If you are the average live bait fisherman that relies on the live bait to find the fish for you, then you don’t know what you are missing when the bite is slow. Sometimes it just takes one bait of constant movement throughout different depths to get the bite going.
The best setup for jigging is a light tackle rod and spinning reel that is spooled with braid such as Powerpro. This will help you get the big fish to the surface with good drag on them.
We highly recommend you get a pilchard jig that is flat. The flat head will cause a vibration in the water unlike a bullet head and receives much more action because of this. Tip the jig with either a live or dead bait such as a small pilchard or herring and send her to the bottom.
You will have to adjust the size of your pilchard jig depending on the speed of the current to ensure you get to the bottom. Once you get to the bottom the fun begins.
You want to start reeling and jigging your bait though the different spectrums of the water. Keep the line and bait tight so that when a fish hits, you can be sure he gets the hook and does not swallow the rig. This is very important because we also highly recommend you fish monofilament leader (40 to 60lb). You will get more strikes and get benefits from the stretch in the mono on the hook sets.
Toothy fish such as Kingfish, Wahoo, and Barracuda will be glues to your rig as long as you keep the pressure and the line tight. You will have your share of break offs and cutoffs, but that is fishing.
On a slow day the jig rod can be a life saver and put some fish in the box. If you are not getting any action on any of the rods we suggest you move until you find a bite.
Tightlines and great fishing.
SFC
