Jig Technique Question

Whopper Stopper · 06-04-2002, 08:14 AM

When you're fishing jigs do you set the depth right on the bottom or do you set it above the fish alittle bit so they pull it down when they take the jig and return to thier spot. I've heard it both ways. Dave Johnson was adamant that you adjust you bobber until it starts dragging and then take it up six inches and constantly make adjustments as you change water.

ampersat · 06-04-2002, 08:18 AM

personally, i would run fairly close to the bottom, but not too close. even though i tie my own jigs and use disposable floats, those jig heads can get spendy after losing a few. in general, most fish won't move more than a few feet to chase an offering and they sit at the bottom of the river. makes sense that you'd want it in close proximity to them.

Firedog · 06-04-2002, 08:27 AM

For winter fish I like to be fairly close to the bottom. Summer fish will move quite a ways to take something once the water temp comes up a bit. So you can be up a bit more, just keep an eye on you bobber, it is easy to tell when you start hitting bottom. when that happens more up 6-12 inches and you should be fine.

RichH · 06-04-2002, 09:33 AM

I've always tried to keep it about 1 foot off the bottom though I've seen fish up on the Salmon out of Welches (remember when that used to have steelhead?) move 10-15 feet to take a jig. I've also had them taken off the bottom so the fish will move. Some guys I know NEVER fish them any deeper than 3 feet from the bobber. It pays to experiment.

chuck 'n' duck · 06-04-2002, 04:43 PM

If you go down to the fish's level, you will have much more success. In my opinion, when fishing jigs for winter steelhead (especially under very cold conditions) you will have to practically bump them in the nose for a take. Summer steelhead are much more aggressive and will move greater distances to intercept a jig. That being said, I would make sure to always keep your jig in a fish's zone: on the bottom. Not dragging the bottom, but within 1 ft. Fishing the jig 3 ft. under the bobber in all conditions will not be nearly as successful as getting the jig down to the fish. This is why I always fish a sliding bobber set up. You need to be able to quickly change your depth depending on the water you are fishing.

CnD

First Bite · 06-04-2002, 08:48 PM

For winter steelhead I like to keep it a foot or two off of the bottom. For summers it depends on the water temperature and how deep the water is. A lot of fish can be caught in the riffles leading into a drift where the water is often less then two feet. Other times fish will be suspended in deeper pools where you can catch them a few feet from the surface to close on the bottom.

I like to constantly vary the depth I'm fishing starting off shallow and then progressively going deeper. Sometimes it's the slight change in depth that will get a fish to take a jig. A lot of other factors can play into jig fishing such as amount of light on the water, river contour, snow melt if any to name a few. Summers will travel a longer distance to take a jig, especially when the water temperature is in the 50's.

Mark