I think every mack chaser here would agree that presentation is everything when getting one to bite. Personally, I think I do pretty well (36# is my biggest), usually having no trouble catching 2-3 good ones each morning from April-June but tend to stick with what I know and what has worked for me...that is, most often, keeping the jig on the bottom, slow lift 2-3", slight pause, then drop back to bottom. Some times if things aren't working out I'll do the same thing except for a quick lift, pause, then slow back down.
These seem to work more often than not, but what I am trying to learn better are some other presentations to try when my normal offering isn't having any luck.
I hear alot about dead-sticking, swimming the tube off the bottom, stuff like that, but don't understand enough about it to feel even competent enough to want try it out.
So if anyone is willing to share any suggestions for what other types of tube-jig presentations are worth trying for those off days, I am all ears.
Thanks!
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You just gave more info than anyone that fishes for them on this site. Peoples presentations for catching them have been secret and no one will tell you how to catch them. I have been lucky enough to get a few locations, some standard baits but when it comes to telling you how to catch them I and many have not gotten much help.
That's a dandy fish in your pic. Thanks for sharing and good luck on getting the info your needing. One of the masters may take you out and show you though. There are quite a few on here that know what there doing and have fished with captain Jim.
fnf
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There's "a million and one" presentations that will work for the Gorge macks, including the ones you mentioned. I've caught them, and seen them caught, doing about anything that is physically possible with a tube jig. Vertical, horizontal, fast, slow, high, low, and every combination thereof.
When guiding, I choose presentations that the average (or most often below average) angler can learn quickly and possibly perform correctly in a limited amount of time, and in a variety of conditions. I guide with presentations that are the most simple. Weather, inexperience, and a short time window are VERY LIMITING factors for me as a guide.
By myself, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to even try all my presentations. I do things I've NEVER done with customers on the boat. Either because they're secrets I'll take to my grave, or they're presentations that take hundreds of hours of practice to get "right." Most of my customers don't fish anywhere near enough to try their hands at some of the things I do in my off time.
I know, not the answers you're looking for. You probably want the magic key, or some detailed explanation of a few other presentations. But, its not coming from me.
Since you have one post here, I don't know you, I don't know what you'd do with a 40 or 50 pound laker if you caught it, I don't know what your friends might do if they caught a 40 or 50 pounder, and I don't advertise very detailed information on the internet . . . I won't elaborate very much. Anyone who will, probably doesn't have anything too technical or "special" to share anyway.
Those of us who think we know something about jigging macks at the gorge, and there are MANY, pretty much keep things to ourselves in order to prolong the decline of the fishery as much as possible. It only takes a few idiots to kill a bunch of very old fish that will take 20-30 years to be replaced, if it happens at all. There's already more than enough of them around, and lurking, and on their way to the lake as I speak for the drunk-fest slaughter called the Villa Derby starting in the morning.
There you have it, the cold, hard truth.
My best advice is to not be afraid to experiment. Those of us who have a few tricks in the bag were not shown them, for the most part. We picked them up from time on the water. Every single presentation I use was learned by trial and error. EVERY one! Hell, some were accidents! Be brave, and get on some fish and see how they react to your offerings. In time, your bag of tricks will begin to fill up a little.
It sounds to me like you're already ahead of most, so go for it and put in more time. Have fun along the way learning.
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There you go, If Jim says your ahead of most you are [fishin][fishin][fishin][fishin]
Keep fishing and keep trying different ways to get one of them big boys to swim up and inhale your bait. One thing I have noted is Jim knows his sonar, he knows these fish and how they react to the bait, and he makes his own jigs.
look at his page and if you can get out on his boat.
One of my close friends just got a place in manila and as threatened to drag me up there with him. twist my arm I said.[
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good fishing and looking forward to seeing your posts.
fnf
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You said yourself presentation is everything. So do you think anybody that knows anything is going to jump on the internet and post their tricks for all the world to see? Nothing is free in the mack world. Get out there and earn it with time on the water. Nice fish by the way.
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