Jigging question

[Zyoung]

I was marking a lot of lake trout suspended this past weekend, which is normal for any time of year.  I did get one to bite and it turned out to be a beauty (31").  I've heard it's the larger ones that tend to suspend, and this fish was suspended at 80' over like 110'.  I used a much more aggressive/snappy action then I ever do (I had tried everything else).  That same action later did not work on any other fish. 

 

So is this just one of the mysteries of the universe, does anyone have a favorite lure or jigging action for this type of fish?  Are these fish simply meant to be trolled?

 

Thanks.

[Guppy35]

What lake were you fishing on?  Jigging for lakers has proven to be extremely effective on the finger lakes, especially Keuka.  I've always trolled for them, but there are members on here that will be able to tell you what works best for jigging.  I know a decent fish finder is very helpful as you can sometimes see your jig on the screen and tell where it is in relation to the fish you're marking.

[Zyoung]

_{Owasco is the lake in question.  I was using a Lowrance gen 7, so I'm good there.}

[PCPete]

I ran across this thread the other day and found some good info regarding this topic. I am also working on how to Jig for suspended fish better as I have only ever caught them on the drop or reel in. Honestly I didn't know you could Jig for suspended fish until the other day, I thought they had to be on the bottom or near it for Jigging to work on them. 

 

http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishing-hunting/topic/45612-keuka-713-14-skunk-continues/

[alex1young]

_{Owasco is the lake in question.  I was using a Lowrance gen 7, so I'm good there.}

 

 

HDS 7Gen 2

[guff]

On suspended lakers, I have often found the suspended fish are more in a feeding mode than the ones on the bottom. I will throw my jig downwind far enough so that I can see it when it gets near (within 20 feet vertically plus or minus) the suspended fish. Often the laker will start moving towards the falling jig. Just before the jig and fish meet (on the fishfinder) I start reeling in either fast or slow depending on the speed the fish prefer that day. Have got a lot of lakers that way.

I really like white or chartreuse Lunker City Shakers, at least on Seneca and Keuka. 

On a really calm day I will motor around until I see a suspended fish on the ff screen and will throw out a bouy then motor back and set up shop very near the bouy.

[Lively1]

Guys - as you can see from the other thread I started (Keuka skunk..)  I'm still learning the ropes, but I can say of the fish I've caught jigging so far, there is no pattern to what retreive they hit. I caught them on the drop, slowly lifting and dropping, and just letting the jig sit with no motion other than wave action. The only thing that hasn't worked (yet) is getting hit on a retrieve up. I would say over half the hits are on the drop -- which I think are hard to feel and harder to hook. And probably half were fish I never saw on the fish finder either. Sometimes they just come out of nowhere.

 

What I also see on my fish finder is that whatever I drop often gets inspected by a fish or two, but the vast majority turn and swim away once they get a look at it. Just like a brown trout will rise up and look at a dry fly and then refuse it. I haven't yet figured out what the missing 'trigger' is - color, size, action, scent, etc. It may be different every day for all I know. Or it may not matter at all, maybe the fish actively feed only at certain times of day, phase of moon, etc.  I know one troller who never uses anything except a silver spoon, and he does as well as anyone. So I'm not sure one jig/bait is really better than another, but my producers this year seem to be an all white paddle tail and a pearl fluke with green flakes.

 

Lately I have taken to setting the hook at the slightest little bump or nip and I think it has helped improve my hookups. The other thing I'm doing is moving often.. 3 drops and no hits - I go find another set of marks to drop to.  

[guff]

Would say 85% of the lakers I jig up have hit on the retrieve. 127 caught out of my boat this year so far.

[Zyoung]

_{I probably get about 90% on the retrieve.  I got one once that ate it on the drop.  Seen fish chase down, then I reel up and have got them like that.  I'm not a great jigger, but I get the basic idea.  (Drop to bottom, bounce, bounce, bounce, reel in)}

 

_{I'm looking for tips/techniques/lures for suspended fish.  I tried a jigging rap at one point this weekend, and had a fish on but lost it, that was suspended at 40' (Brown/Bow/Bass maybe).  Again I thought I might be on to something, but I wasn't able to repeat.}

[Zyoung]

Guff - Very cool idea with the buoy.  Are you using a lighter jig then me perhaps?  I'm at 1oz.

[hermit]

Lively1, If you're getting that many hits on the drop and none retrieving you may want to change things up a little.  One thing I don't like to do is drop the jig past the lakers.  (This also applies to fishing to suspended fish, in fact more so because you don't have the bottom to stop you.)  It sounds like the fish are coming up and hitting the jig without you noticing them coming.  As you note it's difficult to set the hook on the drop.

 

If conditions allow you to use the fishfinder you should be able to see many of these fishing coming off the bottom (or moving from a suspended position) and react before they actually get to the jig.  Start taking it away from them before they get there.  

 

If you aren't seeing the fish but are having this happen, try not letting the jig go all the way down before starting your retrieve.  Could be 2 things- keep playing with your fishfinder settings, and also sometimes they come and hit from the side which you can't do too much about.  Additionally, vary the speed of your retrieve until you find something that works.  Some days you can't reel fast enough.  But like Zyoung, Guff, and others stated you should be catching at least 75% on the retrieve on average.

 

Zyoung, jigging the suspended lakers is definitely doable as you found out.  I can't say I've personally noticed a size difference but I spend maybe 10% of my time out deep, I do know of guys who do it regularly. Pretend there's a bottom and don't let the jig drop past it.  Plenty of big lakers feed off the bottom too as well as out deep.  As far as the jigging style, some days the snap-jigging works great and some it doesn't, mostly I jig a gentler way but that's also because of the jigs I use.  A lot of spoons are designed to be fished this way but I don't do it with jig heads and plastics.

Edited August 19, 2014 by hermit

[guff]

Zyoung- Same size jig. Hermit's super sharp 1 oz.