Pushing Jigs/Tightlining

Happy Easter everyone,
I spent the weekend reading a lot of older threads on Pushing Jigs/Tightlining, as well as Rod holders for the technique. I decided to go with Southern Crappie Rods for rods. Talked with Ed Duke on Saturday, have two regular 14' rods and two 14t rods on the way. For the rod holder I agonized for a long time between the Hi-tek and SpyderLOK by Millennium Marine. In the end I went with the SpyderLOK for the adjustable height. If I end up getting into trolling more I think I need taller than the standard 18" tall Hi-Tek mount, depending on where I mount the holder. The adjustable height should help me figure that out.

I found very few recent threads about Pushing jigs. It seems the technique isn't a popular as in the past. With the popularity of Livescope and other FFS I'm thinking that at least some people are using FFS to help locate crappie.

I'm from Pennsylvania, 3 rods max per person is the legal limit, So I won't be full on spider rigging. I'm looking to PUSH Jigs to be able to find crappie that are out in the open water. Please give me some advise on setups, Pushing speed, and if you use FFS how you use it to be more sucessful.

Thanks.

When I was Pushing jigs primarily, I Pushed with 1oz trolling weights - 2ft long leaders of 6# mono - at around 1mph.

My setup was mainly four 14' rods with line counter reels & 20# mono or 30# braid as the main lines. They could have just as easily been spooled with 10# mono, but the outfits I used were bought from a friend that could no longer fish due to health problems & was my primary mentor on Pushing jigs, so I just left them as he had them. My rod holders are the Hi-tek Elites (18" risers).

This was before I purchased Livescope, back when my main electronics was a DI unit. Once I started fishing with LS, the rod holders & Pushing equipment took a back seat to single long rods & flipping/casting. BUT, should the conditions warrant Pushing jigs, I'd use my LS to search ahead for schools of fish (& their depth) & to help avoid running over brushpiles & other cover (unless the depth of my jigs would clear them).

I try and keep my lines close to a 45deg angle when Pushing & determine the depth of the jigs by multiplying the length of line out by 0.6 (so if I have 20ft of line out below the surface, I guesstimate my jigs to be running about 12ft deep) Generally speaking, running at 1mph with 1oz weights, the lines will not quite be at 45degs ... which is fine with me, because I'd rather err on being shallower than deeper. Also, I'm sure the 20# mono & 30# braid are dragging thru the water more than 10# mono would, which could also be causing the jigs to run shallower than my estimate.

My main lines have a duo-loc clip tied on the tag end ... clipped to the trolling weight ... another duo-loc clip is put on the other end of the trolling weight ... then my leader line, which has a loop knot, is clipped onto that clip. Leader line will break before main line, so I keep a dozen or so leader lines/jigs wrapped around a 6" section of Pool Noodle for an "on the fly" change out.

Also, should I want to or have to use the Spider Rigging technique ... the same equipment could be used, with the exception of the 1oz trolling weights, which I could easily switch out to 1/4oz or 1/2oz or 3/4oz Bullet Weights (depending on rod action & wind conditions).

My set up is much like pappy’s except I only push jigs and minners. I try to set up over schooling fish or known locations in open water flats. Brush piles are great but I hate tangles and re-tying so I try to avoid when fishing multiple poles. On my 2d screen see the depth of fish and set my pole to -1 foot of their depth. To get to depth, pole is 14ft. Jig to the end is 14ft. Each pull of line to my first eye is 2ft. With ffs, I set one pole at a time to desired depth.
.2-.4mph is my optimal speed. I will occasionally fish 6 poles by myself but usually 4 is my perfect number to balance a good amount of catching and manageable enjoyment.
I use 6 lb main yeller line with a bell sinker 1/4-1/2oz above a barrel swivel with a 2 foot 4 lb sos mono line leader. 1/64th- 1/16th jig head. Straight minners, Bobby garland baby shad or a combination of both. I only use 1 hook per pole. 2 catches more fish but I struggle with the extra snagging in my net, my boat or me, when catching fish.
Some days a bite will bury the pole 3-4 eyes deep. Other days you may just see the yeller line twitch a little.


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Thanks for the info.

The places I fish I haven't come across many if any brush piles, don't know if the state allows people to put them in or not. The state does put out some of what they call fish attractors, some are designed for bass (short vertical planks) and some are more panfish style (porcupine cribs, Basically a bunch of 2X2 nailed together) most times I don't see a lot of fish on them.

At least starting out I plan on going with just one hook or jig, Like Blackjeepjk, I don't want to be catching myself or the net with the extra hook.

I have some 10lbs yellow braid, thinking about using that for the main line, have lots of 6lb stren mono and some 4 lb SOS, probably try the 6lb stren first.

If I can find schools of fish, I'm thinking I can use the FFS in perspective mode to be able to steer the boat to where they are. I do run 2 livescopes, 1 forward on the trolling motor shaft, the other perspective mode on a separate pole.

Sounds like you got the setup lined out!
Now just get out there and perfect it whilst catching lots a crappie!


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I've only been out once since I got the boat at least temporarily set up. Boated less than a dozen, all less than 9 inches pushing Jigs tipped with a waxworm. Conditions were tough with the wind, water temp about 42 to 45 depending on where I was at in the lake. I didn't find any fish in shallower water less than 10 fow, fish seemed to be scattered in the deeper water.

Taking my brother in law fishing tomorrow, going to try pitching a jig or minnow but will have the long poles in the boat if we need to switch tatics.

Stopped at a Rural king on the way home from camp on Sunday, Picked up three 16' BGJP, and looking to get a set off Hi Tech rod holders from the classifieds on here.