Jigs: Season 1

Steelhead S2

Active Member
Well, I did my best with jigs this year. I ordered two DIY kits from Bent Rod. I tied up 25 or so, in a variety of colours and sizes. I fished them hard in a variety of different conditions. And ZIP -with the exception of one tug at the top of the Stamp, but I think that was a bootey ho.

On the other hand, I had a great season, with a good number of fish landed and even more hooked. All on artificials.

My opinion of jigs is low. What do others think? Have you had luck with them? Are they anybody's favorite?

For me, I'll give them a shot again next year, but I have no faith.
 
I bought pretty much every bent rod jig available at COWICHAN FLY AND TACKLE caught lots of coho on every river and creek i tried but NO STEEL.....[?]

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!
 
I have been using them for a couple of years now.Last year I did ok with them on the cowichan but this year not so much hooked a couple on jigs but found myself being out fished by my partner so I switched back a lot to the reg go to gear.Im pretty sure I am fishing them properly.Maybe using the wrong colors I don't know.
 
quote:Originally posted by HOOTEY

I bought pretty much every bent rod jig available at COWICHAN FLY AND TACKLE caught lots of coho on every river and creek i tried but NO STEEL.....[?]

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!
Hootey were you fishing them under a float for the coho
 
I have caught lots of springs on jigs fished without a float, "walleye" style where you cast 45 degrees upstream and work the jig back to you along the bottom. Works really well in the deep slow pools, up here we use the huge size 0 lead-head maribou jigs for the big springs in the Fraser tribs in the fall. I have also heard of guys using them in the Skeena tribs for springs and cohos, don't see why it wouldn't work on the Island. Kind of a newer technique to use jigs without a float and I have seen them out-fish spoons and spinners, especially for springs.

As for the steelhead, I have also experimented with jigs and had very little success. It doesn't make a lot of sense because my go-to steelhead rig is corkie and yarn which looks alot like a jig. I think it has to do with the bouyancy of the corkie.

They sure do love their jigs in Washington though. Maybe the american steelhead are different? :D
We know the american fishermen sure are... ;)
 
Haven't tried them for salmon, but I flyfish them (salmon quite a bit, so should be similar. Sounds like they've caught on with the fishermen, maybe next year they'll catch on with the steelers.
 
Hey Tyee,,,fished them the way Gord at COWICHAN FLY AND TACKLE recommended then also tt the guys at Bentrods, all under a float for coho and steel went out again today the bottom around the hatchery on the Cowichan of Boys rd...still no steel.....pink,purple,chartreuse etc,,,tried all the patterns,,,,,just dont get it,,,,,[?]

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!
 
It all works. All you need to do is get it in front of them. They aren't smart creatures, with a brain the size of a pea. If some of my buddies can catch them I'm sure you'll get the touch one day, it takes years of learning each river "Hootey", don't give up! I mean even Luna has his days!!:D
 
I started using jigs last season for Chinook and Chum with great success. I found I went through a whole lot of them so I had to start tying them myself awfully quick, but I’m loving them. Generally I fish them with a float and it seems to work well.
I have fished them for steelies but my success has only been moderate, but I think it could be a confidence thing as I choke and switch them off pretty quick. Other guys I know use them in the same spots and seem to do pretty good over here, but then again other guys are also using all the standards and doing well too. Like it’s already been said, getting the gear in front of the fish is the most important part.
 
Thought I would add a few insights that may improve anglers success with jigs.
First off you must learn to fish them higher up in the water column than standard offerings,if fish are sitting just off bottom your jig should drift above them, so keep them at least 2-3 feet off bottom, fish typically rise for the jig. Secondly avoid the BC style of holding back on the float and adding tension, you want a completely drag free drift so the jig materials open up.
Next is matching jig size and color to conditions, PINK is not the magic color in all conditions, we typically use virtually no pink jigs in my crew and get most of our fish on dark colors like straight purple, blacks, peaches,reds and oranges.
In clear low water we will downsize to sparse ties on the #1 hooks.

A friend of ours has made 2 trips to the north Island this year and absolutely cleaned up using jigs and his island buddies were wanting to deplete him of his jig supply. When he first arrived he was told jigs don't work well up there and that was soon squashed as he pulled fish after fish behind the standard jensen eggs, gooey bob, worm offerings, so technique would seem the answer.

I appreciate the business from all island Steelheaders in regards to my jigs, in the future I will work to get jigs in the stores that cater to the various rivers people fish.
My jig patterns were designed for lower mainland rivers and they work excellent over here and without myself coming over to test and develop patterns for the island I will have to rely on friends and clients to work with me to dial in those steelies.

I would be willing to send some free samples to hardcore steelheaders to try out for me as I have a few ideas that I think will light up those fish. Shoot me an email with your detalis and I will send out a few packs for people to try.

Copyofnoname.jpg
 
Bent Rods hit it on the nail.. Jigs are not meant to be fished down in the gravel like other presentations.. Most fish take the jig in the middle to upper columns.. When they take it, it is one of the hardest hits you will get as they seem to get royally pissed with them..
I have found that Stamp fish will readily take jigs when the water has dropped and cleared.. Most times I wait till later in the day when it has warmed up a little and the fish will be a little more active with a warmer temp.. Hope it helps.. Dirty;)
 
quote:Originally posted by Bent Rods Guiding

...I would be willing to send some free samples to hardcore steelheaders to try out for me as I have a few ideas that I think will light up those fish. Shoot me an email with your detalis and I will send out a few packs for people to try.

I'll take you up on that! :D

Tried a few jigs this year in the Stamp and a couple of the remote systems. Did get a few, but found other offerings a tad faster. That said, one of my Buddies did put on quite the show one afternoon using jigs. Of course I had forgotten the few I had at home, and he refused to share his limited supply. OUCH!

Anyway, I would be interested in giving them a good workout. E incoming (or PM as the case may be...)

Cheers & TIA! :D
Nog

Edit X2: OK, Email didn't work out - just got that notification?
Trying PM - OOPS! Right, NO PM on this Forum.
Oh well, here's my E addy: mattstabler@shaw.ca

Hope to hear from you!
 
yep your email diodnt go through just recieved the notification....

I would be delighted in trying your Vancouver Island STEEL specials....thanks.
Lawrie Huth
lawriehuth@hotmail.com
:)

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!
 
yep your email diodnt go through just recieved the notification....

I would be delighted in trying your Vancouver Island STEEL specials....thanks.
Lawrie Huth
lawriehuth@hotmail.com
:)

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!
 
A, yup, no go on the pm as well. dirtdog67@hotmail.com.. Would love to try another guys style for sure.. As I said in my indirtected pm.. A few of my buddies and I love fishin em, especially with the warmer water..;) Hope to hear from ya-dirty:D
 
A, yup, no go on the pm as well. dirtdog67@hotmail.com.. Would love to try another guys style for sure.. As I said in my indirtected pm.. A few of my buddies and I love fishin em, especially with the warmer water..;) Hope to hear from ya-dirty:D
 
I sent emails to Matt and Lawrie but Dirty yours wasn't working.

Soon as I have addresses I'll send out some jigs for you guys to try.

My email address is bentrods@shaw.ca

Bent Rods
 
I sent emails to Matt and Lawrie but Dirty yours wasn't working.

Soon as I have addresses I'll send out some jigs for you guys to try.

My email address is bentrods@shaw.ca

Bent Rods
 
So far I have addys for

Matt
Dean
Lawrence
Stewart

I'll send out the jigs after the holiday

If you send me your address Holmes I'll add you as well

Good luck with the jigs guys and please post pics of some fish with these jigs in their yaps


Gonna add a pic of my client from Ontarios large wild buck caught on a jig in some fast boulder strewn water.


steel2060.jpg
 
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