Multi-species Jigging

[Hawnjigs]

I think it was my second session with JJ2s 1/32 #6 original Basher jigs, a sideshore windy late June 2 hours before dark walking & casting the rock face dam of Lon Hagler Reservoir in CO. The wind was due to the edge of an approaching cold front coming down from Canada, & even on 4# UL it was a challenge to cast the light jigs into the wind, & feeling a bite with a big airborne bow in the line was near impossible. Nonetheless, the bite was on with the following species cooperating.
1. crappie
2. blue gill
3. some sort of greenish sunfish
4. largemouth bass
5. smallmouth bass
6. walleye
7. catfish
8. hybrid striper aka "wiper" in CO
9. rainbow trout
Nothing of bragging size, but still an exceptional session for me. I was wondering if others have had similar experiences?

 

[jiggerjohn]

Yep, Think it would add considerably to our jigging sport, if we made lists like the "birders" do, and try to beat the number of daily species on a particular hand tied killer! I know I had a field day on one of the first test runs wih the "Boolie" (tiny prop directly on the shaft of a tin Hawn roundhead & wispy rabbit fur behind!) at the stone piers on Lake Erie. I don't remember how many species I got that morning, but on a lake as productive as Erie I have about 25 species readily available, and this season hope to increase the numbers on a daily checklist!

 

[OKSTATEjiggy]

Pics of these jigs would be spiffy!

 

[Hawnjigs]

Dug thru my gear, & found one of the exact original 1/32 ball collar #6 red hook Bashers that were used on the previously mentioned 9 species evening session. Except that I trimmed the gold flash tinsel down later for no good reason.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Had an incredible day fishing jigs at a local river this morning.Used two colors and caught rock bass,black crappie,white crappie,walleye,spotted gar,skipjack,channel cat,longear sunfish,drum,bluegill,spotted bass and a largemouth bass. That's 12 species caught from one 150 yard stretch of river while wading. That's a new personal best for me with the previous best of 8. I had a feeling it might be one of those days when the first fish of the day was a walleye that hit my 1/8 oz.spinnerbait. This area is a public access area in which I competed with swimmers for the last couple hours. Most of the fish were on the small size except the gar which was over 30 inches and the two channel cat. One thing about this river you can't predict what is going to hit next.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Man, that sounds like incredible fun - any species you didn't catch? Never heard of a skipjack, had to Google it up. Your river must have a clean healthy ecosystem to support that diverse a food chain, not to mention swimming!

Which two lures were working that day, & didya eat any of your catch?

 

[ragged edge]

My personal best for one day is a brown jig I tyed while fishing at a log jam. I was fishing in the spring and the water was stained. Would have caught a cottonmouth but he missed his target. phew!
1 crappie
2 hybrid striper
3 striper
4 blue catfish
5 drum
6 gar
7 shad
8 black bass
9 perch

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

The skipjack is the smaller freshwater version of the tarpon. They usually jump a few times when hooked.I didn't keep any fish,have some in the freezer so it was a c&r trip. I didn't catch carp,buffalo,sucker,shad,white bass or smallmouth bass.These are also in the river.Last week I caught two smallies and lost a bigger one,close to 18 incher.Wouldn't have kept it but a picture would have been nice. I'll see if I can get a couple picture of the jigs put up.

 

[JSC]

Just a quick note ... We had a Xtra Hi Tide in today so #3 Grandson (14 Year Old) thought we would check out the mouths of the river to see if any Spec. Trout were in ... well no trout but we were greeted off the bat with a "Line Burner" .. Hi Jumpin Skip Jack (lady fish .. Poor Mans Tarpon) He got it into the boat for release and was big as the "Fall" Skipjacks that run the beaches in the gulf (we are in the river/bay and rare is the time we see one this big ... we hung and had a lot of "Quick Releases (they threw the hook) on several more ... then all of a sudden he had a deep pulling fish .. truned out to be a "Sail Cat" .. well we caught several more .. we had made a move to another spot and found a bunch of action going on I hung a "Skip Jack" that shook off when I heard his drag screamin .. said you got one of those big sail cats ... wrong after a good long battle he landed a 27 in red and several more "Sail Cat" .... we also landed a couple of real small Reds and I tail Hooked a 4 ft Gar .. had my hands full and had no idea what the heck I had .... and to round the AM out I landed a small Bass .... All were on my "Scoot-A-Jig" 1/4 oz Platic tail Shrimp ... (the bass was on a 1/4 oz Spinner Bait) ... The boy was happy and so was his Gran Dad.
We lost a few jigs as those "Skip Jack" will really "scarf" up your line. Have had a lot of action from other than the main fish I have been going out for this summer .... If the water level would get right .....

JSC

 

[flatsrat76]

Just a quick note ... We had a Xtra Hi Tide in today so #3 Grandson (14 Year Old) thought we would check out the mouths of the river to see if any Spec. Trout were in ... well no trout but we were greeted off the bat with a "Line Burner" .. Hi Jumpin Skip Jack (lady fish .. Poor Mans Tarpon) He got it into the boat for release and was big as the "Fall" Skipjacks that run the beaches in the gulf (we are in the river/bay and rare is the time we see one this big ... we hung and had a lot of "Quick Releases (they threw the hook) on several more ... then all of a sudden he had a deep pulling fish .. truned out to be a "Sail Cat" .. well we caught several more .. we had made a move to another spot and found a bunch of action going on I hung a "Skip Jack" that shook off when I heard his drag screamin .. said you got one of those big sail cats ... wrong after a good long battle he landed a 27 in red and several more "Sail Cat" .... we also landed a couple of real small Reds and I tail Hooked a 4 ft Gar .. had my hands full and had no idea what the heck I had .... and to round the AM out I landed a small Bass .... All were on my "Scoot-A-Jig" 1/4 oz Platic tail Shrimp ... (the bass was on a 1/4 oz Spinner Bait) ... The boy was happy and so was his Gran Dad.
We lost a few jigs as those "Skip Jack" will really "scarf" up your line. Have had a lot of action from other than the main fish I have been going out for this summer .... If the water level would get right .....

JSC

Hey JSC How are your beaches up by you? and congrats on getting your grandson on some fish..

 

[hunter7711]

The skipjack is the smaller freshwater version of the tarpon. They usually jump a few times when hooked.I didn't keep any fish,have some in the freezer so it was a c&r trip. I didn't catch carp,buffalo,sucker,shad,white bass or smallmouth bass.These are also in the river.Last week I caught two smallies and lost a bigger one,close to 18 incher.Wouldn't have kept it but a picture would have been nice. I'll see if I can get a couple picture of the jigs put up.

What river you fishin Jim? Arn't both the Missouri and Mississippi too muddy there at least to swim. I lived in Quincy, upriver from you for 10 years or so, wouldn't catch me swiming in that river.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

It's called Big River. It's a tributary of the Meramac River that feeds into the Mississippi. I've never fished the Mississippi or Missouri even though both are within 25 miles of me. I like smaller streams,wading since I don't have a boat. 20 years ago there wasn't half the species of fish as there is now,probably do to flooding in the early 90's. Back then it was mostly smallmouth,rock bass,channel cat and flatheads.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Pictures of the jigs used that day. Weight is 1/32 on a #6 sickle hook. Heads are poured by RonDon. Killer detail on these heads but the tie is simple. Black and grizzly marabou tail with cream midge flash and CAT salt & pepper chenille body with the jig on the left and one of my custom ducks on the right. Majority were caught on the left jig. I've been killing the fish on those since May.