Minijigging in the summer months?

One of the top highlight for my boys and I each year is our fall trip to Mammoth where we minijig for trout. The weather is cool, trout is usually near surface.

However, I would like take my wife up in the next few weeks for our anniversary. A friend told me that minijigs would not work as well as the trout are now deeper as the water is warmer in the the top layer. He is trolls for trout and was trolling at 35 feet or so at Lake Mary for example last week. At that depth, I don't think minijigs would be nearly as effective.

Is that true? Should just skip minijigs and try something else, or just to and hike?

I do know that in the last fall, 30-40 trouts on minijig (C&R of course) is not unusual.

Thanks in advance for any help. My wife would love to learn to minijig but part of the reward would be if she actually catches fish...:LOL:

UL

Mini jigs will get you fish up there just make sure to fish them early and late in the day when the fish are up. I mainly troll now because I recently got a boat, your friend is right though iv been trolling 25-30 feet for the rainbows. The browns 35-90ft...big difference in the two.

i was up there a few weeks ago and yeah, most of the fish are down deeper....had my best luck 3-4 colors down. however, i did get some on the surface early and late in the day...

All I use is mini jigs and slay all I got to say lol. Use dark colors. Also orange and pink can do well. Tip with mealworm or add scent.

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Originally Posted by Ultralight

One of the top highlight for my boys and I each year is our fall trip to Mammoth where we minijig for trout. The weather is cool, trout is usually near surface.

However, I would like take my wife up in the next few weeks for our anniversary. A friend told me that minijigs would not work as well as the trout are now deeper as the water is warmer in the the top layer. He is trolls for trout and was trolling at 35 feet or so at Lake Mary for example last week. At that depth, I don't think minijigs would be nearly as effective.

Is that true? Should just skip minijigs and try something else, or just to and hike?

I do know that in the last fall, 30-40 trouts on minijig (C&R of course) is not unusual.

Thanks in advance for any help. My wife would love to learn to minijig but part of the reward would be if she actually catches fish...:LOL:

UL

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Was up there this past weekend and was able to catch them off the shore at Mamie and George off jigs and metal. Both were working fine.

Thanks everyone.

For those of you minijigging, can you do that mid day or are you doing it more of a early morning and later in the afternoon deal?

And how deep did you let the jig drop?

Thanks again to ALL who replied. Very much appreciated. We are ready to troll but we do find minijigging more engaging and active.

UL

Hi Ultralight,
you can catch them all day long on the minijigs. i like to make a long cast let the jig fall to the bottom and work a slow retrieve, ive never had any problem getting jig fish all day long. When it gets warmer i like to find dropoffs and structure to cast by and its usually game on. Good Luck out there.

Ultralight,

As stated you can catch fish with mini jigs all year long, but it does get a bit tougher later in the year when the water warms. The key is to let them get deeeep if fishing in the afternoon.