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To use walleye fishing jigs you need to fine tune your concentration and develop a sensitive touch. When a walleye takes your jig you may feel a sharp rod tap or just feel a slow tightening of your line. An active walleye will inhale a walleye jig as they swim, then they will exhale the water back thru their gills. The sucking action by a walleye will produce a sharp tap sensation so immediately , set the hook. Many times when walleyes are not actively feeding they will just put their mouth over the jig. All you will see is your line start to move slightly! set the hook!
Newbe walleye fisherman go home empty handed many times because they fail to set the hook correctly. Manny beginners make the mistake of waiting for a sharp tap or strike on their walleye fishing jig like if they were fishing for other game fish with a crankbait.If you make this mistake you will probably go home from your fishing trip empty handed because a walleye will 9 times out of 10 go after your walleye jig as it sinks, not on the upward and forward movement. This is a key walleye tip so make memory note right now.
I have found when in doubt, or if anything seems different from the normal routine, set the hook! Key point: if the jig seems to sink abnormally after the hop, set the hook! a walleye has probably taken your walleye jig. If you are fishing near weed beds and you are pushing the drag on the retrieve because you think you have hooked a weed, set the hook! this may be a walleye. We all get those pesky little pecks on our jigs that we think are just pesky perch, but many times these little pecks are not perch but walleye! Set the hook don't miss out on a trophy fish because you thought it was a perch.
You need to be a ble to detect anything abnormal when your jig is sinking, remember this is when you will get your strike or hit. If you twitch your rod tip, then drop it back rapidly as the jig sinks, slack will form and you will not feel the strike. Instead , lower the jig with tension on the line, as if you were setting it gently on bottom.
You will detect more strikes if you carefully watch your line and rod tip. Many times, you will see a that you cannot feel. If you see your line twitch were it enters the water, or the line moves slightly to the side, set the hook.
Key Steps: How To Cast and Retrieve A walleye fishing jig
Step#1 LIFT the jig with small twitch of the rod tip,afterwards let the jig sink to the bottom, then repeat. When the fish are not moving much a very slow retrieve is the best method. You will need to almost put the jig right next to their mouth in order to get a bite.
Step#2 Lower the rod tip, make sure your line is taut at all times when the jig is sinking, remember this is when you will get a bite, so you need to be able to feel it, or see the line move differently. Go ahead and repeat lifting and lowering your rod tip. Try to develop a good pattern and make sure you reel your up a bit after you twitch the walleye jig.
Step#3 STRIKES Remember a walleye hit will come when the jig is floating back to the bottom, not when the jig is moving upwards or forwards. If you feel a sharp tap that means the wallye has sucked in the jig, set the hook immediately!If the fish aren't active all you will see is your line tighten slightly, or the jig doesn't descend to bottom naturally.
Step#4 SET THE HOOK immediately when you feel anything unusual, a walleye spits out a walleye fishing jig quickly. A Flick of the wrists result in a faster hook set then a long sweep of the arms, but you will need a stiff rod to sink the hook. |
