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Author Topic: Jawjackers for Kokanee  (Read 4171 times)

Offline RuralMT

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Jawjackers for Kokanee
« on: Mar 13, 2018, 05:27 PM »
Good afternoon all.  I was wondering if anyone has had much luck (or have even tried for that matter) using jawjackers on kokanee?  I've definitely noticed in my two seasons on the hardwater that kokanee are a curious fish and react to a steady jigging motion.  However, unless the bite is on it seems like I get most of my strikes on the pause immediately following a half dozen jigging motions.  I'd like to try setting out a deadstick to be more productive but haven't had much luck hooking fish on a rod placed in a holder; by the time I react and pick up the rod, they seem to have already spit it.  Am I wasting my time deadsticking for kokanee?  If not, are jawjackers sensitive enough to detect their light bite?

Online missoulafish

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #1 on: Mar 13, 2018, 06:38 PM »
I’d use a very slow rod other wise I’d think it would pull the hook out of them?

Offline RuralMT

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #2 on: Mar 13, 2018, 06:49 PM »
Quote
I’d use a very slow rod other wise I’d think it would pull the hook out of them?

I'm glad I asked.  I've never used one and didn't know they had a hard hookset.  Reckon the ultralight rod I'm using to jig is still too stiff?  I bought an HT ultralight this season and am thrilled I did.  It's bite detection significantly cut the time needed for me to limit out...I shudder to think about all the micro bites I missed on my Berkley $25 special. 

Offline CMS

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #3 on: Mar 13, 2018, 07:49 PM »
I had a jawjacker set up with a jig and meal worm on it for trout.  It was set up about 15' from where I was jigging Kokanee.  We had a school of Kokanee come through about 8' down and I ended up getting one on the jawjacker.  It was hooked though the gills so it must've just brushed it.  I would imagine if you used the same presentation at the same level you are jigging you would probably do pretty good.

Online missoulafish

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #4 on: Mar 13, 2018, 09:59 PM »
Or the ultra light may be the ticket?

Offline masoneddie

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #5 on: Mar 14, 2018, 12:32 AM »
They seemed to work pretty good for this group!   ;D. Best of luck!  :thumbsup:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypupaa7FFk

Offline RuralMT

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #6 on: Mar 15, 2018, 11:08 AM »
Thanks for the replies fellas.  I suppose the best way for me to find out is to just try it for myself!  Although that video seems to provide all the evidence I need...only problem is the kokanee they're catching look to be about 4-5" larger than the 8-10" fish I'm harvesting in Dickey Lake. 

Offline Walleyewacker007

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #7 on: Mar 15, 2018, 11:33 AM »
I have caught kokes on jackers but only within 4-6' foot radius of my jigging pole. I like to use a light or medium light rod and once I have the school on my jigging presentation, I  will occasionally put that rod in a jacker and let it set the hook for me for the really light biting fish that are difficult to hook by hand. This works well and doesn't rip the mouths like you might think. BTW thes are all 7-10" inch dinks that I have  caught. Good luck.

Offline mtoutdoorsman

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #8 on: Mar 15, 2018, 07:25 PM »
I have caught kokes on jackers but only within 4-6' foot radius of my jigging pole.
I have seen this quite a bit my self for trout and koks.
I think they like the movement and will hit a dead stick that is close
Formerly youngoutdoorsmans but wouldn't you know, I got older

Offline RuralMT

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #9 on: Mar 16, 2018, 12:51 PM »
I saw this homemade jawjacker (he calls it a mousejacker) on the Idaho forum and thought it was worth sharing.  For you DIY'ers out there, this seems to be an an easy and economical alternative to the actual jawjacker.

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=358274.0


Offline Kipper

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #10 on: Mar 16, 2018, 08:40 PM »
Seems like jawjackers would miss a lot of the light bites.

Offline trout hounder

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #11 on: Oct 12, 2018, 01:15 AM »
I used two this winter a gtown and causght quite a few with a small jig and pink maggots
if it bites I chase it

Offline PerchPounderMT

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #12 on: Oct 30, 2018, 09:44 AM »
Getting them set light enough to go off on a koke bit is the challenge.Set them up with the lightest rod/bite set combo you can come up with and they can work great.
Dont ask

Offline Windriver

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #13 on: Nov 16, 2018, 10:26 PM »
I have caught plenty of kokanee on a jawjacker. 
The key as you say is set the trigger really light and use a soft rod.  My normal jacket rods do RIP it out of the soft mouth.

The new automatic jigger  base will be awesome for kokanee as it has three different settings and will keep the jigging action going while waiting for the school. Eating lunch etc...

Windriver

Offline stinkyfingers

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #14 on: Nov 17, 2018, 03:34 PM »
The Kokes used to be big fun here in Colorado until they were decimated by gill lice.  The kokanee bite on a deadstick is as soft as an Angel's kiss but maybe you could rig some hair

trigger hook setter with a very slow, light action rod to hook them. JawJackers seem to me to lack that sensitivity. Something with a mousetrap trigger might work better. Fellas,

they're real easy to build. It seems like when a school comes through, you don't have time to mess with a snapper anyway.

BTW, a little known classic jig for Kokes is a Swedish Pimple in white or white with the orange stripe. Deadly.
We're born, we live for a while, and then we die.  Sounds like a good reason to go ice fishing.
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Offline gastriclavage16

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #15 on: Nov 28, 2018, 11:43 AM »
I'd argue jawjackers work better for kokanee than any other fish species.  I catch hundreds of kokanee through the ice each winter and I'd say 30-40% are on the jawjacker.  I jig one hole that bring them in, and most days they like a deadstick, have it set for a light trigger but not that lite.  Kokanee hammer jigs!  I've rarely had the jawjacker go off without a hooked fish, I'd say >90% hooking and landing efficiency.  There are some days I limit out where I caught none on the jawjacker, but other days were I caught nearly ALL of them on the jawjacker (makes me feel like a pathetic fisherman, but hey at least I caught fish).  An absolute must have for kokanee fishing.
“A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him.” -Aldo Leopold

Offline pmmpete

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #16 on: Nov 29, 2018, 12:15 AM »
I'd argue jawjackers work better for kokanee than any other fish species.  I catch hundreds of kokanee through the ice each winter and I'd say 30-40% are on the jawjacker.  I jig one hole that bring them in, and most days they like a deadstick, have it set for a light trigger but not that lite.  Kokanee hammer jigs!  I've rarely had the jawjacker go off without a hooked fish, I'd say >90% hooking and landing efficiency.  There are some days I limit out where I caught none on the jawjacker, but other days were I caught nearly ALL of them on the jawjacker (makes me feel like a pathetic fisherman, but hey at least I caught fish).  An absolute must have for kokanee fishing.
Gastriclavage, on what lakes are you catching a lot of kokanee with Jawjackers, and what techniques and equipment do you recommend to catch kokanee with Jawjackers?  For example, what kind of rods do you recommend when Jawjacker fishing for kokanee, and how much tension do you put on the rods?

When jigging for kokanee at Georgetown Lake, I have frequently set up a jawjacker a few feet away at the depth at which I can see kokanee (2'-10' down), or deeper where I can seen them on my fish finder.  I catch lots of kokanee by jigging, particularly when I can see the kokanee nipping at my lure, but I haven't caught a single kokanee with a jawjacker.  What am I doing wrong?

Offline mtoutdoorsman

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #17 on: Nov 29, 2018, 07:10 PM »
Like what Winderriver said~
Jaw Jackers just came out with base that attaches to a regular jaw jacker to add a jigging motion
https://www.jawjackerfishing.com/product/jigging-jawjacker-base/
It looks pretty cool and will add motion but Price is a bit high a 80$
I know that motion most likely increase bites but I wonder about hook ups

Formerly youngoutdoorsmans but wouldn't you know, I got older

Offline Icefish MT

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #18 on: Nov 29, 2018, 09:30 PM »
I’ve had great luck on jackers as well. Light rod and set very light and they seem to set the hook a lot quicker than I can. Good luck!

Offline gastriclavage16

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #19 on: Dec 03, 2018, 01:56 PM »
Gastriclavage, on what lakes are you catching a lot of kokanee with Jawjackers, and what techniques and equipment do you recommend to catch kokanee with Jawjackers?  For example, what kind of rods do you recommend when Jawjacker fishing for kokanee, and how much tension do you put on the rods?

When jigging for kokanee at Georgetown Lake, I have frequently set up a jawjacker a few feet away at the depth at which I can see kokanee (2'-10' down), or deeper where I can seen them on my fish finder.  I catch lots of kokanee by jigging, particularly when I can see the kokanee nipping at my lure, but I haven't caught a single kokanee with a jawjacker.  What am I doing wrong?

I fish mainly at Helena Valley Reg Res.  My go to for the jawjacker set is a green glo ratfinkee tipped with a maggot (key is to have a horizontal jig), and use a medium-light rod, but set at max tension with a light trigger set.  I usually have an attractor (like a cast-master or Northland glo-shot) 10-12 inches above it.
“A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him.” -Aldo Leopold

Offline pmmpete

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #20 on: Dec 03, 2018, 02:37 PM »
I fish mainly at Helena Valley Reg Res.  My go to for the jawjacker set is a green glo ratfinkee tipped with a maggot (key is to have a horizontal jig), and use a medium-light rod, but set at max tension with a light trigger set.  I usually have an attractor (like a cast-master or Northland glo-shot) 10-12 inches above it.
I love those Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir kokanee!  They are the biggest kokanee I know of in the state of Montana.  How big are the typical kokanee you catch on the HVRR with Jawjackers?  Have you been catching small kokanee with Jawjackers, or do they tend to be bigger fish?  I suspect the reason Jawjackers haven't worked for me on Georgetown Lake is because the kokanee are generally small on that lake, and I've been using pretty stiff rods in my Jawjackers.  Those rods may be putting enough tension on the trigger mechanism that light nipping by a small kokanee isn't enough to trigger the Jawjacker.

Offline gastriclavage16

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #21 on: Dec 03, 2018, 02:50 PM »
I love those Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir kokanee!  They are the biggest kokanee I know of in the state of Montana.  How big are the typical kokanee you catch on the HVRR with Jawjackers?  Have you been catching small kokanee with Jawjackers, or do they tend to be bigger fish?  I suspect the reason Jawjackers haven't worked for me on Georgetown Lake is because the kokanee are generally small on that lake, and I've been using pretty stiff rods in my Jawjackers.  Those rods may be putting enough tension on the trigger mechanism that light nipping by a small kokanee isn't enough to trigger the Jawjacker.

Depending on the year, the fish are usually between 13-15 inches, but I'm not catching any of the younger year class on them, in fact i rarely catch any of the younger year class at all even jigging.  That could be your problem since the GT kokes are much smaller.
“A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him.” -Aldo Leopold

Offline NameisMatt

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #22 on: Dec 05, 2018, 04:17 PM »
I made something a lot like the mousejacker that was linked up above and have used it on georgetown a few times.  I would go as far as to say that you need a fairly weak backboned pole after experimentation for the hook set, but the real kicker is that they unhook themselves fairly quickly because of how soft their mouths are. So have it close when going for kokanee. For reference i use it up at hyalite by bozeman for the trout and grayling and can use any rod i want plus they stay hooked much longer.

oldschoolben

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #23 on: Dec 28, 2018, 11:40 PM »
There is a video on YouTube that is pretty cool, it shows a kids running from one jawjacker to another one as fast as he can , he was reeling in the kokes as fast as he could get from one pole to the next, if I had a clue on how to share the video I would post it ,its a great video

Offline coldcreekchris

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #24 on: Dec 29, 2018, 12:26 AM »
......is this the one ben?..pretty cool

oldschoolben

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Re: Jawjackers for Kokanee
« Reply #25 on: Dec 29, 2018, 07:24 AM »
How did you share the video?

 



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