Drifting Jigs, Spring-time

I've been asked about how to use jigs in the trophy area. Jigs are one of the best lures created- in my humble opinion. They look and act just like a small minnow in the water, moving and breathing when lifted and dropped. Because of the swift turbulence close to the dam, jig weight vs line size is important. I use 2 lb line in these situations but 4 lb is ok. If you use, say, 4 lb line and a 1/32 oz jig in heavy turbulent water, the jig will tend to get lost- rising and dropping in the current. That's not bad as far as the fish hitting it- you just won't feel the bite. There must be direct feel from the lure to the tip of the rod in order to feel the strike and set the hook. Light line cuts through water better, not bending and drifting, causing loops and drag. Heavier jigs and lures also help the feel-- choosing the right combination is the key. My preference: 2 lb green or clear line and a 1/16th oz jig in most conditions. In windy or very turbulent water- go to an 1/8th oz. Using 4 line is really ok, especially when using 1/8th oz or bigger lures because of the hook setting power you need, accounting for the bend of the rod and stretching of the line. But 2 lb is better- again in my humble opinion.

Wind plays a big part of fishing in moving water, especially when fishing jigs. It may be best to use a float and a 1/32nd oz jig, setting it about 5 to 7 feet deep. The reason is when the wind pushes your boat either up against the current or with the current, it affects the drift of the jig and the slack and/or action on the lure. A float allows you to keep the position of the jig consistent regardless of where it is in conjunction with the boat. You may have to cast and retrieve more often but that's better than loosing your lure in the current and not hooking any fish. Not using a float, tying the jig onto the end of the line, it's difficult at best to drift and fish in windy conditions. You have to constantly reel and lift the rod to make sure you have contact with the jig and it's not drifting towards you, causing slack in the line. I throw towards the bank in these conditions and hardly reeling at all, letting the jig drop while still keeping control and feel by lifting the rod and feeling the jig's tension.

The strike- hard, soft or in-between- it could be either or all the above. Hard or aggressive strikes are a given- the fish usually hooks itself. It's the other that makes you pay more attention to what your jig is doing and where is it. Pinching the marabou tail increases the chance of hooking when they're bite is short. Never cut the marabou with scissors or clippers- pinch it off between your fingers. It looks much more natural. Most fish hit baits on the drop- just when you loose the feel for the lure. Watch the line-- watch for changing characteristics in how it drops- or how it doesn't drop- may nab you a fish when waiting for the "tap" may not. When they're biting soft, allot of your hook-ups are "excuse me" hook-ups, jigging up the fish is just there. Sometimes the line just goes tight slowly. The key is change-- pay close attention to any change and set the hook at the slightest inkling.