BY BOB AND GINNY RIEG

With the dog days of summer upon us the fish have really slowed down. Here are some tips that you can use to produce more fish during this difficult time. Jig modification and the use of natural bait will produce more and bigger fish.

Jigs account for most of the winning weights on the professional walleye tournament circle. To increase your hookup percentages when fishing with the versatile and productive leadhead jig, try this tactic. With a pair of long-nose pliers gap your jig hook at approximately 10 degrees from the horizontal. Also, offset the hook slightly. In addition to keeping your hooks needle sharp, the physics of this slight modification will help stick the tip of the hook and increase your catch.

Many fisherman know that willow cats, mud minnows, mad toms are names given to a minnow that looks like a small bullhead or catfish. At this time of year these minnows are deadly on largemouth bass and walleyes. They are my favorite warm weather minnow for walleyes. Northerns and muskie love them also. Willow cats are tough! They stay on the hook and remain alive longer than any chub. A three inch willow cat tipped on a 1/16 ounce Northland Vegas worked through the weeds is tough to beat on certain lakes. A willow cat will survive all day in a minnow bucket in 90 degree weather with no special handling. Try this with your favorite minnow and they will be dead within the hour.

Use this jig modification and the willow cats and you will produce more and bigger fish when the weather is warm and the fish are lethargic.

It is also at this time of year that a Rapala Jigging Rap can be very effective. Adding a minnow or other live bait isn’t essential but it does improve the chance for more hookups. It is my belief that add-on’s distort the action of the natural fall which drives the walleye’s crazy. I’ve found a real hot time for Jigging Raps is the late summer and fall. Fishing in a river with minimal clarity allows me to sit on top of the fish in depths from one to six feet. In these depths I use a 1/8 ounce in silver or gold color and occasionally chartreuse.

I hone in on rock piles, riprap, bridge abutments, or other ambush points. I’ve taken walleyes as deep as 35 feet with this technique, When in deep water use a Blue Fox Pixee spoon, and jig it vertically usually about 1/2 ounce size will do the trick. These spoons are unique because you can change the color of the egg sac inserts at a moment’s notice. This enables you to experiment with color at the deeper depths. Although the depths produce some nice walleyes, I prefer the shallows. Having a great deal of confidence in a spoon is a must. Sometimes I bang the spoon on the same rock three or four times before a walleye decides to strike. I recommend at least three jigs in the same area before moving on. You might only move six to eight inches from your original jig.

Working an area slowly and thoroughly will give the fish more than one chance to strike. Patience, patience, patience they’ll hit it. Make sure that those treble hooks are sharp and if you are banging rocks check them periodically. “Spooning” give it a try soon, and you will be amazed at your success.

Tough times, give the fishermen a chance to change their approach. It provides the fisherman with at least four new tricks to add to his bag. Jig modification, live bait willow cats, Jigging Raps and spooning will allow the tough to go fishing rather than staying home.