Salmon Seeker
Crew Member
I think its about staying on the bait/fish more than staying in one spot. the bait likely moves with the current, so drifting with the current shouldnt be an issue.
Jigging or Drift Fishing for Salmon
- Thread starter acrowe
- Start date
acrowe
Active Member
Totally agreed about bait schools moving with the current, but if the current is moving so fast that the line blows way out from the boat, 2-3knots on my gps, its hard to get a slack line drop when you jig. Right now I just leave those spots for a slacker tide, but I think that is when people slowly backtroll. I have never bothered yet, but I think about it because there is often bait and I have actually caught fish right around Cape Mudge near the rips. I don't really know how well it actually works though.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Obviously it's nice to shut off all motors, but I don't mind back trolling on the kicker as it often means being able to fish when drift conditions would otherwise make jigging unworkable. My kicker is set up with a conventional control box rather than tiller arm, and positioned in reach of my fishing spot on the starboard rail. I leave it connected by tie rod to the main and occasionally adjust steering position to keep stern pointed into the wind. All works ok to fish solo. Obviously wouldn't work on any and all boat setups.
The aim isn't to remain stationary over a specific spot, anchoring could do that. Drifting is fine, just the rate of drift that needs to be controlled so the jigs work. About 0.7-0.8 mph SOG seems to be the upper limit, any faster and the flat falls have too much angle and lose most of their action.
The aim isn't to remain stationary over a specific spot, anchoring could do that. Drifting is fine, just the rate of drift that needs to be controlled so the jigs work. About 0.7-0.8 mph SOG seems to be the upper limit, any faster and the flat falls have too much angle and lose most of their action.
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
For terminal fisheries like off the mouth of the Big and Little Qualicum, etc, jig fishing with a Zinger or Buzz Bomb or a host of other jigs, will outfish the trolling crowd, even when there is little bait around. Nothing more annoying than seeing a 20 # ++ spring finning on the surface sometimes 10 yards from your boat, as it seeks out its home river for spawning. When you hook up, the fight can really be an eye opener compared to having a fish running with the drag of a flasher that slows it down considerably.
Drewski
acrowe
Active Member
That's sort of a funny one for me. Many people think nothing works better than fresh bait, and I think that is often true. If one side of a boat trolls hardware and the other a well set up anchovy, I have been told by people who have fished them for decades that Anchovy properly fished always outperforms hardware of pretty much any type.
The last couple of years I have regularly seen lots of good size herring in big schools on Wilby shoals. I thought to myself, I should be jigging some of those and mooching live or fresh herring.
I purchased a couple sabiki rigs, and even used a broken spinning rod, old spinning reel and piece of PVC pipe to make a dedicated Sabiki rig rod which allows you to leave them rigged, ready to go without massive tangles. It worked nearly perfectly, the first time I let it down I got five or six 7-8" herring. And of course I decided I would rig up the mooching rod and fish them. I think I quickly got a tiny lingcod, maybe 3" longer than the herring. Then I got a dogfish which was a total pain to unhook, as it had really enjoyed the herring. The buddy I was fishing with immediately got another dogfish on a shimano jig. I picked up and moved to another spot quite a long ways away on the other edge of the shoal and did not bother to put down the herring again. Even on jigs we immediately each caught another dogfish. I think we caught at least 2 more that day. I had only caught one or two other dogfish in 3 years of fishing in the area, so I was not impressed. It had to be just luck that there were thick schools of dogfish around that day, as after I moved I never put a herring in the water and was still getting them, but so far I still haven't bothered to jig herring and try mooching again in over a year. I still have the dedicated sabiki rig set up and almost always a mooching rod on board though.
The last couple of years I have regularly seen lots of good size herring in big schools on Wilby shoals. I thought to myself, I should be jigging some of those and mooching live or fresh herring.
I purchased a couple sabiki rigs, and even used a broken spinning rod, old spinning reel and piece of PVC pipe to make a dedicated Sabiki rig rod which allows you to leave them rigged, ready to go without massive tangles. It worked nearly perfectly, the first time I let it down I got five or six 7-8" herring. And of course I decided I would rig up the mooching rod and fish them. I think I quickly got a tiny lingcod, maybe 3" longer than the herring. Then I got a dogfish which was a total pain to unhook, as it had really enjoyed the herring. The buddy I was fishing with immediately got another dogfish on a shimano jig. I picked up and moved to another spot quite a long ways away on the other edge of the shoal and did not bother to put down the herring again. Even on jigs we immediately each caught another dogfish. I think we caught at least 2 more that day. I had only caught one or two other dogfish in 3 years of fishing in the area, so I was not impressed. It had to be just luck that there were thick schools of dogfish around that day, as after I moved I never put a herring in the water and was still getting them, but so far I still haven't bothered to jig herring and try mooching again in over a year. I still have the dedicated sabiki rig set up and almost always a mooching rod on board though.
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
Picked up one of these this year, kids love it, does the sabiki rig inside the rod.
Pretty slick.
Eat my tackle
Pretty slick.
Eat my tackle
Last edited:
Capt. Jack
Member
I had a pretty good hit on a Army truck depth charge casting off of Ambleside jetty several years ago.
Deepaaaar
Well-Known Member
Jeepers, I've only seen fish like that at a river mouth. Awesome!
acrowe
Active Member
I totally agree when you find the fish, jigging is very effective. I also like the feeling of the hit and head shakes and the runs with the rod in your hand. Especially with braid that is fairly light (I haven't tried heavier) you really feel the fish. Its my favourite way to catch fish, though I have to admit I have seen fish shoot up behind and take the gear bucktailing in shallow water (behind James Island in Sidney as a kid) and that is also very exciting.
sly_karma
Crew Member
This was last month at the south end of Welcome Pass on the Sunshine Coast. Coho were smashing a 160 g Black Anchovy flat fall jig almost every time I dropped. Barely into the second line colour and Whack, off they'd go. Crazy coho fights on short line and short rod. No other boats around to hear me laughing my butt off.
A second boat showed up an hour after I got there and started trolling. I'd released 8 or 10 by then. Took a few more and then cruised over to chat before I left to check my prawn traps. They hadn't noticed I was catching fish, probably because no flashers or net showing (all released beside the boat), and were surprised there were coho around. They hadn't had a single hit in 45 minutes.
A second boat showed up an hour after I got there and started trolling. I'd released 8 or 10 by then. Took a few more and then cruised over to chat before I left to check my prawn traps. They hadn't noticed I was catching fish, probably because no flashers or net showing (all released beside the boat), and were surprised there were coho around. They hadn't had a single hit in 45 minutes.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Musing about this. Does anyone know of a slow pitch jigging rod a little longer than the 6'6-7' that is normal for the favourite rods like Trevala? I love mine, but some extra length would be nice for salmon use. Very hot fish close to the boat, running around underneath and into the motors, 6'6 is limiting.
I'd love an 8'6-9' with the same properties as a Trevala. Is that even possible?
I'd love an 8'6-9' with the same properties as a Trevala. Is that even possible?
scott craven
Well-Known Member
acrowe
Active Member
I could see that certainly, it definitely would give you the advantage keeping the line away from the propeller and out from the boat a bit when a fish runs under the boat. Also short rods leave you at a disadvantage leading the fish to the net, I think. For my very small boat (16' Arima) I think its a trade off, everything else except dealing with a fish close to the boat is easier with short rods. I really notice the difference in handling from the 9' and 10'6" rods I used for trolling. If I was trolling again, I would definitely at least experiment with shorter rods.
The one thing that I think probably limits the length of rod you want to use jigging is effort. I find at any depth over 100' a longer rod ends up being much more effort over a couple hours. I have been experimenting with a cheap short jigging spinning rod and find it much less effort than the 9' one I had been using. Sort of like the difference in effort liftin a 10lb weight at the end of a 10' pole rather than in your hand (that's obviously a serious exaggeration). I believe the shorter rod would be less fatiguing for all day fishing, but maybe I am looking at it wrong. Perhaps if I was smarter I would take it as a sign to stop jigging where there are no fish and go find them. A lot of times if I am going to get fish, I get a fish on as soon as I drop it down.
The one thing that I think probably limits the length of rod you want to use jigging is effort. I find at any depth over 100' a longer rod ends up being much more effort over a couple hours. I have been experimenting with a cheap short jigging spinning rod and find it much less effort than the 9' one I had been using. Sort of like the difference in effort liftin a 10lb weight at the end of a 10' pole rather than in your hand (that's obviously a serious exaggeration). I believe the shorter rod would be less fatiguing for all day fishing, but maybe I am looking at it wrong. Perhaps if I was smarter I would take it as a sign to stop jigging where there are no fish and go find them. A lot of times if I am going to get fish, I get a fish on as soon as I drop it down.
Lyingspoon
New Member
jigging is my favourite fishing method. Peace and quiet. Good exercise on shoulders, I have caught a few nice springs and many coho from jigging in Bamfield, Ucelelet and William Head in Victoria before. If the jig doesn’t work, change to other jig. Or move around to cover the big area to find the fish.
acrowe
Active Member
Hello Tubber, I bet that set up works really really well. I only have one reel bought in this century!
I really enjoyed the thread "High Tech Jigging" and got some really useful information from it, but I wouldn't call my own fishing High Tech - though I guess compared to how I fished as a kid with my Dad it is pretty high tech. I spend a lot of time looking at the sonar and the GPS compared to the old days of lining up landmarks.
I really enjoyed the thread "High Tech Jigging" and got some really useful information from it, but I wouldn't call my own fishing High Tech - though I guess compared to how I fished as a kid with my Dad it is pretty high tech. I spend a lot of time looking at the sonar and the GPS compared to the old days of lining up landmarks.
sly_karma
Crew Member
100% if you're jigging all day for a salmon then you're wasting time. Can't catch fish that aren't there, or not feeding.
Funny, I was recommended that exact rod for solo downrigger trolling. Price and quality both seem reasonable. Guess it would make sense to get one for DR use and give it a try as a jigger anyway. Would mean switching reels but not a deal breaker.
Salty338
Member
Some days I spend more time cruising than actually having a jig in the water but it’s worth it. When you find them you can usually pop a couple or more quick. Then it’s just staying on them or cruise some more. No point jigging if there’s nothing there.
