In the modern age of walleye fishing there are many techniques to choose from but there’s no question jigging for walleye is popular by most anglers. Quite frankly there’s no better feeling than vertical jigging for walleye and feeling the slam of a walleye pounding a jig. Let’s break down a few ways to jig for walleye on Green Bay.
How to Jig For Walleye
Snap Jigging
Snap jigging has become popular in the last several years especially on Green Bay. A few years back a couple of tournament anglers were struggling to catch walleyes during a tournament and casted and worked a moonshine shiver minnow (a jigging rap style bait) and started popping them back in deep water with suspended Walleye around them. With nothing to lose they ended up crafting a pattern together and not only winning the tournament, but also creating a relatively popular technique that became a huge success in the walleye industry. This technique, casting a 5/8 -1 ounce shiver minnow and letting it sink to the bottom and snapping the tip of the fishing rod and jigging it back to the boat worked like a charm. Over time different cadences on the retrieve evolved into a few variations which allows the bait to make either small tiny hops or large lifts and falls to the bottom triggering walleye’s. Great for spring, summer, and fall Walleye fishing once Walleye are located.
Vertical Jigging
Vertical jigging for walleye is a deadly technique commonly used in rivers or over deep structure. In the spring time this is a great jigging technique walleye anglers like to use when sitting in the boat hovered over the top of suspended walleye. Dropping a jig and a minnow generally will get the walleye to eat but if that doesn’t work a plain hook and minnow may do the trick. When fishing in a river system taking advantage of the river current can be beneficial allowing your boat to naturally drift through schools of walleye. Don’t be afraid to use a 3/8 ounce jig head with a plastic paddle tail vertically jigging along the bottom to look for active walleye.
Hair Jigs
Hair jigs have been around for years and seem to be trending in today’s walleye world. Hair jigs are typically used in spring time and in fall with colder water temperatures because they have a slower more lethargic action enticing cold water negative bites. ¼ – ½ ounce hair jigs are popular and the weight of the jig has a lot to do with how deep of water you’re fishing in. Typically the more shallow you are, say 8 to 15 feet of water, use a lighter hair jig and in 20 to 30 feet a heavier jig is required. Making a long cast and allowing the jig to fall to the bottom and jigging (making small pops with the tip of your fishing rod) so the jig lifts 4 to 8 inches off the bottom and drops back down continuing this action all the way back to the boat will trigger Walleye to bite.
In closing there’s no question jigging for walleye is one of the most exciting ways to catch these elusive marble eyed predators. We do understand that some of you are visual learners, and we’d love to invite you to Green Bay Trophy Fishing if you’re looking to develop your Walleye jigging techniques. Now go out and try a few of these jigging techniques and always remember that practice makes perfect!