How to Jiggle Your Jig

Crappie Cowboy Craig Nichols likes to pitch a jig. He controls it with his pole tip and pulling line with his hand.
He can slowly swim it back, control the depth, and control the action. (Photo: Tim Huffman)

The Art of Pole Dancing

by Tim Huffman

Crappie fishermen like to hop, pop, and jiggle their jigs. But ask ten fishermen to demonstrate and there is a good chance you will see ten different techniques. Everyone seems to have a favorite pole action to catch fish and each fisherman believes his is the best pole action in the world. But if you have an open mind – as every fisherman should – here are some varying “pole dances” you may want to try.

Stop & Tantalize

The stop and tantalize move is simple, but a fantastic way to make crappie turn their heads and take notice.

“Less is more,” says classic champ and guide, Crappie Cowboy Craig Nichols. “I prefer to pitch out and let the bait swing down. I don’t add much action. I’ve learned from LiveScope that more times than not, a crappie will run from most actions. You can draw an occasional reaction bite, but slow and steady, or a total stop, right on their heads is better than hopping or popping.

“I use an ACC Crappie Stix 7.5-foot medium-light action rod for pitching and casting. A slow or stopped pole tip strategy seems to work no matter which lake I fish. When fishing gets tough and I think I’m fishing too slow, I slow down some more.”

Slow & Pop

Slow seems to be a big key to successful pole dancing. However, adding a sharp pop can be a great move to draw attention.

Tony Sheppard is one of the best fishermen in the country with many top five finishes along with a Classic Championship. The Jenko Fishing prostaffer calls Kentucky Lake his home water. He likes casting to stake beds while using live imaging sonar, a technique he and his brother has used with good success.

“The first cast starts when I’m 40 feet from the bed, with the cast going 50 feet,” says Sheppard. “I let the jig sink down and pull it back through the bed. I’m using a Jenko jig, usually a 1/16-ounce. The fish act differently nearly every day, so I start by retrieving the jig about a foot over the crappie’s head. I’ll do that twice, but the third time, I’ll give it a quick hop or pop. Sometimes that move will get a reaction bite.

“A good presentation works almost everywhere. A steady retrieve followed by a hop works,” says Sheppard. “It’s a trial-and-error thing a fisherman must do to learn what the fish want.”

The Pull-Away Tease

Your first experience with the pull-away tease will open your eyes to one of the best moves ever.

The pull-away tease is the simplest of tactics, but it works. It doesn’t matter which other jig actions are used, when it’s time to pull the jig out of the water, the pull-away tease is a slow pull that brings the jig up and away from a stump, stake bed or whatever cover is being fished.

“Before removing our baits from the water, we chase each other’s bait.” Chad Nugent, Crappie Pro

Two-time classic champ Paul Alpers says, “I don’t like to use a lot of action on my jig. I drop it down and try a few different depths while swimming it around a tree. It’s important for me to watch the rod tip and line for signs of a light bite. Sometimes a fish will bang a jig, but often it’s a very subtle bite.

“One of the best ways to trigger a strike is to pull the bait slowly, up and away from the tree. A fisherman can see this with LiveScope, but it works whether you use LiveScope or not. A fish thinks the bait is leaving the area, so its instinct is to attack. The fish don’t want to miss a meal.”

The pull-away tease pole dance can be done anytime a jig is pulled from the water. It’s a bonus move that works.

Pole Dancing Doubles

Double your pleasure, double your fun.

Chad Nugent, tournament fisherman and Truman Lake expert has the most unique pole dance move to entice reluctant crappie.

“I fish beds and trees a lot at Truman Lake,” says Nugent. “I put in beds that offer either horizontal or vertical cover for the fish. The horizontal wood offers more shade, but the vertical is easier to fish. I make tall beds and ones that are compact. Having a variety of beds, along with great natural cover, gives the fish a lot of options and gives us options for fishing them.”

Nugent works to eliminate unproductive water and to form a pattern. He also uses basic presentations. Like other experts, he believes less action leads to more bites. However, he and his partner dances double when necessary.

“I don’t do much fancy stuff while I’m jigging. My partner and I started doing something that sometimes tricks crappie into hitting. Before removing our baits from the water, we chase each other’s bait. We play chase with our rod tips giving a look under the water of two minnows or shad chasing each other. It doesn’t always work, but there are times we’ve triggered bites we otherwise would not have gotten.”