03-10-2006, 12:24 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I do not pour or use jig heads smaller than 1/32 oz. but I do use a lot of those. With a decent light rod, good reel and quality 4# line I can cast a single 1/32 oz jig plenty far enough...50 to 60 feet. And yes, I do fish them on a cast and retrieve, as well as vertical jigging.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When fishing from a float tube or pontoon, you should not have to make excessively long casts. You can position your craft near enough to where you want to cast that you do not spook the fish and you can fish more effectively. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Too many anglers want to try for distance on every cast. More important to have feel and control. With light lures, the more line you have between you and the lure the less "touch" you maintain. A lot of fish do not smash those "bitty bugs". Instead, the take will often be just a "tick" or a slight bit of back pressure as you reel. That is known as the "rubber band" feel. You have to maintain absolute feel of what is going on with your jig, keeping your wrist cocked and watching your line and rod tip. Whenever there is a twitch on your line or a slight movement of your rod tip, release your cocked wrist in a short hookset. If you don't, you will miss a lot of bites you never knew you had. Hooksets are free.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I often fish the small stuff on a tandem rig, using two of the small jigs. It gives slightly more weight and you can use either two of the same jig or one each of two different kinds. I like to use a darker color on the bottom (natural) and a brighter more visible color (attractor) from 18" to 36" above the bottom jig. I use a blood knot dropper for the top jig.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are fishing water deeper than about 10-15 feet, you may want to make the lower jig a 1/16 oz. to help it sink faster and to give you more feel in the deeper water. I rarely use larger than 1/8 oz. unless fishing for larger fish in deeper water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When fishing my small stuff, I vary the retrieve until I find what the fish want. When I cast and retrieve, I am usually working on fish suspended somewhere between top and bottom. So, as soon as the jig(s) splash down. I click the bail and tighten the line. I keep the line tight, without reeling as I count the jigs down through the water column. Sometimes I get a "pop on the drop", when fish intercept the jigs on the fall. I make note of the count as I set the hook and reel in the fish. On my next cast, I wait for another bite, at the same count,or stop the drop and begin reeling slowly. I vary the depth and speed of the retrieve until I find what the fish want and then that's how I keep fishing until they change.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When vertical jigging, I let the jig(s) go all the way to the bottom. Then, I reel down until the rod tip is just above the water and begin slowly lifting and jigging up off the bottom. I pause every few seconds to let the jig sit motionless. Sometimes fish want action on the jigs, other times the want it "dead stick"...absolutely motionless. Again, watch your line and your rod tip. Some fish like crappies and bluegills will just suck in the jig and then spit it out. Those takes are very difficult to detect, so you really need to be alert.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Until I find where the fish are holding, above the bottom, I keep raising the jig a few inches at a time. If I get hits two reel turns off the bottom, then every succeeding cast I drop to the bottom, reel up two turns and start fishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There is a lot to the "touch fishing" techniques I use. It is not just about size and color of jig. Everything has to be in balance, tacklewise, and you really have to stay razor sharp in watching and feeling what is going on at the other end of the line.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When fishing from a float tube or pontoon, you should not have to make excessively long casts. You can position your craft near enough to where you want to cast that you do not spook the fish and you can fish more effectively. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Too many anglers want to try for distance on every cast. More important to have feel and control. With light lures, the more line you have between you and the lure the less "touch" you maintain. A lot of fish do not smash those "bitty bugs". Instead, the take will often be just a "tick" or a slight bit of back pressure as you reel. That is known as the "rubber band" feel. You have to maintain absolute feel of what is going on with your jig, keeping your wrist cocked and watching your line and rod tip. Whenever there is a twitch on your line or a slight movement of your rod tip, release your cocked wrist in a short hookset. If you don't, you will miss a lot of bites you never knew you had. Hooksets are free.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I often fish the small stuff on a tandem rig, using two of the small jigs. It gives slightly more weight and you can use either two of the same jig or one each of two different kinds. I like to use a darker color on the bottom (natural) and a brighter more visible color (attractor) from 18" to 36" above the bottom jig. I use a blood knot dropper for the top jig.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you are fishing water deeper than about 10-15 feet, you may want to make the lower jig a 1/16 oz. to help it sink faster and to give you more feel in the deeper water. I rarely use larger than 1/8 oz. unless fishing for larger fish in deeper water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When fishing my small stuff, I vary the retrieve until I find what the fish want. When I cast and retrieve, I am usually working on fish suspended somewhere between top and bottom. So, as soon as the jig(s) splash down. I click the bail and tighten the line. I keep the line tight, without reeling as I count the jigs down through the water column. Sometimes I get a "pop on the drop", when fish intercept the jigs on the fall. I make note of the count as I set the hook and reel in the fish. On my next cast, I wait for another bite, at the same count,or stop the drop and begin reeling slowly. I vary the depth and speed of the retrieve until I find what the fish want and then that's how I keep fishing until they change.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When vertical jigging, I let the jig(s) go all the way to the bottom. Then, I reel down until the rod tip is just above the water and begin slowly lifting and jigging up off the bottom. I pause every few seconds to let the jig sit motionless. Sometimes fish want action on the jigs, other times the want it "dead stick"...absolutely motionless. Again, watch your line and your rod tip. Some fish like crappies and bluegills will just suck in the jig and then spit it out. Those takes are very difficult to detect, so you really need to be alert.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Until I find where the fish are holding, above the bottom, I keep raising the jig a few inches at a time. If I get hits two reel turns off the bottom, then every succeeding cast I drop to the bottom, reel up two turns and start fishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There is a lot to the "touch fishing" techniques I use. It is not just about size and color of jig. Everything has to be in balance, tacklewise, and you really have to stay razor sharp in watching and feeling what is going on at the other end of the line.[/#0000ff]
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