Thanks, I'm actually just using a GoPro for both cameras. I have both of them hooked up to external batteries so they don't die on me, and I'm using the Rode 2 Wireless Mics.
Great video. This is nothing against this video or you, but I feel like people when making “st Clair river jigging how to videos” they talk more about equipment when they should be explaining boat control to keep your jig vertical. I’m fairly new to the area, but I do own a boat, but that’s what I’ve struggled with more here than anything. Do you have a email I could send a couple questions to about fishing the st Clair river?
Hey Joe, thanks for watching and I appreciate your feedback. I like constructive comments like this because it gives me a basis for future videos. I'm still a few weeks away from getting my boat out on the river, but I can try and help you as much as I can. Boat control is a little tricky to give a firm answer to. The short answer is, "keep your line vertical". That sounds great and all, but I know, to somebody just starting out, they may not realize how to do that. For the sake of my explanation, I'm going to assume you are fishing in a boat equipped with a trolling motor of some sort. My first bit of advice would be to choose a braided line with good sensitivity and a jig weight that you can consistently feel the bottom with. In my opinion, to many fisherman get "big chested" on using the lightest tackle imaginable, and seem to think that makes them a better angler. If you can't feel the bottom consistently, then nothing else you try and do is going to matter. I would say the standard jig weight is .75oz, but if you have to use a 1oz or 1.25oz jig to feel the bottom, use it. The ability to feel the bottom when you drop your line in, is step 1. Once you have the tackle you are comfortable using, then to me, that's when boat control comes into play. For this, there are varying factors that can change the way I setup my boat position. Factors like, the current speed, the wind speed, the wind direction and even how many people are fishing in my boat. In general terms, let's assume the wind is calm, I'll say, when I pull up to where I'm going to be fishing, for my first pass through the spot, I'm typically going to point the boat into the current. This, in theory, will allow me to keep my trolling motor straight as I drift down the river. Then as I'm drifting down the river, I should just have to use my trolling motor to pull the boat forward, or reverse the boat backwards to follow my line. Unfortunately, zero wind on the river is rarely the case, and there is always some degree of side to side boat movement. I use that first drift to see how the boat is positioning itself under the conditions of the day and make adjustments as necessary. The key is, regardless of what the conditions are, FOLLOW YOUR FISHING LINE. If your line is moving down river faster than the boat is, reverse the boat as needed until your line is vertical again. If the boat is drifting faster than the fishing line, pull the boat forward until the line is vertical. If you notice your fishing line, working away from the boat, turn the trolling motor so that you pull yourself back to it. And if the fishing line seems to be traveling under the boat, turn the trolling motor in a way that pulls the boat off of it until the line is in that vertical position. This is more easily achievable, when you are fishing as close to the trolling motor as you can. I'd also say it is easier to learn when fishing alone because you don't have anyone else's lines to worry about. In this case, as long as you are keeping your line vertical, it really doesn't matter what the rest of the boat is doing. If you are fishing with a partner or partners, then it matters more what the rest of the boat is doing, so I always position at least one of them in the boat, to where I can see my line and theirs. This gives you a little more information as to what the boat is doing and allows you to move the boat around relative to both lines you can see. In my experience, if I'm able to keep the two lines I can see vertical, then everyone else's is pretty much going to react the same way. This is very much a trial and error process. Don't be afraid to stay on the trolling motor. I know when I've shown people this in the past, there seems to be some reluctancy to maneuver the trolling motor or they are concentrating on fishing and aren't quick enough to turn the motor on or off, that the line gets to far gone. I pretty much fish with my hand on my trolling motor remote (or foot on the pedal, if that's what you have), and am turning it on and off every couple of seconds and rotating it in between to anticipate the next move. I hope this helps get you started. I know it doesn't cover every situation, but hopefully it can guide you in the right direction. If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask them here. I'm sure you won't be the only one with the same questions. Again, Thank You!
I live in Algonac and I'm going to start fishing. I haven't really been fishing since I was a kid. I've been watching a bunch of videos on walleye fishing and I'm excited to get on the Algonac boardwalk and get a line in the water. You mentioned that you're using a 'leader'. What do you mean by that? I'm assuming that it's a part of how you have the line set up? Thanks!
Hi James, thanks for watching. What I mean by leader is the extra fluorocarbon line that I have tied to my main line. So basically, for vertical jigging, I have 8-pound test braided line on my reel as my main line. I spool my reel entirely with that. Then I tie about a 6 foot long piece of 8-pound test fluorocarbon line directly to the braided line. I tie this using a double-uni knot. Then I tie my jig onto the fluorocarbon line using a palomar knot. There are videos showing how to tie these types of knots if you aren't sure how. Like I mention in the video, not everyone ties a fluorocarbon leader onto their lines. You can definitely catch fish with the braided line tied directly to the jig. Especially in more stained water. When the water color is really clear, and earlier in the season, I prefer to tie on a fluorocarbon leader because it's supposed to be invisible in the water. I hope this helps answer your question. Good luck fishing, I'm glad you're getting started.
Hello Joan, In this video I was fishing in the river, not any of the channels. Out of respect to other anglers who fish these areas, I don't like to give specific locations, rather just the body of water I'm on, I hope you understand. I will say though, that at the time I made this video, the fishing was pretty good throughout the entire river system. Fish are really schooled up during the spawn, so once you catch one, you can bet there are plenty more below you. Thank you for watching.
Yeah, out of respect for other anglers who fish these same areas, I don't like giving exact locations. I like to state the body of water I'm on because I think that's important to know. The way I see it is, if somebody watching these videos knows where I'm fishing, then they're obviously familiar with the area and have probably fished the area anyways. Thanks for watching!
