Jigging

[martinw]

looking at various overseas posts they talk of Jigging and high speed jigging,
could some one give a brief run down on this technique.
is it like pirking for cod or shadding for pollock over wrecks?

[PanamaJack]

Hi Martin
Probably the two with the most experience of this technique on the forum that I'm aware of are Dave Irving - currently in Australia - and Les from the North East. Dave's used the technique in many parts of the Pacific and Les uses it off Kenya.

Something though I'm hopefully going to try for the first time in August to the north of Costa Rica - Pacific side.

There're certainly articles on the Shimano corporate fishing web site, where they're obviously promoting their rods, Stella reels and butterfly jigs. But as a starting point you might want to check the article under Extreme Fishing on this web site - http://www.anglers-proshop.com/index.php.

Although there're not necessarily specifically articles on technique it's sometimes worth looking at posts on the English forums of http://www.caranx.net. Some very knowledgeable guys there also.
Dave

[TomBettle]

This months Sea Angler has a reasonable article by Dave Lewis on speed jigging.
It is very much a Shimano advert, but seeing as Dave is a Shimano consultant then that's fair enough, but the content is pretty good and almost tempts me to give it a go.

Looks hard work mind, and the lures are VERY pricey.

Tom

[Happy Dude]

Hi Martin
Probably the two with the most experience of this technique on the forum that I'm aware of are Dave Irving - currently in Australia - and Les from the North East. Dave's used the technique in many parts of the Pacific and Les uses it off Kenya.


Dave

sorry dave, i'm in the south east.....of scotland....lol

i've tried the speed jigs on the wrecks off my coast and the catches aren't encouraging using the same methods we use in kenya, namely jigging and winding as fast as you can, as the fish are just too slow, even pollack, now if we had some of the coalfish they have in norway.....

i africa you fish very deep water 500 feet+ and you drop to the bottom and jig and wind as fast as you possibly can, don't worry you can't wind too fast for the likes of amberjack, GT and the big snappers.

i have caught cod and ling on the speed jigs fishing normally on the bottom, proper east coast pirking style, even better with a bit of mackerel in the assist hook

here's a ruby snapper i got last year, you can see the jig hanging out it's gob......



heres a wee cod caught on a homemade jig with assist hook

[DaveIrving]

Hi Martin

The basic difference is the speed and the style the jig is moved through the water. You have the option of moving the jig through the water fast for species such as dogtooth, amberjacks, kingfish, GTs or moving it slow and close to the bottom for grouper, snapper etc. Grouper jigging is very similar to pirking for cod.

As Les says the fish in the UK are just too slow to catch a fast moving jig....however if you slow it down they will work just fine.

The links Dave has given you should provide all the info you need....but if you want any more info just ask!

Some pics attached of species we target on jigs....

Cheers

Dave

[Ravelling Tangler]

Dave
I notice Shimano are bringing out a "Trevala F" range of rods in the U.S.A. (like the existing trevalas, but with more carbon in the butt and classier, SiC rings)

Let us all know if you see any of them and how they compare to your Jigging Master. I know the old trevalas were not highly regarded by most - regarded as too soft and with no 'lock up' point for big (or to be more exact, heavy/massive) fish. "Unbreakable" yes, but a bit like the Maxximus or Fladen solid C rods

[DaveIrving]

Roger,

Have not seen them yet and heard very little feedback. Shimano jigging rods do not have a good history to date but you never know. The price is certainly more affordable than Jigging Master and the top Japanese brands.

The rods seem to be designed for smaller jigs - I love fishing deepwater jigging marks with 400gm+ jigs. The new Trevala's seem to be good up to 325gm jigs only....so are perhaps aimed more at inshore shallower water species.

I will not be buying one for the pure and simple reason I prefer custom built rods designed to suit me, rather than the off the shelf variety....unfortunately this comes at a price.

Cheers

Dave

[PanamaJack]

Couldn't resist posting this link - http://video.google.de/videoplay?doc...0463&q=jigging - showing the 'extreme' style of jigging that I know Dave Irving has been know to practice! In fact one of the Japanese gentlemen does seem to be struggling to prevent the 'early bath'.

There do appear to be a range of other jigging video clips that you can access through that 'Google' site, some of which cover the Med and Canaries.

[DaveIrving]

Hi Dave

The guy in the video is Matsutani-san......a legend in the jigging game! This extract is from his DVD fishing the Northern Marianas where he lands Dogtooth to over 100Kg.

I will have the pleasure of fishing with him in Tanzania next year.

Cheers

Dave

[PanamaJack]

I guess my tackle always conforms to IGFA regulations, just in case the 'monster' appears. To-date though have failed miserably! With the one that would have broken the long-standing 6lb line class record for Bluefish we were unable to weigh it on sensitive enough scales until the following day by which time it was 4 ounces under. C'est la vie!

But in terms of 'assist' hooks there's always that question as to their legality. Any rate here's a note that refers to the definitive IGFA ruling - http://www.demonjigs.com/igfarulingassist.htm. They didn't of course address the subject of two hooks but someone's gone on to clarify that.