Vertical_Jigging

VERTICAL JIGGING TIPS

MY DAD STARTED TEACHING ME TO FISH WHEN I WAS TWO OR THREE YEARS OLD. HE AND MY MOM WOULD TAKE ME TO KENTUCKY LAKE AND FIND A NICE FLAT AREA OF THE BANK WITH SOME BRUSH IN THE WATER. THEY WOULD SIT ME STRADDLE OF A SMALL STUMP OF A TREE OR BUSH AND BAIT ME UP A SMALL KIDS VERSION OF A CANE POLE. BACK THEN, THE ONLY BAIT ANYONE USED WAS “MINNERS”, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME MANY TIMES SINCE THOSE DAYS THAT I KEPT THEM BUSY ALL DAY TAKING THOSE BIG SLAB CRAPPIES OFF MY POLE.

WELL, THEY TAUGHT ME GOOD, AND UNTIL ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO, EVERY TIME I WENT CRAPPIE FISHING, I TOOK ALONG A DAYS SUPPLY OF “MINNERS”. I USUALLY CAUGHT A NICE MESS USING THE LESSONS THAT THEY TAUGHT ME.

THEN I MET A GUY NAMED BUDDY UPSHAW.... HE HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST CRAPPIE FISHERMEN I HAVE EVER MET! THE FIRST TIME WE WENT FISHING, I SHOWED UP WITH ALL OF MY USUAL EQUIPMENT AND CARRYING A “MINNER BUCKET” WITH SIX DOZEN “MINNERS” IN IT.

WE WERE USING HIS BOAT AND HE DIDN’T USE A TROLLING MOTOR TO MOVE AROUND. INSTEAD HE USED A METHOD CALLED “SCULLING”. HIS METHOD WAS ALSO NEW TO ME BUT I FOUND IT TO BE VERY PRODUCTIVE, AS LONG AS YOUR SHOULDER HOLDS OUT.

BUDDY SHOWED ME A NEW WAY TO FISH THAT DAY! HE WOULDN’T THINK OF USING ANY LIVE BAIT. INSTEAD HE RELIED ON SMALL CALFTAIL HAIR JIGS TO CATCH TEN FISH TO EVERY ONE THAT I CAUGHT. AND I REALIZED THAT HE DIDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KEEPING HIS JIGS ALIVE ALL DAY AS I HAD TO WITH MY BUCKET FULL OF “MINNERS”. SO I STUDIED HIS METHOD AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD LEARN HOW TO DO IT.

VERTICAL JIGGING IS A VERY INEXPENSIVE WAY TO FISH BECAUSE IT DOESN’T REQUIRE ANY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT. YOU CAN USE ANY TYPE OF ROD THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT I LIKE TO USE AN ULTRALITE ROD BETWEEN 8 AND 10 FEET LONG. MY FRIEND BUDDY STILL USES 8 FOOT FLY RODS. AND YOU DON’T NEED A COSTLY REEL BECAUSE YOU DO NOT CAST AND RETRIEVE AS YOU DO WHEN SPIN CASTING. ALL THE REEL IS USED FOR IN VERTICAL JIGGING IS TO HOLD YOUR EXCESS LINE. THE REELS THAT I USE ARE PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST ONES THAT YOU CAN FIND ANYWHERE. THEY ARE MADE COMPLETELY OF PLASTIC AND COST BETWEEN FOUR AND SEVEN DOLLARS. THEY ARE MADE BY WEST POINT AND ARE CARRIED BY BASS PRO AND CABELAS.

I USE THE LIGHTEST WEIGHT LINE THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH…USUALLY SIX POUND TEST. I ACTUALLY LIKE FOUR POUND TEST BETTER, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT I HAVE TROUBLE TYING KNOTS WITHOUT BREAKING IT. I ALSO STICK TO THE VERY LIMP MONOFILAMENT LINES INSTEAD OF THE BRAIDED LINES BECAUSE OF ALL THE BRUSH PILES THAT I FISH AROUND. THOSE BRAIDED LINES JUST WON’T BREAK AND SOMETIMES, AFTER I HAVE TRIED TO GET UNSNAGGED AND CAN’T, I JUST WANT IT TO BREAK SO I CAN TIE ON A NEW JIG.

I HAVE NOW COVERED THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR VERTICAL JIGGING. THIS TYPE OF FISHING IS BEST DONE IN SHALLOW WATER. AND I MEAN SHALLOW…LESS THAN TEN FEET. IN FACT, MOST OF MY FISHING IS DONE IN WATER LESS THAN FIVE FEET DEEP. TIE ON A 1/32 OZ. CALFTAIL HAIR JIG AND GET READY FOR SOME FUN. YOU CAN USE A BOBBER OR CORK IF YOU PREFER, OR YOU CAN FISH TIGHTLINE AS I DO. I PREFER TIGHTLINING BECAUSE I LOVE THE FEELING WHEN THEY COME “KNOCKING”.(CHECK OUT THE STORY ABOUT HOW WE CAME TO CALL OUR JIGS “KNOCKERS”).

YOU CAN FISH FROM THE BANK IF YOU WANT, BUT I PREFER TO USE A BOAT IN ORDER TO COVER MORE WATER. JUST REMEMBER THAT CRAPPIE LOVE WOOD. I HAVE CAUGHT MORE CRAPPIE AROUND WOOD THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF COVER.

SO, MOVE VERY SLOWLY ALONG THE BANK, KEEPING YOUR BOAT ABOUT ONE RODS LENGTH FROM WHATEVER YOU ARE FISHING AROUND. WHEN YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING SLOW ENOUGH, SLOW DOWN SOME MORE. THE MISTAKE MADE MOST OFTEN IS FISHING TOO FAST…OR BEING TOO NOISY. TRY TO MAKE AS LITTLE NOISE AS POSSIBLE…IN THE BOAT AND IN THE WATER.

SIMPLY HOLD THE ROD IN ONE HAND AND USE YOUR OTHER HAND TO PULL ABOUT FIVE OR SIX FEET OF LINE OFF YOUR REEL. NOW, GENTLY DROP YOUR JIG DOWN NEXT TO A TREE, LIMB, DOCK, BUSH, LOG JAM, OR WHATEVER. TRY DIFFERENT DEPTHS AND DIFFERENT ACTIONS WITH YOUR ROD TIP. SOMETIMES THEY LIKE IT DOING NOTHING. SOMETIMES THEY WANT YOU TO JIG IT OR BOUNCE IT. SOMETIMES THEY WANT IT BOUNCED OFF THE BOTTOM. AND WATCH YOUR LINE RIGHT AT THE SPOT WHERE IT ENTERS THE WATER. SOMETIMES THE BITE IS SO SOFT THAT ALL YOU WILL SEE IS A LITTLE TWITCH OF YOUR LINE WHERE IT ENTERS THE WATER. AND AT OTHER TIMES THEY WILL TRY TO JERK IT OUT OF YOUR HAND.

THIS METHOD HAS PROVED TO BE SO PRODUCTIVE FOR ME THAT I DO NOT HESITATE TO RECOMMEND IT TO ALL MY FRIENDS. SINCE LEARNING IT, I HAVE IMPROVED MY CATCH GREATLY.....

AND NOW MY WIFE LOVES TO FISH TOO BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO HANDLE THAT LIVE BAIT!!