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Deep jigging can attract catfish
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Published: August 21, 2008
The yo-yo action of a spoon fished vertically below the boat has tempted saltwater striped bass for decades. Deep jigging has been proven to be equally effective in freshwater lakes. Stripers, bass, white perch and catfish are enticed by this technique.
A little known fact is how effective jigging spoons are for catfish. Some catfish are caught incidentally while fishing for other species, but many are caught by anglers who purposely deep jig for them. It goes without saying, that some of the biggest blues and flatheads have been caught while jigging.
Jigging spoons are an excellent choice if you choose not to use live bait. Many of the lake's best fishermen use them year round.
Deep jigging is easy with either spinning or bait casting tackle. Begin by attaching a half-ounce spoon to the line and position it to the desired depth below the boat. Lift the rod tip, and then lower it toward the water. This action will allow the bait to fall back to its original depth. As it falls, it flutters and sways in much the same way that a dying shad minnow sinks to the bottom. The dancing and darting action makes the jig appear so lifelike, that it often works better than a live shad or herring.
A key to success with deep jigging is to maintain the feel of the lure as it falls through the water. If you can't feel the lure dropping, you won't feel the bite. The bite is often so slight that if the line isn't taut, the fish will spit the lure without the angler ever knowing he had a strike. If allowed to free fall, the jig will sink faster than most fish are willing to chase. Use the rod tip to control the descent and the bait will stay in the strike zone long enough for the fish to see it. As a rule, the deeper the water, the larger the spoon should be. Most anglers use jigs between 3/8 and 1 ounce. When fish play "hard to get" downsize and slow the speed of the lure.
A jigging spoon and a fish finder go hand-in-hand. Hardcore deep jiggers put baits in the water only when they see fish on the sonar screen, and they are very precise when positioning the lure. The lure is generally suspended a few feet above the lateral position of the fish. Silver, white and chartreuse are popular colors. Some jigs include built-in rattles. More fish are caught in a shorter period of time with a lure that has both sight and sound.
Jigging spoons are compact and versatile. They can be cast long distances and retrieved at various depths and speeds. Skip them along the surface when stripers are chasing bait on top, or pull them slowly across the bottom as you would a soft plastic lizard. Regardless of how you use it, a jigging spoon is an inexpensive lure that everyone should have when fishing in fresh or saltwater.
Tips from Capt, Gus!
A shad minnow or piece of cut bait adds smell to a jigging spoon.
Upcoming Events:
A Safe Boating Class is scheduled at Gander Mountain in Mooresville on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The fee for this session is $49.95. Call Light House Marine Services (704 587 0325) for additional information and to pre-register.
Hot Spots of the Week:
Stripers are in deep water off river points and near the dam. Best results are achieved by trolling bucktails and swimming baits with down riggers on lead core line. Jigging spoons and suspended live baits are also effective methods used to catch schooling stripers.
White perch continue to be along drop-offs in deep sloughs and in the submerged brush piles of narrow coves. Best perch baits are small minnows, cut baits and jigs. Bass are hitting buzz baits along rip-rap at dawn and are surface feeding in the lower hot hole throughout the day.
The water level is currently 3.3' below full pond and dropping. Water surface temperature is in the high 80s and low 90s.
Capt. Gus is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman. Visit his Web site at FishingWithGus.com or call 704-617-6812.
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