Guide Brad Chappell displays a nice fish taken by pulling jigs at Grenada Lake, Mississippi. He says
this is an easy, productive way to catch fish and enjoy a day in the boat. (Photo: Tim Huffman)
Guide to Pulling Jigs
by Tim Huffman
Winter, summer, spring or fall, many crappie anglers love pulling jigs (also called long line trolling). The popular technique has many advantages and is still one of the best methods for catching crappie. Fishing multiple baits over a wide swath of water, a very easy system to learn and a fun way to catch fish makes this a good technique choice for fun and productivity.
The Pro & The Gear
Brad Chappell is a professional guide in Mississippi, pro staffer for B’n’M, Bobby Garland and others, and host of Crappie Connection podcast.
Chappell says trolling jigs requires consistency.
“A wireless trolling motor is required to maintain a constant speed in every condition,” said Chappell. “That’s critical to know jig depth. My electronics include side imaging, down Imaging and mapping.
“My poles are B’n’M Pro Staff Trollers for all lengths to keep the action the same for all poles. I use 8-, 12-, 14- and 18-foot poles. The lengths give line separation. The 8-foot pole is closest to the stern of the boat and they get longer toward the front. The front pole will be straight out, but others will be angled back at about at about 45 degrees. All poles will be near horizontal with their height 12 to 24 inches from the top of the water. The lower to the water, the less wind and waves will bother the line. I use Driftmaster rod holders.”
Chappell uses 6-pound-test monofilament line. He alternates color on alternate poles with clear and high-vis lines because it helps untangle lines when they tangle. His baits are Bobby Garland Stroll-R baits because of the good colors available and the great vibration. He uses 1/32- to 1/8-ounce jigs in tandem. He uses spinner heads most percent of the time.
Pulling Jigs
Chappell begins by going to an area where fish should be for that time of year.
“I’ll use side imaging to see where the fish are in the water column and to learn if shad are in the area. Shad are important any time of year including now, but they are especially in the fall and winter. I want to see them in tight balls because that means they are scared and being chased. If they are scattered around, that means they are not scared or being chased.
“I’ll cast my shortest pole, put it in the holder and let it tighten up. I’ll cast my second pole and so on. I’m always asked, ‘How far back?’ It’s just a good ol’ cast. For me, that’s about 70 to 80 feet. I don’t care if I’m not exact, but I’ll be close. Also, not all fish are at the same depth. After I get all my lines out, the boat doesn’t stop until all jigs are returned to the boat.”
Chappell says he likes a three-way combo electronics unit. Side imaging is critical for learning a lake. He marks stumps and other structures with waypoints so he can return to them. He uses down imaging to show fish and their depth. He also relies on mapping to see trolling runs.
“I’m opposite of most fishermen because I start fast. I want to cover as much water to find the most active fish. I only go slower if necessary. I go 1.2 mph.
“Bait depth is determined by jig weight and type. I use two in tandem tied with loop knots, with a one-inch loop on bottom and four-inch loop on top. I quickly measure from the floor to my belt jig for separation.
“Baits are important. I only use Bobby Garland Stroll’R jigs because they catch fish and it’s important to stick to only one body style. I also use willow-leaf-blade jigs heads most of the time.
“If I’m not catching fish, I’ll start changing jig sizes to put me in a little different depth range. I’ll look at my electronics to find more baitfish in tight pods. Changing colors can make a huge difference, too. I’m not trying to coax a bite but rather looking to trigger a reaction bite.
“I often follow contour lines. For example, I’ll fish a contour line at 12 feet that might have fish at eight feet. I don’t like open-water fish because they are hard to pattern because they just swim around everywhere.”
Waypoint Management
“Name your waypoints,” says Chappell. “My unit has a whole page of symbols to identify specific spots, like favorite, deep, shallow, summer and so on. Make them easy to identify for you.
Colors
“In general, I stick to dark baits on darker situations and bright baits on bright days. I like glitter and flash. ‘Hot’ colors can change from year to year, but I like Bobby Garland Horsefly, an orange body with a green/chartreuse tail; Bluegill Fire, a blue body with some silver, with a hot pink and glitter tail; and Keystone Candy, a red body with red flake and chartreuse tail.
“Try fine tuning colors. If you are catching some fish on a jig with blue, purple and pink in it, try experimenting with baits with more blue, purple or pink to see if they might want more of one of those three colors.”
Bladed Jigs
“Don’t forget the spinner heads like a Road Runner. I use them 95 percent of the time because the flash helps the fish find the baits. Willow-leaf bronze is my favorite.”
Jig Weights & Depths
“The approximate depth range for 1.2 mph are: 4 to 6 feet deep for two 1/32-ounce jigs; 7 to 9 feet for two 1/16-ounce; and 10 to 13 feet for two 1/18-ounce.
Beginners
“Keep it simple and use single jigs in 1/32, 1/16, 1/8 and maybe 1/4. Learn everything about how deep they run and get use to pulling them in all conditions. Pull double jigs after you get good with the singles.”
Water Colors & Temperature
“They are very important. Dingy water is likely the biggest hinderance because fish can’t see the baits come by them. Stained water is fine. For temperature, anything over 45 degrees is fine.”
Fishing & Boating Pressure
“Fishing pressure usually isn’t a problem, but trolling paths may have to be altered by going around boats. Boating pressure will bother shallower fish. It pushes them to other areas.”
Successful Fishing
“It’s important to use electronics to find baitfish and to learn fish depth. Be in an active area. Don’t stay in an area that’s not working. Change colors if fish aren’t biting. Never give up.”
Final Thoughts
“Pulling is a great technique that allows a five-year-old, or the most elderly, to do,” says Chappell. “It’s a technique to enjoy and be successful. Crappie are spookier today than ever before, so pulling helps keep baits away from the boat.”
CrappieNow senior writer Tim Huffman has a new crappie fishing book for 2024 titled “Papermouth, Modern Crappie Techniques.” Check out www.monstercrappie.com for links to paperback or Kindle versions of Huffman’s books, and a Top 50 Lakes list.
