Balckfish jigging - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

chuckieb · #1 11-12-2018, 04:29 PM

Looking for some help on how to do this. I've tried it a couple times without success. The advice I got was to fish it like I do a rig. This doesn't make sense to me. With a rig I'm using a 6-8 oz. weight and letting it sit on the bottom until there's a bite. With a jig I have 1.5 ounces or so, plus the crab, and there is no way this will sit quietly on the bottom. On my couple of attempts I got hung on the bottom pretty quickly and got tired of losing jigs (with associated retying of leader).

dfish28 · #2 11-12-2018, 04:54 PM

Are you using a good 20 lb braid? And 30 lb fluoro or mono the most for leader?
I’m no pro but my main investment is in 2oz jigs... a few lighter and a few heavier... what spinning outfit are you using??
If you’re getting hung up, I would tell my pals stop moving the damn JIG!!! So now you’re a pal

chuckieb · #3 11-12-2018, 05:08 PM

Adam, Using 30 lb braid and 30 lb fluoro, Shimano Treval 6 ft. spinner and Shimano spinning reels (4000 and 5000 series). Do not understand your comment about telling pals not to move...

Chrisper4694 · #4 11-12-2018, 05:33 PM

guys more experienced than me can chime in hopefully, but after busting off a real nice fish using #30 I now use #50 and see not enough of a difference to say #50 is too heavy hell i even got cut off in the reef with #50 the other day

(maybe certain days idk, so far so good though since mid way through last season)

I also use a baitcaster set up...i don't need the sensitivity from a spinning reel, i keep me finger tips on the line and i can feel everything and then have the power, that a small/medium spinning reel can't give you, to get that fish off the bottom.

I've never even looked back at a bait rig since i started using a jig. I can 'explore' the structure better without getting snagged as much and imo you have a better chance of hooking and landing the fish with a direct connection and no swinging sinker.

There are depths and current that would be tough to use the jig in, but it doesn't have to remain perfectly still from my experience. you just kind of let it slowly and controlled sit and roll down there slightly moving it to a different spot every now and then or maybe tapping it on the bottom a few times to kick up some crap.

Gerry Zagorski · #5 11-12-2018, 06:03 PM

All you need to know is right here http://www.njfishing.com/forums/show...ging+blackfish

chuckieb · #6 11-12-2018, 07:26 PM

Thanks Guys. I will keep trying. Plan to keep using rigs as well.

rumster · #7 11-12-2018, 08:37 PM

Been a standard bottom tog rig guy for 30 years. Not store bought... Go by the acronym, KISS. Keep it simple stupid. Dropper loop with an 6-10 inch leader snelled to a 3/0 gami octopus hook. No jewelery ( snap swiveles, barrel swivels, etc.) Recently have embraced jigging and having a lot of success and a tremendous amount of fun.... Double digit fish are great (have 3 to 18.2) but other than the notoriety, bring on the 3-6lb roasters. Big fish are older than most anglers that fish for them and they are tough... Roasters given a lb or two one way or another are much better for the table and fairly easily dealt with using lighter tackle. And yes line diameter does make a difference on many days. Use the lightest leader material you can, given the neighborhood you are fishing in... 30 - 50 lb fluro here... As far as the difference between the 2 methods. On the jig, tog will often pick the crab/jig up and actual pick it up and move with it . Think about it, a crab on a standard rig is suspended 4-6 inches off of the bottom. Do white leggers or green crabs naturally just float in this range? Answer, no. They are directly on the bottom.... Using a lighter jig the fish feels little resistance opposed to using a 6-8oz piece of lead. Also, fish when caught are better off bled. They freeze better and are of a higher quality than those that are not.... Tight lines all.

rumster · #8 11-13-2018, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckieb

Looking for some help on how to do this. I've tried it a couple times without success. The advice I got was to fish it like I do a rig. This doesn't make sense to me. With a rig I'm using a 6-8 oz. weight and letting it sit on the bottom until there's a bite. With a jig I have 1.5 ounces or so, plus the crab, and there is no way this will sit quietly on the bottom. On my couple of attempts I got hung on the bottom pretty quickly and got tired of losing jigs (with associated retying of leader).

Sorry my initial response was not more specific to your question. Jigs are not always suitable, you need the right conditions IMO. Fishing a jig in a tide that is running hard is very difficult... I cast a little up current so that the jig will bounce along the bottom until in finds a home and holds. Again, better waiting until the conditions are right rather than forcing a technique. Depth of water also matters. As far as having to re tie when getting hung up in the bottom. I would suggest using a 8-12 foot top shot of 30lb fluro to 30lb braid using an FG knot. This will allow you to just re tie the jig directly to the top shot a couple of times before you have re do the connection. Hope this helps.