Walleye Tips - Dragging Jigs
All across the country drifting spinners and dragging jigs is a very popular way to catch walleyes in both lakes and rivers. Basically in a river you just find a good sand bar or a mud flat that is holding fish and you let the current push you over the fish. On a lake, you play the wind to blow you over the reef or flat with the same purpose. Here on the Mississippi though we have a slight twist to the technique. Fisherman use the trolling motors to control the drift. Captain Sam Willett of Walleyes to Whitetails Guide Service and longtime Club member has perfected this technique and was asked to explain his method of “dragging jigs” and here is his generous reply:
Let us look at the first word Simple. While dragging jigs has been around a long time, especially in the northern reaches of the Mississippi, around here not so much. And it is so “simple” anyone can do it no matter your fishing skill level. To begin, I try to find a current seam that is flowing under 2 mph – preferably around 1.5 mph. Point the boat down river and with your trolling motor get the boat travelling .1 or .2 mph faster than the current. Next, I use spinning reels with 10 lb. braid and a 6-foot 8 lb. fluorocarbon leader directly tied to the braid with a uni-knot. Then with a 1/8 oz jig I slide a half of night crawler on the hook like a twister tail. Flip the jig upriver letting line out until the jig starts “ticking” the bottom. Your line length will vary based on the depth. Spread your lines out and put the rod in a rod holder. As your jig rolls along the bottom and a fish grabs it you will see a slight bend in the rod but still moving down river. I give them a few seconds to grab the bait and turn and swim with the boat. That is when you set the hook! Simple.
The next word is cost. Plain and simple, other walleye techniques can be expensive. This method uses a .25 cent jib and a half of crawler. Yes, you will lose a lot of jigs, but it is not the cost of a three-way rig with double raps or casting cranks on wings dams. I can fish with 5 clients in my boat with 6 lines and keep the daily cost to under $10.
Finally, the word Effective. With a little boat control practice, you will be able to keep your lines straight behind the boat as you pull the jibs down river. The current will keep the jigs in contact with the bottom as you see your pole tips shaking. Look for slower current seams on inside bends that look like rippling sand dunes on you fish finder. Ideally you will see the fish sitting in the waves of sand. That is when you jig will dragged right in front of the waiting fish. Finally, I look for spots close by or parallel a bay or backwater lake. You will be surprised the number of fish you catch. Most fish will be catfish, walleye, and some sheepshead but mostly walleye. Simple, Cheap, Effective.
Captain Sam Willett, 2021
