how do you properly make an effective drift? for example, cast, sink, then pump?

First and foremost, you have to have the gear. I throw a 10' 1209 rainshadow custom rod, and have a shimano sustain 8000 on it, lined with braid of course. I usually throw 5 oz of lead, very rarely less than that unless the current is moving slow at the beginning or end of a switch. Obviously, throw it as far as you can, and I usually leave the bail open for 4-6 seconds after it hits the water(also depending on the current). Hold your rod tip up, always have my finger on the line, and once you feel the bottom (watch your rod tip to verify) then start jigging. If at any point you no longer feel the bottom, open the bail for a bit, once you feel the bottom again, start jigging. When your drift is done, reel you line in very fast to avoid getting caught up on the retrieve. I have been fishing the canal for about 3 or 4 years now, and have had good success doing it. It comes easier with practice only, can't stress how much time you have to put in, I fish the canal atleast 3 times a week for hours at a time (including a lot of all-nighters), but the one thing I have to stress, is if you are not on the bottom, it just won't work. Good luck, hopefully it helped, but I am sure a lot of other guys could help as well, as I still consider myself a rookie to it. :bl:

Veteran canal jigsters ( those before the gorilla jigging craze currently in vogue at the east end and no disrepect but it's not my cup of tea) carried an assortment of jiggery with them from 1oz to 4oz mostly employing 2 and 3 oz jigs. I still go with what I was taught back then and find 2oz and 3 or 3.5's the most effective.

This past few sets of tides I have done well with fish up to 33 pounds ( which was taken on a 2oz jig) this past set over the weekend Stiffy, Sauerkraut and I accounted for near 30 bass on jigs Friday (Sauerkraut) Saturday ( me and Stiffy) and another 15 or so on plugs.

I start with 1.5oz as soon as the tide starts to creep and rarely cast more than 100 to 150 feet from the position I am standing in and don't lead up to any degree as the jig finds bottom quickly. As the tidal flow increases I go to 2oz jigs and when it really gets moving 3's and 3.5's with a 45 degree up current cast. As soon as the jig hits the water ( Now I am really booming it out there) I let the spool run ten yards or so over and then engage the clutch ( I use a Shimano Tekota 600 (casts insane for distance)and a Quantum 40pt conventional both with 50 lb STEALTH on ten foot JK Fisher blanks) With real engaged I wait for the tell tale taps of the jig on the bottom and slowly raise the rod tip and start the rythym jiggging, as soon as the jig starts to slightly swing towards the banks direction I let 30 yards of line go in free spool, re-engage and continue jigging till parralel with the shore.

A properly presented 3.5 oz jig will get you as many fish as any heavier jig and is not as straining on gear. You do not need a bendless telephone pole stiff rod and 80 pound braid. You supposed to enjoy it ( the fight) and this gives the fish a little more in fairnees as well as I see it.

Sunday I had 18 fish, twelve came on the jig and the biggest fell for the lightest jigs. I use 6 inch white sluggos instead of porkrind. At night I would way more rather use a eelskin jig than anything else. Same weights. Strangely, purple 50-s porkrind on a skin jig helps.

Hope that helps.

tekota 600 for casting ?? i got that reel for the boat, bottom fishing... surprised its being used jiggin the canal, casting

flaptail: one thing I've never understood is how do you know when you're near the ledge in the deeper channel so you can reel it back w/ catching on it? And what does this feel like on 20# mono (I haven't switched to braid on my conventional for fear of backlashes although I do have a layer as backing in case a striper runs)?

This is a great read for the canal

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=14919

Wow!!!!:kewl: That document was really helpful. It answered all the questions that came to mind. Thanks for the help guys.

wow, great post mike....thanks for that link dad

There's no fish in the canal.

aww man...i was waiting for you (slipknot) to chime in on this thread to see how you work your drift....but instead you state the obvious :(

Nothing to it Hye, I just cast, drop to bottom, then bounce it along with a pump from the rod. It's not rocket science that's for sure. I really don't have much of a technique at all. There are subtle differences when tides slow and get faster, but weight changes usually takes care of that.
If the tide is screaming fast, In the fall I have been known to toss a 5 ounce ball jig with no hair or pork, and kind of swim, tick it along the bottom out as far as I can cast and fish eat it , I guess it's a quick instictive reaction, they think it's food, a crab or whatever, serious, just bare lead and hook, it has less air resistence and goes further.

I have good luck with jigs around 4 oz, and skinjigs about the same, I don't fish sluggos as much as I should, I bet I could do better with them if I used them more often and learn a better technique with those, they seem to float more from their bouancy so they don't need as much of a pop when jigging, also I can't cast them as far.

I need to get back down there, work has kept me away but I'm not complaining.

thanks slip...i was just curious to see how ya did it. :heybaby:

....havnt been in your shop yet, i would really like to. only problem is no one will drive me after a morning of fishing the canal! :scream2: i should really try to plan a day just to hit up your shop

I know just how you feel Steve.:cheers2:

There's no fish in the canal.

not true slip, they are there.......:rotflmao:

In the fall I have been known to toss a 5 ounce ball jig with no hair or pork, and kind of swim, tick it along the bottom out as far as I can cast and fish eat it , I guess it's a quick instictive reaction, they think it's food, a crab or whatever, serious, just bare lead and hook, it has less air resistence and goes further.

.

Yeah, tell me about it--it goes all the way across to the other side if you snap it off :conf::1poke:

article dead nuts right on. perfict.. great read very good info

Nothing to it Hye, I just cast, drop to bottom, then bounce it along with a pump from the rod. It's not rocket science that's for sure. I really don't have much of a technique at all. There are subtle differences when tides slow and get faster, but weight changes usually takes care of that.
If the tide is screaming fast, In the fall I have been known to toss a 5 ounce ball jig with no hair or pork, and kind of swim, tick it along the bottom out as far as I can cast and fish eat it , I guess it's a quick instictive reaction, they think it's food, a crab or whatever, serious, just bare lead and hook, it has less air resistence and goes further.



I need to get back down there, work has kept me away but I'm not complaining.


Those where six oz balls..The five was the brown one that got all mangled..
I need to get back up there work has kept me away But I'm not complaining..:rollem:

Yeah, tell me about it--it goes all the way across to the other side if you snap it off :conf::1poke:

never thought of that! :eek5:

i should start wearing a full face motorcycle helmet. :hihi:

never thought of that! :eek5:

i should start wearing a full face motorcycle helmet. :hihi:

And a flak jacket :hee:

Slip almost nailed me once--50' to my left and 20' from the rocks. Almost made it all the way across.