Quote Originally Posted by ekim22 View Post
Thank you CrappiePappy! That's something I hadn't even considered (that if the lines are perfectly vertical then they aren't as deep as I'd thought they were). That makes all the sense in the world to me as to why to use weights. I'll give it try #2 tomorrow! (with the trolling battery juiced up this time so I don't have to depend on the wind to push me lol!)

I'll assume you meant to type : (that if the lines AREN'T perfectly vertical then they aren't as deep as I'd thought they were)

And if that was what you meant to type .... you'd be perfectly correct.

And you don't count the length of line from rod tip to the surface of the water, when calculating. That's another reason why you see most jig "pushers" with their rod tips just a few inches above the water's surface. Spider Riggers do that too, but I think they're mostly doing it to see the rod tip go underwater (indicating a bite), since they're more or less fishing vertically ... so they already know how deep their bait is, by the length of line they have out.

Spider Riggers measure the length of line they have out -- from water's surface to the bait.
Jig Pushers measure the length of line they have out -- from water's surface to the weight. (since they're going at a faster speed, the jig will be trailing the weight - not hanging below it.)

Another thing having that weight on the main line is good for, is when you run into the brush or snag the bottom ... you just back up and drop the weight below the bait, and that will "usually" knock the jig (or hook) off whatever it's snagged on.

I pre-tie a bunch of leaders with jighead on one end & loop knot on the other. On my main line I have a barrel sinker, then a plastic bead, and a duo-lock snap (or you can use a swivel). Then if I should get snagged too bad & have to break off ... I just throw on another leader, put a plastic body on the jighead, and I'm back in business. I have my jig/leaders wrapped around a 4" section of a "pool noodle", and keep three of those noodle sections in my tackle bag. My main line is always a way heavier pound test than my 6lb test mono leaders, so the leader is the weak link. That way I only lose the jig, & not the barrel sinker. I can replace a broken leader & be back fishing with that rod in less than 1min.

Luck2ya if you get to go !!