blackfish jigs

[MrAC1980]

its basically a weighted hook, i've actually been putting two pieces of crab on one hook with success.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Anyone care to give some advice on how to fish the jigs?

[Sharkyispy]

Pretty much the same as the rigs with sinkers Gerry. Get it down to the bottom, feel the bottom,bounce it a bit and find the nice little honey hole to drop down into and wait for that bite. The flat heads don't snag up as much based on their design. Made to drop down in between and get back out( not to say they won't get lost on good snaggy days).

[Sharkyispy]

OK, my turn for a question. What has been more productive for colors? I have used the bright chartreuse with glow orange jigs in the past with success. Do the pumpkin green with lighter scale of orange(Sea Robin) I see here in the banana jigs work well also? Catch ratio of the two, curious.....

[Rottilover]

Just adding my 2 cents in on if one color is better then another. I fished next to a NJF Blackfish sharpie on Sunday and he outright put on a clinic with these jigs. The one he was using was unpainted. So I wouldn't get all caught up in colors. He out fished us traditional guys 5 to 1. I think it's time to learn something new.

[Gerry Zagorski]

So what is the best way to fish these jigs??

Do you jig them or keep then still?

Is it best to keep them straight down below you or can you cast them around?

I would imagine the bite is pretty solid and you feel them pick it up and run with it??

Are you fishing with a tight line and setting on the thump or slack line and watching for line movement?

Inquiring minds want to know

[fishingmortgageman]

Hopefully Henry will chime in and share his wisdom as I am fairly new to the jigging for blackfish. Jigging for blackfish is like using the conventional method in that they want it presented in a different way just about every day. Some days they want the crab whole, the next day cut in half, and the next day legs on. You get the idea. This is what attracts many of us to blackfish. You have to figure them out each time you go out.

You can fish the jig straight up and down or your can cast around just like you would do fishing the conventional method. They bite the jig differently every day just like they normally do. The way that you feel the bite is very different, however. I think that it is very important to have a very sensitive spinning rod. I use a 7' medium light action with an extra fast tip. Fishing conventionally you usually wait until you feel some good tugs on your line. Most guys wait for the 2nd or 3rd good tug. Remember that the fish is pulling on your leader and that pull is being transmitted up your line. There is no leader for you to feel that tug. As I mentioned before the bite is different every day and you have to develop a feel for how they are chewing that day. Some days I hit them fairly quickly after the initial scratch. Other days I need to wait for them to chew a bit. Still other days they will pick up your crab and swim off, so you need to strike when you see the slack line. Sunday we had some aggressive fish and they would steal the crab on the way to the bottom. I would go to make my first bounce and I would know that the crab was gone without me feeling anything. I use a banana head jig and leave it unpainted. My reasoning is that blackfish are not bothered by your sinker sitting next to your crab bait so why would they be bothered by your unpainted jig head. I have not seen a day where the painted jig has proven to out fish the unpainted. I hope that this answers some of your questions Gerry. Please feel free to pm me or call me if you have any questions.

[bunker dunker]

1st rule of jigging blackfish is to forget your blackfishing.this is a whole new game.i am to new at it to give any advice but that is the first step I was taught.

[Walleyed]

What size jigs should we be considering for Jersey blackfishing? I see everything from 1/4oz to 4oz.

I guess the question is, what do you suggest for a starter kit?

thanks

[MrAC1980]

i 2nd what Eric said! I was actually two pieces of crab on the same hook, but again every day is different. ML spin rod with 20lb braid and a few feet of 50lb top shot. Need a decent reel with good drag, esp with the lite rod. Drop it down and give it a few good twitches to get the bait scent out, but DO NOT MOVE THE JIG. That I found was key. Wait out the little pecks for the bigger peck. I happen to be using a 3oz orange/black banana jig, but yeah i don't think color matters.