It has come to our attention that we have a number of 'jig virgins' as members of the BB here. Check out Gooose's "Okay Fine I'm Gonna Try Jigs" thread, all the way to my second post in it for the roots of this jig contest. >

We have learned thru very courageous confessions there that Gooose, Schwing Man, Steelheadman, and Krome Bright have never caught an adult steelhead on a jig. Actually there are lots of you. Time to rectify this (don't even think it Stew!).

I'm am going to have an honor system contest between these 4 fine anglers and any other members that confess to their jig virginity here in this thread, thus entering also. The member that successfully lands their first adult steelhead on a baitless feathered jig using it under a float will win half a dozen jigs - three feathered ones and three collared jighead hooks for float fishing the pink worm on. No using any bait or rubber stuff like pink worms on your jig hook for this contest. A very small dab of scent on the front part of the jighead or lower leader is OK if you want. AND HEY! - Keep this honest, thus fun! It isn't worth fibbing just to get $8 bucks worth of stuff, and have it hang on your conscience.

There are lots of very informative jig threads to review with the search feature for this BB. And us experienced jigsters will gladly answer tech Q's from you here in this thread. It's too much fun and productive for you guys not to learn this method of steelheading!

Let's hope it stops raining for a while, because jigs work better when the water is clearish. OK, get after 'em and keep us posted on your progress.

RT

I've read the Vedder/Harthorne book on jig fishing and have read the various posts on the subject. I've always thought of it as a low water, low current technique for summer runs. I'll try it next time out. I think it would be more effective with a shrimp tail.

I will bare my ass to the board and admit that I have never landed,hooked or smelled a steelhead while using a jig of any kind. It's not from lack of preparation or equipment,though.I have the books,the pole,a fair technique and lots of jigs.It's the way I fish most of the time(except pluggin')even from a driftboat.All of the Steelies I have landed have been on plugs.I don't know what I'm doing wrong!!
Kent set me up with a pole,reel,floats and several jigs.Even drew me a picture.I bought some more jigs from Jigman.Hell,I even bought his driftboat.Help me boys!!!!!!

Well....ok I admit I have not caught a Steelhead on a jig. But I was already making plans to correct that. I have a nice little set of Silent Approach jigs(Gawd they are purddy little thingies) that are just waiting to get wet and abused.

Wife greenlighted another trip to Washington for last week on Dec. Yippeee. Only thing left to decide is weather to take the sled and fight the crowd at blue creek or the db and play on some smaller rivers. What to do.

Now if I can just get the rain gods to keep the rivers blown till the day after Christmas I can win this incredible prize without damaging my conscience.. oh I forgot I don't have one ( Wife says it must be a guy thing).

Actually it is a good bet that the rivers will be blown that week as am planning to make a run. If you see some idiot from Nevada acting kinda funny that will be me( all those trees make me kinda nervous. Just too many places for the like of RT to hide behind)

Jig virgin here.

If I am going to join this contest, I'm going to try to get some private tootering. Think I will need all the help I can get.

Hey, seeing how it's my first one, if the fish misses the jig on the first strike, gets the line caught in its mouth and the jig ends up hooking the fish just behind the gill plate, as long as the wife and kids had not had dinner yet, can I keep it?

GAWD, I wish it would stop raining so I could go fishing.....Arugh...... Wife wishes the same thing.........

closest I've been to catching one is "dude..your bobbers down!" huh? where? oh d'uh...set hook..miss..duck..hehe

Shouldn't have said anything dude...you know how I am. Does this have anything to do with the amateur proctology kit you want for Christmas?

The first time I used a jig I was on a small Oly pen river that doesn't get that many steelies returning to it. I went to this river cuz it was the closest to my house and I didn't have my driftboat then. After trying all of the dirft gear that I could stand I put on a float and jig and 3rd cast bam a 13 lbs native that was C&R. I have only tried jigs a few other times with out luck. I guess I was a lucky one to get one on the first try.
Chris

Cool. We now have 8 contestants and growing. Who is going to be the first to catch that jig steelie? Will the rivers recede in time - oh, the drama.

B'dog, let us know the river types and jig techs you've been using. That would be a good starting point and we can then help you with things to improve your odds of catching the jig steelie. I've caught steelies on Jigman's jigs (Mike/Rainbow), Silent Approach jigs (Roger), BeauMac jigs, and of course my favorite First Cast Jigs (Mark). The improvement in little intricacies is what will help you most. Those 3 guys and some of us other successful jigsters can post our recommendations after we hear where and what you are doing; or hear specific questions.

D'dog, I suggest you bring up your driftboat along with a kicker motor. You can use it on the big Cow to re-do holes. (now that was a poor choice of words again - can't seem to help it. lets face it, I think there is a fine line between fishing lingo and sexual inuendo; so many words and phrases fit both ) Anyway, then you can drift the medium and smaller rivers that come in sooner after these rains. And jigs will generally work better in those type rivers in my experience.

I will say one very basic thing you need to do Gregor - watch your bobber!

And Fishbait (Steve)!!! The hard core egg fishing master is going to try for a jig fish. That's cool. I want some of you others to beat him to your first jig fish - he's too good of overall fisherman to allow him to win this thing. So no 'tootering' for you dude. You were present for one of Mark Anderson's excellant jig clinics at our TV chapter of NW Steelheaders meeting. And use that search feature here for a wealth of jig info! Then all we need is for clearing rivers. The fish are there.

Ah Shane, I thought those gloves were for egg fishing.

Edit: Aunty M (Marsha) entered over in the other thread. Entering her in the contest thread. Good luck Aunty!

RT

[ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

RT, I won't even bother entering...

Matt

Have hooked a few fish with jigs, but never landed one. I guess I am therefore a jig virgin. If I'm eligible, I'm in!

Lets hope the rain lets up or it may be awhile before anyone has the chance to fish jigs

I am a Jig Virgin for Steelies, I never have used them really because I have been trying so many other techniques but I have started to tie my own jigs. and am going to give them a serious shot for these brats.

One question for a jig expert, how do you rig it up with a flaot, as in weight and float type.

Thanks

FFF, you haven't landed one on a jig so you are elgible and in.

Rip' (Matt), get your butt right into this contest! Part of the problem you've expressed to us about not catching fish is due to attitude. At least give an honest effort. Try to be confident in what you've learned here and get after it. Confidence helps keep you trying to catch a fish and use your acumulated knowledge. If you aren't confident your aren't going to give it your best shot - or float watching effort for that matter. Those things do make a difference. Good luck.

RT

I have never got one on a jig but will give it a shot if Justin makes me up some..........Parker you want to tag along for some help?????

Count me in as well... I've spent too much time east of the mountains to have gotten in on this technique, and after moving back to the wet side of Washington, too much time travelling out of state or on the saltwater. This is the year I vowed to get after the steelhead, and fishing with bobbers is a blast. I've done enough of it for walleyes to know how much fun it can be.

One question: does it count if you catch the steelie in saltwater? Or does it count double?

I got several steelhead last winter for the first time on floats, but no jigs. Yarn. I ordered some first cast and some silent approach, and I've been practicing with marabou and hackle on the vise. I actually think I've come up with a reasonable facsimile of a jig, but we'll see. If its like everything else, the only luck I'll have is with my own creations, but I wouldn''t mind a few extra testers. Its going to be another week before anything is fishable anyway.
HT

Be careful guy's getting hooked on the jig may lead to the loss of your drift feel.

FJ...out.

To all you "jig virgins", when the rivers drop back into shape, tie on a white or pink/white jig of your choice and hit your favorite stretch of water. Winter steelies inhale jigs. Once you get a steelie on a jig, you'll be "hooked" so to speak. It's a very addictive way of catching fish. I think you should have (fishbait) Steve catch two steelhead on a jig just because, well just because. Good luck.

Mark

I am a jig virgin. I have played with them but never gone all the way.

Oh Man! I go and post a new thread specifically fishing related just to take a break from the Flog & Fillet sessions and now RT's got me in a contest with a bunch of young uuuh?"virgins?" Suffering ****! RT if I survive this guy....oh cr@p forgot I'm here to behave myself and learn.
Thanks for the advice guys specially FJ...hey am I really risking losing my feel for drifting lead? Took over 30 years of it to become the finely honed....ah? not going there either. When's the start time on this...next saturday daylite? BTW any of them fancy jigs come in about the same dimensions and weight as 2 inches of 1/4inch pencel lead?

Gooose