Mississippi River Fishing Report Alma WI - How to keep jigs vertical?

[Basseyes]

....keep a jig on the bottom with heavy current?

Fished the Mighty River south of Alma on Friday. Took my 4 y/o kid with and he had a blast seeing everything that's to be seen. Water temps held steady at around 38 give or take 1/2 a degree. We found a cut with 38.9 degrees and fishable water. Caught a big sucker and a 15" white bass on an un painted lead head jig with a red hook with a straight tailed small Berkeley slugo with a small crappie minnow. Missed a lot of short bighters in about 5-7 fow. Was a fun day getting the boat out and fishing with the kid.

My question is I do not understand how to keep a walleye sized jig be it pre spawn down on the bottom in such heavy current? Mainly fish rivers late summer early fall with very light current and do not understand how on earth you can keep a jig in even shallow water on the bottom vertically?

Any tips on keeping a jig on the bottom in such heavy current?

[Mike Walerak]

To stay vertical you usually have to slip your boat at the same speed as the current. Most river angler use a colored Hi Vis line so that they can easlily see the angle the line is at. The better you are at boat control this lighter jighead you will be able to use use. Most of the time I use a 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz jighead tipped with a ringworm or minnow.

I do not like to fish the heavy current as the bigger walleyes usually prefer the slower current. I look for slower current in 10 feet of water or less. Most often I cast a 3/16 oz jighead with a ringworm to these areas.

[waleyhuntr]

use a heavier jig.on pool 4 right now we are using any where from 1/8 oz up to 3/8. we are using the 1/8 oz up in current seams with minimal current in water from 6 to 15 fow.we are using heavier jigs in spots with more current and deeper water.as of lately most of our fish have been coming in the seams so we have been using lighter jigs. look for a u shaped depression on shore and if water isnt swirling around in it you are in a seam and you should be able to use a light jig just try to stay in 10 to 15 fow most of our fish have came in 13.just jump around from size to size and see what you can stay in contact with the bottom with or whatever you feel confortable with... hope this helps.

waleyhuntr51

[Gordie]

last year when I fished the fast current and did very well at that we used 3/4 oz and even 1oz jig heads and staying the same as the current is a must. we also used big profile plastics and fatheads. the water was alot warmer than it is now but soon (I HOPE) the water will be at that magic temp and thats when boat control is everything. most of the fish that I have caught this year has been on the slow current side of the seam and the big jigs haven't worked as well do to the water cooling off.

[river rat316]

Water temp is 38 at the Ford Dam, won't be long now, I am thinking this weekend it will be hot!

[harvey lee]

Mike hit the nail on the head. The correct weight jig and good boat control.

[jigginjim]

Boat control is the Key to fishing, the river or even a lake. I drift/slip in the river. But don't forget to drop the giant hook and cast into shallows. My wife and I got on the river one afternoon( 1:30) by 3:30 we had 9 fish in the box.

[fishinfey8]

This is dumb but i'll ask anyway...so if you find a productive spot on the river you drift with the current over-top the spot, then motor back upstream and re-drift over and over? Also, do people ever anchor while fishing current areas of the river, or is it very tough?? Sorry again, i'm inexpirienced.