River Fishing Q & A.

[Walleye Express]

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:08 am Post subject: ice jigging the river

im from up by traverse city and have only been on the saginaw river a handfull of times but every time, i have used like 5/16 oz. leadheads. last year, i saw everybody using the jigging raps. using leadheads, you jig out until your jig stays on bottom, maybe six or so feet from the hole using fireline. with the raps and there swimming action, don't they travel way down stream to far? just wondering how far they go they go away from the hole. and when you jig them, you don't bounce bottom like a leadhead do you? like i said, i never tried these in a river. what size?

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:36 am Post subject: Re: ice jigging the river

Yes, depending on the river current, Jigging Raps will sweep downstream from the ice hole just like any offering your using will, but usually not as far as you think. Their stream lined body and (down) tapered tail finn design cuts the current way better then do plane jig heads. It also sweeps forward in the current when jigged better/easier. So your jigging and sweep angle stays more sharp to the bottom then does just about anything else with the same weight. And you always want the Rap to settle after a jig just above bottom IMV. I usually strive for about 4 to 6 inches after it settles, and sizes #7 and #9 are the most popular for the river. Walleye swim during winter almost exclusively (belly to bottom) fallowing the bottoms contour, and look up for their food. When they take a jig off the bottom it's because they seen it being jigged up and fallowed it's path back down. Then (in most cases) they have to position themselves (tail up) to grab it. Capt. Dan.