If you're reading this, you're likely on the hunt for the best VTJ (Vertical Tube Jig) size to target your local lake trout. Whether you're purchasing lures from us or crafting your own, our goal is to help you catch more fish while ensuring their healthy release. After years of experience, we've gathered valuable insights on what works best in different fishing conditions. Read on to discover the ideal VTJ size for your next fishing adventure.
 
## The Cheat Sheet
 
Here&apos;s a quick reference guide to get you started. While we plan to expand on this with more detailed explanations, this summary provides a solid foundation for selecting the right VTJ size:
 

* 3/4 oz - 20g: Ideal for shallow water with little to no drift.
* 1 oz - 28g: Best suited for shallow to medium depths with a slower drop.
* 2 oz - 56g: A versatile option that drops fast and entices a chase—perfect for most situations.
* 3 oz - 85g: Designed for faster drops, great for kayak fishing or when drifting.
* 4 oz - 114g: For deep waters or heavy currents where a fast drop is necessary.
 
## Selecting the Right Size: Key Factors to Consider
 
When choosing the appropriate VTJ size, two main factors come into play: your fishing method and the presence of current or drift. Here&apos;s how to determine the best size based on different scenarios:
 
## Ice Fishing:
 
* Medium to Deep Waters: Opt for 2-4 oz lures to maintain control in varying depths.
* Shallow Waters: Stick with 3/4 to 1 oz lures for precision in shallower areas.
 
## Boat Fishing:
 
* With Spot-Lock (Open Water): You have the freedom to use any size based on what the fish are chasing.
* Without Spot-Lock (Open Water): A 2-4 oz lure is recommended, depending on the drift to keep your line vertical.
* With Drift (Heavy Current): Choose 3-4 oz lures to counteract the current and maintain effectiveness.
 
## Kayak Fishing:
 
* Calm Waters: Use 1-4 oz lures unless you&apos;re in shallow water with no drift, where lighter options might suffice.
* With Drift: Heavier lures (3-4 oz) will help you stay vertical and maintain control.
 
## The Importance of Staying Vertical
 
One of the most crucial aspects of using a VTJ effectively is keeping your line vertical. Drift can significantly impact your success; if you&apos;re not staying vertical, you&apos;re not maximizing the potential of your VTJ. Pay close attention to your drift and adjust your lure size accordingly to ensure you&apos;re fishing as effectively as possible.
 
By considering these factors and choosing the right VTJ size, you&apos;ll be better equipped to target lake trout successfully. Whether you're ice fishing, kayak fishing, or out on a boat, the right VTJ can make all the difference in your fishing experience.

Keith Brandie

A guide to choosing the right size VTJ for your conditions and body of water.

Finding the Perfect VTJ Size for Targeting Lakers


This article will detail a few of the strategies we've found that work best. If you have something to add please send us a note, we'd love to add your suggestions to the list!

First and foremost, you need to make sure you are VERTICAL. The V in VTJ is for vertical, and it's important to understand that wind, currents and boat / kayak drifting will affect your ability to see the lure on the fishfinder.

Second you need a fishfinder! Being able to see your lure is important, watching the activity and mood of the fish is the key to knowing when to reel up, how fast to reel and when to get ready to give em' the beans.

Here is, in no particular order 5 different strategies we reccomend for fishing the VTJ:

## 1. First Drop Magic

We find that the first drop after drilling a hole has a special bonus to it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but we treat every first drop like a fish is going to get it. If you fish for a few minutes and you're not seeing any action, don't be afraid to move. Sometimes that next first drop will be the one!

## 2. The Elevator Game

Depending on the season, lake trout can be in various parts of the water column. Maximize your odds by spending time moving up and down at various speeds. Spend a little time at the bottom and then reel all the way up to the surface and take the lure out of the water. Wait a moment before you drop your lure, one of the things you should try to do is vary your action so you are not doing any prolonged repetitive actions. The fish will get bored and so will you!

## 3. Dead sticking

Lake trout are often chasing bait fish, and sometimes they are either almost dead or just quite there and sitting lifelessly. We often see fish streak up while we are messing with our phone or other distractons! One of the hardest parts of lake trout fishing is staying engaged for hours on end waiting for that one brief moment of heart pounding action. If jigging isn't working or fish aren't comitting try leaving your bait 5-20ft off the bottom of the lake and wait for one to shoot up like a rocket. It's important that you start reeling your bait when the lake trout gets close or they will lose interest and peel off. Some folks swear by dead sticking and it should not be ignored as one of the more effective methods.

## 4. Stirring up the bottom

Heavy VTJs are great for dropping down to the bottom quickly and giving you very good feel for what the bottom is like. Sometimes you will have a harder, rockier bottom and with an appropriate braid you will clearly feel the solid bottom. On the other hand if it's a sandy or silty bottom, the VTJ will allow you to stir up a cloud of dirt and mud that can bring in curious fish to investigate.


## 5. Surprise chase

Once in a while, especially when fishing gets slow I will pretend that I am getting chased by a fish and reel up furiously. I usually do this after dead sticking or slowly jigging for a bit, I find that the surprise motion and noise in the water column can trigger fish nearby who are responding in a reactionary way to the agressive reeling action. Sometimes after reeling up you will see a mark rise up just off the bottom to investigate, this is a great indicator you are in the right place!

Keep varying your presentations and most importantly PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE FISH LIKE! If they want a slow flutter, switch to a smaller size lure or even a spoon. If they are agressively chasing you can size up to 2, 3 or even 4oz for kayak applications where the drift is a factor.

We hope this information is helpful, if you have any insights or suggestions on how to fish the lure we would love to hear from you! Head on over to our contact page and send us a message!

Strategies and techniques to engage and catch more fish using the VTJ

How to fish a VTJ

A VTJ is a barrel weight with a split ring and a treble or single hook attached to the bottom ring of the weight. You can either sleeve a plastic tube over the weight, or you can paint it colors. Our most effective color is pearl white. We find it's even more effective if you add a dressed treble or some rattling / vibrating elements.

<Figure src="https://res.cloudinary.com/vtapico/image/upload/v1672160724/verticaltubejig.com/vtj_research/20220726_195442_01_fvxocw.jpg" alt="A tube jig with battle damage reveals the inner barrel weight after catching several Lake Trout" caption="A tube jig with battle damage reveals the inner barrel weight after catching several Lake Trout" />


A VTJ is a big heavy weight, and it's designed to dive FAST, or as fast as you need. We offer them in weights from 3/4oz up to 4oz, and you should adjust the size of bait you use to the activiy level of the fish you see.

<Figure src="https://res.cloudinary.com/vtapico/image/upload/v1679029338/verticaltubejig.com/vtj_research/20230123_233417_yureio.jpg" alt="A few VTJs painted, with and without dressed hooks" caption="A few VTJs painted, with and without dressed hooks" />



This website talks about VTJs a lot, so it only made sense to create a page to describe what they are and how they work. This page covers the fundimentals and from here we will have more posts about how to rig your own and suggestions on how to pick the right one to maximize your potential to catch bigger fish.

A vertical tube jig is a combination of a trolling weight, split rings and a treble or single hook

What's a VTJ?


A 3oz VTJ in high vis neon green, aka chartreuse with a white and blue iridescent dressed treble. We love pearl white, but this is our second favorite color out there.

Mat Gilbert

A 3oz VTJ in high vis neon green, aka chartreuse with a white and blue iridescent dressed treble. We love pearl white, but this is our second favorite color out there.

VTJ00001


A 3oz VTJ in white diamond with a white, black and red single dressed hook.

VTJ00023


A 2oz VTJ in white diamond with a black and silver dressed single hook.

VTJ00024


A 2oz VTJ in black pearl with a white, red and black dressed treble hook

VTJ00032

The VTJ is made with double swivel barrel swivel weights. While others that don't have swivels will work, you may find you lose fish if they are able to get leverage on the lure.
 

## Why does a double swivel matter?
The double swivels in the trolling weights we use offer not one but two points of swivel so the fish is never able to put torque leverage on the hook and spit it. This also allows the drag of the hook dressing to impart some nice flutter and random rotation as well.
 
You can and will lose fish from time to time, so it's important to use appropriate tackle to help tilt the odds in your favor. Even if you aren't fishing a VTJ we reccomend putting a snap swivel on the end of your leader, we like how this makes it easier to switch out lures and also adds some extra swivel protection for those extra thrahsy fish!
 
## Eagle Claw Barrel Weights
 
The VTJ was born when Mat Gilbert discovered that the Ace in Colchester VT sold Eagle Claw Barrel weights. Previously when fishing for lakers, the lures of choice were either bucktails or big 1/2oz or 1oz jigheads with large 3-4in paddle tail plastics on the back. The discovery of the barrel weights led to the epiphany of: "What if we put the hook on the bottom?"
## Double swivel means less line twist
If you have ever jigged for Lake Trout you will know how much they love to roll. Whether it's in the net, or getting rolled up in your fishing line before you boat them... they seem to have an innate ability to get twisted up in things. The double swivels allow the fish to spin freely, and it can never really get any torque on the line.
## Attachment point options
For the top eye of the VTJ, you can opt to run it with or without a split ring. We ship our VTJs with two split rings for several reasons. One because it provides a little distance / size to the lure, but also because we have had situations where stealing an extra split ring has helped in a pinch! That being said, if you don't want to put a split ring on top, you can tie your line / leader directly to the top of the VTJ.

Learn why one of the key features of the VTJ helps you land more fish.

Double Swivels are a secret weapon!


The VTJ is built with Eagle Claw barrel swivel weights. While others that don't have swivels will work, you may find you lose fish if they are able to get leverage on the lure.

The double swivels in the trolling weights we use offer not one but two points of swivel so the fish is never able to put torque leverage on the hook and spit it.

You can and will lose fish from time to time, so it's important to use appropriate tackle to help tilt the odds in your favor. Even if you aren't fishing a VTJ we reccomend putting a snap swivel on the end of your leader, we like how this makes it easier to switch out lures and also adds some extra swivel protection for those extra thrahsy fish!

Dressed hooks are a key attractor, they add flash and color and help to hide the hook from the fish.

Dressed hooks add flash and action to any lure

Today, we're going to walk you through the process of creating your own Vertical Jigging Lure (VTJ). This method is the same one I used to develop my own lures, and now I&apos;m excited to share this knowledge with you. Whether you&apos;re looking to support VT2U by purchasing a lure from our store or you're interested in making your own DIY VTJ, this guide will help you dominate the lake trout game.
 
Our mission is to help anglers catch more fish while ensuring that those fish are either released healthy or harvested at the appropriate size. So, let&apos;s dive into what you need and how to make your own VTJ.
 
# What You Will Need:
 
- Eagle Claw Barrel Weights
- VMC Split Rings
- VMC Treble or Single Hooks
- YUM! Tubes (Pearl White) / Berkeley White Tubes
 
# Step 1: Prepare the Barrel Weight (2 optional, 1 required)
 
Begin by attaching split rings to both the top and bottom of the barrel weight. These split rings are helpful to add a little gap between the hook and the bottom of the barrel weight. They are also handy to have around if you need one on the boat. The split ring on the top of the VTJ is optional, you can tie your leader directly to the top eye if you want.
 
# Step 2: Attach the Hook
 
Now, attach your chosen bottom hook to the barrel weight. You can use either a treble hook or a single hook, depending on your preference. More and more I have started to use single hooks because it can be easier to remove, leading to healthier and less bloody releases for the fish.
 
# Step 3: Snip a Hole in the Tube
 
Cut a very small hole at the closed end of the tube. This hole allows air to escape as you insert the weight into the tube. As you press the weight in, the goal is for the split ring or eye of the barrel weight to push out through the hole. The smaller the hole the better, too big and the tube will slide off.
 
# Step 4: Position the Tube
 
Turn the tube upside down so that all the tails are hanging out and away from the weight. This step is crucial because if the tails get caught inside the tube, it can reduce the lure&apos;s flash and action, which are key to attracting fish. You need to put something liquid inside the tube to make it easier to push the weight in. You can use water, you can spit in the tube, or you can use something like fish oil. Remember you have to handle it, so choose wisely! (Don't use stinky stuff **YET**)
 
# Step 5: Sleeve the tube over the barrel weight
Push the barrel weight down into the tube until the eye and split ring pop out of the top. You may need to stretch the tube down a little bit to make sure the tails of the tube are as low as possible. One of the key features of this pattern is how the points of the hook "hide" in the tassles / tails of the tube. Between that and the dressing we add to our hooks, it makes the big pointy hooks at the end of the lure much less visible to the fish.

# Step 6: Add some sauce
Now that the VTJ is fully assembled, now is the time to use any kind of fish oil / attractant / garlic sauce that you otherwise wouldn't want to get on your hands.


# Step 7 Tie it on! (optional: use a snap swivel)
 
You now have a VTJ ready to **#makebigfishchase**! Depending on where you're fishing, you may want to rig a few up with different weights so you can avoid fiddling with split rings out on the water. Trust us, it's much easier to do at home! We like to use snap swivels because it makes it much easier to switch out sizes when you are getting dialed in on drift, size or color. You also can tie directly to the top of the VTJ! Use what works... improvize, adapt, overcome!
 
# When do you replace the tube?
 
When the Lake Trout are fired up, they will absolutely destroy the tube. Once you see holes in it, or if it starts sliding off the weight its time to take off the old plastic and put a new one on. You can also add some sauce / fish oil / attractant to the inside of the tube when you are rigging it.
 
# Do I really need the tube?
 
This depends on a few factors, primarily how fired up the fish are. If they are going crazy and full on wolf pack, we think that just about any lure that moves fast is going to get their attention! After a lot of experimentation we have found it IS possible to get fish to hit VTJs without tubes. By painting them with our favorite colors and adding extra flash on dresed hooks, we've found another new lure pattern you can use to change up your tactics when the bite gets tough.
 
# Tubeless vs Tubed?
 
Most of all, we let the fish tell us what works! Some days they absolutely LOVE the tube, and other days they are finnicky and fickle. Don't get discouraged! Try different tactics, maybe even put a rattle bait down to make some noise and call in the hungry ones. The original VTJ design did include a tube for what it's worth. Can't go wrong with pearl white tubes.
 
We hope this guide helps you get some VTJs rigged and some big Lakers on the end of your fishing line. By following these steps, you'll have a DIY VTJ ready to hit the water and help you catch and release Lake Trout. Whether you're an experienced angler or just starting out, crafting your own lures can be a rewarding way to enhance your fishing experience. So grab your materials, follow the guide, and get ready to reel in some big ones!
 
# This is too much work!
 
I know what you mean! That's why I created this website so I can sell lures to people. I know what it takes to make a high quality lure that gets the fish fired up, and honeslty I think most people aren't going to want to go through the effort of all the painting and sealing. It's a tedious, messy and stinky (fumes) process that is only worth it if you REALLY are into making lures. If you are, I hope this helps, you should also check out Marling Baits on YouTube he was a huge inspiration.
 
# The pattern is the secret sauce
 
The pattern described in this post is what matters most, it's not rocket surgery and most people should be able to DIY one. For those of you who feel our lures are overpriced, we've provided this guide so you can still use the pattern even if you don't buy them from us.
 
# Send us your pics!
For the creatives out there, please show us what you got! We can't wait to see what kind of incredible creations you guys come up with. If you make one, make sure to tag it with **#verticaltubejig** and give us a mention!

How to make your own Vertical Tube Jig, and customize it for your local fishery

verticaltubejig.com

Rig your tube jig vertical to

Make Big Agressive Fish Chase

What size should I use?

VTJ00001

VTJ00023

VTJ00024

VTJ00032

Articles, Guides, Tutorials and Trip Reports

Finding the Perfect VTJ Size for Targeting Lakers

How to fish a VTJ

What's a VTJ?

Sign up for our newsletter

social

links