Fishing A Jig Uphill? 2025
Heron reply :
Honestly, is this a lesson in futility? Is working a jig uphill, even practical? I would guess the hangups would outweigh the fish caught, by a fair margin.
Your thoughts?
flyfisher reply :
i do it a lot because being in a kayak it is easier for me to hold position in shallow water than deep. You just have to take your time and work it a little slower and the snags are no more than any other direction. I also find it easier to maintain contact with the bait doing it this way but that could be because my skills with a jig aren't that great.
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 6:55 AM, flyfisher said:i do it a lot because being in a kayak it is easier for me to hold position in shallow water than deep. You just have to take your time and work it a little slower and the snags are no more than any other direction. I also find it easier to maintain contact with the bait doing it this way but that could be because my skills with a jig aren't that great
"Snags being no more than any other direction..."
Hmmm....I wonder if thats where the angle of the slope might come in to play. Seems to me, when working a jig downhill, the bait is being assisted a little bit by gravity. And that assistance would have more of an effect, when the slope is steeper.
But, Im sure it also depends on what kind of hangups are down there.
flyfisher reply :
Might just be my personal experience though but you would think that working downhill would decrease hangups, I just haven't experienced it.
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 7:16 AM, flyfisher said:Might just be my personal experience though but you would think that working downhill would decrease hangups, I just haven't experienced it.
Working downhill decreasing hangups.....thats kinda what Im wondering.
But again, if youre not experiencing that, then it probably depends on what kind of hangups are down there. Obviously there are some bottom features down there, that will just gobble up jigs no matter what.
Montanaro reply :
Depends on the cover.
I won't throw a jig bank fishing if I'm on rip rap. If there is grass on the rip rap I will as it sits on the grass not the rocks.
As far as timber? No different really from any angle as you usually are working it over limbs.
I rarely drag a jig bank fishing as it's a terrible way to locate fish and takes too long.
A-Jay reply :
Working "up the drop" is one of my favorite & often very effective presentations; especially when the fish are really hunkered down on the bottom or favor a bait right on it.
Instead of a standard "Jig", I use the rig pictured below.
It excels in many situations and this one in particular; very weedless, seriously snag resistant and bass eat it eagerly.
A-Jay
BennyB reply :
A jay, any chance you can let a guy in on where to find that wide gap style jig?
A-Jay reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 8:17 AM, BennyB said:A jay, any chance you can let a guy in on where to find that wide gap style jig?
It's a rig not a jig ~
Here's the rig, from the main line to the hook:
-A Bobber Stop
- A small bead to keep the stopper from slipping through the weight (not always needed)
- A 1/2 oz tungsten weight
- a Boss Punch Hub - this is placed inside the skirt collar
- The skirt of your choice
- A parasite clip (optional, but does help prevent the plastic from sliding down the hook)
- A 5/0 Owner wide gap plus EWG hook (#5139 - very stout, I love this hook)
- Your favorite soft plastic - pictured is a Power Bait Beast
A-Jay
deep reply :
Why are we thinking about snags? We should think about catching fish.
Spring up, fall down. Actually, try both until the fish tell you what they want.
Catt reply :
While I like A-jay 3 parts are better than 8 
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 8:58 AM, deep said:Why are we thinking about snags? We should think about catching fish.
Spring up, fall down. Actually, try both until the fish tell you what they want.
The fish have not yet spoken. They have stiff competition with the rocks and the trees, and other discarded debris.
Catt reply :
Oh i forgot!
When possible I always fish uphill, my bait stays in contact with the bottom longer.
RoLo reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 9:36 AM, Catt said:Oh i forgot!
When possible I always fish uphill, my bait stays in contact with the bottom longer.
Exactly
When you fish'em downhill, the only bass you contact
are those wearing a top hat.
Roger
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 9:46 AM, RoLo said:Exactly
When you fish'em downhill, the only bass you contact
are those wearing a top hat.
Roger
Ok.......that one flew over my head. A top hat?
RoLo reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 9:50 AM, Heron said:Ok.......that one flew over my head. A top hat?
Very rare indeed.
I don't mean top hats, but waterproof top hats.
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 10:01 AM, RoLo said:Very rare indeed.
I don't mean top hats, but waterproof top hats.
RoLo reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 10:04 AM, Heron said:
Quote: "That one flew over my head"
Uh huh, but not if you were wearing a top hat 
WRB reply :
Spring up, fall down.
Tom
deep reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 9:25 AM, Heron said:The fish have not yet spoken. They have stiff competition with the rocks and the trees, and other discarded debris.
I hope these aren't the same fish that speak only once every 12-15 hours?
Todd2 reply :
I've tried fishing uphill some, but not enough to really compare. Fishing a c-rig down, letting the weight fall off the next drop while your plastic slowly falls seems to get me bites, you can't do that uphill. Also, I've never seen any prey try to escape to the shallows...they all go deep. I did a lot of fishing uphill back when I didn't have a boat..lol.
Heron reply :
On 7/22/2015 at 10:28 PM, deep said:I hope these aren't the same fish that speak only once every 12-15 hours?
That they are.
Seems to me, if I can reduce hang ups, I might be able to get them to speak, maybe every 8 to 9 hours.
J Francho reply :
You missed two more bites pondering this. 
Seriously though, sometimes there's no other way to effectively fish a spot. Otherwise, ignore any other conventional wisdom and try a better jig head design if you're hanging up.
Heron reply :
On 7/23/2015 at 2:26 AM, J Francho said:You missed two more bites pondering this.
Seriously though, sometimes there's no other way to effectively fish a spot. Otherwise, ignore any other conventional wisdom and try a better jig head design if you're hanging up.
Or maybe in certain spots, fishing a big worm would be a better choice than a jig. I dont know.
J Francho reply :
That would have nothing to do with uphill or downhill. Why are you toiling over this? What ever you figure out today may not be true tomorrow, or five minutes from now.
Fish where the fish are, use baits that get to the fish, try different profiles, speeds, and finally colors until a pattern develops. That past few threads, you're over thinking.
Heron reply :
On 7/23/2015 at 3:48 AM, J Francho said:That would have nothing to do with uphill or downhill. Why are you toiling over this? What ever you figure out today may not be true tomorrow, or five minutes from now.
Fish where the fish are, use baits that get to the fish, try different profiles, speeds, and finally colors until a pattern develops. That past few threads, you're over thinking.
So in other words.....Sure, try a worm instead.
J Francho reply :
Or don't? It's not going to help. These aren't problems that every single person doesn't face every moment on the water. It can only be solved by fishing. It's not like line twist, break offs, or a new rig that you can correct and apply next time. Today, uphill with a black worm. Tomorrow downhill with a jig. Next tuesday, a flat a mile away on a topwater at dusk. To answer your question, yes, try a jig uphill. Maybe you'll catch a fish.
Heron reply :
On 7/23/2015 at 4:01 AM, J Francho said:Or don't? It's not going to help. These aren't problems that every single person doesn't face every moment on the water. It can only be solved by fishing. It's not like line twist, break offs, or a new rig that you can correct and apply next time. Today, uphill with a black worm. Tomorrow downhill with a jig. Next tuesday, a flat a mile away on a topwater at dusk. To answer your question, yes, try a jig uphill. Maybe you'll catch a fish
Uhhh...okay. Arent you kinda over thinking this a little bit.
papajoe222 reply :
I don't think anyone is overthinking, just trying to help. The simple answer to your original post was/ is; there are times when working uphill will produce and the direction of the retrieve has little bearing on whether or not you hang up, the style of the jig does.
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