How to Jig fish DH/LC in Jan/Feb for SM?

Winter jig fishing for SM on clear water lakes such as LC and DH is new to me, so I could use your help chasing those brown fish with the jig. My has reading suggest casting 1/4 oz jigs in water depths up to 50 feet in depth. Beyond that, how should I work the jig....? Cast to the points....OR....stay on the point and cast out, .....Drop shot the jig in ??? feet of water and slowly jig it around the bottom OR WHAT? Slow retrive, fast retrive, hop the retrive?????

Tried all of the above at LC this past week (4 days) at LC with no hits!. Only fish I caught (17 - 18 inch SM) was on FNF using a 10 ' leader.

Appreciate all comments and any help.

Good fishing to all,

Gary

No help on this huh? Maybe you should tie a stick of dynamite to the jig? It might wake up the ones it don't kill.

Just joking; I was interested in the subject. Good questions. Better luck next time out.

[QUOTE=publican57;313884]No help on this huh? Maybe you should tie a stick of dynamite to the jig? It might wake up the ones it don't kill.

Just joking; I was interested in the subject. Good questions. Better luck next time out.[/QUOTE]


Follow the link below to a recent thread with a LOT of good information on the jig.
Gary

http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php?t=64556

I've been trying to fish the jig MORE at DH that I have in the past. I've been having better luck, but still I'm not as successful as I think I can be......

Here are some things that I do........

* Use Flourocarbon..........6 or 8lb.
* Natural color jigs. I've been tying my own, but brown, black, green, etc, etc.
* Fish DEEP.........but don't be afraid to try different levels of deep.

* On 3 or 4 day trips.....Don't be afraid to try different things. I try to keep my jig rod, my fnf rod, and another rod tied up all the time. If the jig bite is not on, try the fnf. BUT try different tactics in different places, until you hookup.

* If you have a couple spots that you KNOW have fish......meaning you've caught them there before, you might want to REALLY work those spots. Sometimes I pull the trigger too quickly and move. There might have been fish there, and I was not fishing "right" for them.

* Try to find submerged grass. I've always had better luck when there is some grass around. Now, when you're catching them on bluff walls, you're probably not going to find grass, but I'd still look......

* Last but not least.........fish SLOW........Fish as slow as you EVER have, and then slow down some more.......

I hope this helps........

Later,

Geo

Hey Boone....four days of fishing without any hits on Cumberland isn't all that uncommon, at least I don't think it is anyway...in my own opinion, I think Cumberland is definitely a lake that you have to spend some time on and pay your dues so to speak...maybe you've already paid your dues on this lake, I don't know, maybe it's just the jig you're having trouble with...but for Cumberland, all I'm saying is don't beat yourself up to bad about not getting bit...it's a tough lake sometimes.

#1 down size. Use a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce jig. When you put on the small chunk trailer, hook it all the way through the body and slide it up so it stays up close to where the skirt band is at. This will create a smaller profile and still slow the fall down. On a black and blue jig, dip the tips of the chunk in Lime Green "spike-it". On a Cumberland craw color spike it with just a tiny bit of orange followed by the lime green. The green tones down the orange just a little. These are my 2 favorites on Cumberland and I fish them on 12 pound Berkley Vanish. Small hops, followed by shaking it a little, then small hop again, just enough to get it off of the bottom. Let the fish tell you where to fish. Start shallow (at the waters edge then work it to deep) Once you have worked it way out, swim the bait in letting it drop a couple time as you reel it in. Sometimes a Ky or Smallie will kill it as you reel it in.
With shakey heads and other plastics I would follow the same instructions to find the right depth. Remember....Slow....slow....slow.

I've never fished Cumberland Lake, but would recommend everything the prior posters have mentioned about using a jig.

Best advice I can give you is not forget about all advice, no one fishes the same. All the advice in the world isnt going to change the way that YOU fish. Everyone fishes differently, you need to become confident with your abilities to fish a jig, and the only way to do that is through experience. If you have a tough day, just chalk it up to one of many, everyone has them. I've spent A LOT of time throwing a jig, and learn more about it every trip! Good luck, you'll get the hang of it!