Slammer,
Here are a few things that work good for me. 90% of the time I use #7 or #9 jigging raps (no bait) as I think the larger baits are easier for the fish to see/feel. I rarely jig less than 3' off bottom and normally jig 5' to 8' feet off, again I feel this draws more fish in. When jigging I rip the jig 1 to 2 feet very hard (you cannot jig too hard) to get the bait to dart out to the side and it slowly swims back to the center. I normally get 1 or 2 fish per trip that zoom in so fast and slam the bait I only see a quick blip of them on the flasher. If a fish comes in slow I will rip the jig when the fish first appears and then see how it reacts. If the fish seems aggressive (willing to swim up to your bait quickly) I will keep ripping the jig every 10 to 15 seconds or so until he bites or swims off. If I see that he is not moving much I may move down to him and try shorter, less aggressive jigs. 99% of the fish I get to bite shoot up to the jig and all you feel is your line go limp.
I'm sure other techniques work just as good, but this I what has worked best for me in the past.
Good luck, Greg.