Jigs & Jigging

[MakoMatt]

Was out fishing for Red Grouper in the Gulf of Mexico the other day. Jigging is popular down here, slow pitch, speed jigging, along with various other techniques.

There’s one particular jig that has been out preforming both my “normal” slow pitch jigs, and speed jigs. It’s called the AnglerCo Imposter jig. They start at 30 grams up to 200 grams. What in part makes these unique is the flutter action it imparts on the downfall. You tie them off at the tail rather than the usual “eyeball” head side.

I purchased a small assortment of the various weights. I want to try some of the smaller ones up north for Fluke. I will use them here locally, and also be bringing them along on my upcoming 3 day Dry Tortuga’s trip on February 20th.

Has anyone used these up north?

Imposter Jigs

Offshore tested; ready for any conditions. AnglerCo builds hardcore fishing gear, tools, and lures tough enough to follow the bite—whether you’re deep in the blue or knee-deep in the backcountry.

anglercofishing.com

 

[Snapprhead27]

I've seen them, never used them. I have so many jigs now that I haven't used that I will not be buying more till I use the ones I have haha.

 

[MakoMatt]

I've seen them, never used them. I have so many jigs now that I haven't used that I will not be buying more till I use the ones I have haha.

I sort of felt the same way as I have hundreds upon hundreds of jigs many of which I have never used.

I was impressed with way these jigs out fished all others. Was it that particular day? That is probably a factor……. the “what works one day doesn’t work the next” seems to be a constant in fishing.

 

[Snapprhead27]

I sort of felt the same way as I have hundreds upon hundreds of jigs many of which I have never used.

I was impressed with way these jigs out fished all others. Was it that particular day? That is probably a factor……. the “what works one day doesn’t work the next” seems to be a constant in fishing.

Agreed. I did try a small wang jig from AllPro, while fluking. I did have some hook ups.

 

[OVERBORED]

$18/jig............gets a little pricey on those sticky spots or when the toothy critters are around.

4-6oz hammer jigs never let me down in the keys.

 

[Snapprhead27]

$18/jig............gets a little pricey on those sticky spots or when the toothy critters are around.

4-6oz hammer jigs never let me down in the keys.

When I fish out in Key West, we have always used live bait or pieces of false albacore. We had asked the Captain about jigging, but he said he finds it doesn't work well where we fish ?

 

[MakoMatt]

When I fish out in Key West, we have always used live bait or pieces of false albacore. We had asked the Captain about jigging, but he said he finds it doesn't work well where we fish ?

Sounds to me like he just wants to keep his profit margins as high as he can. A blanket statement that jigs don’t work well where he fished makes no sense to me.

 

[Snapprhead27]

Sounds to me like he just wants to keep his profit margins as high as he can. A blanket statement that jigs don’t work well where he fished makes no sense to me.

That's what I thought. My friend had called him to ask about slow pitch jigging because we were thinking of purchasing gear and bringing it down to try it out.

 

[MakoMatt]

$18/jig............gets a little pricey on those sticky spots or when the toothy critters are around.

4-6oz hammer jigs never let me down in the keys.

Price varies depending on how many grams, but they are on the pricy side.

 

[OVERBORED]

If they work, sometimes you just bite the bullet and get a few. I would.

 

[Avenger]

Sounds to me like he just wants to keep his profit margins as high as he can. A blanket statement that jigs don’t work well where he fished makes no sense to me.

I was on a charter at Montauk and we were using parachute jigs for trolling stripers. They worked great and we discussed using them with our local tackle shop and he said they seem to work well in Montauk but not on the south shore. He felt it was related to bottom contour.

I bought a couple and tried them locally, and really had no luck, but again, that could be that 'what works on one day' thing.

Maybe, maybe not. But I doubt the local tackle shop didn't have a reason to talk themselves out of a sale.

 

[MakoMatt]

I was on a charter at Montauk and we were using parachute jigs for trolling stripers. They worked great and we discussed using them with our local tackle shop and he said they seem to work well in Montauk but not on the south shore. He felt it was related to bottom contour.

I bought a couple and tried them locally, and really had no luck, but again, that could be that 'what works on one day' thing.

Maybe, maybe not. But I doubt the local tackle shop didn't have a reason to talk themselves out of a sale.

I know they use that with great success at The End, but not so much down this end.

 

[OVERBORED]

I was on a charter at Montauk and we were using parachute jigs for trolling stripers. They worked great and we discussed using them with our local tackle shop and he said they seem to work well in Montauk but not on the south shore. He felt it was related to bottom contour.

I bought a couple and tried them locally, and really had no luck, but again, that could be that 'what works on one day' thing.

Maybe, maybe not. But I doubt the local tackle shop didn't have a reason to talk themselves out of a sale.

I used parachute jigs in Jamaica bay in 25' ! You just need to scale the jig to the area you're fishing. In Montauk we used 2-3oz jigs with heavy wire because if tide. In Jbay we use 2oz with mono

 

[captmike28]

Was out fishing for Red Grouper in the Gulf of Mexico the other day. Jigging is popular down here, slow pitch, speed jigging, along with various other techniques.

There’s one particular jig that has been out preforming both my “normal” slow pitch jigs, and speed jigs. It’s called the AnglerCo Imposter jig. They start at 30 grams up to 200 grams. What in part makes these unique is the flutter action it imparts on the downfall. You tie them off at the tail rather than the usual “eyeball” head side.

I purchased a small assortment of the various weights. I want to try some of the smaller ones up north for Fluke. I will use them here locally, and also be bringing them along on my upcoming 3 day Dry Tortuga’s trip on February 20th.

Has anyone used these up north?

Imposter Jigs

Offshore tested; ready for any conditions. AnglerCo builds hardcore fishing gear, tools, and lures tough enough to follow the bite—whether you’re deep in the blue or knee-deep in the backcountry.

anglercofishing.com

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I'm good friends with Capt. John Halkias of Jigging Jerks fame. He spends his winters in FL too and just posted a video within the last day or so using those Imposter jigs on Grouper Based upon his results they seemed pretty effective down there. But until you test them in our local waters it's anyone's guess on whether or not they will work.

Last winter Halikias did the same thing with the Squidrex jigs. He seemed to have good results with that lure in FL but no so good on his Fluke trips off Montauk.

So, while it still requires more investigation, it is funny how some lures work better in one location over another even within the confines of the east end vs. west end of LI.

 

[MakoMatt]

I'm good friends with Capt. John Halkias of Jigging Jerks fame. He spends his winters in FL too and just posted a video within the last day or so using those Imposter jigs on Grouper Based upon his results they seemed pretty effective down there. But until you test them in our local waters it's anyone's guess on whether or not they will work.

Last winter Halikias did the same thing with the Squidrex jigs. He seemed to have good results with that lure in FL but no so good on his Fluke trips off Montauk.

So, while it still requires more investigation, it is funny how some lures work better in one location over another even within the confines of the east end vs. west end of LI.

Captain Mike, do you have a link to that video? I tried searching and couldn’t find anything. I did find Jigging Jerks but couldn’t find anything of his videos.

Interesting you mention the Squidrex jigs. I used them as well down here last year with good results. I have not tried them up north, yet.

 

[Snapprhead27]

Captain Mike, do you have a link to that video? I tried searching and couldn’t find anything. I did find Jigging Jerks but couldn’t find anything of his videos.

Interesting you mention the Squidrex jigs. I used them as well down here last year with good results. I have not tried them up north, yet.

Try this one. He links the imposter jig amazon site.

 

[captmike28]

Try this one. He links the imposter jig amazon site.

Thanks, Matt. That is the video.

 

[MakoMatt]

Thanks guys. They had a a good bite going. I noticed something you might want to pass along. The instructions that comes along with the Imposter Jig states to tie it off from the tail of the jig. He had tied off from the head. But he still caught so who knows. I would ASS-ume that the “fluttering” action on the down may work better tied from the tail.

 

[captmike28]

Thanks guys. They had a a good bite going. I noticed something you might want to pass along. The instructions that comes along with the Imposter Jig states to tie it off from the tail of the jig. He had tied off from the head. But he still caught so who knows. I would ASS-ume that the “fluttering” action on the down may work better tied from the tail.

The correct presentation of any lure or even natural bait often is the difference between success and not catching as well as you would like. I too would assume that the manufacturer of a given lure would know from its own internal testing which tie off point would provide the best action.

Having said that I can relate a story from a summer Fluke trip that occurred on Lep's boat 2 years ago. On days when the bucktail loss is just too great due to the extremely sticky areas he fishes, or when drift speed is too fast, we often switch over to a more traditional sinker and dropper loop rig to minimize the expensive losses. Traditionally we attach the sinker to the bottom loop and a standard hook for a Gulp bait, perhaps sweetened with something fresh, on the dropper about 12 " above. While the other crew using this set up caught some Fluke, one fellow just to be different switched things around placing the sinker in the dropper loop position and the hook on the standard sinker loop. Darned if he didn't out fish the others aboard by a significant amount.

It is very hard to get Pete to adapt any new technique unless he is convinced it will work. To this day he now has a supply of these "special" rigs aboard. One of the great mysteries of fishing is how just a seemingly small change in presentation can improve your results! It also speaks to the need to experiment...or just be real lucky!!!