Based on the two threads below that contained some information on techniques, and rigging for ice fishing, I thought to start a new thread on just ice fishing jigging methods.
First of all, I appreciate the information given on jigging and am amazed at the different approaches people take.
One of my methods that usually works is to use a rig with a weight (kastmaster, etc.) with a jig tied 6 to 12 inches below. When I have lowered the rig to the desired starting depth, I put a round bobber on the line.
The weight helps to keep the line stretched (as noted by others) and speeds getting the rig down, especially when fishing for perch in deep water.
The bobber needs to be sized so that the whole rig is just on the positive side of neutral bouyancy. I have see my bobber barely dimple the water, not even going down a fraction of an inch, or simply move slightly from one side of hole to the other. I’m sure the fish are simply inhaling and expelling the jig.
With this rig I can do a variety of movements. A couple are as follows:
Gently jig the bobber from one side of the hole to the other. Change up by doing it just once, or several times, and then letting it set for different amounts of times.
Vary the basic method above by lifting and dropping the bobber in the hole. The neutral weight will allow the bobber to go under the surface putting the bait a little lower for a second, then bobbing up.
If no hits, remove the bobber, reel up a few feet, and repeat. I have done this in 50 feet of water and finally got a bite just under the ice. So of course patience is needed.
I know that the rig and most of the method above is not that different from ones presented, but thought it might have a wrinkle or two that others could try.
well i make and paint all my own jig heads.. i like glow about the best but chartreuse and pink are right up there on my list..
as for tube color’s pearl! all of the pearl colors i like! plain white are good to, and cant forget glow is allways good as well! i also keep some motor oil with black flake tubes in my box as well they can be killer on some day’s
good luck to ya in getting set up for ice fishing!
I’ve always used a wire bobber on the end of the pole. It really helps to see/feel those little bites. One of the methods that I use is plucking the line like a guitar string. You just hold the pole like normal and pluck the line that runs from the reel to the first eye on the rod. I just vary the plucking speed to figure out what the fish are reacting to. The other thing that I discovered last year was a Buzz Stick. I haven’t tried mine out yet, but I bought one for my brother-in-law and father-in-law and they say they worked great. It pretty much has the same vibrator that a cell phone has. Hope this helps someone out there. The number one thing that I would say is try new things. If you think something will work, go ahead and try it. Well there’s my 2 cents, take it for what it’s worth.
Very educational videos. Interesting to see the activity level of the fish and the willingness of some of the fish to hit multiple times even after having the jig ripped out of their mouths. Interesting to watch the reaction of the fish to your presentation and how the bait behaves. That helps me to understand what is happening with my presentation under water. Thanks for linking to that.
I’m with you all the way on the wire strike indicator, without it you can miss literally thousands of bites.
I’m not a fan at all of the “Bobber” method. The point of a bobber is to suspend your bait in a disired location. When you are sitting on top of that disired location, a bobber is not necessary. Bobbers were made so that shore fisherman could suspend thier bait on top of the fish from the shore. That’s my thought anyway.
When I use Ice flies or really small jigs, I usually rig up a kastmaster about a foot above it. This helps it get down faster and adds a little attraction. When I fish for the big boys I just use a a tube jig or a grub tipped with minnows or meal worms.
When I first set my pole up for ice fishing, I will leave it be for while before moving it. If I don’t get a bit within 10 minutes I will start a slow jig waiting for pressure as I come up or loose line when I go back down. When fishing slows down I will jig constantly until something attacks my jig. I have found that in the afternooin when thing shut down a bit, the fish like things a little more aggressive.
I like to use braided line for ice jigging. No stretch. Instant hook set. I also never use a wire on my pole. I have a very stiff pole as well. I agree with using a Kastmaster or something as well w/small jigs. I fish for trout. The best education I have had on fish behavior has been using my UWC. I have watched fish come up and literally put there lips on my bait (meal,wax,minnow) and just sit. Sometimes as long as 20-30 secs which feels like an eternity. Sometimes after. What I interpret as investigating. Open their mouths ever so slightly and essentially steal my bait with one slight jerk. Often any movement of my jig will only spook the fish away. I have watched literally 100s of hrs of every behavior I could write for pages about diffrent stuff Ive seen. But the previous behavior is particular to me. I see it quite often and have tried various methods to counter. Not particular because I dont like my bait being snatched but often was a lost opportunity at a very large fish. Any suggestions? (out of the ordinary). This summer I thought of an out of the ordinary method I wont share yet but am anxious to try and will give a report. I watched the video and was curios about the camera angle do you always set you UWC that way? Looks face down correct? Is it down a separate hole? Isn’t tangle an issue? Interesting. I always set mine up about 6ft or more directly behind me or just facing the screen. It just makes it easier to reference which direction the fish are coming from. But so does the face down method.
So to sum it up strong stiff line, stiff pole, and weighted good. Makes for an instant and very sensitive touch. I am addicted to the camera so I don’t watch my pole or line for a strike indication. Its all feel and sight. And when they are willing to put my hook in there mouth very few ever escape. Set the hook like a mad man and with strong lines rip them in like there going out of style.
I’m with Lightfoot on this one. You just can’t beat sensitivity to indicate those ultra-light bites, and a wire bobber does just that. If you ever get a chance to use an Aqua-vu, that’s a real lesson on how fish react to your jigging, or dead-sticking for that matter. Their immediate reactions and runs at your lure are not something you get to feel a lot of times, because they don’t always strike. That dead-stick idea with a Buzz Stik, button taped down to run continually, really triggers hesitant fish to bite.
i agree 1000 % wire indicators!!! i make my own they are way better than anything you can buy. and i can build 6 or 7 for less than 2 bucks. mine have alot less memory and dont kink or bend up when fighting a good fish like the store bought indicators. and i can build them in differnt gauges for hevy jigs or spoons or very light for crappie style ice fly,s. another thing i built is a eyeball plucker for perch. fast easy and never pops the eyeball like knives do. hint to plucking eyeballs with knife. trow the perch on the ice and freeze them up alitle before you pluck them out. with bobbers i cant down jig like a minnow dropping for cover or dropping for food. ever watch the fish in a fish tank. if you pay attention to what they do you wild find they hang off the bottom and drop to peck at the bottom then lift back up. not very often do they jump up and sit back down. with jigging rapalas it works like no other. i have only ever shared this with tight freinds before this yr. for spooky pan fish go ice fly and 2 or 3 maggots or waxies no flasher. add split shots 8 inches above fly and drop realy slow towards fish. they will spook alot less and bite moore than if you bomb it in on them. infisherman ice secrets taught me that.[;)]
yeah i like running the camera looking down on the jig.. some times i set it up in a sepret hole a lot of the time it’s in the same hole i’m fishing.. tangle’s do happon but are not that bad.. just need to pull the camera up before the fish get’s to tangled up.. the perch at yuba were bad for getting tangled in the cord..
well in the video you see when i let the bait just sit there the fish would swim up and put there nose on it but not hit.. well them fish are just takeing a look see but not hitting.. but ya see what they do when i move it a bunch? then they come runing to see whats going on! plus i’m teasing them alot trying to get them up closer the the camera..
