[Ragman]

I found a 3-part series on jigging basics that I thought might help anglers just starting out with offshore jigging, but also would be a good refresher for many trips scheduled for this season:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Also on JapanAngler's home page, you'll find links to "Jinkai" jigging parts 1,2,3.

Great reading and let me know what you think about this kind of information!

 

[bulllred]

Thanks for the links Ragman.

 

[tngbmt]

The reality is if even one jigger on a boat is mismatched, tackle and presentation wise, there ends up being unintended fishing pressure
so do we assign jig size and color, depth to different jiggers to fine tune this method? it'll save time and we can all use the same combination that's working ... when we find it. better than having me throw 30 different jigs to find 'the one' and may scare off the rest of the yft

 

[Uncle Russ]

If Kil happens to be on the boat, I intend to stand about a foot away, tie on the same jig, cast into the water exactly on top of his lure, and do everything he does. Except for the Penn 318 level wind and the Ugly Stick, I should be OK.

Russ

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

i plan on starting my jiggin type fishing by casting the jig(on spinning rod) out past the lights, then letting it slow fall back to the boat. Worked for me last time in tough conditions when the fish werent under the boat (besides the BFT, and pesky cuda- who were loving the other half of the blackfin I was pulling in....LOL) Once the jig got vertical, I would just reel up about 10 cranks and stop, then reel 10 and stop... the pause was just to stop the jig in thier face if they happened to be following it... worked for me pretty well until I ran out of the 5 jigs I had.. LOL!!! I wore myself out pretty quick though... so thats a plus for others- then I moved to the other side to chunk for awhile.

I learned a valuable lesson - after I caught a big fish... I need to discard the leader and tie on a new one... I was breaking the leader- you could see strands where it actually streched in two. I bought 2 spools of FLouro leader..lol

 

[ALW]

I have found the BF Tuna don't care what you put on for leader. You can use 150 lb mono and not lose your jigs. YF Tuna are some times leader shy. The last trip on the Big E the yellows didn't show so there was no reason to waist jigs. YF won't usually go for jigs on the Big E anyway. The 5 YF's that were caught 4 were on chunks. Chunking didn't work very well cause the boat didn't stay close to the floater. I guess Capt was sleeping. Another boat caught much more chunking that stayed tight to the floater.

 

[Ragman]

so do we assign jig size and color, depth to different jiggers to fine tune this method? it'll save time and we can all use the same combination that's working ... when we find it. better than having me throw 30 different jigs to find 'the one' and may scare off the rest of the yft

In a perfect world, and all 35-40 fishermen worked together, yes if you did this you would more quickly determine jig size, style, technique, and depth that the fish want that day.

When I fish inshore, me and 2 boat mates all throw something different (topwater, soft plastic, spoon etc.) until we determine the best pattern for the current area we're fishing.

Realistically, I don't think even on private charters you could manage that!

 

[Ragman]

. YF won't usually go for jigs on the Big E anyway. The 5 YF's that were caught 4 were on chunks. Chunking didn't work very well cause the boat didn't stay close to the floater. I guess Capt was sleeping. Another boat caught much more chunking that stayed tight to the floater.

Hey ALW!

Maybe if more people were jigging longer -and changing specs more often- the YFTs that were there could have been caught?

On the chunking, IME, when the boat sets up for the drift past the floater, you have to keep a very good chunk line going so that -in addition to the boat picking up the live bait as it passes the floater- you can pull the hungriest, most aggressive YFTs off the rig too.

Just an observation, but if you notice that the DH's are NOT constantly maintaining the chunk/chum slick, bring it to their attention or take on the responsibility, and rotate the chunking.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Having read all of the articles and replies to this thread, I have a few questions for any and all as to some aspects of jigging in the GOM.

(1) The author mentions using a snap swivel or a swivel and split ring to facilitate changing jigs. Any thoughts on whether this would seriously degrade action or hookup rates? Also, is line twist a problem where no swivel is used at all?

(2) With regard to Cuda, how about a short 9 inch or so wire leader to prevent jig loss?

(3) I have not fished for barracuda much and have only caught a couple of small ones. Would very heavy mono prevent jig loss or are they pretty much like sharks and wahoo and can bite through anything?

Thanks,

Russ

 

[gman]

i jigged all weekend out of POC texas and everything I caught such as amberjacks, jack crevals, red snapper and even a grouper got devoured by those damn cudas and sharks. The fish were all caught in the 180-200 foot depth and all that work, my first full jigging trip and it was worthless becuase all i got were fish heads LOL

 

[Ragman]

Having read all of the articles and replies to this thread, I have a few questions for any and all as to some aspects of jigging in the GOM.

(1) The author mentions using a snap swivel or a swivel and split ring to facilitate changing jigs. Any thoughts on whether this would seriously degrade action or hookup rates? Also, is line twist a problem where no swivel is used at all?
Since I know you use spinning gear, I'd say yes and incorporate a very hvy duty swivel, but not the cross-lock type, AND a solid ring split ring combo for ease of changing jigs.

(2) With regard to Cuda, how about a short 9 inch or so wire leader to prevent jig loss?
It will prevent jig loss, but IMO, does reduce the action of the jig. Don't know if it cuts down on strikes.

(3) I have not fished for barracuda much and have only caught a couple of small ones. Would very heavy mono prevent jig loss or are they pretty much like sharks and wahoo and can bite through anything?
Bite through hvy mono.
Thanks,

Russ
Tom

 

[tngbmt]

ALW, as long as the crew (yup i said crew, not customers) didnt tell me to move to a different spot because i was crowding their corner where they had 2 lines in the water .. and when you hook up to a big fish, they didnt bring their lines in and got all tangled up ... hehe, wasnt that a fun trip.

Chunking didn't work very well cause the boat didn't stay close to the floater. I guess Capt was sleeping. Another boat caught much more chunking that stayed tight to the floater.

 

[fathom]

Last trip on the big E the largest yft was caught on on chartruse benthos jig. 70lb. another 45 lb. yft was caught on silver benthos smaller one hit first drop at rig , larger well away from rig. The sportfisher you refered to caught on chunk early evening, yft are different every trip. There never was a wfo bite. The proximity to the rig is not the deciding factor.

For jigging I use avet lx 2 speed 80lb. hollow with fingercuff splice to 10' 80 lb. floro tied direct to solid ring on assist cord. sea magic jigging rod. 10' leader is enough to retie several times, always retie after yft.

Fathom

Fathom

I have found the BF Tuna don't care what you put on for leader. You can use 150 lb mono and not lose your jigs. YF Tuna are some times leader shy. The last trip on the Big E the yellows didn't show so there was no reason to waist jigs. YF won't usually go for jigs on the Big E anyway. The 5 YF's that were caught 4 were on chunks. Chunking didn't work very well cause the boat didn't stay close to the floater. I guess Capt was sleeping. Another boat caught much more chunking that stayed tight to the floater.

 

[jt2hunt]

i know that on the tbb last year we where throwin chunks and the yft would follow the boat quite a ways from the rig. we caught on jigs, tops, and chunks. the capt did not want to drift to far away and spread the school out as he thought they may disperse and move on. we got a number of drifts in throughout the night.

 

[ALW]

Capt. did a way better job on the TBB 06 trip than he did last trip. This last trip seemed pure head boat. The TBB folks fishing had a lot better skill as well. Instead of throwing chunks with the bait they just let the lines drift out on the last trip. Still caught plenty of fish, took 4 hrs to clean and pack. I caught two YF's on the TBB 06 with 400gm River2Sea jigs. My son was nailing the fish with OTI jigs. We didn't get what we orderd from OTI but what we got worked.

 

[Ragman]

Hey ALW!

Please check your PM and contact me!

 

[Drifter]

Fathom, a couple of weeks ago I used butterfly style jigs for the first time and had a very successful day. 3 snapper and 1 lost half way up out of the first 5 drops! I changed to Snapper Slappers because by buddy was pulling in larger snapper with his setup (goes along with trying different lures to see what is most successful). Anyway, I was connecting the jig >split ring and a solid ring and barrel swivel to the split ring. I has the solid ring and barrel swivel come up a couple of times lodged in the split ring circles - almost to the point of slipping off. I noticed you tie directly to the solid ring. Question: Does tying directly to the solid ring (no barrel swivel) prevent split ring slips?

Is there any advantage using a trailing hook on jigs?

Thanks!

 

[fathom]

That's the problem with split rings, last trip i lost a jig that
slung itself through split ring, but i landed the fish. If you tie to split ring chafe will result. I am not convinced a swivel is necessary for knife jigs and don't use them.
Trailing hooks are a personal preference. I quit using them after landing a yft hooked in mouth with main hook. the trailing hook foul hooked fish in side and he nearly straightend it out in fight. pulling 45lb. yft in sideways was
twice the work. I think a bait tipped snapper slapper would out fish knive jigs for snappper. Every time i have used knive jigs for snapper , you catch a few and they seem to wise up quickly.