Deep Jigging Ledges

[Fishie1]

Hi guys....it seems like the forum is not what it use to be in some ways....people on here use to really help out the newbes on here....

Anyway guys what is your favorite jig out there for this technique...what action rods and lenghts do you prefer...

I use a 6 foot 6 in woo daves worm rod with 12lb line and a 6.31 reel..... I do the bango technique and it works....its the one where you have slack line and you snap it up to 12 o clock....the jigs so far that I have found to work are the strike king pro models but I am sure there are better ones out there for this technique...
I think Jig n pig might be able to help me out here? lol. I will be making long casts with this technique if it helps?

[bigboss]

i would give u some help but im not familar with his technique. alot of people that use jigs say that most bites come on the fall so maybe a lighter jig would be best so it sinks slower and your going 2 be casting far so i would use a baitcaster and losen the cast control to help u get it out there

[Fishie1]

thanks for the tip....yeah I don't know cause I know Dan Morehead is like and expert at this technique growing up on Kentucky lake.....but Mabey a fast sinking jig would get more reaction strikes?

[PowerBass]

Fishie,
I myself have wondered quite a few times about deep fishing ledges with jigs. When I go out next time I will try it out, and see what happens.

[Fishie1]

Yeah....I know on Ky Lake it is a proven winner.....
Try hopping it with a slack line....from 9 to 12....to where you tighten up the line at the very top?

[bigboss]

2 get reaction strikes you need a real quiet presentation and u said you were casting pretty far so its a little harder 2 set you lure in quietly

[Bigbass10]

hey newbe welcome to the board! I like the rattle jig but never caught nothin on it. But my dad well, thats another story, so try the rattle jig it works.

[Fishie1]

I am not any newbe Bigbass...lol. Yeah I actually picked up some triple rattle back jigs and some of the originals to hop down there.....wouldn't you be able to get some reaction strikes though if you had a really heavy jig and you would hop it 3 feet off the bottom and let it come down on the bass really quick....mostly points?

[bigboss]

it all depends on how the fish are, somedays your way will be deadly and somedays the bass may get spooked by the littlest splash

[Fishie1]

yeah....more than likely they would get spooked...lol.

[bassking22]

Try vertically jigging under a slip bobber. read my post about it in tips 'n' techniques.

[zooker]

hey bigbass10 nice to see ya back on line...get a package did ya??




zooker

[FlyRod]

Zook,

What, if anything, are you using as a jig trailer? Reason for my question: Using a very light jig off the deeper ledges might not permit the control and sensitivity you desire, especially in windy conditions (boat drift, line bowing in the breeze.) If, however, you use a heavier jig, the fall rate might actually prevent the jig being in the "sweet spot", depth-wise, for a long enough interval.
So...while most if us might prefer to use a craw imitation (Paca, or any other with those flat claws,) it might be wise to try a twin tail twister-type grub. Even though the time lag between the top of the jig's travel and it's return to the bottom may be only slightly increased THAT might make a difference.
As we all know, the action of a twister tail(s) slows the fall. This might allow you to use the heavier jigs (control) with a slower fall.
Also, the length and density of the skirt affects the fall rate, with or without a trailer. If you add a twister tail grub (double is probably best) and the skirt is too long, the tails cannot activate and flutter to their maximum potential. Skirt too short and you sacrifice potential "skirt drag" that slows the jig down. In short, it's a balancing act that requires some thought and experimentation.
Note, if using a SMALL 1/8-3/16 oz. jig, a single tail grub might strike the right balance; perhaps a 3" Kalin grub.
Some of the soft "toads" that have become so popular might serve well too. You'd NOT want to use the ZOOM Horny Toad but, rather, one of those that has little paddle "Feet" that point outward. The only caution is that the overall thickness and length of the frog body may be an issue.
For those that doubt that twister tails slow the fall (the difference might be in tenths of a second, admittedly,) of a jig or similar lure, be advised that experiments were once conducted that replaced a standard parachute with what was basically a loooonnnngggg "ribbon" of some sort of fabric.
The load (or poor, screaming "volunteer") was dropped from an aircraft and descended beneath a rippling strip of fabric. It DID slow the fall. They're still digging for the volunteer.
Hope this helps.

BTW, Zookenstein, I note from the caller ID that you've called and left no message. (The one time you did it was too late to return the call, sorry.)
IF you get continuous rings and no answering machine response it's because the machine is either receiving a fax or taking another message. Another possible cause is that my new next-door neighbor might be over here using my land-line (she has only a cellular just now) for calls or faxes related to her work and college courses (or love life.) She won't answer "call-waiting" beeps.
I regret the inconvenience.

F.Rod
Decent chap (for the most part.)

[zooker]

fly swatter

i use a zoom ultra vibe trailer on all my jigs -it is working so far- every thing from 1/4oz to 3/8 oz jigs. i leave the skirt full on the 1/4 oz and trim it on the 3/8 oz jig..some little thing i picked up from the boys at work.. i don't remove any bristels from the brush guard. i do cut it a bit.. let me be very clear i have NOT caught a bass when the bait was on the fall..

don't worry fly sweeper i am persistaint in my phone calls -figured i was umm interupting something

zooker

[Christopherkeene9]

I like to use some squid or pinfish on a chicken rig on a 20-50lb. rod 6' 6" and 65 lb. PP. or a 24oz. glow jig with some sweetner (squid).

[NCfisherman86]

Football head jig 1/2 & 3/4 when ever deeper than 12 foot use a 3.75 yum craw papi which has good pincers for action on a 7 1/2 with 12 pounds flourocarbon with a 6:2:1 reel. retreive quick short hops starting at 10 to 12 oclock then dropping it back down to 10 and reeling in the slack when fishing a jig on a ledge

[K-Driz]

On the ledges down at LBL, they call it "strokin' a jig." Try out 3/4 oz. jigs with Paca Craw trailers because when it's hot like it is now at the lakes, the only bite you'll get during the day is a reaction bite, well, that and carolina rig bites. As for rattles, I don't believe the fish really care whether or not a bait has rattles. I use a 7' Daiwa MH action baitcasting rod with 10 lb. test flourocarbon for strokin'. Try a DD22 on the ledges too. Drink lots of water and keep an eye on your line cuz those bass are quick on the bite this time of year. Good luck!

[FlyRod]

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

I like to use some squid or pinfish on a chicken rig on a 20-50lb. rod 6' 6" and 65 lb. PP. or a 24oz. glow jig with some sweetner (squid).

So, does this rig catch bass?

FR

[bassking22]

I have caught many catfish on squid. You may not believe me, but at time, it has outperformed liver, and stinkbait. One time, I had only 2 catfish the whole day, and they were both on sqid. I had liver out that day too, and got nothing.

[Christopherkeene9]

Originally Posted by FlyRod

So, does this rig catch bass?

FR

nah I was just kiddin around, but it'll pull some nice groups and snaps here!

[FlyRod]

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

nah I was just kiddin around, but it'll pull some nice groups and snaps here!

Mmmmmmmm...dried salted squid strips with some ice cold beer! A major snack when I was posted to Korea. Ditto for tiny little dried shrimp.
Love dem calamari, anyway you serve them. Ditto octopus.

FR

[lizardsrule]

Fishie,

Just wondering, with you being a expert with the drop shot and all, why that wouldn't work well for you on these ledges. You don't actually have to have the weight hit the bottom to work it you know, or use a longer length between the weight and bait to keep it up higher. Another suggestion, is to tune your favorite crank, so it runs to the right or left, and let in bang into the ledge on the retrieve. That particular trick has produced some fish for me, when nothing else would.


Lizards

[Fishie1]

Lizards,
Oh I have been waiting to use the drop on these ledges....sometimes however a jig or something will actually work better just cause of the water clarity...you have sorta hit my game plan on the head for when I go down there....dropshot the ledges and then jig them if it doesn't pay off.....I plan on fishing Barkley more cause it is stained and the fish are usually easier to catch so I don't know if the deep dropshot ledge bite will be that great? Once thing though that I really want is some better fish....people say that you can upsize the bait on a dropshot rig to get better fish....well that sorta works.....I find that for numbers the drop is great but for getting real nice fish you will have to work a lot harder with the dropshot....I am talking 4lbs and up here....

[pig n jig]

Fishie, Its something I hate to fish, but its a must in the winter time. I find it catches all species of fish. I use metal jigs, I use a swedish pimple lure, Cotton Cordell 3/4 oz. spoon, or a 3/4 0z. Silver Buddy for the most part.There are tons of brands out there to choose from.The silver Buddy gets casted around the big primary points and retreived keeping it on or near bottom by lifting and letting it fall back to the bottom.The Pimples, or cordell spoons, I jig vertical lifting and dropping as you mentioned.You don't have to lift it far off from bottom to catch fish with them.I have a friend who uses metal jigs in around deeper water docks with great success. If your not getting a hit using chrome colored spoons, slip a white tube over the metal jig and try it again.Sometimes they seem to prefer one , or the other.I use a glow colored Swedish Pimples, They will catch fish when live bait won't. P N J