Rig Fishing Techniques in the Mississippi

[shamus]

How do you fish your lindy rigs, carolina rigs, slip sinker rigs, 3 way rigs, etc. in the Mississippi from shore?

Best to cast and wait from something to come along and inhale or do you cast and reel in, recast?

Do you prefer plain hooks (type?) or floating jigs? Favorite types of sinkers? Type of rod?

In general when I'm fishing I'm looking for walleye, so if you have specific tips for that species then, great! Right now is spring (sort of) so spring specific techniques would be awesome, but any time of year tips are great too. Thanks.

[Slabasaurus]

How do you fish your lindy rigs, carolina rigs, slip sinker rigs, 3 way rigs, etc. in the Mississippi from shore?

Best to cast and wait from something to come along and inhale or do you cast and reel in, recast?

Do you prefer plain hooks (type?) or floating jigs? Favorite types of sinkers? Type of rod?

In general when I'm fishing I'm looking for walleye, so if you have specific tips for that species then, great! Right now is spring (sort of) so spring specific techniques would be awesome, but any time of year tips are great too. Thanks.

Before I picked up the fly rod exclusively, I did a ton of gear fishin from the shores of the sip... and had some of the same questions when I first started. Here's how I would approach the 3way rigs:

I would not say one or the other is better as far as casting/retrieving, or just letting the current work a suspended bait/lure.

I used to start out by casting my 3way rig or whatver out and reeling it back, which would do 2 things: Tell me if that bite was active, and what the bottom comp was like.

If I did not have a strike after covering that area, I'd cast into current and let the current suspend the bait.

You did not ask this but I'll just add that most of my river walleyes caught once the river levels normalized post runoff were caught on a heavy jig and a plastic, and nowadays I just toss a heavy fly out there and drag it back.

[JeremyCampbell]

I personally let the current do the work,depending if your in a snag he'll .If your in an area that seems calm I crank a little on the line if that's a little jig here and there or play with the reel a little making slight turns on the reel.These things are just my own feel as I'm learning more in river conditions.Mostly I use a floating jig with a weight 12" away.I been taking the crymps off the ends of the slingshot,it seems to prevent 40% of my snags.Like I said.It's all just my own feel for it

[bobbymalone]

I've done well with a couple split shot and a hook with a minnow.

Mostly though I like to bounce back jigs. Takes some experience on how to do that properly, otherwise you will probably snag up every other cast.

[shamus]

I've done well with a couple split shot and a hook with a minnow.

Mostly though I like to bounce back jigs. Takes some experience on how to do that properly, otherwise you will probably snag up every other cast.

What do you mean by "bounce back jigs"?

Thanks for the tips. What type of rod are you guys using for river rigging? I have a MLF 6'6" that I've been using for casting jigs/plastics/minnows, but it seems too light for rigging.

[davidbigreelz]

Up here by elk river on the miss, I like to cast jigs if looking for eyes. the river is pretty shallow up here and littered with bigger rocks. I pull the jig slowly till I feel a rock then bounce it up on top and if you can feel that the jig is on the top of the rock I leave it for 5-10 seconds. Then drag slowly till the next rock.