Preparing for jigging

**Ted** · 01-31-2016, 04:32 PM

What about a magical water temperature thresh hold? What is the degree that turns them on?

**Ted** · 01-31-2016, 04:40 PM

Also, occasionally I will drag a 5 gallon bucket or 2 to slow my troll. About .2 mph per bucket. I suppose it would work in the same fashion as a sock for the drift?

**wakina** · 01-31-2016, 08:06 PM

My recollection is at 40 degrees or just above, now with that being said one has to remember that there is a ton of fish caught thru the ice when the water is at its coldest. I think the 40 degrees and the amount of daylight seems to get them going with the longer day light making the most difference. Next is look for a full moon during that period when the daylight is getting longer and the water temps are getting into the low forties. That usually happens in the month of April and that is usually the peak period.

Yes the old 5 gallon bucket trick works well to help slow you down and you can deploy a couple of extras out if the need arises for little or even no cost.

**rscotfish** · 02-01-2016, 12:22 AM

have all size and color 20 dollars a dozen check out the forums go to marketplace. if you cant find a certain jig ill make it.making around 40-50 a day from scratch so i can make any color or size you want even if no one else has it. im getting real busy so first come first served

**wakina** · 02-01-2016, 09:31 AM

Just so all new comers (to the spring jig bite) will be informed. When they speak of the reef complex during the spawn they are speaking about the whole area around and including the reefs. 99% of the fish caught in the reef complex are caught off the edges and between the different reefs where there is no significant structure. The area in the vicinity of the K-Can on the western edge of the firing range, from a few hundred yards off the beach out to and including the closer reefs will see the most fish harvested. Water depth will vary from 8 to 12 ft closer to the beach and on top of the reefs to 20 ft or more in the area that holds no significant structure. Of course that will depend on what the fish are wanting on that particular day.

With that being said there are 2 non related reasons not to anchor and both can lead to either frustration and/or personal safety. There will be a ton of boats in the areas where fish are being caught, most will be drifting and if moving doing so with respect for others the rest will be running around looking for people catching fish or WOT back up the drift and in so doing they will be ruining the fishing for others. Walleyes will not tolerate boat traffic while under power running much above idle in shallow water no matter how horny they are. Second is that there are more than enough stupid people that will shut down within a few yards of you and start their drift. This leads to conflict between those few boats that are anchored and those few who do not have the smarts to start their drift well away from anchored boats, and of course those mentally challenged drifters will expect you to pull your anchor so they can drift thru. I will leave what normally happens next to your imagination.

I realize that anchoring is perfectly legal and that you should be able to do so without interference but is not what happens.

http://wbsa.us/denied/range_map.jpg