Advice for this weekend?

[Dead Eye]

Fishing out of Port Clinton on the 17th & 18th. Have fished out of there many times in May and later using crawler harnesses but have never jigged in April. Jiginitis? Wacker? any suggestions? Sounds like you guys seem to be in touch with what's going on. The hair jigs in purple and green seem to be the old standbys is what I gather. What sizes are normally being used? And are they being dragged on bottom or more of a lift? Any advice on techniques or different baits that seem to to be hot would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[yobrick007]

I drove up to catawba today from cleveland and the water was so churned up that we turned around and went steelhead fishing in the river instead. Guy at the bait shop said that there was clear water northeast of kelly's. Check the forcast though-today there were 2-3's. good luck

[Dead Eye]

Thanks yobrick.

[yobrick007]

On a positive note- drive down to the rocky river. Caught 4 steelies and a smallmouth. the biggest trout was roughly 6 lbs and the bass was about 10 inches and SKINNY!! fun though considering how the day went.

[Eyes N Leapers]

Fished Sat. before Easter. Caught 2 1 on 3/4 purple hair jig an 1 on a gold blade bait 3/4 oz. The water was so muddy you couldn't see the fish till it got to surface I ain't kiddin there was 2 inch visability!!!! Well to your questions. I use jig s no smaller than a 1/2 oz. usually I'm using a 3/4 oz if there is any wind and a 1 oz if its bad. You have to jig as vertical as possible, with no more than a 45 degree angle on your line to the bottom. Experiment with the lightest that will get you almost vertical. I lift n drop, fast lift slow drop, and pay attention they hit on lift and on the drop. Get use to where your rod tip stops on the drop know that spot!! If you line goes limp before that spot fish on set the hook! Half the fish I catch I don't fell them hit I see them hit. I compare jig fishing to when I talk to my kids when they are watching TV, I could talk to them and they don't hear me, they are in the zone. You have be the kids oblivious to everything around except your finger on the line(to feel hits n bottom), and your eyes on the tip and line watching for something thats not normal.

[jiginitis69]

Use the lift and lower method. Drop is not an appropriate definition or technique. Most your hits will come on the fall. Purchase multiple weights and colors of jigs. The speed of your drift will control which weight you use. The less line to feel bottom the better. Put a barrel swivel 3' above the jig. This removes line kinking. Alot of false strikes are caused by the line kinking. Lure colors are like young women. Did you ever have enough? LOL.

Sometimes we put the tails of twister tails on the jigs for added enhancement. Just bite off 1/3 the body. It sometimes makes a difference and gives ya something to play with. I think it adds action to the bait and more color.

Keep your eye on the jig with stingers. If your pulling a zebra mussels along with it? It wont work.

Remember. That lure has already caught something? YOU! LOL

Good Luck and Good Fshing

[MBLMIKE]

Just a thought is there a conection with the amount of fish taken on jig fishing this time of year and muddy water, an earlier post said the water is clearer several inches from the bottom due to current thermocline etc. after thaw the water is often muddy from march till may or so, are these hungry fish laying close to bottom in the clearer water looking for movement resembling a bait fish, ie purple hair jig ,blade twister. tail etc. and then going after it with gusto ? seems after may/ june when water clears up fish no longer go for hair jigs but like a worm harness, or spinner earie dearie or other wait forward spinner any other ideas on this

[Dead Eye]

Thanks Jiginitis and Leapers. Those were the answers I was looking for. My friends and I are pretty decent fisherman and I'm sure we'll get afew, but always helps to go in prepared and have that little extra "edge." Thanks again and any further input would be much appreciated. Good fishing to all of you.