|
|
  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Jigging Spoons
January 3, 2010
The yo-yo action of a spoon, fished vertically below the boat, has tempted saltwater striped bass for decades. Deep jigging has also been proven to be equally effective in freshwater lakes. Stripers, bass, white perch and catfish are all enticed by this technique. A little known fact is how effective jigging spoons are for catfish. It goes without saying, that some of the biggest blues and flatheads have been caught while deep jigging.
If you don’t wish to use live bait, jigging spoons are an excellent choice. Many of Lake Norman’s best fishermen use jigging spoons and other bouncing baits year round. Deep jigging is easy to do with either spinning or bait casting tackle. Attach a half-ounce spoon to the line and position it at the desired depth below the boat. Lift the rod tip, then lower it. This will allow the bait to fall back to its original depth. As the jig falls, it will flutter and sway, much the same way that a dying shad minnow sinks to the bottom. This dancing and darting action makes the jig appear so lifelike, that it will out fish live shad and herring on certain days.
A key to success with deep jigging is to maintain the feel of the lure as it falls through the water. If you can't feel the lure dropping, you won't feel the bite. Often the bite is so slight that if the line isn't taut, the fish will spit the lure without the angler ever knowing he had a strike. On the other hand, if allowed to free-fall quickly, the jig will sink faster than most fish are willing to chase. Use the rod tip to control the descent and keep the bait in the strike zone long enough for the fish to see it. As a rule, the deeper the water, the larger the jigging spoon. Most anglers use jigging spoons that weigh between 3/8 and one ounce. When fish play hard to get, fish slower and down size.
Jigging spoons and fish finders go hand-in-hand. Hard core deep jiggers put baits in the water only when they see fish on the sonar screen. The jig is generally suspended a few feet above the horizontal position of the fish. Jigging lures come in a variety of colors. Silver, white and chartreuse are the most popular choices. Some jigs include built-in rattles.
Jigging spoons are compact and versatile. They can be cast long distances and retrieved at various depths and speeds. When stripers are chasing bait on top, they can be skipped across the surface, or can be pulled slowly across the bottom like a soft plastic lizard. No matter how you use it, a jigging spoon is an inexpensive lure that everyone should have for fresh or saltwater fishing.
Tips from Capt. Gus!
Scent can be added to a jigging spoon by hooking a shad minnow or piece of cut bait on one of the treble hooks. Another technique popular for perch and spotted bass, is to attach a string of three to six sabiki flies above the spoon. The sabiki rig will produce multiple hookups, and allow the angler to land more than one fish at a time.
Upcoming Events:
A free fishing seminar entitled “How to Find and Catch Winter Striped Bass on Lake Norman” is scheduled at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC for Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. This informational session will be conducted by Capt. Gus. For more information, call 704-658-0822.
The Hot Spots of the Week:
The Hot Spots of the Week are the warm waters near the Marshall Steam Plant (Marker 15). Bass, stripers and schools of white perch are feeding on baitfish that have taken up residence there to avoid colder waters. The lake level is 98.1 or 1.9' below full pond and the water surface temperature is in the forties and low fifties.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is licensed by the US Coast Guard, a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and is an outdoor columnist and a full time professional fishing guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' With Gus! at www.FishingWithGus.com or call 704.617.6812.
For additional information e-mail Gus at Gus@LakeNorman.com
|
|
|
|
|
