High Tech Jigging

[tyee]

Thanks for the reply. Just got the TVSC recently and looking for a reel. Been browsing reading bdoutdoors.com reviews on reels. Okuma Andros A-5 reels, what do you think?

 

[Waterwolf2230]

Thanks for the reply. Just got the TVSC recently and looking for a reel. Been browsing reading bdoutdoors.com reviews on reels. Okuma Andros A-5 reels, what do you think?

I'm a Shimano guy through and through. Two of my friends have the older style Torium 14's which they love. Silky smooth drag, good retrieve and decent size. Well Shimano just released the new version of the Torium and I had one in my hands last week. Let me tell you, there is no better bang for the buck out there. They significantly reduced the size. It is ultra smooth, fully salt water rated and will last many years. Its based on the Trinidad form factor with less bearings and about half the price. Its a fellow forum member that just picked it up but I haven't heard back from him to see if he's used it yet. Check out this video, it shows the size pretty good.

 

[tyee]

Looks very nice and price is good too. I'll get a price from Trotac/Island Outfitters here. I should probably get a quote from Tackle Shack too don't you think?

How would I tell if I got the new model?

One charter guy on amazon says the internal bearings got corroded too fast. Hmm....

 

[Prairie Locked]

I should probably get a quote from Tackle Shack too don't you think?

Heck ya you should!

I’m strongly considering picking one of these up at the recommendation of the Tackle Shack.

 

[ILHG]

Im looking forward to hearing more about this reel. Looks very nice

 

[tyee]

I was leaning toward the Avet SX or SXJ. I ordered from Trotoc last year but they have had an awful time getting Avet into Canada. I cancelled recently and now I'm leaning toward Shimano.

 

[tyee]

I was in Parksville PNT 2 or 3 times this summer looking at reels. I believe your not carrying Accurate anymore, true? Was thinking of the BV-300 but with the exchange it's too much. The more I read about all brands of reels the more confusing it gets. Basically I guess it comes down to maintenance. I think every reel I read someone likes, someone dislikes. So pick what suits your fancy and maintain it.

 

[Waterwolf2230]

Light reels in a small form factor make for a more enjoyable session. Look for something that holds 300 yards +/- of 30lb. As for maintenance on my Shimano reels I’m going on 4 years and they are still working as they did day one. Just need to rinse after. I also prefer a power handle over paddle handles. If you go down to a Calcutta levelwind get an aftermarket power handle and you’ll be happy you did. They are about $25.

 

[tyee]

@StormTrooper What is your fav Okuma and Daiwa for jigging? I was looking at the Okuma Andros A-5NIIa yesterday, 2 speed narrow. I like small reels, like Waterwolf says, but not over $350. Rob said his son uses Okuma Komodo 364 for jigging cod. Would it be good for large salmon? Not sure if you are that guy!

 

[tyee]

So would the 364 be too small for halibut? What model would be good for all 3 species. Just checked the 463 (larger model) might be best? Strange they have 2 reels with the same numbers in the model number, just reversed!

 

[Darin McCowboy]

Hey guys,


A few people over time have asked me to detail how I jig for salmon. By no means am I the authority on salmon jigging but my success at times speaks for itself and I think for some that by reading this it'll help you bypass some of the mistakes that I made (not that I'm not still screwing up from time to time). For me, jigging the way I do is more technical than what I see most others doing and once you get the hang of it is extremely addicting. I’m going to break it down into my gear/setup and then techniques.


For gear, again I have non-traditional setups. Most people that I see are using either 10’6” mooching rods with single action reels or BIG reels with pool cues. There are problems with each of these setups. First a long 10’6” rod/reel has an action that bends from the handle. When you are lucky enough to get a salmon to strike, the rod has absolutely no backbone to set the hook properly. On top of that the rod will not impart the proper action on a jig to really make it ‘flick’ (more on that later). Single action reels when stationary jigging haven’t a hope in keeping up with a running salmon. Don’t forget that you aren’t trolling where the boat is helping play the fish and keep your line tight. Higher speed reels can take up slack quickly and will help to avoid them spitting the hook. You'll be able to see in the videos that I've attached the action on the rods. Tons of bend...tons of backbone.


The pool cue setups are problematic for several reasons. They lack the sensitivity to properly feel your jig. Stiff rods also don’t have enough bend to play the fish properly so you are relying solely on the drag of the reel and that is problematic. You lose that elastic band effect of a rod that has a more parabolic action. If you look closely at the specs on a quality jigging rod it’ll usually have a lure rating ie: 168 gram (6oz) etc. This means that the rod will effectively jig a lure up to and including that weight. When you use jigs over that rating they will weigh the tip down and you will lose that ‘flick’ that is so effective at creating those reaction bites. Oh and this setup is exhausting. There is no way you can jig all day properly with this setup.


I have the following setups which range quite a bit in price. What I’ve found is that they all work beautifully but the difference in rods anyway is that the more expensive a rod gets, the more sensitive the blank is and the lighter it gets. I have 1 spinning setup, 1 levelwind and 2 conventional setups. These rods impart a ton of ‘snap’ on a lure when jigging. It’s hard to describe until you get one in your hands how light they are. When you first feel them you’ll be skeptical and think that there is no way that they’ll handle anything more than a trout but trust me, I’ve watched videos where they are landing Bluefin tuna on these setups.


1 – Shimano Trevala S – TVSC63MH – Lure Rating 168g rod with Shimano Calcutta 400 Levelwind


2 – Shimano Trevala F – TFC63M – Lure Rating 75 – 200g with Shimano Trinidad 16NA


3 – Shimano Game Type J – GTYPJS603 – Lure Rating 180g with Shimano Stella 5000


4 – Shimano Game Type J – GTYPJB605 – Lure Rating 300g with Shimano Trinidad 12A


On my trip to Esperanza in May, I caught my first ever halibut on a butterfly jig with #4 rod and #2 reel (I mix and match my setups). My guide had just been teasing me about trying to catch a hali with a ‘Trout Rod’. We had Octopus on one side (care of Rayvon) and salmon belly on the other. I fished off the back and within a few minutes WHAM and my rod folded over. That setup made quick work of a 65lb hali. The further the rod bends the more backbone it shows. It actually shocked my guide how fast the rod pulled the hali to the surface. You noticed that I said rod and not me. The rod does most of the work. With a pool cue, you are either relying on the gearing in the reel or to heave and reel. In a very short time, I made a believer out of him and soon the rod was in his hands lol. I’ve landed multiple salmon in the 20-26lb range on these (unfortunately no Tyee jigging…yet!). As for the reels, they all have a decent retrieve rate. This to me is critical to keep the line tight throughout the fight, especially jigging shallow where the fish are totally green when they get near the boat and start going crazy. The Trinidad 16NA for example has a 6.2:1 ratio and pulls in 46” of line per crank. I have yet to have a salmon outrun that setup. It’s also the reel that took down that hali without breaking a sweat. The drag system is second to none that I’ve ever seen anyway. I’m not the only one on the forum that has that reel so I’m sure I’ll get some backup on that.


I use nothing but PowerPro Depth Hunter line on all of my jigging reels in either 30 or 40lb test (I have yet to have a breakoff). If you aren’t familiar with the line it is metered line whereby it changes color every 25’ (four colors in total – Blue, Yellow, Green and Orange). It also has tiny black marks every 5 feet. This allows you to accurately fine tune the depth that you fish. When you see a bait ball that starts at 125’ and goes to 175’ you know that when dropping your jig, you let out 5 colors to be at the top of the ball or 7 colors if you want to jig below it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve marked a good arch on the finder and was able to put the jig right in front of its nose and get that fish. It takes the guesswork out of depth. I’ve tried line counters before but they are terribly inaccurate. I watch the finder and tell my mates “Up one color or down two colors” based on what I am seeing on the screen. Highly successful way to target salmon. To my Depth Hunter I place a red bead (to protect my rod tip) and a Sampo swivel (tied with a Palomar Knot). I then attach 50 or 60lb fluorocarbon typically Seaguar STS or Blue Label. If you skip this step and tie direct to the braid you will more often that not, foul your lure on your line. The fluorocarbon is stiff and for lack for better terms ‘pushes’ the lure away from the line. Fluorocarbon is also incredibly tough and can withstand crazy punishment from teeth. I then tie direct to the lure. Using a snap will also lead to fouling jig.


As for locating fish, I can only speak to the Campbell River and Grant’s Reef area which are my two main areas that I fish salmon. Typically, at first light and in the evenings on the Wilby Shoals, I’ll target the shallows and look for birds. Rarely will I even waste my time dropping a jig if I’m not on bait. All you’ll end up with is bycatch. I tend to fish the top of the bait more often than the bottom, especially if you can mark the arches with a good sounder. I tend to try and stay out of the middle of the ball. I like the idea of salmon cleaning up stragglers and not having my lure compete with thousands of herring. The key to staying on target with your lures is to back troll with either an electric or a kicker etc. to keep your line below the boat. If there is too much angle on your line the jigs won’t have the action that is needed. That is best way to allow this system to work. If I can’t find bait, I’ll either cruse with rod in hand or if I’m desperate I’ll troll to get a feel for what the bait is doing.


As for jigs, I now almost exclusively use Shimano Flat Fall Butterfly Jigs. Once you use them you'll know why. There is nothing on the market that compares in my opinion anyway. I've attached some video of them in action. They have a keel on the backside that allows the lure to flutter, fall, flutter, fall. It creates unreal reaction strikes. Many of my fish are caught on the fall. With that said, you need to monitor your line as it falls. With Levelwinds or conventional reels you can thumb the spool on the drop. The second there is a change in pace you know that you have a fish on. Sometimes it’ll literally just start peeling line off and you have only a second or so to react before they realize it isn’t what they were looking for. As for scent, I never jig without it. My feeling is that yes, these jigs create reaction strikes but when you get a hit that doesn’t stick, the scent will increase your odds that they’ll return. For me scent adds to my confidence as well. I truly believe that if you are confident in your approach that you’ll be more attentive and catch more fish. For me Smelly Jelly has done great but bases on NOG’s recommendation I’m going to get me some X-10.

Continued...

A quick question for you. I have jigged for salmon many times on the west coast around Uke, Sooke and Toffino... and I have usually done well. I am based out of Vancouver and most people around here troll. I want to try working the local waters. Do you, or anyone else on this thread, know of any good groups or forums in this area. Would like to pick up some hints and tips before I transfer over. Suggestions?

 

[Waterwolf2230]

What is the definition of "high tech jigging" just as a clarification? More out of curiosity, in reality for me it is still more of the same old techniques for tricking fish into biting. Know what I do understand that some of the shapes and contours of the substrates of the new era Japanese style jigs are quite unique in that they can help develop the desired action of the lure on either lift or drop depending upon power and effort of said. I have been making lead based lures since I was seventeen, nothing as crazy as some of the lures that are available today, however they were effective and still are. I owned and operated a production lead business a number of years ago, I totally understand the process and can create my own designs at a whim. I still to this day, use my own lures first, then friends, then manufactures I like...some of my friends are manufactures. The fish don't change...it's the angler that directs lure production. This is why I am curious what the definition for high tech jigging and what it all means to the angler in terms of today. In this video, I am on with one of my creations, using a rod that my son made from a tip and a chopped handle from a fiberglass mooching rod. Total length perhaps 7ft. With a BER Float Reel. It boasts a 25lbs drag and unbelievable free fall capabilities. Reel value $1700+.

I can't say that there is a definition for 'High Tech Jigging' however if you read my initial post, I point out several things that can increase ones success on the water. Anyone can catch the odd fish just by chance. The difference is being able to consistently go out and put fish in the boat even when conditions are hard. Here's a question for you @StormTrooper. When you are in 100' of water and the bait is suspended from 50-70' and you can see active feeding fish on the top of the bait, how do you specifically target those fish? The only consistent way to do it is by using metered line. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a suspended fish on my finder and have been able to target and catch that fish with this system. And don't get me wrong, fighting salmon on mooching reels or centerpin reels is fun, but when you catch large springs in shallow water having a proper jigging rod with a high speed jigging reel will dramatically improve your landing percentage. I'd say 7/10 of the fish I caught this summer were on the fall. Of those I'd say 4 of them ran straight to the surface. If you can't keep up with those fish you will lose 90% of them due to slack line and barbless hooks. I fished with people on my boat this summer who used mooching rod/reel setups and I can't tell you how many hits they missed do to the lack of backbone in their rod. So I guess my definition of High Tech Jigging is looking at it from a more technical vs traditional approach and using new technology to increase your odds.

Cheers,

WW

 

[Kristo]

great thread........I recently picked up an Okuma M-5IIR Metaloid and Okuma AZ-C-601M Azores Jig Rod combo online @$229.00 US.
First impressions are pretty good.....

 

[Mako 22]

 

[mksfishing]

@Waterwolf2230 how much did you pay for your trinidad 16NA?

 

[Dogbreath]

Just bought three Daiwa Saltiga SK jigs supposedly the Best Jigs Ever according to some-we'll see.

 

[Original Riptetide]

Hey guys,


A few people over time have asked me to detail how I jig for salmon. By no means am I the authority on salmon jigging but my success at times speaks for itself and I think for some that by reading this it'll help you bypass some of the mistakes that I made (not that I'm not still screwing up from time to time). For me, jigging the way I do is more technical than what I see most others doing and once you get the hang of it is extremely addicting. I’m going to break it down into my gear/setup and then techniques.


For gear, again I have non-traditional setups. Most people that I see are using either 10’6” mooching rods with single action reels or BIG reels with pool cues. There are problems with each of these setups. First a long 10’6” rod/reel has an action that bends from the handle. When you are lucky enough to get a salmon to strike, the rod has absolutely no backbone to set the hook properly. On top of that the rod will not impart the proper action on a jig to really make it ‘flick’ (more on that later). Single action reels when stationary jigging haven’t a hope in keeping up with a running salmon. Don’t forget that you aren’t trolling where the boat is helping play the fish and keep your line tight. Higher speed reels can take up slack quickly and will help to avoid them spitting the hook. You'll be able to see in the videos that I've attached the action on the rods. Tons of bend...tons of backbone.


The pool cue setups are problematic for several reasons. They lack the sensitivity to properly feel your jig. Stiff rods also don’t have enough bend to play the fish properly so you are relying solely on the drag of the reel and that is problematic. You lose that elastic band effect of a rod that has a more parabolic action. If you look closely at the specs on a quality jigging rod it’ll usually have a lure rating ie: 168 gram (6oz) etc. This means that the rod will effectively jig a lure up to and including that weight. When you use jigs over that rating they will weigh the tip down and you will lose that ‘flick’ that is so effective at creating those reaction bites. Oh and this setup is exhausting. There is no way you can jig all day properly with this setup.


I have the following setups which range quite a bit in price. What I’ve found is that they all work beautifully but the difference in rods anyway is that the more expensive a rod gets, the more sensitive the blank is and the lighter it gets. I have 1 spinning setup, 1 levelwind and 2 conventional setups. These rods impart a ton of ‘snap’ on a lure when jigging. It’s hard to describe until you get one in your hands how light they are. When you first feel them you’ll be skeptical and think that there is no way that they’ll handle anything more than a trout but trust me, I’ve watched videos where they are landing Bluefin tuna on these setups.


1 – Shimano Trevala S – TVSC63MH – Lure Rating 168g rod with Shimano Calcutta 400 Levelwind


2 – Shimano Trevala F – TFC63M – Lure Rating 75 – 200g with Shimano Trinidad 16NA


3 – Shimano Game Type J – GTYPJS603 – Lure Rating 180g with Shimano Stella 5000


4 – Shimano Game Type J – GTYPJB605 – Lure Rating 300g with Shimano Trinidad 12A


On my trip to Esperanza in May, I caught my first ever halibut on a butterfly jig with #4 rod and #2 reel (I mix and match my setups). My guide had just been teasing me about trying to catch a hali with a ‘Trout Rod’. We had Octopus on one side (care of Rayvon) and salmon belly on the other. I fished off the back and within a few minutes WHAM and my rod folded over. That setup made quick work of a 65lb hali. The further the rod bends the more backbone it shows. It actually shocked my guide how fast the rod pulled the hali to the surface. You noticed that I said rod and not me. The rod does most of the work. With a pool cue, you are either relying on the gearing in the reel or to heave and reel. In a very short time, I made a believer out of him and soon the rod was in his hands lol. I’ve landed multiple salmon in the 20-26lb range on these (unfortunately no Tyee jigging…yet!). As for the reels, they all have a decent retrieve rate. This to me is critical to keep the line tight throughout the fight, especially jigging shallow where the fish are totally green when they get near the boat and start going crazy. The Trinidad 16NA for example has a 6.2:1 ratio and pulls in 46” of line per crank. I have yet to have a salmon outrun that setup. It’s also the reel that took down that hali without breaking a sweat. The drag system is second to none that I’ve ever seen anyway. I’m not the only one on the forum that has that reel so I’m sure I’ll get some backup on that.


I use nothing but PowerPro Depth Hunter line on all of my jigging reels in either 30 or 40lb test (I have yet to have a breakoff). If you aren’t familiar with the line it is metered line whereby it changes color every 25’ (four colors in total – Blue, Yellow, Green and Orange). It also has tiny black marks every 5 feet. This allows you to accurately fine tune the depth that you fish. When you see a bait ball that starts at 125’ and goes to 175’ you know that when dropping your jig, you let out 5 colors to be at the top of the ball or 7 colors if you want to jig below it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve marked a good arch on the finder and was able to put the jig right in front of its nose and get that fish. It takes the guesswork out of depth. I’ve tried line counters before but they are terribly inaccurate. I watch the finder and tell my mates “Up one color or down two colors” based on what I am seeing on the screen. Highly successful way to target salmon. To my Depth Hunter I place a red bead (to protect my rod tip) and a Sampo swivel (tied with a Palomar Knot). I then attach 50 or 60lb fluorocarbon typically Seaguar STS or Blue Label. If you skip this step and tie direct to the braid you will more often that not, foul your lure on your line. The fluorocarbon is stiff and for lack for better terms ‘pushes’ the lure away from the line. Fluorocarbon is also incredibly tough and can withstand crazy punishment from teeth. I then tie direct to the lure. Using a snap will also lead to fouling jig.


As for locating fish, I can only speak to the Campbell River and Grant’s Reef area which are my two main areas that I fish salmon. Typically, at first light and in the evenings on the Wilby Shoals, I’ll target the shallows and look for birds. Rarely will I even waste my time dropping a jig if I’m not on bait. All you’ll end up with is bycatch. I tend to fish the top of the bait more often than the bottom, especially if you can mark the arches with a good sounder. I tend to try and stay out of the middle of the ball. I like the idea of salmon cleaning up stragglers and not having my lure compete with thousands of herring. The key to staying on target with your lures is to back troll with either an electric or a kicker etc. to keep your line below the boat. If there is too much angle on your line the jigs won’t have the action that is needed. That is best way to allow this system to work. If I can’t find bait, I’ll either cruse with rod in hand or if I’m desperate I’ll troll to get a feel for what the bait is doing.


As for jigs, I now almost exclusively use Shimano Flat Fall Butterfly Jigs. Once you use them you'll know why. There is nothing on the market that compares in my opinion anyway. I've attached some video of them in action. They have a keel on the backside that allows the lure to flutter, fall, flutter, fall. It creates unreal reaction strikes. Many of my fish are caught on the fall. With that said, you need to monitor your line as it falls. With Levelwinds or conventional reels you can thumb the spool on the drop. The second there is a change in pace you know that you have a fish on. Sometimes it’ll literally just start peeling line off and you have only a second or so to react before they realize it isn’t what they were looking for. As for scent, I never jig without it. My feeling is that yes, these jigs create reaction strikes but when you get a hit that doesn’t stick, the scent will increase your odds that they’ll return. For me scent adds to my confidence as well. I truly believe that if you are confident in your approach that you’ll be more attentive and catch more fish. For me Smelly Jelly has done great but bases on NOG’s recommendation I’m going to get me some X-10.

Continued...

I managed to jig up a few nice springs this morning on my riptide strikers of the red can. I have caught a ton of chinook jigging the bait balls off the hump and shoals. Over the years. It really does produce when nothing else does.

 

[ILHG]

I managed to jig up a few nice springs this morning on my riptide strikers of the red can. I have caught a ton of chinook jigging the bait balls off the hump and shoals. Over the years. It really does produce when nothing else does. View attachment 67188

I started jigging salmon off the green can (Cambel River) last year for the first time. I'm hooked. Cant wait to try jigging in Prince Rupert this year

 

[Original Riptetide]

I started jigging salmon off the green can (Cambel River) last year for the first time. I'm hooked. Cant wait to try jigging in Prince Rupert this year

Interesting enough 8 years ago I did fish Rupert and kitimat with my Dad. We used our strikers and it was awesome. I couldn’t tell you where we were but they hit just as well up there jigging as around the CR area. Best of luck. I’m sure it will be epic.

 

[Original Riptetide]

I started jigging salmon off the green can (Cambel River) last year for the first time. I'm hooked. Cant wait to try jigging in Prince Rupert this year