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As I've been ice fishing over the last several years, wether for trout or now kokanee, It seems as though I've had pretty good success. I'm not one to use more than one or two poles, I just don't like having to manage more.
As I've been out with friends and/or family, it seems like I catch more fish than they do, generally. I have attributed this to constantly jigging as I'm fishing. Now, I don't think that anyone could convince me to be a little more relaxed about the jigging, because I'd rather be catching fish.
But, have any of you noticed that it doesn't really matter? Does the sit 'n wait technique produce just as many fish? Or is jigging the best way to attract and entice the fish to bite?
I'm sure the answer is different for different species.
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It depends what the fish want. You can have success jigging or dead sticking. That is why I set up my poles with spring bobbers so that I can see where the hot holes are at and then jig those as necessary. Kokes react better to jigging. Other fish seem to like the dead stick at times.
THe time of day also matters the early morning bite is usually fine on a dead stick. By afternoon the fish need to be jigged up in order to hit at all most of the time.
Windriver
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It is all personal preference. I usually find that a bit of action, then dead sticking it works the best for me. I will jig my rod 5-10 times, then just set the rod back on the ice to let the bait settle down, and most of my hits come within 30 seconds of me setting that rod down. Have you ever seen a dying minnow or fish in the water? Most the time they have sporadic moments of a lot of movement, just swimming and jerking all over the place, then that settles down and they just lay there for a minute or two, and the process starts over.
Predatory fish usually wait for all that movement to stop, cause the fish is a lot easier to catch when it is no longer moving.
On soft water you can do the same thing when trolling, but I will leave that for another day.
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[quote pookiebar]It is all personal preference. I usually find that a bit of action, then dead sticking it works the best for me. I will jig my rod 5-10 times, then just set the rod back on the ice to let the bait settle down, and most of my hits come within 30 seconds of me setting that rod down. [/quote]
I'd say that's what works best for me also. Except I set my rod in a jigger totter instead of on the ice. Most of the time, if I feel a bump while jigging, I'll immediately go deadstick and then, FISH ON!
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I get a very low percentage of my bites on dead stick rods. Most of my fish are jigged up. For trout and panfish I like an irregular motion with small pauses in between.
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All the big browns and rainbows I've caught through the ice have been a result of dropping it down jigging a couple times and walking away. Bass, bluegill, perch, and such I've always done better while jigging. I think it's just what your comfortable with but more importantly what the fish your targeting want.
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I am with you as far as jigging being better for me. A good example of this would be when Kyle and I went to the ponds yesterday. He like to dead stick it and I was giving mine a little jig every now and then. I caught 6 fish and he got nothing.
This could also be a matter of positioning on the ice and all that but we were within 5 feet of each other and fishing the same rigs.
On a side note we are planning to hit ririe sometime tomorrow if you want to join us. PM me if your available.
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Has anyone but me tried Jigger Totters , they are like MR. Jiggers that you get at Sportsmans Warehouse but 10 times better . They detect the lightest bite , even better than spring bobbers that I have on all my ice rods . You can walk down a line of five rods and tap them with your foot and they will teeter totter for a while . The best of both worlds . Curt G.
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I have had better results jigging. I usually put out three rods but catch 95% of my fish with the pole that is in my hand and under my vex.
Jim
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[quote curt69]Has anyone but me tried Jigger Totters , they are like MR. Jiggers that you get at Sportsmans Warehouse but 10 times better . They detect the lightest bite , even better than spring bobbers that I have on all my ice rods . You can walk down a line of five rods and tap them with your foot and they will teeter totter for a while . The best of both worlds . Curt G.[/quote]
Jigger totters are the bomb. I use mine even when I'm jigging.
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And made right here in Nampa, by Icehogger84.
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[fishin] I prefer jigging to dead sticking. However, some times perch want their bait fished still or they won't hit and other times I have seen it when they want it jigged or they won't bite. Go figure. Trout do the same on occasion. Kokanne I think like it jigged most of the time.
DeeCee
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