Vertical Vs Horizontal

[silvercliff_46]

There are a lot of variables in ice fishing, nothing is guaranteed, however there is some logic in our choices.  In that light, I'm posing the following question;

Under what circumstances do you chose a vertical jig over a horizontal jig, and vise verse.  Maybe we could look at this from both a species (perch, gills, walleye, etc.) and a bait prospective (maggots, wigglers, chena, minnows).

[pirkaus]

I always start with a pimple and if that's not working I switch to a buck tail and so on

[gaudetskie]

Lately I've been running just about everything for panfish with a horizontal jig. For walleyes I still like vertical spoons. But it seems easier to get a hook set on blue gills with a horizontal jig, tipped with a waxie.
Nick.

[Wardo]

For walleyes, horizontal baits (jigging raps) are great for really active fish.  They fish fast and those active fish really hammer them!  I tend to start out with the vertical spoons though, they are a little more versatile in my opinion.  You can fish them hard to call fish in and produce some great strikes, but you also have a little more finesse-ability with them.  They react better to subtle movements.

[stripernut]

Over the years I have found that big predator's like horizontal a little more than vertical. I have not spent any time chasing walleyes through the ice, so I can't speak to them. Big bass, Pike and big perch seem much more willing to take horizontal jigs. Pickerel don't care and hit anything... Maybe it is the different action that you get out of a horizontal jig like a Salmo, but I think it being Horizontal is big part of it. There are always fish that will hit anything (if the planets align right) but day in day out, if I am looking to hook a bigger fish... The past two years when jigging I would often first drop a pimple with some maggies give it about 2-3 minutes, then drop a Salmo down for about a minute, this has paid off for more big bass on the jigging rod (per season) then many years combined.
Tight Lines,
Allan

[mbart]

All of my big crappie have come on a vertical jig, K&E Moon Jig .

[slipperybob]

90 percent of the fish I get to bite on vertical presentation.

[Getthenet]

I agree horizontal seems to catch more blue gills and perch.  I was watching Vexilar videos and the guy suggested that on vertical jigs switching the orientation.  Like on a frosty jig putting the split ring and eye at the hook end. I guess it makes sense.  Anyone else do this?

[highsparks]

  I have three presentations , Horizontal and vertical and also 45 degree .  Each has its place , I will have a rod rigged with variations of each .  This allows me to change up presentations without retying in the field.   Very seldom do you have to change from tried and true presentatins .  Very negative fish will require throwing the book at them .....

[pimplejigger84]

Keep in mind that horizontal baits will show up much better on sonar.  Sometimes it's tough to see pimples and other spoons and verticals, not only because much of the lure is by-passed by the sonar, but when jigging aggressively, or with large lifts and drops, on the drop they tend to "swim" or flutter out of the cone. 

As far as fishing, I usually use a jigging spoon like a pimple first for perch to try to target aggressive fish.  Then I slow down and fish with a more subtle approach like a marmooska style jig, like a fiskas tungsten wolfram jig or a diamond jig.

[fin-n-feather]

When jigging I usually only target panfish.  Horizontal jigs all the time.  Fin

[scmelik]

I do not have near the luck on a vertical presentation that I do on a horizontal presentation.  I have no idea why it is that way but it seems like horizontal will out fish vertical for me 10-1.

[stripernut]

Scmelik, what are you fishing for?

[scmelik]

Scmelik, what are you fishing for?

mainly perch, gills, and crappies but even for walleyes I have caught more on horizontal presentations than vertical.

[GrnDay33]

Seems like last season all I used was a Northland Forage Minnow tipped with 6 spikes with everything from Gills, Crappie,Bass,Perch and pickerel grabbing hold. Besides switching colors or the occasional Buckshot rattle spoon. Only a few times did I use a horizontal Marmooska jig. but in the past almost all horizontal presentation.

[drcarplove]

I mostly, if not only fish for gills and crappie. I start with the Horizontal acct better flasher signal. Often on a good bite, when it slows i can work a vertical type, usually a #10 demon with a wedgee plastic rigged horizontally on hook, this nearly always results in an extra crappie or 3 and sometimes gills too. If I have to move, back to horizontal again. The exception to the rule are the #8 and #10 shrimpos, they showup well on the flashers and seem to be just as effective mostly as the horizontals. I have a Ice Jig addiction and own many types and styles, but usually end up fishing with Marmooskas, Fatboys, Ratsos, shrimpos and the above mentioned demon/wedgee rig.

luck
Frank

[gaudetskie]

Keep in mind that horizontal baits will show up much better on sonar....

This is true!
Nick.

[slipperybob]

Most of the fish I get to bite immediately on the rise bite much more immediately on a vertical presentation.  The vertical presentation often immitates a preoccupied bait that appears to be more vulnerable.  Vertical type of jigs often plane and flutter on the fall.  Hence they offer the versatility of being a horizontal lure for this part of lure presentation.  While the jig variety of the spoons don't offer as much action, sometimes it's less action that gets the bite.  At other times, it's the more versatile action of the spoon variety of the jigs.  There's something about offering a plain all metal lure that drives the fish to strike with a lot of aggression.  That's the one thing I like about a normal small spoons like a Daredevel or a Rattl'N Flyer spoon.

It never surprises me when I offer a horizontal lure that triggers some extremely ferocious bites.  The profile of a wary horizontal baitfish often presents a lure that's ready to escape and thus puts urgency on the predator to torpedo onto the lure.  I don't know how many times I get a small signal of a fish at the edge of my sonar cone, then only to get a strong bite that turns out to be a much larger fish than I expected.  Many times, I barely even have time to notice the fish and then getting an almost blind bite.  Jig'N Raps and airplane jigs will often swim nose up and down, so even part of the time I can say that they present themselves as a vertical(angled) profile.

[lhprop1]

Judging by the title, I thought this thread was going in a completely different direction.

[icejunky]

I almost always start with a horizontal jig, and check a few sizes prior to switching to vertical.

Jiggin rap is my stater bait for Perch, Crappie and walleye (different color and size obviously)

[richstick]

They still sell vertical panfish jigs?  I had no idea...

[gaudetskie]

I almost always start with a horizontal jig, and check a few sizes prior to switching to vertical.

Jiggin rap is my stater bait for Perch, Crappie and walleye (different color and size obviously)

Hey icejunky, do you throw a waxie on the front and back hook of your raps?
Nick.