, repeat ... after that it's the same story .... whatever it takes.

I usually get more agressive as water temps rise. Usually by then I am into blade baits.

Morton

[180 EyeQ]

Oops, I forgot one detail... The river in question was the Detroit River. I would definitely agree that there is several ways to jig, many more than I have listed in the poll but in the Detroit River most of those ways will do nothing more than add to the collection on the bottom. That's not to say that there's not areas of the river that those jigging methods would work fine, but most of the time bottom awareness is key.

[perchjerker]

since its the Det River you are asking about the key is keeping your line as vertical as possible

Im sure you know that already but its not in your poll...

[ffishman]

Some years ago I was fishing my favorite lake, and on my best bar. Doing my normal jigging, 6" lift. Fishing was slow. Down the same bar a couple of hundered yards this guy was also jigging. He was snapping his rod tip up 3' at least. He was out fishing me. Needless to say, I changed my style that day.

[jaybe]

Did you start catching fish??

[Stoic Cynic]

There is no single jigging technique that will be effective in all conditions. Water depth, current (if on moving water) the presence of cover (rocks, weeds, brush, et.), the type of prey you are imitating, trying to trigger reaction bites, the level of agressiveness of the fish and species you are fishing. Thats not even taking into account jig tactics with live bait...