Trying Something New

I am always about trying new things and there are times that they don’t work, but when they do, can be something that will be used more than others. Todays technique was to try tight lining and get a feel for that, as the tournaments that we fish, it is becoming a critical part of the fish catching process.

Tight lining is using a fiberglass noodle rod, a small Schooley reel, light fishing line and a light jig with some sort of meat or plastic. This setup is a hand lining option and is typically used in shallower waters.

The Schooley reel allows the line to come off straight and doesn’t have the coils that the spinning reel creates. This keeps the jig and bait/trailer from spinning, which is not a natural offering that the fish are used to seeing.

With the small Schooley reel as well, you lock down the drag nut on the reel and after hooking a fish, you hand line them up through the hole. This type of fishing works best for under 10 feet of water, but will work in deeper depths, but you will have more line on the ice to deal with when getting the bait back down the hole.

Tight lining is all about watching your line for anything different that is happening. If the fish bumps your bait upward, that puts slack into your line and means it is time to set the hook. If the line moves to the side or any movement downwards, it is time to set the hook. Anything that changes the way the line is hanging means there is a fish on the line.

Using a tungsten jig allows you to getting back quickly to the fish that are biting, as this time of year, they are on the move and looking for their next meal. There are many types of ways to fish and catch fish and this is another way that you can add to your arsenal.