High Tech Jigging

[acrowe]

This is a great thread, Waterwolf's info gave me the confidence to put enough time and effort into jigging to start getting some fish.
I couldn't find the depth hunter line and bought a big spool of regular braid to set up all my reels. I thought a line counter would be the thing. I bought a penn reel which I actually think works pretty good, but the line counter is unreliable. I actually returned the first one as it was so unreliable. Perhaps a Shimano one would be more reliable. I have a Peetz recorder reel (line counter) that is literally 70 years old and the line counter is super reliable and quite accurate (I only use it for rockfish descending though).
I don't normally like to jig deeper than 200 ft if I can avoid it and find it better not going deeper than 150' as it seems like a lot less effort. Of course sometimes the bait and fish are deeper.
I usually drop to the bottom unless its really obvious that the action is way above that, but I think more depth control would make me more efficient.
I will replace my line with depth hunter when I do

 

[Salty338]

I tried all kinds of Line counter reels before this thread came along. Abu's, Tekotas and Okuma. All worked ok in the top 80'. Found them to be inaccurate and inconsistent if you have to go deeper. Definitely closer though than just guessing though.

The colored line, at least for me, is by far the easiest. I caught a few last year over 300' and our biggest of the year was at 280'. If there is bait and fish I'll give it a go if we are not finding it shallower. My kid fished a 200 gram flat fall almost exclusively last year and did very well. Also kept him more vertical in heavier current and had no problem fishing any depth we ended up on quickly. Only tires you out quicker than a lighter jig.

Conventional reels are a gamechanger for feeling the pickup of a fish on the drop. Just having your thumb brushing the line on the way down and you'll feel a thump. Lock it up and you're in. 75% of the fish I hooked last year were like that. I find it much harder to feel that with other reel styles.

 

[RiverBoy]

i ordered my power pro depth hunter from PNT. there’s a younger fellow that works there that really knows his stuff. wish i got his name. there’s another brand i believe it’s j braid. you can get that thru amazon. you want thin diameter stuff to get you down and less blowback in the current. i have 30 lb depth hunter

 

[tains]

i ordered my power pro depth hunter from PNT. there’s a younger fellow that works there that really knows his stuff. wish i got his name. there’s another brand i believe it’s j braid. you can get that thru amazon. you want thin diameter stuff to get you down and less blowback in the current. i have 30 lb depth hunter

If you're in the PNT in Erringon his name is Noah. He is great to deal with.

 

[spring fever]

I have been asked about riptide strikers and what I do to them-I was very fortunate to have some donated my way- so here are a few 4 to 6 oz ones that I am working on. They are not finished-the wire they are hanging on is just a hanging wire for stamping and foiling. Your line actually goes through them like a spinnow-they are not easy to foil because they actually have a lot of complex curves-things like spoons and shimano butterfly jigs are way easier to do and get a better finish on. I am still learning to foil so don't be too critical-all I know is I can't keep fish off them

 

[Hardy Guy]

I have some of those new in the packaging. I might have to give them a try. What hooks you running with the rip tides ?

 

[spring fever]

I have some of those new in the packaging. I might have to give them a try. What hooks you running with the rip tides ?

I'm using #1 3x strong mustad trebles on the smaller jigs.1/0 3x strong mustads on the larger but I am trying to figure out a configuration and length for 4/0 assist hooks. The assists may not work because that lure has to slide up the line and the assists may hook onto themselves. If I ever get an 8oz I will probably move up to 4/0 trebles. I broke a hook off the other day and fished with just 2 of the treble-no difference-lost no hook-ups-- May try a single-if you ever want to get rid of the 6 or 8oz please let me know

 

[eroyd]

I see Trotec in Victoria gas some Tailwalk, Shimano Trevala's and Diawa Harrier jigging rods. Look like bass rods but not.

 

[Bowbreaker]

I'm using #1 3x strong mustad trebles on the smaller jigs.1/0 3x strong mustads on the larger but I am trying to figure out a configuration and length for 4/0 assist hooks. The assists may not work because that lure has to slide up the line and the assists may hook onto themselves. If I ever get an 8oz I will probably move up to 4/0 trebles. I broke a hook off the other day and fished with just 2 of the treble-no difference-lost no hook-ups-- May try a single-if you ever want to get rid of the 6 or 8oz please let me know

I’m not sure on others’ experience, but the large assist hooks that typical coming packaged with jigs can really harm salmon, particularly smaller fish. I have noticed a lot of fish landed with the hook point through the eye. This can happened even with a larger fish and it is devastating to release a bleeding fish.

Myself and a few others I know are working on trying smaller assist hooks and single hooks. By smaller, I am referring to #1’s.

I also will typically stop fishing when all the tags in the boat are filled to avoid having to release a bleeding fish.

If anyone has solutions to avoid/minimize messing up these amazing fish with jig hooks please post!

 

[RiverBoy]

I also will typically stop fishing when all the tags in the boat are filled to avoid having to release a bleeding fish.

If anyone has solutions to avoid/minimize messing up these amazing fish with jig hooks please post!

other than super small barbless hooks that’s about it. the very nature of hooks is pointy stabby killy. i’m with you i hate injuring fish, but i like fishing more. everything else ( barbs and trebles ) is already banned.

 

[Bowbreaker]

Agreed. I’m not here to give a PITA presentation on harming fish! I love fishing and eating fish.

There are lots of schools of young, small Chinook roving around (particularly on Wilby shoal) and most of the jig hooks will damage them and often in a lethal way. We anglers can do our part.

It’s crappy that the replacement Owner assist hooks are about $14 for 2… seems ridiculous for four hooks.

 

[MRWood]

I think a single assist hook is way safer for the fish than the tandem. The second hook gets thrashed around once the fish takes and can end up in locations that are harmful to the fish. Especially so on the smaller fish.

 

[spring fever]

I think a single assist hook is way safer for the fish than the tandem. The second hook gets thrashed around once the fish takes and can end up in locations that are harmful to the fish. Especially silly on the smaller fish.

I agree with the single assist but I was talking about a specific jig that slides up and down a line-designed for trebles-I am going to give it a try and will also make it barbless-can't keep them anyway and the "tug is the Drug"

 

[islandboy]

Anyone trying circle hooks as assists given the way salmon hit jigs on the way down?

 

[spring fever]

Anyone trying circle hooks as assists given the way salmon hit jigs on the way down?

I honestly don't think they would work--I can see your thought that the salmon would run with it and kind of hook himself like a circle hook is supposed to work. The truth is-most of us feel the bump and strike also the take on the way down only happens some of the time plus the ling rockfish and hali do not usually hit on the drop. Try a jig like that and see what it gives you-Just for comparison I don't think I am exaggerating when I say I stick about 85 to 90% of the fish I feel. That doesn't mean I land them but that I have them on for some time. I'm not sure that would happen with a circle

 

[Bowbreaker]

Hmmm… from experience using circle hooks in the past, I don’t think they’d work well jigging. You don’t have that sustained pull/resistance that sets the hook properly. I could be wrong though!

 

[onefish]

When they were legal it was my experience that barbless trebles caused the least damage to fish.

 

[spring fever]

When they were legal it was my experience that barbless trebles caused the least damage to fish.

Trebles are still legal- are they not? When were they banned-barbless for salmon of course but I haven't seen that.

 

[sly_karma]

Anyone trying circle hooks as assists given the way salmon hit jigs on the way down?

Circle hooks are a borrow from commercial long line setups for halibut and other bottom fish. More or less the opposite of the instant hookup you're looking for with jigging.

 

[RiverBoy]

Trebles are still legal- are they not? When were they banned-barbless for salmon of course but I haven't seen that.