Horizontal vs vertical

I don’t ice fish much but I do enjoy sight fishing sunnies. It adds to the entertainment and you do learn something about what the fish want/don’t want. A big mystery to me is horizontal vs vertical. To me a waxie threaded on a small jig head has to look close to most things in the water. Most of the time it works but there are days the fish just refuse it. On Sunday I fished the backwaters on pool 5 and had it happen. I’d drop a waxie threaded on a jig horizontal down the hole and watch 3 or 4 fish surround it but no takers. Put the same waxie on a tear-drop and drop it down and I couldn’t keep em off. Does anyone have an answer why? I know we over think things but I sure would like to know why!

Good post John! I have noticed horizontal being the key for me with light biters, and Go-Devils for aggressive fish. Maybe it is the aggressive nature being more attractive to a straight up and down bait. You can fish them a little faster than a horizontal…

It all has to do with the mood of the fish in my opinion. I prefer Horizonal jigs for gills and vericle for Crappies. It just has to do with the way they typically feed.

You seem to get more bites with verticle jigs when fishing bluegill because the verticle surface area of the jig a bigger and easily seen. However, I believe you get better bites and hook ups with horizontal jigs. Horizontal jigs are easily “inhaled” by gills and thus you get a better hook set as usully more of the hook is in their mouth. Just my observations.

I like horizontal for gills and crappies. I really believe that there is a difference. Here is an example that has happened atleast a couple dozen times. If I tie a regular Trilene knot on a Genz worm, the knot will slide forward after I catch a fish. The knot forward makes it more of a vertical presentation. I will jig up lookers with this presentation, reel it up, slide the knot back to make it horizontal, and dropped the jig back down to be hammered instantly.

Seems like one day they like it one way and the next the other. I prefer a horizontal jig and think my percent of hook ups are better.

OldBear,

your right! I went back to the same area on thursday and they woofed a horizontal presentation. Go figure

John

I think either way works well. Your lure is what determines if it should be worked horizintal or vertical.

For Crappies either one works, seeing they feed up. For blue gills horizontal is my preference. Although, I’ve seen vertical work better some days when the bite can be tough.