# Keeping that jig horizontal



## ajangsta04

I know that the presentation ultimately determines if you're going to catch fish or not. I normally fish for crappie with a 1/32oz unpainted jighead with 1-2 inch tube or crappie stingers.

My question is how do some of you keep that jig staying horizontal? I tie it on directly with a Palomar knot. Is this something that just can't be avoided?


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

I don't believe in that old saying keep them horizontal...I know many times I have been drifting and the wind come up and I have drifted faster than I wanted too ...and have caught fish.,,.and I know my jig has not been horizontal...I do prefer to stay horizontal but sometimes it can't be helped...I feel it is all in being in the strike zone horizontal or not...I have caught more than my lifes share of Crappies...Being in the right place at the right time and being in the strike zone will alway's produce fish....Color has a lot to do with it....JIM.....


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## chaunc

ajangsta04 said:


> I know that the presentation ultimately determines if you're going to catch fish or not. I normally fish for crappie with a 1/32oz unpainted jighead with 1-2 inch tube or crappie stingers.
> 
> My question is how do some of you keep that jig staying horizontal? I tie it on directly with a Palomar knot. Is this something that just can't be avoided?


To answer your question, try using a drop of superglue on the knot after you've pulled it to the back of the eye. Please dont get any on your fingers. That makes for a miserable day.


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## peple of the perch

I have definitely noticed a difference in the amount of panfish caught by the angle of the jig. Especially while icefishing. I agree Keep them Horizontal!!


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Sorry guy's missunderstood about the horizontal...I bought a tube of knot lock and it helps keep the jig in place....But will have to try superglue....JIM....


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## ajangsta04

definitely lots of good responses here. i'll have to try that super glue trick. aside from keeping that jig horizontal, anyone else have neat little tips? nothing
real serious. things like a bobber/cork trick etc.

another agenda is road runners. i've never had much luck with them...any thoughts.


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## chaunc

ajangsta04 said:


> definitely lots of good responses here. i'll have to try that super glue trick. aside from keeping that jig horizontal, anyone else have neat little tips? nothing
> real serious. things like a bobber/cork trick etc.
> 
> another agenda is road runners. i've never had much luck with them...any thoughts.


If you see me on the lake, stop me and you can have every roadrunner jighead i have on my boat. I have never caught anything on them north of Ky lake.


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## mrphish42

ajangsta04........Most guy's believe that the only way to fish "road runners" is to cast them and work as you would a regular jig. But they can be worked very efficiently when used in conjuction with a bobber. Select a bobber that isn't to large.....but one, that will support the weight of the sized "road runner" you intend to fish with and ride nicely on the water/ and NOT THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL. And yet be pulled under easily, at the sign of a hit. Set the bobber/combo at a depth that you are targeting the fish at and start working the different depths until you make contact with the fish (or at the depth that your "locator") has indicated the fish to be at.The deeper you fish this combo.....the harder it is to over-hand cast. So either use more of a "lob" cast or side arm to make this combo less tangle- some. The more you fish this rig/the easier it is to control.....Only thing left is to learn speed control on your retreive!!!!!!!!!!This is where most fail.....Stop and go/steady retreive/pause pull/twitch hard or soft...ah so many different ways to fish it.That is where you become the master and learn to try as many different styles of retreives as you care to learn.......all will work at any given time. This can be a deadly way to fish the "road runners" over sunken brush piles/stick-ups and other places that it is hard to control the depth of, when only casting the plain lure by its self,... by maintaining a more constant /controled depth on the retreive......AS is usuall, this wont be for all....but add it to your arsenal of tricks, to try on those days that every thing else you've tried has failed..Who knows!!!!!!!!! might turn out to be your "ACE IN THE HOLE" good fishin guy....jON sR.


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## JimmyZ

I like to tie a loop knot and let the jig hang freely. I pinch the jig between thumb & index finger. the wrap doulbled line around index and middle finger to form a loop. Drop jig thru loop 3 times, wet and cinch. Keeps jig hanging freely and gives it a natural appearance.

As far as roadrunners go, I love them. They are so much fun to fish. And trust me, a crappie will wack the crap out of them. I like to pitch under docks, along banks, and out in deeper water. I look for them to hit it on the fall. If they don't, I reel back real slow, sometimes stop it on the retrieve and bam. They like to follow it. I've had some follow it all the way back to the boat almost out of the water. I use them with the crappie thunder bodies. I've had crappie not touch a minnow, tie on a RR and bam! as Emeril would say.


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## AtticaFish

Horizontal Jig Tip - Put a small piece of surgical tubing on your line before you tie on your jig. Once the jigs tied on, push the tubing down over the eye of the hook and your jig will stand nearly straight out. 

I am also in the "I hate road runners" camp. For crappie anyway...... River smallies are a different story, but they still never seem to run horz. when you swim them. The blade seems to pull the head down too much and ends up pointing the hook up.  Never tried them stop/go under a cork.


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## Shortdrift

I only fish crappie in the Spring but most of the time is with the Roadrunner (tipped and untipped) or a small jig/tube (tipped) combo. I tie both on with a palomar knot cinched down tight. I'll use either of the above methods wwhen drifting with split shot for added depth or a slip bobber when the drift is very slow or when I am anchored. Nothing extra when casting. Works good for me.


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## husky hooker

i use them at the ohio river with a lindy sinker,reeled back slow.down there you never know whats coming. lots of smallmouth and crappie,white bass and plenty of saugers.tipped with minnow.


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## ajangsta04

im gonna try out some new techniques this friday. hopefully it'll produce.

happy thanksgiving to everyone


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## crappiedude

chaunc said:


> If you see me on the lake, stop me and you can have every roadrunner jighead i have on my boat. I have never caught anything on them north of Ky lake.


Have you tried them in summer? I have had them out produce regular jigs 20 to 1.
Especially good on those deeper brush piles in 10'-15' FOW. Cast them out, let fall to bottom, snap them off the bottom and start slow retrieve. Last year while fishing with a friend, I finally convinced him to at lease try them. I was catching fish almost every cast and he was catching nothing. He switched from standard jigs to roadrunners and instantly started to catch fish. I then switched to a standard jig and caught nothing. I could feel fish tic the jig but just couldn't get them. Normally, I would have thought the hits were bluegill. When I switched back to the roadrunner, it was game on again. I've had this happen alot. Then again, only in summer. The rest of the year though I won't even tie them on. I don't think I've ever tried them at Ky lake. I only use them in summer.


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## Pole Squeezer

chaunc said:


> If you see me on the lake, stop me and you can have every roadrunner jighead i have on my boat. I have never caught anything on them north of Ky lake.


I believe that roadrunners are better suited for southern crappie fishing, the fish populations are much denser, and the crappie are larger, also, the crappie can be less selective when there are huge schools of them. I've seen more crappie in terms of size and quantity caught on roadrunners south of the mason dixon line than anywhere else in the country. Most guys fish for those southern crappie with 1/8 oz roadrunners, which are huge baits for crappie up here. Just my 2&1/2 sense worth.


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## ajangsta04

i tried some of the tips mentioned and they work very well....thanks.

I went out the friday after thanksgiving from 9-5 and ended up with over 75 1-2.5lbers

I'll try to post some pictures later on.

I am planning on going out again thursday this week....it's supposed to be ugly weather out there...hopefully the bite wont shut down completely.


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