Where To Fish Larger Jigs?

[jeb]

I live just off Beaver Lake. I moved down here from MN a couple of years ago and am getting more and more into the serious fishing mode. I was a more serious fisherman up north many years ago, but found other interests over time. But fishing up north is very different than it is on southern impoundments. Much less rocky, usually shallower, lots of pads and grass to fish, etc.

Up north, I tried plastic worms a lot but never really caught anything on them. Spinnerbait became my comfort bait, and worked really well for me. It's been just the opposite down here, with a finesse worm technique being by far my biggest producer. 1/8 - 3/16 horn shaped jig heads with 6" finesse worms in 15-25 feet of water usually fished very slowly do really well for me. I do throw some crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater, but I don't have the confidence or numbers of fish on any of those for them to become favorites.

But with the summer heat here again, I've been wanting to learn a more reliable deeper water technique. The finesse jig/worm don't seem to work for me on deeper ledges, rock piles, channels, etc. I think it's because they take so long to get down there and I don't have good feel with them being so light. So I've been reading about bigger jigs (football, rubber skirted, rigged with craw/lizard trailers, etc) in the 1/2 oz and bigger sizes. I've been throwing them some lately but with limited success. Actually, I've never caught a fish on one yet, although I did get a hit on one at Table Rock last weekend. But I'm determined to figure them out this summer. I just read so many guys say "once you master it, it's a great deeper water producer" and also that it's versatile bait for like swimming and even shallower rock wall pitching, skipping under docs, etc. So I need to get over the hump on these lures. I'm using mostly G. Loomis poles with flourocarbon line.

What general structure would be best for mid-summer fishing these bigger jigs? I've mostly been using them on points that drop from 15' or so into deeper water, 50'+. Casting them up shallow and working them down through the rocks. I've also tried vertical jigging sharper underwater drops or other deep structure.

So any advice about how to make them more effective would be appreciated. Or any good books you'd recommend?

[vacation]

I have had good luck in the last week on 1/2 oz. black/blue football head. Throwing it on the bank and bouncing it back towards the boat. Mainly 45degree banks, some fish I have caught are in 2', some 15'. Last night one slammed it as I was reeling it in fast to make another cast.

I would target one of the major river arms of the lake for best success. I have not tried it in main lake yet, but I have been catching nice keeper size largemouth and some nice ky's and a few smj's. Its a great bait, just keep using it, once you catch one, your confidence will increase. Throw that thing under bush over hangs, logs laydowns, etc....you'll get bit.

[rps]

old articles with Good information:

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=192

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=188

http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5501

I say Jewel finess and football jigs - slow patient moves of 6 inches, drags with pauses, and once in a while hop that sucker one time. BTW, when the fish hit on the reel in, I think it's time to spoon or drop shot them.

[jeb]

Thanks. I'd seen the last link a couple of days ago while searching here for jigging info. But the big jig threads I've found so far talk more about what to throw than where to fish them, which is why I started this thread.

I'm also trying to learn the drop shotting method as well, so that 2nd link was also very helpful!

[rps]

Where? Good question.

On new lakes I start by finding bluffs that end in a point. For example, I have done well where a creek breaks through a bluff to flow into a channel. I also look for places where a steep or 45 degree rocky bank flattens to a sandy or gravel bank. These transition banks usually mark where the channel is moving away from the shore. Last, I look for places where the channel brushes up against the side of large flats or points.

I hope that isn't too general. Good luck.

[jeb]

Thanks again. I have an all day fishing pass this Saturday, so I'll be on the lake early trying to get this technique figured out! Which brings up another question. Are the big jigs more of a "once the sun gets high and the fish go deep" thing, or can they be effective in the dark and/or low light conditions this time of year?

I see you're in Holiday Island. We boated all the way through that area on Friday, and down the White quite a ways towards the darn. Pretty area. What is the story with that mansion type house on the hill between the old bridge and the new bridge?

[Clay Goforth]

I like to fish PJs Finesse Baits football jigs after the early morning topwater bite (if there is one) has died. I like flipping them around timber and structure using big heavy line. Once you get used to the technique, they are very maneuverable in brush piles and other underwater structure, especially ones with weed guards. Just be sure that what you feel is a bite and not a limb before you set the hook.

[rps]

I do not know who owns that particular mansion, but it is not the only one between Holiday Island and Beaver dam. The wife and I kayaked down from the dam to Houseman on Sunday. We talked about all the new and fancy houses recently built. Eagle Rock bluff, off 86 in Missouri, is getting the same way. Wish I had their money.

Jigs are not just for mid day. More than one night tournament has been won with jigs. Whack'em posted a picture last year of two monsters he and his dad caught at night. If my memory is correct they came on jigs.