Jigs

The mainstay of walleye artificial however, is the jig. The jig is probably the best all-round lure for all species of fish and will catch fish throughout the year. But it is even more conducive to the non-chasing, bottom-oriented walleye. The magic of a jig is its ability to work in all depths from very shallow to very deep. Lead-head jigs come in a great variety of head designs, each providing a different action or specialized function. But the faster your bait can get to the bottom, the better its chances of sinking in the intended area before wind or wave or current action can push it off course.

The most common jig, and the one which I use a lot, is the ball-head design. The ball head sinks rather quickly and generally has a very short, fast movement in retrieve. You need a design that is round from the side but narrow from an overhead view, making it less water resistant on its bottom leading edge. When conditions need a faster retrieve or a little more flash, a safety pin spinner can be clipped onto the jig.

The banana-head-style jig provides another action. The wider design allows it to sink a little slower than the ball jig. Its shape gives it the tendency to rise on retrieve and it is an excellent choice when a stop-and-go retrieve is required along with a slower retrieve.

The swimming head is shaped very much like the banana style but has a flatter top. It has similar action, as well. Some of these jig heads are manufactured with brush or fibre weed guards to ensure little chance of hang-up when used in areas of varying cover.

One very unique style of jig is the foot-style or power-head jig. It has a flat bottom that rests on the bottom while the hook remains sticking up on an angle. This allows the jig to remain very visible, making it especially effective when used in conjunction with a live minnow hooked through the lips. Available in two styles, one is applicable to openwater fishing, while the other is extremely well-suited for weed fishing. The one with the eye of the jig right at the nose point of the lead head allows a streamlined retrieve through weeds without hanging up, unlike the style with the eye on the top of the jig which produces a 90-degree angle retrieve, usually resulting in weeds wrapping around the line and eye.

Other jig types to include in your tackle box include the wedge-shaped head, which comes through the water during a retrieve at a fairly consistent depth without rising, and the flat or horizontal head which tends to dive vertically. The wedge-shaped design, because of its little action and its tendency to fall over, is a good swimming jig when used with an actiontail grub. When choosing any jig, however, take into account the depth you are fishing. Shallow water will call for a lighter or slower-falling jig. Deeper water necessitates a heavier or faster sinking type. Have a good selection on hand.

Here's an idea to make your jig fishing more effective and less costly. When fishing areas that could cause a lot of hang-ups, use a jig with a lightwire hook instead of the stiff-forged variety. When snagged, the light-wire hook can be partially straightened out by strongly pumping the rod. When freed, the hook can be bent back into shape. In contrast, a forged hook will not give under such pressure and the result is a lost jig. But don't give up on your forged-hook jigs; they are excellent when fishing weeds or bare bottom areas such as sand points and mud flats. In fact, any time snags are not a real problem, use this type. It does a better job of hooking because there is no give whereas the soft, pliable light-wire hooks can bend and cause a lost fish. A word to the conservation-minded: when you do hook a large fish with stiff-hooked jigs, make sure you don't apply too much pressure to avoid damage to the fish.

Jigs can come in a variety of dressings. Hair and plastics will cover most of your needs. Plastic bodies, commonly called grubs, will give the walleye something soft and lifelike to bite down on, and are an excellent choice when used alone or with live bait. An important fact to keep in mind when using jigs alone is that a plastic action-tail is preferred and will usually out-produce a hair jig.

As far as color is concerned, you should have all kinds available to suit the daily changes which may occur. White and yellow are good clearwater colors as is black when light conditions get bright. Browns imitate insect life well, while purple retains its visibility in deep water. But scientific studies show that the walleye's vision is very receptive to the colors orange, green, and chartreuse. Even spinner blades that are orange and green are the most effective, but nickel and brass will have their day, too. So fish accordingly and don't be afraid to use fluorescents in dirty or deep water.

Click to Listen!