Walleye jigging technique

[Fawkinnae]

I'm always interested in the various techniques and approaches others have when jigging for walleyes. I become especially interested when guys like dogstyler outfish me on Saturday of the opener about 5 to 1. We've all had the experience of fishing with someone who consistently seeems to do a little better (or a lot better than everyone else). I'm interested in what some of your mechanics are when fishing for walleyes and what's going on in your head.
Methodical? Erratic? How high do you lift your jig? Lot's of movement? Subtle movement? Prefer to fish under the boat or drag behind with more line out? And I realize that there are some variables here, but, when you're on top of your game, what are you doing and why do you think it works so well.

[7Pines]

Wow, that is a really good question!
I guess that I do a few things and constantly mix it up on a drift.  I like to "snap jig" a bit, pop the jig up about 2 or 3 feet, let the jig hit the bottom (or it's smacked on the way down by a fish) on a slack line, then take the slack from the line with the rod tip while at the same time not moving the jig and feeling for a fish. ???  Next time (same drift) maybe pull the jig off the bottom and let it slowly fall with the rod tip on a tensioned line.  Next time maybe pull (or pop) the jig off the bottom and swim it a bit a foot or two off the bottom before easing it back down to the bottom.
Snap jigging works best for me when I can use a lighter jig with a slower fall rate.  Last night, the bro-in-law and I were using the bow mount to move us along after the wind completely went away around 6ish.  We found we had to keep the speed up a bit to simulate the speed the wind was moving us before it became calm.  Evidently, the fish wanted to see that jig clipping along pretty good.
Great question.  Sorta tough to put into words what you do and don't do with a jig. :-\
7

[jigglestick]

Doug, one thing i have learned since i was a kid at scout camp, when i threw rocks into the swimming area, i waited for a few seconds, then put on my mask and swam into the area i threw the rock in, to find sunfish. lots of them too.
if i just swam around looking, i wouldn't see many, but if i threw that rock there first...

last ice season, my kid was fishing twenty yards away from me and kicking my ass. "hey pop, i got another one". "how many you got"?
(laughter).
i investigated how he was fishing, to see what depth, what jig, etc. what i found clicked that old rock-sunfish memory.
he was inadvertently dropping pistachio shells down the hole. when he would do this, the vex would light up and then he'd get another bite.
fish react to falling bait. i don't think it matters what kind of fish so much, or what is falling for that matter. they just do. that is good.

i have noticed too, when casting out a jig, cast out, and unless you know that you are casting onto a weedbed, let it fall. right to the bottom and let it sit for a minute. sometimes the fish don't see it, but sense the jig hitting bottom and it takes them a minute to find it.
if you pull it away before they find it, they might not see it when you pull it away= no bite.
this specific scenario is where i like the stand up jigs. Phelps makes one, as does northland.
they allow the jig to hit bottom, but for the minnow to be suspended a couple inches off the bottom, or to be at least visible a little ways out of the silt.
i have had many times where the walleyes will even pick it up off the bottom. the stand up jig makes this easier.
so...try this. cast out and let your jig minnow fall. let it sit. give the fish a few seconds to hone in on your presentation.
then  make the first few lifts short. sometimes they just need to be shown where it is.
if you are hanging up in weeds, you obviously need to high lift to get out and swim your jig.
if you are on sand, you can just slide your jig, barely lifting your presentation. pulling so slowly, as to sense every pebble you contact. check each sign of resistance for any indication of life. when that happens, i usually double check, then i SET!!
most of the time this results in hookup.
the big variable in my technique to me, is that four letter word...wind. i hate it.
the less wind the better you can interpret what is happening at the end of your line.
you can use lighter tackle, which to me is just better.
some guys like the walleye chop.
me, I'll take an eight oz white jighead tipped with a chub or small shiner, barely moving fore or aft. picking and droppingand....setting the hook

[Fawkinnae]

Good feedback. So Jigglestick would you say you use a stand-up jig - always? Most of the time?

[jigglestick]

doug, they like most jigs are easiest to manouver on hard sand/gravel bottom, but i can imagine the benefit in thin silt. they don't always land right, but most of the time they do, and when they do, they will keep the bait off the bottom. i do know that walleyes will feed off of the bottom. this just makes it easier for them not only to spot the bait, but to pick it off the bottom as well.
all the time?
my reply would be no, but if they were the only jig i had in my box, i would use them almost anytime. anytime i chose to use a jig head that is. there are many situations where the conventional jig head setup are not the optimum choice. for example when a slip sinker,floating jig head setup might be far more effective.
standup jigs are pointed, wedge shaped, so i can see them getting themselves into more potential hangups than a round headed jig.

one thing i watched as i was fishing on the river the other day was when casting down stream and retrieving against the current, the jig worked nearly flawlessly. but casting upstream and retrieving with the current, the current carried the bait and tipped the jig over every time it landed, sort of defeating the ideal of the jig head design.

[Spinach]

Bait Rigs makes a great stand up jig, it's called the Odd'Ball Jig.

Check them out at http://www.baitrigs.com/

I've been using these for at least 7 or 8 years now, one of the owners (Tony Puccio) is a family friend of mine and gave me a half a bucket full of jigs when they first came out. I'm down to less than 20 in my tackle bag, so i'll have to make another order soon myself.