School Me On Blackfish Jigs

[Snapprhead27]

Try a sliding egg sinker rig....works fine with a bit of slackline. They pick up the crab, dont feel the sinker, line start to straighten out and set the hook.

Guess it's like using a fish finder then eh? Would you rather snell your own hook at the end of leader if going that route? I was just going to set it up like fluke; double surgeon on bottom for sinker and a dropper above and then put the hook on that.

 

[live bait]

How about a fish finder rig, when the current gets too strong foe a light jig.
John

 

[CaptFP]

A buddy of mine swears by the egg sinker rig. One hook clinched to a swivel as the stopper. Change egg weight as needed to tend bottom. He keeps reel in freespool and waits for fish to run away just like using a jig.

 

[Jillybird]

Blackfish jigs are the only way to go in LI Sound in the early season. The best are the Tidal Tail jigs created by Capt. John Knight. These are the original blackfish jigs and I've caught many thousands of tog using them. There's nothing better than using a light spinning outfit in 10-15 feet of water in the Western Sound and a 1/2 ounce jig tipped with an Asian crab or a 1/4 green crab and feel that slightest tell tale touch on the braid. Lift up that tip and - wham - hold on! Amazing how many big tog hang out in the shallows early in the season. As the water cools, the fish move to deeper rockpiles, and the size of the jigs increases. Once you get into the heavier jigs in deeper water, I find they are still productive, but less so. It's also harder to feel the extremely subtle touch signaling a bite in the currents and deeper waters. Out in the ocean, I find the jigs pretty useless. But the jigs have truly revolutionized blackfishing in the shallow, more protected waters of the Western Sound, and have led to astonishing catches. I often catch 100 or more tog on a tide -- most of course are shorts, but the action is insane.

 

[Leprechaun]

Sme good info, plus a classic Capt. Mike pic, by me of course!

 

[Occh639]

Was using a spinner with 10lb braid or a round bait caster on a light rod with 15lb braid.
John

I agree with Mike, 10# braid is a tad too light . In deeper water I have used 15# braid in an attempt to get my jig down a bit faster but 95% of the time I use 20# braid with a 2500-3000 size spinning reel. Daiwa Ballistic LT is my go to reel for this application, its super light with over 20lbs of drag. I picked up the 4000 as well

Give it another try and stick with it , you will love it once you get the feel for it.

 

[Occh639]

Blackfish jigs are the only way to go in LI Sound in the early season. The best are the Tidal Tail jigs created by Capt. John Knight. These are the original blackfish jigs and I've caught many thousands of tog using them. There's nothing better than using a light spinning outfit in 10-15 feet of water in the Western Sound and a 1/2 ounce jig tipped with an Asian crab or a 1/4 green crab and feel that slightest tell tale touch on the braid. Lift up that tip and - wham - hold on! Amazing how many big tog hang out in the shallows early in the season. As the water cools, the fish move to deeper rockpiles, and the size of the jigs increases. Once you get into the heavier jigs in deeper water, I find they are still productive, but less so. It's also harder to feel the extremely subtle touch signaling a bite in the currents and deeper waters. Out in the ocean, I find the jigs pretty useless. But the jigs have truly revolutionized blackfishing in the shallow, more protected waters of the Western Sound, and have led to astonishing catches. I often catch 100 or more tog on a tide -- most of course are shorts, but the action is insane.

JBird , you are spot on, I couldn’t agree more!
I had my first boat in New Rochelle at the Marina where John Knight is(Hudson Park) I bought my first jigs from him over 10 years ago.
Lightweight tackle w/Jigs in shallow Water is so much fun.