Non-Fly Jig Twitching pointers

[brownheron]

Anyone ever twitch jigs in the saltwater under a float? I'd never seen it done until I ran into a guy on a MA 10 beach many years ago.
The guy was absolutely slaying humpies. He had a small slip float with about a 2' leader under a small weight and a 1/8 oz jig.
He had his bobber stop maybe 3' above his bobber, so about 5' total leader length. He's cast it out, let it settle then draw his rod back 3-4' and let it settle again and repeat. All the hits were on the drop then the float would bury. I think this could easily be effective for salt coho as well. Might be a good technique for kids as well getting the bobber down visual.
SF

I'm going to try this during the fall coho run on my homewater. I'll use a smallish slip float (maybe one of the weighted ones) with bobber stops above and below the float. That will let me dial in the right depth as well as swing the jig across the current w/o the float sliding all the way down to the swivel. Pitch it quartering up, give it action as is drifts down then swing across the current to the dangle. Always fun trying new things.

 

[Stonedfish]

I'm going to try this during the fall coho run on my homewater. I'll use a smallish slip float (maybe one of the weighted ones) with bobber stops above and below the float. That will let me dial in the right depth as well as swing the jig across the current w/o the float sliding all the way down to the swivel. Pitch it quartering up, give it action as is drifts down then swing across the current to the dangle. Always fun trying new things.

Thomas,
Let us know how it works for you. It will be interesting to hear a report.
SF

 

[Paige]

I taught my kids and non FF clients with floats for pinks in the river, just lift the float barley out of the water and drop it. Works exceedingly well.

For twitching all I use is baitcasters with 15# maxima, MH rods from 9' to 7'(I now have couple 7' rods) and 1/2 oz jigs with hoochies.

Time to respool for Coho season!

 

[LBL]

I'm going to try this during the fall coho run on my homewater. I'll use a smallish slip float (maybe one of the weighted ones) with bobber stops above and below the float. That will let me dial in the right depth as well as swing the jig across the current w/o the float sliding all the way down to the swivel. Pitch it quartering up, give it action as is drifts down then swing across the current to the dangle. Always fun trying new things.

Are we going to get a season this year?

 

[G_Smolt]

I use hi-vis line (either yellow 30# braid or obnoxiously fluorescent Pline #15 mono) on my jig setups, with a 2'-4' section of fluoro at the terminal end. Good way to know exactly where your jig is, and that is one of the main keys to success IMO.

 

[brownheron]

Are we going to get a season this year?

My guess is that it will be rain dependent similar to last year. If the coho get kegged up in the Quilleute, then I'm fine with it (but disappointed) as long as the tribes also limit netting. Otherwise the whole run will get hoovered up before they can get up the rapid into the Sol Duc at Leyendecker.

Last year, they waited to open until the river was completely blown out. I still managed to do well with it really high and brown however, it was kind of hard to find a bright one or two by then.

Springer season was a bust this year and but keep me in mind if you want to meet up for coho this fall.

 

[Wanative]

Wow the dirtbaggers are coming out of closet in droves!

 

[Jagosh]

Wow the dirtbaggers are coming out of closet in droves!

You ain’t seen nothing yet

 

[Jagosh]

I've been mostly out of the river gear-fishing loop for a couple decades now, and haven't given jig twitching for coho a proper try. I've had some success with weighted flies in frog water and in deep pools, but seems to me there must be some similarities with twitching jigs. What I've heard is they usually (always?) hit on the drop. Beyond that I know squat about the technique.

Mostly interested in rods/reels/lines and presentation techniques. And also any thoughts on how they might behave differently on specific rivers or run timing. Not looking for any spot info, I know exactly where/when I want to try this. Jig colors/sizes also good discussion points.

Lots of interesting ideas and tidbits in the replies. Some things to process for a bit, ruminate, if I may.

I am very good at twitching for salmon, all seasons. It was not a cheap technique to learn and it helped that I had someone work a bit with me. So this is a twitching purists view, not an angler who has tried it.

One thing I agreed with right away is that if you are ripping every twitch you simply aren’t twitching. My rule for myself is that if I can hear myself twitching, then I am doing it too hard and at least once during the year I will have to correct myself.

It’s 90% of the time advisable to use a 1/2oz or 3/4oz jig. Feathers are better than hoochies. I almost always use anything with chartreuse heads and one guy makes metallic gold like versions for me… or anyone else who asks. Other colors work but who cares, pick the ones that work best, you will see what’s sold out and learn.

7’9” is perfect for almost all spots. The other rods and techniques mentioned are quite interesting and worth studying but this is about twitch jigs right?

The lift is almost irrelevant, but getting that sine wave of slack line is the key. It’s the drop not the lift.

I twitch mostly in faster water, faster than most choose. Deep pools do nothing for me. Could be a tribe thing, I have my best success above a busy deep pool and no one ever comes up. I called a guy up one time as I had a limit on three casts and I knew there were more in there.

Only 1/4 to 1/2 turn on the downstroke and that takes a little time to find a rhythm. Oh, and that rhythm changes depending on speed of a water. Sometimes I go crazy in fast shallow water.

Now, I also talk to my jigs, I close my eyes and listen before casting and often sniff the water so make your own judgement when taking any advice from me.

Oh and two stories, caught one coho when the jig was at my feet and I was lighting a smoke, back when I did that crap. I looked up to see who was pranking, oh yeah, your alone.

A boat corked me one time to bobber wish so I would work my jig under his boat…. Got two!

 

[SilverFly]

Lots of interesting ideas and tidbits in the replies. Some things to process for a bit, ruminate, if I may.

I am very good at twitching for salmon, all seasons. It was not a cheap technique to learn and it helped that I had someone work a bit with me. So this is a twitching purists view, not an angler who has tried it.

One thing I agreed with right away is that if you are ripping every twitch you simply aren’t twitching. My rule for myself is that if I can hear myself twitching, then I am doing it too hard and at least once during the year I will have to correct myself.

It’s 90% of the time advisable to use a 1/2oz or 3/4oz jig. Feathers are better than hoochies. I almost always use anything with chartreuse heads and one guy makes metallic gold like versions for me… or anyone else who asks. Other colors work but who cares, pick the ones that work best, you will see what’s sold out and learn.

7’9” is perfect for almost all spots. The other rods and techniques mentioned are quite interesting and worth studying but this is about twitch jigs right?

The lift is almost irrelevant, but getting that sine wave of slack line is the key. It’s the drop not the lift.

I twitch mostly in faster water, faster than most choose. Deep pools do nothing for me. Could be a tribe thing, I have my best success above a busy deep pool and no one ever comes up. I called a guy up one time as I had a limit on three casts and I knew there were more in there.

Only 1/4 to 1/2 turn on the downstroke and that takes a little time to find a rhythm. Oh, and that rhythm changes depending on speed of a water. Sometimes I go crazy in fast shallow water.

Now, I also talk to my jigs, I close my eyes and listen before casting and often sniff the water so make your own judgement when taking any advice from me.

Oh and two stories, caught one coho when the jig was at my feet and I was lighting a smoke, back when I did that crap. I looked up to see who was pranking, oh yeah, your alone.

A boat corked me one time to bobber wish so I would work my jig under his boat…. Got two!

Just the kind of feedback I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

[eazy-e]

my pointer is, with a spinning reel, cast like normal then move your right hand up to the fore grip and twitch. more control and less fatigue.
for the jig i like a 3/4oz chartreuse head with a dark (black, purple, blue) body

 

[Little Fork]

Lots of interesting ideas and tidbits in the replies. Some things to process for a bit, ruminate, if I may.

I am very good at twitching for salmon, all seasons. It was not a cheap technique to learn and it helped that I had someone work a bit with me. So this is a twitching purists view, not an angler who has tried it.

One thing I agreed with right away is that if you are ripping every twitch you simply aren’t twitching. My rule for myself is that if I can hear myself twitching, then I am doing it too hard and at least once during the year I will have to correct myself.

It’s 90% of the time advisable to use a 1/2oz or 3/4oz jig. Feathers are better than hoochies. I almost always use anything with chartreuse heads and one guy makes metallic gold like versions for me… or anyone else who asks. Other colors work but who cares, pick the ones that work best, you will see what’s sold out and learn.

7’9” is perfect for almost all spots. The other rods and techniques mentioned are quite interesting and worth studying but this is about twitch jigs right?

The lift is almost irrelevant, but getting that sine wave of slack line is the key. It’s the drop not the lift.

I twitch mostly in faster water, faster than most choose. Deep pools do nothing for me. Could be a tribe thing, I have my best success above a busy deep pool and no one ever comes up. I called a guy up one time as I had a limit on three casts and I knew there were more in there.

Only 1/4 to 1/2 turn on the downstroke and that takes a little time to find a rhythm. Oh, and that rhythm changes depending on speed of a water. Sometimes I go crazy in fast shallow water.

Now, I also talk to my jigs, I close my eyes and listen before casting and often sniff the water so make your own judgement when taking any advice from me.

Oh and two stories, caught one coho when the jig was at my feet and I was lighting a smoke, back when I did that crap. I looked up to see who was pranking, oh yeah, your alone.

A boat corked me one time to bobber wish so I would work my jig under his boat…. Got two!

What rod do you like best for twitching?

 

[Jagosh]

Just the kind of feedback I'm looking for. Thanks!

What rod do you like best for twitching?

7’9” Okuma GSP. I can be a gear snob, but you don’t need anything expensive for this technique and I am hard on gear. I do have it paired with a Stradic so go figure

 

[Evan B]

7’9” Okuma GSP. I can be a gear snob, but you don’t need anything expensive for this technique and I am hard on gear. I do have it paired with a Stradic so go figure

You said "hard on"