Dragging Jigs?

Why would dragging plastics with say a 1/8 ounce jig be better or worse then 3 waying plastics and not using any weight with the plastic or very minimal weight?

I think the jighead offers better depth control, which is to say that I can adjust my speed and my weight in order to get that jig into the strike zone, just inches above the bottom. The 3-way offers two more variables that I would have to optimize (speed, sinker size, length of dropper and length of line to bait), and on top of that, I’d never be able to tell if the bait was near the bottom unless I was snagging up on junk. The only thing in the 3-way setup that I could tell was on/near the bottom with certainty would be the weight.

I have 3-wayed with plastics, with some moderate to good success, but that has invariably been a slow upstream troll or a hover-in-place presentation, rather than a standard downstream drag.

Since it’s getting to be that time of the year again, and since you brought the subject up, let me take this opportunity to direct interested draggers to the article I wrote last year on this very subject:

Halfen: The Art and Science of Jig Dragging

That is a great article…I tried dragging last week forthe first time with some success…after reading the article there will be lots more dragging done….your info is great…look out saugers i am after ya!

Dragging jigs is obviously a great way to put a bunch of walleyes & saugers in the boat. No argument from me there what-so-ever.
Still, I would probably make at least one or two pulls upstream with either a 3-way or stick sinker setup just to see if there was a preference.
You might find that one works better than the other or that they both work. You might even find that while both techniques work, one of the two is putting bigger fish in the boat.

Dragging is more of a finesse presentation. When you are 3 waying you are thumpin’ them in the head with the weight before the plastic gets there. When dragging a jig I envision the plastic with more movement than if it was pulled behind a 3 way. It is not running straight but going up or down or side to side depending on current. Just the way I envision but dragging is a deadly presentation at times and that’s a fact.

There is no doubt that is the best articule on draggin I have ever read.

Quote:

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When dragging a jig I envision the plastic with more movement than if it was pulled behind a 3 way. It is not running straight but going up or down or side to side depending on current.

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When I think of pulling plastics on 3 ways I imagine pulling at the same speed as dragging, using no weight on the plastic, but using more weight on the dropper to follow the contours of the bottom easier. Being able to use a bigger platic with less weight infringing on it`s action. Especially when current is high or fishing deeper water. Having more control of where my bait is by being closer to the boat. Am I all wet?????

Tom,

You are definitely not all wet.

Both presentations are deadly and each can work better than the other depending on the conditions, depth, current speed and so on.

Every day out there is different and the good anglers will try and maximize presentations to what the fish want.

One day it may be dragging jigs in 10 to 14′ of water and the next it may be pulling 3-ways up river in 22′ of water!

Or the river may have come up 2′ overnight and change everything.

Give them what they want, whatever that may be.

Boog

When I talk of dragging I am in water probably 12 feet or less—usually less. I can see what you are saying about the bottom bouncer or 3-way approach and it should definitely work. When I drag I am using a light jig and have lots of line out. I feel this gives the walleye more time and less resistance to inhale the bait. I am still perfecting my technique but I have had some great days dragging and I am still learning. Good luck.

With conditions the way they are now, current up and visibility down, 3-waying may be the better option. I have had decent luck going heavier and deeper dragging; but the current was light and the clarity was excellent (Winter and early Spring) when I’ve done the deep dragging.

dd