When jig fishing, I seem to have the best success when fishing water that is 3 to 5 feet deep, with my jig positioned 2 to 4 feet below my float on a nice, drag-free drift. I have confidence in my presentation under these circumstances. I have less confidence, however, in my ability to effectively fish shallower tailouts and other shallow-water situations with jigs. When fishing tailouts, for example, where the depth of the water gradually decreases as the jig/float heads downriver, I find I tick bottom too frequently for my liking/confidence level. My jig drags the riverbed, my float leans downstream (meaning the float is now IN FRONT of the jig as the setup moves through the shallow water) and I'm left scratching my head wondering what to do. This can't be good -- or can it? Should I simply shorten the length between float and jig until I'm getting the drag-free drift I want? (I generally shorten the length, but only to a point, because the shorter I go the less confidence I have; it's hard to fathom that a steelie will take a jig that's sitting ten inches or a foot below a gaudy float. Or will they?) This is where I need the advice of you jig experts.

Another strategy that I've tried (without success yet) is holding back on the float as it moves through the tailout, thereby assuring that the float remains upstream of the jig. Is this a viable strategy -- or are there better tactics?

One other question that I'd like to throw out is the idea of float color. I typically use Thill floats, which are brown on the lower half. In the summertime, I usually take a black magic marker and darken up some of the fluorescent yellow/orange on the upper half of the float for fear of spooking hot-wired fish in clear water. Does anyone else tinker with their floats like this? I know some people like using round cork floats -- they are pretty natural-looking, and I've had some success with them -- but I prefer elongated float shapes, as they give me a better idea of how and where my jig is performing under the water. Does anyone take their Thill or dink floats and paint them a drab, subtle cork color, or perhaps just all brown to look like a stick floating in the water? What kind of paint do you use?

These questions bring up one final question: what do fish SEE when they see something floating on the surface of the water? I've heard this question bandied about in fly-fishing circles when discussing the merits of floating fly lines. Some fly guys like a drab olive line -- or even white (they say the latter gets "lost" in the brightness of the sky), while others prefer bright orange lines so they can track their fly line. We typically think of black as an unobtrusive color, but wouldn't black show up with absolute clarity when seen against a blue or gray sky? Just wondering what y'all think...

Wow....heavy stuff. I'm far from an expert but I tend to retard my float a bit when the tailout gets shallow. That seems to keep the jig from hanging up most often. When your jig is bumping along the bottom it is generally upstream of the float, so the hook is pointed downstream. I lose a lot more fish when my jig is bass-ackwards, so I don't even cast upstream very much for the same reason. However, when I fish bait below the float I'll sometimes let the weight, usually a slinky, bump along the bottom just like a drift rig. Seems to work OK.

I use 20 or 30 pound hi-vis Power-Pro, so I always employ a leader of good old Maxima.

Are you dead set on fishing those tail-outs with a jig? I've found thats the toughest part of a drift to jig, that and of course the very head of the run. I use a 2 stage plan, some kind of a spinner or spoon @ the head or tail-out with jig's or drift gear in the meaty part of the drift. Only takes a sec. to switch or carry 2 rods. C-head

Great question!
Heres what I do,I add a little resistance to the line,with my hand while at the same time feeding a little line(sounds easier than it is )and depending what I want the jig to do,either swing thru the tailout or continue on it's course,Don't know if that's the right way......but I have caught a fish or 2 doing this......Os

I usually fish the tail outs by casting as far as I can to the other side. Once I reach the faster water, I keep my line pretty tight and let my float swing through the end until it pretty much stops. I hold it there for a couple of seconds and then make a few funny little jerks or twitches to get any body that followed it excited. If they are there, they usually nail it! Tail-outs are not my favorite water to fish bobber and jig in.

Cowlitzfisherman

Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

I generally hold up a bit on the line like the other guys have said and work it through the tailout. I've had three fish this year that have hit the jig multiple times before a final hookup. Might have something to do with the hook positioning at the time of the drift? This has led me to believe to always let your offering swing all the way through the tailout and as Lani Waller calls it "hang-down", or let it sit for a bit and twitch it. Lots of variables in what you are decribing of course...water depth, current speed...
As far as coloring the float with black...black silouettes better than any other color in the water. Does it make the float more visable? I use the biggest corky in the hottest color (for my visibility) and it doesn't seem to matter. At least I keep telling myself that when I don't hook up over a fish. Also, red is supposed to become invisible faster than any other color in the water. There is a good book out called "What Fish See", saw it at a shop in Oly last week. Looks interesting.

As for floats I either paint the bottoms flat black or Gray. I also take alot of the top color off when I paint them, leaving just enough for them to be visible. As for fishing tailouts I like to cut the hole into sections, this way when you get to the tailout you can set the jig shallow enough to fish through without the jig bumping the bottom. The only time I like to bump the bottom is with the pink worm on a jighead, it seems to work well that way.

Fish a slip foat and put 2 stoppers on it or use micro shot pinch-ons they work better. Put one on above your float for the deep water and another below the float where you estimate bottom is in the tailout. When you hit the tail out, add some tension and the bobber will slip down to the second stopper ensuring your depth for the rest of the swing to shore. And as for float color. It has never made a difference for me. I've fished many floats but i like Macks steelhead slip floats. They're half flourecent green and half oranges, easy to see and cast and they float alot of weight yet they go under easy. Spook city right? Nope. I have even hooked up twice with steelhead, fishing for Chum with a 1 foot leader in 1-2 feet of water. Thought it was a fluke on my first fish but next day i got another on the same setup. ALTHOUGH, as superstition has it, I MUST have the yellow side down cuz that's just the way it is. I used to worry about all this crap, bobber color, leader weight, silver or black hooks or swivels, shot size, untill someone told me that Steelhead aren't magical or elusive or exceptionally smart, there just fish. One question...how come no one uses weedless jigs???