With ordinary monofilament, the twitch signaling a strike is hard to see. To detect strikes more easily, use fluorescent monofilament. Many jig fishermen wear polarized sunglasses to improve line visibility even more.

When selecting jigs and jigging lures, the main consideration is weight. Your selection must be a compromise based on the type of fish, water depth, current speed and wind velocity.

For panfish, most anglers prefer lures of no more than 1/8 ounce. Some panfish jigs, called micro jigs, weigh as little as 1/80 ounce. For mid-sized gamefish like walleyes and bass, 1/8- to 3/4-ounce lures normally work best. For larger gamefish like muskies, jigs of 3/4 ounce or more are usually the most productive.

The lure must be heavy enough to reach the desired depth, but not so heavy that it sinks too fast. Fish usually prefer a slowly falling lure to one plummeting toward bottom. As a general rule, allow 1/8 ounce for every 10 feet of water. For example, a lure of at least 1/4 ounce would be needed to reach bottom in water 20 feet deep.

In slow current, however, the same 1/4-ounce lure would only reach a depth of about 15 feet. As the current becomes faster, the weight of lure needed to reach bottom increases. Wind affects your lure choice much the same way as current. The wind pushes your boat across the surface, increasing water resistance on the line and lure. This makes it more difficult for the lure to reach the desired depth and stay there.