Jig retrieve suggestions

[MB916]

This is my secrond winter bass fishing and I am really trying to get confidence in jig fishing. Today at amador I boated 4 fish with a 1/2 oz bass patrol jig with a berkely chigger craw trailer. my retrieve was basically a ten to twelve drag with pauses and shaking. I feel like I missed alot of strikes as when I looked at the pintchers on the craw they were all chewed up. I am looking for some suggestions on different types of retrieves to try as well as some strike indicators. I realize that the strike indication is more of a feel and learn as you go thing but what do you guys look for.

Thanks,
Tight lines

[GKramer]

Hey, I couldn't help responding. Your retrieve must have been just fine--you GOT BIT. As for retrieves, there are a thousand variations based on everything from personality type, rod length, jig weight, caffeine consumption, depth, wind speed, activity level of the fish and another 993 possibilities. Missed strikes? Could be you, could be the fish. I would keep the tip lower: 9-11, minimize the bow in the line and, in the best Mike Folkestad tradition: don't swing. With any odd sensation (hopefully a bite) keep the tip pointed at the water and reel at full tilt until the rod loads up. If it's a fish, you increase your odds of getting the hook point started; then give rod a quick pop. And if it doesn't load up? You were going to make another cast anyway.

[MB916]

Thanks for the reponse and insight...don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to catch those four today as well as the bites that I got. Not trying to sound greedy just looking for a little bit of insight and suggestions from some of you guys that have a bit more experience.

[D.B.COOPER]

Trim your skirt up to the hook and put on a shorter trailer. Make it more compact. D.B.COOPER

[eagle123777]

Trim your skirt up to the hook and put on a shorter trailer. Make it more compact. D.B.COOPER

if the weed cover is long and past the point of the hook, trim the cover closer to the point.

[Oldschool]

PM me your email address and I will send you a In-Fisherman article on Horizontal Jigging.
When fishing deep structured rocky lakes and casting a jig verses fishing a jig vertical, you have a lot more line in the water. Casting and retrieving a jig along the bottom requires you to focus on line movement to detect the majority of strikes. This technique works best with controlled slack; you need to feel the movement or lack of the movement of jig...watch the line where it enters the water and run the line over your index finger. The rod position should be down with the rod tip pointing at the V where the line enters the water when the jig is falling.
You move the jig by simply cranking the reel handle 1 to 2 turns, then stop and let the jig fall again or lift the rod up to move the jig over any rocks etc. Reel to set the hook and then sweep the rod back after it loads up. Strikes can be anything unusual; tick, line movement, no weight or hammered. Largemouth bass engulf jigs, smallies and spots tend to peck at the claws. If you are fishing smallies or spots you need to feel some resistance before hook setting, largemouth sooner is better; this takes lots of practice and everyday is a little different.
Tom

[ash]

All good advice above, I want to add a few things -

1.) check that hook point, drag it across your thumb nail it should catch if not its dull and needs to be sharpened, when i used bass patrol rounded hooks were a constant battle.

2.) Spots are NOTORIOUS for double poppin a jig - they love to pull the claws off first, so they will rush the jig and hit the pinchers- when this happens i lift the rod tip about 3" scootin that dad but dont pull it too far - or kill it that spotty or one of his many cousins will come over and POP that jig now that it is a defenseless crawdad.

3.)The other deal for me has always been to add color either purple or orange at the football head - check out TNT Baits http://tntbaits.com/?page_id=75 they have the color powder coated in.

4.)Smelly Jelly or Scent - keep scent on the jig smelly jelly on the trailer or bang on the craw - keep them tasty and salty - gaining an additional second or two is HUGE in jig fishing.

5.) As stated prior keep that rod tip low no higher then 10o clock at any moment - you will start to feel the difference between THUNK (which means he clocked it and is munching on it) and Tap or Tap tap - tap = wait for it or scoot just a tad he will come back tap tap = you were spit out and refer back to tap - but if you get tap and you "lose the feel of the jig" set the hook - this stuff will come with experience on the water, trust me its a fun way to fish!

[Cooch]

Three things I'd recommend:

1. Switch to an Uncle Josh 101 Spinfrog pork trailer. It'll compact yer bait and give em something a lil more realistic when the first grab it so they might hold on just a lil longer for ya to detect the strike.

2. Soak it with an oily based scent, I'm a Bang guy, there's a lot of options out there. A scent trail with assist in triggering the urge to feed, and the scent on the bait will trick em into holding on just a lil longer for ya ta detect the strike.

3. Use a football head jig, it'll stand up better and put that hook in a better hookset position. If ya are using a football head, make sure ya remove any wire or fiber weed guard, you'll git a faster hook penetration on yer hook sets, often, they'll hook themselves prior to your detection.

A Couple of other things ya can try if yer doing all this, is go to either a 3/8 oz for a slower fall rate, as well as the fish may be less likely to detect the lighter weight and not spit it so fast. The other option is to go heavier, try a 3/4 oz jig, fish it a little faster with a greater series of hops-n-pops attempting to trigger a more agressive strike. I'd also recommend the use of FLuorocarbon line if yer not already using it. The fish can't see it, plus it's far more sensative and will assist you in detecting more pick ups and bites. If you are already using fluoro, try going up in test weight. If yer using 10#, try 12 or 14# test, your sensativity will increase tremendously. Also, be sure yer not using a "fairy wand" as a jig rod. Go with a MH, Xtra Fast tipped rod that has 10 or more guides. You'll git far more sensativity with the extra guides contacting the blank, and a faster penetration on yer hookset.

Fishing a jig in the winter time, is all about triggering and then detecting the strikes, these suggestions will help you.

[MB916]

Thanks for all of these suggestions...Westernbass forums are extremely insightfull ...Great website!

[TeamBeefmaster]

my best advice is have the right combination of jigs (football or grass), skirts, and trailers for the depth, water color, bottom cover, and grass conditions you are fishing. Too light of a jig/too big of a trailer or skirt, u will wont be able to make good bottom contact. Too heavy and u can spook fish / get snagged too often.

make sure u can feel the bottom, feel if its sand, gravel, rock, stumps, etc.... I love fishing areas with deep structure (rock and wood) with a football head. drag slowly till u feel something sticky. If you are using good line (flouro) you can feel what it is you bumped in to. 75% of the time, this is where u will get bit. Give it a pause.... BAM

My motto "when in doubt, pull it out". Swings are free!! Just last weekend I was fishing a flat in 20ft with wood and rock. As i was dragging my bait in, it felt like my line went slack, or i fell off an underwater ledge. That is your cue to reel, wind, and set the hook! She was a 5.25 fatty. Good luck man

[Andy Giannini]

A good winter retrieve for me has been slide/stop and give it a pause for a bit.

The biggest thing is bait concentration, keep your thoughts on that jig and what it is doing.

Maintain a bait awareness level at all times.

A.G.