The yo-yo action of a spoon fished vertically below the boat has tempted striped bass for decades. Deep jigging has proven to be equally effective in freshwater. Stripers, bass, white perch and catfish are lured by this technique.

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A little known fact is how effective jigging spoons are for catfish. Some catfish are caught incidentally while fishing for other species, but many are caught by anglers who purposely use jugging spoons to catch them. It goes without saying that some of the biggest blues and flatheads are caught while jigging.

If you do not wish to use live bait, jigging spoons are an excellent choice. Many of the lake’s best fishermen use them year round. Deep jigs are easy to use with either spinning or bait casting tackle.

Begin by attaching a half-ounce spoon to the line. Position it to the desired water depth. Lift and then lower the rod tip. This will cause the bait to fall to its original depth. When the jig falls, it flutters and sways in much the same way that a dying shad minnow sinks to the bottom. The dancing and darting action makes it appear lifelike. On certain days, jigging spoons will often out fish live shad and herring.

A key to success with deep jigging is to maintain the feel of the lure as it falls through the water. If you can’t feel the lure dropping, you won’t feel the bite. Often the bite is so slight that if the line isn’t taut, the fish will spit the lure without the angler ever knowing he had a strike. If allowed to free fall, the jig will sink faster than most fish are willing to chase. Use the rod tip to control the descent, and keep the bait in the strike zone long enough for the fish to notice it. As a rule, the deeper the water is, the larger the jigging spoon should be. Most anglers use jigging spoons between 3/8 ounce and a full one ounce. When fish play hard to get, downsize and fish slowly.

A jigging spoon and a fish finder go hand in hand. Hard core deep jiggers put baits in the water only when they see fish on the sonar screen, and they are very precise in positioning the lure. The jig is generally suspended a few feet above the lateral position of the fish. Jigging lures come in a variety of colors.

Silver, white and chartreuse are popular. Some jigs include built-in rattles. More fish are caught in less time with the combination of sight and sound in one lure.

Jigging spoons are compact and versatile. They can be cast long distances and retrieved at various depths and speeds. They can be skipped across the surface when stripers are chasing bait on top, or can be pulled slowly along the bottom like a soft plastic lizard. No matter how you use it, a jigging spoon is an inexpensive lure for fresh or saltwater fishing.

Tips from Capt. Gus!
To further entice fish, attach a shad minnow or a piece of cut bait to one of the treble hooks on a jugging spoon.

Upcoming Events:
“How to Throw a Cast Net and Keep Bait Alive” is a free seminar conducted by Capts. Craig Price and Gus Gustafson at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, in Mooresville at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20. Call 704-658-0822 for additional information.

The Hot Spots of the Week:
Bass fishing is good to very good, with largemouth holding close to shore and large schools of spots on drops offs and deep brush piles.

Stripers continue to feed aggressively at dawn, dusk and after dark. Best areas are Reeds, Rocky and Hicks Creeks.

The water level is currently 1.7’ below full pond and holding. Surface temperature is in the low 70s.

Captain Gustafson is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard and a Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman. Visit his Web site at FishingWithGus.com , e-mail him at or call 704-617-6812.

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