Thread: Minnows or jigs

Are you using clear line or hi-vis line ?? I ask, because you stated that you had to go to a heavier jig to "feel" the bite. Now, I like the "thump" as much as anyone, but I'd rather catch fish than not ... so if I don't feel the bite, I want to "see" it. Hi-vis line allows me to do just that. All I have to do is see that line make one tiny little twitch, just ONE, and I'm setting the hook. And a majority of the time I will sink the hook into a Crappie's mouth.

When I'm casting/retrieving a jig, I'm using a very sensitive rod and I do "feel" a lot of the bites. But ... when conditions are not particularly in my favor to always feel those hits, the hi-vis line allows me to see them. Case in point - I was fishing in a 10+mph cross wind, casting to a laydown. I had to cast 10-15ft upwind of the tree, in order for the jig to come anywhere close to passing over it. I had at least a 6-8ft bow in the line while retrieving. I never would have felt any of the hits that occurred, but whenever I saw the line quickly "jump" just that tiny little bit, I set the hook and caught fish.

I don't normally cast out and let the jig "pendulum fall" back to the boat, though. What I do is cast out and very slowly reel it back in, allowing the line to bow slightly from rod tip to water's surface. I reel in just fast enough to take up the slack and keep that slight bow in the line. The weight of that line above water keeps that bow, and anytime that line makes that single little jump, starts moving off to one side or the other, or suddenly goes slack (& I know the jig cannot be on the bottom) ... then I set the hook !! More often than not, I stick a fish. I love the thump, like I said, but when casting/slow retrieving ... I don't want the fish to feel any more resistance than necessary. I want the fish to be surprised, when the "food" he bites, bites back !!

No Minners , scents , or nibbles for me . I use tube jigs almost exclusively .

No secret here.....my handle says it all and I use a 10 ft pole.....picture shows my slip cork set up and the line I use for jigs or minnows.....but, when things are slow I will grab my 10 ft. pole with a 1/16 oz jig head with a plastic tube or plastic minnow.....for that I will use garlic spray....the spray will increase my hits 3 to 1....if it is slow with the jigs I will try different patterns of presentations....ie, slow swimming the jig or bouncing it.....sometimes it seems like you have to "talk" a fish into a bite with a little action....(also, I call minnows shiners)....