I'm no expert, but I believe what they were telling you was key - "just bounce it off the bottom ".  Walleyes tend to feed pretty close to the bottom most of the time.  Maintain contact with the bottom or a few inches above to catch walleyes.  You may need to use a heavier jig or anchor if you are drifting too fast to maintain contact with the bottom.  You should be able to feel this with your rod/line.  Walleye's also often hit your jig as it is falling so don't let out much slack when jigging and be ready to set the hook. 

I'm going to chime here as a relatively inexperience angler --- I had no idea how to do this until this summer! I was completely baffled by this "jigging thing" even though it's very popular and effective. I finally took some advice that I received on one of the fishing threads here and researched (via youtube-- no kidding  --- a "how to" clip. It gave me enough of the basics that I could start practicing...and I've had enough 'success' (i.e. a fish here and there) to keep working away at it. It IS great fun...and I love hunting down the 'structures' by reading the banks, slopes and lake contour maps (...as I save up for that eventual depth-finder ). Jig on.

Telling someone how to jig is difficult if not impossible; especially when we are talking about doing it from a canoe.  You really have to spend some time in a boat with someone who knows what they are doing and why they are doing it and ask questions as you watch them fish and as you are fishing yourself.  It's not rocket science but there is a method and technique for optimal results.  I would rather soak a jig than cast a crank bait any day.

Kerry
Jigging is a confidence game. If you believe then you are expecting and if you are expecting then you are ready. What happens to the novice is they are getting bit but don't perceive it and fail to react.

They fail to recognize a bite because they don't "feel" that subtle "tick" when it happens. And why not, you might ask? Simple, they don't place their forefinger on the line. Yup, that's it. To feel that little bite it must come through your finger which is always applying a slight pressure to the line.

So, your holding the rod with one hand (spinning is much preferred) and your forefinger is extended and cupping the line upward toward the rod. Rods now become important.....jigging rods are shorter, lighter and a little bit stiff with some flex at the tip. 5.5 to 6 is ideal and comfortable to handle.

Now you can feel a bite, count to 1 and snap your wrist and your fish is on. Simple!

As per the actual jigging motion? Emulate the creatures in the water. For example, a wounded minnow might make 2 or 3 six inch kicks and then slowly float downward. So, snap your rod two or three times upward about six inches and then gently lower your rod as if your lure is nearly weightless. Strikes often come on the gentle lowering. You do have your finger on the line right? If not they will strike and then spit it out (Puteuy!) and you will have missed Your chance.

Bear in mind that your jig can imitate all sorts of critters. When the water is cold those critters move slower and consequently so should your jig. Visualize a crawfish.....kick, kick, kick and then nearly motionless. Piece of cake!

Vary the action until you find what works wether slow or fast. A friend of mine related an experience he had in sylvania wilderness area. He got the big small mouths to bite through radical jigging......snapping the rod very quickly some 2 of 3 feet in the air and letting it drop very quickly. Reaction bites.....

But consider carefully when to employ your jig. They are not such a good fish finding tool but rather a fish catching tool. Find them with a crank bait and catch them with a jig.

Thanks for the feedback all, yours in particular MT, very informative and specific.  So a couple more questions.  I get what you're saying about keeping your finger on the line, MT, and I understand that this is one of those techniques where a spinning rig is really most appropriate.  However, in your opinion can it be executed effectively with a bait casting rig or is that just the wrong tool for the job and a recipe for frustration?  And I still have that other question: how do you do this action off the bottom when you're drifting in a canoe?  I'm not talking about being pushed along by a serious wind but even a lightish breeze and the line is dragging.  So how do I know where my jig is relative to the bottom as I'm drifting along (by feel?) and how to control the action while drifting - just give it a snap or two and let drop pretty much as you describe when the boat is still?