How to jig for spring walleye

[mihlbauer95]

Hi all, i am looking for advice on how to jig for walleye... what types of jigs, where to fish near port clinton

thanks in advance

[skipper9]

Here is how I was taught by the best Jig fisherman I know. (Gettin Jiggy). The jig your gonna use is sold at happy hooker bait. I believe it is called a tear drop jig?? Just ask Dave at hookers and he will show you what you need. Ask him what color is working.. I always start with purple, or john deer green. I buy different size weights more than different colors. 1/2 oz to 1 oz. You want to fish vertical(straight down) or as close as possiable. You will also need stinger hooks and large shinners. (Some people fish without the minnows but I think they help) Put the stinger on the jig (in the spring the walleye hit short) your catch rate will go way up. thread the minnow on thru the mouth and out the back. hook the shinger in the minnows tail.
Drop your jig down to the bottom and pretend their is a dixie cup on the bottom and slowly lift you jig out and set it back down in it until you feel weight on it and set the hook. If your drifting to fast put some drift socks out.. Guys any other advice will be helpful. I did not put where to go this question was how to jig fish. Do you know where to start.

[jiginitis69]

Anywhere from the Reefs to Maumee Bay. 12-20 ft of water. Skipper covered the rest very well. One other tactic to "short strikers" is to pinch off the tail of the minnow. All ya need is the flash and olafactory senses. A good place to launch is Fenwicks, Lamberjacks, Mienke Marina. Watch the winds. South is good for 16'. West may be to rough if over 10-15mph.

Good Luck and Good Fishing

By the way. start close then work your way out

[mihlbauer95]

thanks skipper9 and jiginitis

[wakina]

I have never been a very good jig fisherman, after reading skipper9 and jiginitis posts I can understand why. Thanks guys, I love that dixie cup explanation.

[PZeiler]

An addition to the earlier comments. Toss (not cast) the jig into the drift (about 10-15 feet depending upon drift speed). Then jig. I usually get the strike as the line goes past the boat. I believe that this is because by using this method, you have the jig bouncing in the same general area a couple of times and then when you drift past the vertical spot, the jig begins to move away with the drift of the boat and it will trigger a strike

[BigFishTuff]

Another important thing to remember.....when you go to let your jig back down, keep you line tight.....you will notice that a lot of time these walleyes are taking your bait on the way down....the best way to explain it i guess is jig 3 or 4 times....8 to 10 times etc.....whatever it takes for you to find the exact spot when that jig is on the bottom....if you get to a point when u know your not on the bottom and your line goes slack...set the hook....the walleye is inhaling water as well as your bait so 9 out of 10 times you will not feel a tremendous bite

[LOWE LIFE]

I always jig into the drift....Two rods no minnows just a purple hair jig...Bounce one off the bottom and then the next...About 12 inches up then the other...You have a better chance of getting fish this way two rods can cover alot of water and fishing into the drift you have the first crack at any fish..I've taken my fair share of Walleye on the lake and this is what I have found works for me...

[furlough]

I used some Berkley minnows on my jigs last season. I thought they worked well. I just got my Berkley Alive minnows in the mail. They are supposed to have 400 times the sent of live bait. They sound promising but I guess we will see.

[jallen]

will April 15th be too late for the jig bite?