Float n jig fishing ?

Partly because of my recent ban from fishing boat ramps at the large reservoir.
I’m thinking of getting back into doing more float n jig fishing and thought I’d see if I could pick up any pointers from those of you who float fish all of the time.
First I’ll explain how I used to do it .
I usually used a 6-7’ UL or light action rod with a 1000-2500 reel . 3-4# lb line .
I used a small 3/4 weighted styrofoam float and usually set my jig at 18-24” .
Most of my jigs back then were hand tied 1/80 or 1/100th jigs tied in a woolybooger pattern . I used this method mostly for bank fishing in ponds .
The times I’ve tried this method in the larger (and sometimes deeper) reservoirs I haven’t had much luck .
I’m thinking my issue is depth . I have experimented down to about 4-5’ , but still not much luck .
Times I’ve fished my method out of my boat in the local water reservoirs of 300-800 acres in size , I usually go back to the 18-24” depth setting, but I’m casting toward the bank and slow (snail pace) retrieving back to the boat with occasional pauses , that sometimes draw a strike .That usually worked pretty good.
About 18” has been my most productive depth setting .
I’m going to be trying plastics this go around . Some creature baits , some ice fishing baits , and mini trout magnets, and will be using heavier jigs . 1/64 up to just under 1/32 .
I’ve had luck at the town pond with the mini TM .

That’s how I do it .
What am I doing wrong at the big reservoirs ?
Or maybe it’s my location at the big reservoir.
Should I be checking out the backs of coves , fan casting to locate the fish ?
Of course , bank fishing , I don’t have the luxury of using electronics to pinpoint the fish for me or to even tell me how deep the water is I’m fishing .
Any suggestions or explanations on how you’ve found success will be appreciated.

My float fishing is usually in a boat near a structure. The float is normally pegged. I like a small stick float and it’s pegged in place. My slip float experience is very limited. I have lots of ideas but none of them proven or practiced for slip float. I think that casting a slip float is the way to go cuz of the weight being in a tighter group but I also like a light jig and they frequently don’t pull the line through the float very well. Most would solve that by adding weight, changing the whole presentation. Hence my confusion. Where I fish would be a lot like your bank experience would be and when I get hung I lose the entire rig and I don’t like leaving tackle wrapped up on stuff. Too much junk around unlike what Victor shows in his videos which seems to me to be mostly open water. I’m paying attention to what you find in this thread as I’ve got questions too.

might try some river pitching , some spots here in the big river system are great for float pitching with nothing serious on depth .fish can be had easily in most cases and you can "sight" chase them , they are pretty easy to see in lots of spots , not far under the surface .....tipping your jigs with nibbles or hotdogs will make it great time is my guess .....
i don't do it often ,but sometimes like yesterday it was just not a day to chase crappie , the river was running from all the rain and a bit murky , but boy howdy there were nice size river bream in herds feeding on small stuff on the surface .....:highfive
i used a jungle jim handtie and white crappie nibble and just absolutely wore out a herd of them in a quick minute ...

I use a float stopper and slip float then a weight about 8-10 inches above the jig. I tie my jig head with a loop knot most times to maximize jig movement in the water. With the bobber stop I can adjust depth dependent on the fishing area/suspected fish depth. I twitch the jig 3/4 twitches, retrieve a little and twitch again. Rinse and repeat. Fan cast as I move around the body of water.

Thanks guys for all of the suggestions and ideas .
I’m going try and go for a little while this morning and try a few rigs .
I’ll post what happens.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

I use a float stopper and slip float then a weight about 8-10 inches above the jig. I tie my jig head with a loop knot most times to maximize jig movement in the water. With the bobber stop I can adjust depth dependent on the fishing area/suspected fish depth. I twitch the jig 3/4 twitches, retrieve a little and twitch again. Rinse and repeat. Fan cast as I move around the body of water.

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That’s pretty much my approach.
Bob

My main rigs for all types of panfish is two 7' Shimano Soare BB spinning rods with a Stella 2000 on one and a Stella 1000 on the other. 2# mono on one and 3# on the other. I fish a 3/4" weighted float on one with a 1/48 duck feather jig on a #10 sickle hook tipped with a piece of Berkley power wiggler which I use three colors, white, chartreuse and pink. Second rod without a float with a heavier head like a 1/24 on a #8 hook, usually another duck feather jig in slightly different color pattern. I like a longer rod since I can fish it deeper with a float, up to six feet and can cast it a fairly long ways. Tried the slip floats but knot would stick going through guides and seemed like I missed more fish than with a fixed float. My system works very well for me and happy with it so I'm sticking with it.

I was retying s few rods up this morning in anticipation of the dang rain stopping sometime in my lifetime, and I thought of this thread.

Gillchaser I don't know if this will help or not but this is how I set up a slip bobber for 90% of my slip bobber situations. What I like about this rig is the flexibility, it is a slip bobber that can be fixed as well simply by moving the bottom bobber stop. I started using a bottom stop when my loop knots started getting stuck in the bobber tube and would never drop, hence costing me fish. I use uni-knott as the top stop that I tie with mono, usually 4lb test but it really depends on the weight of the main line and the eyes on the rod I am using. If I want to slip float, I set the top stop at the depth I want and put the bottom stop about 8 inches or so above my jig or split shot. if I want it fixed I simply set my top stop to depth and then move the float and bottom stop to the top not. I hope this makes sense and is helpful to you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gunwhatgun

I was retying s few rods up this morning in anticipation of the dang rain stopping sometime in my lifetime, and I thought of this thread.

Gillchaser I don't know if this will help or not but this is how I set up a slip bobber for 90% of my slip bobber situations. What I like about this rig is the flexibility, it is a slip bobber that can be fixed as well simply by moving the bottom bobber stop. I started using a bottom stop when my loop knots started getting stuck in the bobber tube and would never drop, hence costing me fish. I use uni-knott as the top stop that I tie with mono, usually 4lb test but it really depends on the weight of the main line and the eyes on the rod I am using. If I want to slip float, I set the top stop at the depth I want and put the bottom stop about 8 inches or so above my jig or split shot. if I want it fixed I simply set my top stop to depth and then move the float and bottom stop to the top not. I hope this makes sense and is helpful to you.

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I you want to continue using the slip float, and not the bobber stuck/pinned in one place, and to eliminate the knot getting stuck on the bottom of the slip float, you can add a bead to the bottom between the float and knot. Thus eliminating the knot from getting to the float. I'll set up a demo and snap a pic on my phone and then post, to help some visualize what I'm sayin'.

This is for demo purposes, and I used what I had around my desk...Not going to the truck right now in a thunder storm...haha...any way, first bobber stop, then bead, then slip float, then bead, then bobber stop, then knot holding jig. Knot can't get to float tube to get stuck, and beads not at knot holding jig...
I normally use smaller beads, but they're in my truck...
I buy a small baggy of small beads, multi colored, dice looking things about 1/16" in size, made of plastic. There are hundreds in the baggy, and have lasted me a couple years so far...

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