Non-Fly Jig Twitching - What you all doin!?

[Evan B]

Now that coho are showing up, I'm once again seeing folks out "twitching jigs." For years, I've heard guys say "oh I've tried twitching jigs and can't catch anything" or "I just always snag fish doing it."

I don't know where you guys all learned how to "twitch jigs," but what I see 99.9% of fishermen in the wild doing is NOT twitching. Guys, it's not called "rapidly jerking jigs." What I always seem to see guys doing is starting with the rod tip pointing at the water, then jerking all the way to straight up, then immediately back down for another. basically from 5 o'clock to 12 o'clock as far as rod position, and really, really fast with no time for letting the drop happen.

It really is TWITCHING, or an even better word to describe the desired motion, "flicking" jigs. I just do a quick tap or flick on the jig, then let it drop. Sometimes I'll even control the drop a bit. You won't snag fish this way unless they're really stacked up. What's even better is the fish actually have time to grab the jig while it drops.

I've seen a lot of this in the last week or so and it's so hard to watch.

 

[Shad]

I agree, but I do see plenty of people legitimately hook salmon that way. Personally, I use a more subtle twitch with a lighter jig than what most folks use (I use a lot of 1/4-oz.). I think the salmon like the slower drop, and I don't snag many that way.

If you find yourself snagging fish, don't let it sink right down into the fish; try to keep it bouncing just above them. If you feel the line coming tight on a "twitch," it's almost never in a fish's mouth. When they bite, it usually comes tight (with some authority) on the drop, so if you don't pull hard when you feel those bumps on the way up, you can avoid most snags.

 

[Evan B]

I agree, but I do see plenty of people legitimately hook salmon that way. Personally, I use a more subtle twitch with a lighter jig than what most folks use (I use a lot of 1/4-oz.). I think the salmon like the slower drop, and I don't snag many that way.

If you find yourself snagging fish, don't let it sink right down into the fish; try to keep it bouncing just above them. If you feel the line coming tight on a "twitch," it's almost never in a fish's mouth. When they bite, it usually comes tight (with some authority) on the drop, so if you don't pull hard when you feel those bumps on the way up, you can avoid most snags.

I don't doubt it works sometimes, it's just SO MUCH more work, increases the snagging rate, and I'd wager doesn't work nearly as well.

 

[_WW_]

Spend a day with Brian and Bhudda...

 

[Wetswinger]

I twitch 1/2oz, 4 1/2in. hoochie jigs off the salty beaches, instead of buzz bombs. I have found that I have the most success when I do a slower, deliberate retrieve. I've done the manic jerk but a little slower retrieve letting the jig drop works best for me..

 

[cchinook45]

I don't doubt it works sometimes, it's just SO MUCH more work, increases the snagging rate, and I'd wager doesn't work nearly as well.

Plus it seems you are only covering the water right in front of you vs a spinner that covers a lot of water .

 

[Evan B]

Plus it seems you are only covering the water right in front of you vs a spinner that covers a lot of water .

I mean, properly twitching jigs is super effective and covers more of the water column. Spinners are good for sweeping through horizontally.

 

[rooftop]

Smaller lifts are the key. If you're moving from the water to the sky, you're snagging. But at least you look like a tool when you're doing it. I've had great luck with twitching jigs when there's a lot of water. I've only ever snagged chum or two while twitching. The coho and even chinook typically get a good solid hookup in the maw.

 

[Stonedfish]

I think a lot of people twitch jigs like they drift fish on the Puyallup.
SF

 

[Evan B]

I think a lot of people twitch jigs like they drift fish on the Puyallup.
SF

I dunno, the guys I'm seeing do it seem to be doing it in ernest - just poorly/misguided. The guys really out to stick a hook in to any part of the fish are a lot easier to spot.

 

[SurfnFish]

when the incoming tide push slowed up swinging for Kings in tidewater, would switch from swinging to floating 3" and 4" jig tied clousers under a Thill Gold Medal using a mooching rod mounted with an Okuma Sheffield...regularly twitching the line with a small hand pull on the upriver bob, rod tip pointed down as if retrieving...takes were almost always after that twitch. Also my go to on a small coastal river that held the goods in hemmed in narrow seams...

 

[Pink Nighty]

I've had success on both big jerks and small flicks, and caught them in the mouth on both. I think some water is conducive to larger pulls, but it is definitely snaggier when ripping it across the hole in shallow water. But it looks way more doper when you're bass setting every 3 seconds.

For me the biggest part is controlling the drop. I was teaching a friend recently, and told her to try and slow the drop down by 20%. For me I was teaching her that to help keep the line from wrapping around her tip after her big ass rip twitches

 

[Evan B]

I've had success on both big jerks and small flicks, and caught them in the mouth on both. I think some water is conducive to larger pulls, but it is definitely snaggier when ripping it across the hole in shallow water. But it looks way more doper when you're bass setting every 3 seconds.

For me the biggest part is controlling the drop. I was teaching a friend recently, and told her to try and slow the drop down by 20%. For me I was teaching her that to help keep the line from wrapping around her tip after her big ass rip twitches

Yeah I think more than anything, the part that makes my eye twitch (pun is there if you please), is the lack of any attention given to the drop. It's like a rush to get to the next jerk.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Like any lure there are several retrieves that work. I've caught salmon by almost crawling it along the bottom to violent twitches at speed near surface. I normally like to keep the jig above the fish.

 

[RGB]

Check out last Saturdays episode of Outdoor GPS. They had a lot of information about twitching a guide who is famous for it supposedly.

 

[Chadk]

I've been fishing jigs for salmon and steelhead since the 90s. I fish different ways depending on type of fish, type of water, visibility, flows, etc.

One technique i came up with years ago was this method of sort of back bouncing the jig into a hole. You position yourself upstream of where you know or think the fish are holding. You use a heavier jig than normal for the conditions - heavy enough that in the bit of current you are dealing with, you can hit bottom relatively fast. You want to walk your jig back to the fish. Go too far too quick and you end up behind or under them. To risky for snagging. So start at the top of the run or pool, and let it drop down below you. Feel bottom, then lift 6 inches and drop back down. You can often get it just right so you can jig just using the rod tip and not have to reel. Just bounce it there - often staying just off the bottom, but feeling it now and then. Slow lift about 6 inches, fast drop, repeat. Then after a bit, let out a foot of line. Repeat. Eventually you work into the heart of the pool or run. If there are fish, you will know pretty quickly. In some cases you may be able to work through the tailout- but usually you have to reposition for that. Ideal spots are islands or sand/gravel bars at the top of a run or hole.

 

[Jagosh]

Yeah I think more than anything, the part that makes my eye twitch (pun is there if you please), is the lack of any attention given to the drop. It's like a rush to get to the next jerk.

It’s funny how we all do it correctly, differently. Another thing I focus on is I want to see that slack line as I drop the rod tip fast.

Hooksets are for bass fisherman.

 

[singlehandjay]

Mine was raising my rod tip between 10 and 11 o'clock and tapping my reel handle to pick up the slack, the fish always took on the drop and when I went to twitch again would almost have the rod ripped from me when the fish set the hook taking off. Absolutely deadly. Works for every species of salmon so far except sockeye. I haven't twitched for them so couldn't tell you. I never used jigs over ⅜oz.

 

[_WW_]

In my boat I now carry a jig rod, a spinner/spoon rod, and a fly rod or two.

 

[brownheron]

It’s funny how we all do it correctly, differently. Another thing I focus on is I want to see that slack line as I drop the rod tip fast.

Hooksets are for bass fisherman.

^^ This. I try to get a sine wave in the braid as I drop the rod tip. I feel the tip drop is as or more important than the lift.