By Gordon Macdonald

These days, more anglers are finding themselves travelling further offshore for their piscatorial relief.  As historically productive grounds receive increased angling pressure due to the closure of productive areas resulting from the implementation of Green Zones, anglers are venturing further out in search of quality fish.  This deeper water has demanded that anglers rethink their fishing methods.  Probing the depths has opened up new fishing techniques and has refined anglers thinking and tackle, so they can obtain consistent results.  Even for those still fishing their favoured grounds, these new methods have improved results, often eliminating the need to take quantities of bait for a productive day.  Let’s look at one of the new techniques and the tackle and tactics that anglers are employing for success when probing the depths offshore.

Deep problems

When fishing the deeper water over 60m anglers face problems trying to get their offerings into the strike zone, whilst still maintaining a quality presentation.  Fishing baits in these depths can require that large amounts of lead be used, in the attempt to keep the offering close to the bottom.  This is especially the case when there is a decent current, or ground swell, running.  The drag on the bait and the line, especially in depths between 80m and 160m, makes it hard to get the bait straight down into the strike zone.  The line can often be at quite an angle from the boat in this situation, or possessing a good belly, making it harder to detect bites.  Baits anchored to the bottom with substantial lead weights will generally spin in the strong current and appear unnatural.  This makes them less attractive to the larger fish, which are generally more wary to start with.  They don’t get to grow big by being stupid all their lives.  Getting a presentation into these depths and still having it appear like the natural food source is the problem facing anglers in these deeper waters.  Whilst this is possible to achieve with live baits and good rigging, it often proves way too difficult.  The acquisition of live offerings and trying to keep them healthy whilst lowering them into such deep water, poses many problems for anglers.  As an easy solution, many switch to using one of the numerous artificial offerings that have proven successful for fishing in deep water.  The main offerings are knife jigs, swing jigs, occy jigs and plastics.  This issue we will check out metal knife jigs, rigging and fishing them in deep water as well as the tackle required for this awesome pursuit.

Knife jigs

These elongated metal offerings do look rather fish like out of the water however it is their action in the water that makes them so appealing to an array of species.  Knife jigs are generally used in weights between 200g and 400gm for the majority of situations, however the range on offer includes many brands that can vary between 40gm to 800gm in weight.  These jigs have varying weighting properties including centre-weighted and rear-weighted and are available in a broad array of colours.  Most of the better quality models have a high degree of luminescence, making them highly visible in the water, especially in depths where minimal light penetrates.  This also gives a lit-up appearance similar to that which a panicked baitfish emits, a definite catalyst for a strike from an array of pelagic and demersal species.  Obviously this also makes them more visible from a distance in the depths where visibility is low.  These jigs sink vertically and generally have a slim profile, making them ideal for deep water and strong currents.  They will generally sink vertically to the bottom, even in 200m of water.  When all other offerings suffer from drag, resulting in them ending up some distance away from the boat by the time they reach the bottom, knife jigs can generally be fished productively on the ground below the boat. 

This ability to sink vertically means that you can fish structure or soundings directly below the boat and do no need to attempt to position the boat upcurrent of the mark, just so you can deliver your offerings onto it.  Being more direct to the lure, and not persevering with a belly in the line, also results in a higher hookup to strike ratio. 

Assist me

Knife jigs are fairly snag resistant, mainly due to the fact that they generally only sport a single hook, which is actually attached directly to your main line.  The jig is then attached to the solid ring of this assist hook via a heavy-duty split ring.  This means that you are not relying on the strength of the split ring, only the much stronger solid ring to which the hook is attached.  After hookup, you are connected directly to the fish, via the main line, with the jig just swinging freely from the assist hook.  This allows you to fight the fish more productively and also increases the chance of a solid hookup when you receive a strike, as there is no slack between the rod and the hook point. 

The assist hook rig has many benefits over trebles and double hooks when attached to a knife jig.  As this rig is not too stiff, it will easily untangle if it becomes wrapped around your leader during the jigs descent or when worked erratically.  The assist hook will hang alongside the jig most of the time.  With the really long jigs, it is recommended that the hook should hang roughly level with eye of the jig, as this is believed to be the focal point of any preyed upon species, and initially where a predatory fish will attack its prey.  This guarantees that when you are receiving the majority of your strikes, the hook is generally in position to do its job, instead of being entangled with the leader.  Assist hooks are usually attached to a solid ring via Kevlar or assist cord, which has a high breaking strain, usually well over 100kg.  This is very abrasive resistant and only toothed critters such as mackerel, dogtooth tuna, wahoo and sharks are likely to severe it.  Dogtooth tuna are usually the only one of these four that is targeted with knife jigs.  During targeting, anglers will often use wire in their assist rigs instead of less abrasive materials.  Most jigs only have a single assist hook added, however doubles, often referred to as butterfly rigs, are sometimes used.  Usually these are also affixed to the top of the jig and hang down at differing lengths.  This system works fine except you have to be a lot more careful when landing fish as the second swinging hook can lodge into human flesh just as easily as it does into a piscators.  This double-hook rig may increase hookup rates at times, however I have found that most fish will hit the jig several times, which gives a high hookup rate anyway.  When fishing around structure, such as reefs, wrecks and FADS (fish attracting devices), a single hook will greatly reduce the chance of fouling.  If this were to occur, the flexible assist hook rig will generally result in most jigs being able to be freed.  Sometimes, when fishing really deep water, where schools of bait, and subsequently predatory fish, can be located well up off the bottom, anglers may attach a second assist hook rig to the eyelet on the bottom of the jig.  This will assist in the hookup rate.  Because the jig is nowhere near structure, the chance of fouling is almost non-existent.  However, care needs to be taken when the fish is close at hand, as the second assist hook can pose some danger to the angler or person landing the fish.  This bottom assist hook will rarely foul on the leader, as deepwater jigs will sink tail first in most cases, due to their weighting properties.

Tackle torque

There is no such thing as a lazy jig fisherman.  It is an extremely physical and tiring pursuit, yet has many awesome moments that make the effort worthwhile.  The deeper the water, the greater physical effort that is required.  There are many different jigging techniques and all of them can leave the toughest of blokes gasping for breath and muttering obscenities.  As jigging is usually only done over productive grounds where fish are previously located with the use of your electronics, there is usually not too much time between strikes, which makes the effort short lived.  However, you still have to fight the fish to the surface after hookup, and in some cases this seems like a marathon in itself. 

This job can be made easier with the use of quality tackle that is purpose built for the job.  The deepwater scene has spurned an entirely new school of thought, with more anglers realising the benefits of owning the correct gear.  Both spinning and overhead outfits are available and it is a personal choice as to which style you choose.  Quality overheads are a little less expensive than threadline (spinning) outfits.  However, spinning reels can also be utilised on different rods for casting lures.  Many anglers use the same threadline reel for deepwater jigging as they do for casting poppers and stick baits to massive GT’s (giant trevally), dogtooth tuna and other species.  Personally, threadline reels suit me, as they are under-slung on the rod making it easier for me to control when under extreme pressure.  Overheads are great once you hook up and get the rod in the gimbal belt but tend to twist a little whilst jigging with the rod butt tucked under your arm.  Many anglers don’t find this a problem and prefer to use overheads instead of threadlines.  It is a personal choice.  In most cases, the threadline reels also sport a higher drag capacity with up to 30kg of drag achievable on some models.  However, most anglers struggle to hold the rod with more than 15kg of drag running through it. 

Threadline reels that will do the job will start at around $200 however purpose built reels designed specifically for this fishing can cost in excess of $1300.  These have big drag capacities and gearing systems that put the torque onto the gears of the reel making it easier for the angler to wind the handle under extreme pressure.  This makes jigging easier and also means that you can fight fish more effectively and get them to the boat faster.  These reels also possess ultra fine tolerances and are about as water proof as a reel can get, making them low maintenance and a long term purchase.  The top range reels include the Shimano Stella (18000 and 20000) and Daiwa Saltigas (Z6500, Expedition, Dogfight, Extreme and Maverick) but there are plenty of other reels that can be utilised.  Basically, these elite reels will last longer and make the job of hooking and landing tough fish easier for you than lesser models, which will generally require more maintenance to keep them functional.  Check out the options at your specialist tackle dealer with brands such as Fin-Nor, Daiwa, Accurate, Shimano, Penn, Ryobi and Okuma being some that make decent quality reels that will do the job. 

Top range overheads are a little cheaper than the threadlines at around $900 for some of the better domestically available product, although there are also a few boutique brands available on the world market.  Check out the Daiwa Saltiga range, Boss Accurate and Shimano’s Torsa and Trinidad if you are looking for a purpose built reels.  There are plenty of others available with prices starting from a little over $300 for a quality product. 

Specific sticks

For such a specialised form of fishing, there are also purpose-designed rods.  These jig sticks are fairly short, usually less than 1.7m and have quite fast tapers.  This means that when under extreme load the tip will fold away, or bend, a fair amount.  This creates a shorter lever that puts more pressure on the fish and less on you.  This makes it easier to pry stubborn species from the depths and is less tiring for the angler whilst working the jig and fighting the fish.  These jig sticks are usually always high modulus graphite combined with E-glass, Kevlar wraps or other materials to make them light yet extremely tough.  Actually, many are solid graphite so they look similar to many light rods, yet possess enough power and durability to fish up to PE10 (100lb braid).  There is a huge array on the market and prices for decent quality rods start from around $300.  There are a few cheaper options that will do the job, but remember, you get what you pay for.

Connect direct

For fishing knife jigs in deep water there is really only one sensible choice for line.  Braided line has minimal stretch, which increases feel and promotes positive hook sets.  Another attribute is its thin diameter, which decreases drag from current, allowing you to fish the jigs vertically below the boat.  The lack of stretch means that you will feel every little bump on the business end and increases the chances of turning stubborn fish that are hell bent on reaching the sanctuary of bottom structure.  Pump the rod tip a metre and you have lifted the fish a metre, not just pulled some of the stretch out of the line.  When the fish hits the jig they will usually set the hooks themselves, with the ferocity of the strike.  The thin diameter of braid also mean that much smaller reels can be used to hold the required metres of line.  Sometimes, more than twice the capacity that would be possible when using monofilaments that are usually several times thicker than braid of the same breaking strain.  There are no real disadvantages with braid in a deep-water situation, except an increased chance that the hook will tear a hole in the mouth of the fish due to its minimal stretch characteristic.  With this considered, there are more positives to using braid than negatives.  Results with monofilaments can hardly compare to those achieved when using braided lines. 

There are many brands and different types of braid on the market.  They can be made from fibres such as Dyneema and Kevlar and come in many different breaking strains.  Deepwater jigging generally dictates a minimum of 30lb with 50lb a more sensible option.  Where tough fish are concerned, many anglers will use 80lb to 100lb braid.  Most of the better quality jigging braids, which are generally Japanese made and braided from eight fibres, are called PE (poly ethylene).  This denotes a diameter, yet you can generally multiply the PE number by 10 to get the breaking strain in pounds.  For example PE5 is generally 50lb.  However, for many of the better quality braids that have been made with higher quality fibres and braiding processes, the breaking strain can be much higher.  For example the Daiwa SG Sensor braid has a PE6 rating yet has a 90lb breaking strain.  Most rods also have a recommended PE rating denoting the size braid that can be fished off them however in this instance you are best to stick to the standard (PE number x 10) rule.  Confusing isn’t it.  If unsure ask at your specialised tackle dealer for advice.

Terminal talk

Vital connections required for jigging can be an art form in itself.  Whilst a Phd.  in knot tying will be required to master some connections, such as the PR knot for joining a braided main line to thick monofilament leader, there are many more basic knots that will suffice in the majority of situations.  Many anglers have taken to using wind-on-leaders, either Dacron-spliced or twisted, for jigging applications.  These work fine the majority of time, however taking the time to master the PR knot is a valuable addition to the techniques of the serious jig fisherman.  Connections are usually the weakest part of any rig yet this knot maintains close to 100% strength when tied correctly.  It also enters and exits the rod tip and passes through the guides without catching or vibration.  There are also a lot of knots for joining the leader to the solid ring of the assist hook.  Many anglers use their time proven connections like the improved blood knot and these will work the majority of the time.  Adding a little chafe tube will eliminate wear on the leader at this point.  Crimping and using a Flemish eye is also another way to make this connection.  Researching all the available knots and connections and working out which suits your skill level and jigging requirements will be time well spent.           

Jig and jag

Working these deepwater metal jigs can see many and varied techniques depending on the depth and location fished, style of jig used and the species targeted.  The general techniques include many variations, including just dropping to the bottom and flat-stick winding for 10 or more turns of the handle.  This often works for the pelagic species such as yellowtail kingfish and amberjack but fails to impress demersals such as cod, snapper, pearl perch and sea bass, most of the time.  These generally require a stop and start retrieve or erratic jigging close to the bottom.  The most favoured technique by serious jig fishermen who have refined their technique through trial and error is a lift-wind-lift-wind retrieve.  With this technique, the jig should never fall throughout the retrieve but dart upwards-stop-dart upwards-stop etc.  It can be hard to master and co-ordinate this at a flat stick pace but you will be inspired by the results it can achieve.  It is a hard thing to explain accurately in text so you can get it right but you should be able to find some footage on the internet, or check out some of the DVDs such as Zest Jigging at The Ranfurley Shoals or Extreme Jigging Techniques.  Both of these show the various jigging techniques, tackle and terminals required, plus some awesome fishing footage to get you in the mood.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a lot more to successful jigging than first meets the eye.  However, how serious you want to take it depends on you, as it does with most forms of fishing.  In most situations basic tackle, knots and jigging techniques will catch you a few quality fish.  If you want consistent results then fine-tuning all of these will heighten your chances.  You will catch fish more consistently in most situations and will tempt and tangle with a few absolute brutes along the way.  Eliminating the chance of having a weak point in your tackle will heighten your chances of success when that fish of a lifetime smashes your jig and hits top gear.  After an adrenalin-pumping bust-off from an absolute brute you will soon want to refine things to get it right next time.  Or, you could do the hard yards now and avoid the disappointment of losing that first big fish.  For anyone who fishes deep water, having a few jigs aboard can certainly save the day when that ground swell stops you from putting other offerings into the strike zone.  Once you see how successful it can be, often when all else fails, I am sure you will want to master it.  Try it and I am sure you will soon be As Metal As Anything about jigging.