The Art Of Playing With A Jig - Any Fish To Taste

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

For a fisherman who is accustomed to fishing with a winter float rod, tackle for fishing with a jig usually causes an ambivalent perception. On the one hand, a fishing rod, consisting of a whip and a handle, a reel and a reel, the fishing line on a jig fishing rod is the same as on a winter float. On the other hand, only two parts play the role of a float, a sinker and a hook: a jig and a nod.

However, the method of fishing with a jig is strikingly different from other tackle. Especially from the winter float. Because the nozzle on this fishing rod does not move (for example, caddis flies, bloodworms) or does not move for long (for example, a worm), which means that the fish can stumble upon it mostly by accident. In addition, when suspended, the bait does not vibrate and therefore looks unnatural, which can certainly alert the fish. After all, she was used to seeing the worm wriggling, sinking to the bottom or being carried away by the current.

The essence of fishing with a jig is precisely that it must move continuously, thereby attracting fish. But, of course, move not randomly, but, as they say, with knowledge of the matter. And for this, all the constituent elements of a jigging rod must correspond to this goal.

Let's start with a fishing rod. Ideally, it should be such that it is comfortable to hold in the hand: not very thin, but not very thick, not very long, but not very short either. The fishing rod must be reliable - it must not break when catching and playing large fish. However, an excessive margin of safety is not needed, since the rod has to be kept on weight all the time when fishing, and therefore extra weight is completely useless. The most popular rod types are shown in Figure 1.

An invariable part of any rod for fishing with a jig is the nod. A good nod has three requirements. First, to give the jig as many small vibrations as possible. Secondly, ensure that the hook is sufficiently rigid without softening it. What is it for? The mouth, for example, of a pike perch (as well as of many peaceful fish) is very bony, and the hook should be such that the hook of the jig plunges into it reliably enough. Thirdly, the nod should be universal, that is, it should allow you to successfully catch any weight with a jig. The problem is that for a light jig you need a soft, weak nod. If a heavy jig is tied to a fishing rod with such a nod, then it will simply bend and will not be able to provide the desired game.

Hence the conclusion: for such a jig you need a hard nod. However, this does not mean at all that each jig should have its own nod - it may well be universal. The design of such a nod allows you to increase or decrease its length. If the jig is light, the length is increased, if it is heavy, it is reduced. In any case, the nod should ensure good play of the jig. Several types of nods are shown in Figure 2.

Now, when we assume that the tackle is in order and the fisherman himself is ready to fish with a jig, you can go on winter fishing. Arriving at the reservoir and determining the place of fishing, it is necessary, first of all, to clear the ice from snow in the place where it is supposed to drill holes. The area of ice in front of the angler must be clean so that the line does not catch on anything.

When the hole is ready, you need to determine the depth. If the depth is up to two meters, the length of the lowered (working) part of the line can be determined using even a small jig. At 3-5 meters, a larger jig is needed - about the size of a pea, and at great depths, a depth gauge is needed. The length of the fishing line lowered into the hole should be such that the nod during fishing is about 30 centimeters from the surface of the water in the hole, and the rod is in a slightly inclined position. This is necessary so that the wind cannot vibrate and bend the line, significantly impairing the play of the jig. You should always sit with your back to the wind.

When the angler has followed these tips, a decisive stage begins in fishing with a jig - her game, which can tempt the fish to take a bite. Actually, the game is a continuous movement of the jig along the vertical with one or another speed and with one or another amplitude of oscillations. And to put it more simply: playing with a jig is giving it a certain rhythm and tempo of movement - it must do a certain number of identical oscillatory movements or a combination of different movements per minute. At the same time, the jig should rise or fall to a certain height. Sometimes the movement is stopped, and the jig freezes or fluctuates in place, not rising or falling.

It should also be taken into account that additional bait is put on the jig hook for more prey fishing. For example: bloodworms, caddis flies, maggots, worms, pieces of fish and any other living creatures. The number of techniques for playing the jig, one might say, is truly infinite. I will cite just a few of them, tested by practicing fishermen or taken from sources that deserve unconditional trust. And the fisherman himself is free to choose what he likes best.

1. From the bottom, the jig, twitching, is slowly raised to the height of the outstretched hand of the angler sitting on the box; then quickly lowered to the bottom and again begin its slow rise with twitching to the same height.
2. The jig is placed on the bottom, and after a few seconds they begin to rise with a slight twitch. From a height of 10-15 centimeters, they are lowered to the bottom, then they begin to rise again with a slight twitch.
3. The jig is slowly lowered and at the same time slightly twitched. After it reaches the bottom, they immediately raise it slowly, also twitching slightly, to a height of about a meter. This technique, apparently, better than others allows you to determine at what depth the fish is.
4. The jig is quickly lowered to the bottom, as if knocking on it several times, until a small cloud of turbidity rises, carried away by the current. The fish notices him and approaches the jig. The technique is called "ground stirring".
5. Performing any technique, simultaneously move the line from one wall of the hole to the other. In this way, the jig is given another type of movement - horizontally. If the number of bites increases, the hole should be widened: as a result, the jigging will be longer.

And two more quick reminders. You cannot keep the jig lying on the bottom for a long time: this is unlikely to give a result, but the nozzle is almost always gnawed. With all the techniques of the game, the jig bites most often occur at the moment the jig detaches from the bottom.