Hello Everyone

[USAFretired]

Hello,

I am new to this forum and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Pat and I live near Nolin Lake. I am a retired Air Force guy, but currently work for an Industrial Supply company in Bowling Green. My hobbies are a Roadstar motorcycle that I have sunk a ton of money into and fishing. I never have fished very much in the past, but for the last couple years, I have been fishing with my father who is getting up in his years. I guess it got ahold of me pretty good, because I went and bought a 16" deep V to keep going. We mainly fish crappie, Bluegill, and cats. Typical fish Nolin, Rough, and Taylorsville.

I hope to learn a bunch of things from you guys. I know Dad always uses minnows and wax worms. But he wants to learn how to use jigs. So if anybody can give us the tips and techniques to jigging, we would appreciate it.

Thanks, Pat

[Joey Briggs]

Welcome aboard

[CrappiePappy]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Pat and I live near Nolin Lake. I am a retired Air Force guy, but currently work for an Industrial Supply company in Bowling Green. My hobbies are a Roadstar motorcycle that I have sunk a ton of money into and fishing. I never have fished very much in the past, but for the last couple years, I have been fishing with my father who is getting up in his years. I guess it got ahold of me pretty good, because I went and bought a 16" deep V to keep going. We mainly fish crappie, Bluegill, and cats. Typical fish Nolin, Rough, and Taylorsville.
I hope to learn a bunch of things from you guys. I know Dad always uses minnows and wax worms. But he wants to learn how to use jigs. So if anybody can give us the tips and techniques to jigging, we would appreciate it.
Thanks, Pat

you've come to the best place on the WWW for crappie fishing info !!

I can't give you much in the way of tips for "jigging" .... but, feel free to ask me about "casting", anytime :p I've never fished Nolin, fished Rough a few times, and fished T-ville since it opened.
If you haven't already ... check out my article on "Vertical Casting" -- http://www.crappie.com/articles/crappiepappy.htm -- it works pretty well, and doesn't require any "special" equipment, or rods of extra long length. Your Dad could master this technique in no time.

Post your questions here, the Main Board, or PM me directly ... for specific info on the waters you fish. I'd be able to help you on T-ville, as would several of the other KY members. BadBrad lives in your area, and might be of some help for the other lakes.
You might also want to use the "Search" feature of the site :
click on "search" (black bar at top of page)
click on "advanced search" (below the blank search line)
put in "jigging" - "vertical jigging" - or other specific term, into the Key Word blank
then go to the field of forums, and highlight Main Message Board (you'll get more from there, than from the KY State board)
click on "search now" button, and it will bring up tons of posts about whatever term/technique you're looking for/that we've posted about. Check it out, play around with it, and see what you come up with.

Again, Welcome to Crappie.com !! And Happy Father's Day, to both of you. And thanks for your military service !!

..... luck2ya ... cp

[USAFretired]

Thanks Joey.

Thanks Pappy for the info, we will give that a try. Is there a need for weight with the jigs?

[CrappiePappy]

Thanks Joey.

Thanks Pappy for the info, we will give that a try. Is there a need for weight with the jigs?

I don't use anything but the jig ... 1/32 or 1/16oz usually. Generally I'm fishing with a 6-8ft rod and 4lb test. I've used this equipment and technique in depths of 6ft to 25ft. I use hi-vis lines (yellow-chartreuse-green) whether casting or Vertical Casting ... and watch the line for hits. I'm using weedless jigheads/plastics, most of the time, and especially when fishing trees/brush ... but I also use the open hook style Crappie jigs, too, when Vertical Casting. Actually, I started out Vertical Casting with the chenille body/marabou tail type jigs, years ago. I still use them, especially around bridge pilons and dock posts ... I just use whatever type of jig I have tied on, at the time (except Roadrunners ) and use the Vertical Cast technique to "finish up" fishing a spot that I've been pounding with casts (from a distance).
I don't mean to sound like I'm saying that adding a sinker up the line from the jig, wouldn't work or would keep the technique from working. It may not, I've just never tried it that way ... or needed the extra weight. The trick, in using this technique (especially in tree tops/blowdowns) is to drop the jig STRAIGHT DOWN and retrieve it "very slowly" Straight back up. Watch the line - watch the rod tip - and "feel" for the "tap" ... all at the same time. In the article, I describe the usual ways that a hit can be detected ... watching the line, rod, and feeling for the tap, insures that you'll be aware of a hit - no matter which way it happens

.... cp

[Downwind]

Welcome to the board. I think you'll find everything you need to know about Crappie Fishing, as well as other information on catching fish here.

[USAFretired]

Thanks again for the info Pappy. I think part of the problem we both had in trying jigs from the past was really the line we were using. We have been using regular cheap fishing line in a heavy weight. I tried the cajun line and hated it because of memory it kept. I changed one of the reels over to the fireline in a 6 lb last night. I could not believe the difference in how smooth, and also how far I could cast with it. I think it will make a big difference in using jigs, even with dropping them straight down compared to what we were using before.

Downwind, thanks for the welcome....

[badbrad]

Welcome to Crappie.com, like crappiepappy said I live here in Bowling Green and love to Crappie fish as much as anyone. I fish Barren, Green and Kentucky Lake. Most my fishing on Barren and Green is done through the winter when the lakes are drawn down. The river channels are easier to find and fish then.

You'll get tons of good advice here and meet some very nice people. I mainly tightline jigs spiderrigging. I ususally always tip my jigs with either a minnow or crappie nibble. I recently tried trolling crankbaits and caught some nice fish with the technique. I Had never tried it before and just by using the information I learned here was able to go out and catch fish.

Good luck!

[EDDY CREEK BANDIT]

You have chosen THE BEST site to start your search. I have Jig fished for 30 years plus and I still am learning. My rig is a 4 1/2 to 5 foot spinnig outfit with Quantum SS Snapshots. I keep several on hand. I toss 1/16 mostly with a few 1/8 ounce on hand. I pour my own, and as of late also pour road runner type heads. Plastic tube jigs in a number of colors. Find the brush or stumps on a drop off, throw past the cover and count down after the jig hits the water until you get bit or hang up. You now know most of what I know. Thank you for serving our country and do spend as much time with your Dad as is possible. Life is short, enjoy. THE BANDIT

[Wiskers]

Welcome aboard. Glad to have ya with us. I have a nephew in the USAF stationed in Great Falls Montana right now. As a matter of fact he was just in and left to go back on the 13th. You'll learn alot on this site and if you ever want to learn a little about Ky. Lake we'll hook up & I'll show ya what I know. :D