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Extreme Jigging: Dogtooth Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish (Hiramasa), Amberjack, Samson Fish => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: sami on November 09, 2007, 08:47:19 PM
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hey guys - good to see a dedicated jigging/popping site
i do a stack of jigging off sydney for kings (yellowtail), planning to get out after some yellowfin this weekend and was wondering what jigs and rigs are favoured when targetting tuna.
have seen a few dvds where tuna seem to be targetted with heavy, slender baitfish profiles with a large treble or single hook at the rear of the jig as opposed to an assist hook.
water depth will be over around 500 fathoms, will troll or cube to locate/attract the fish then planning to drop some jigs a short distance and rip them back - just wondering what jigs and rigs ppl use.
cheers,
sami
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Hi Sami - welcome to the site!
Jigging/popping for yellowfin are certainly not as popular here as it is in other countries like the USA. There, they seem to target yellowfin specifically with popping and jigging techniques. The little I've read is as you've set out below. Small, heavy jigs worked very quickly with a treble or single off the tail.
I tried this (unsuccessfully) in Vanuatu around a FAD. It feel very strange dropping a jig down when you know you will never hit the bottom!
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That's a great jigging article you did in Fishing World Sami, very good reading. The 'spiced' up jig was different where it looks like the Kingie took the plastic squid, if it works , GOOD.
I have had a few tuna on jigs but never a YF [yet], mostly Bonito and Mac Tuna and always in 70m or deeper water, not target species but always fun. As Brandon said, in the US they use the smaller profile jigs and also cast for them with stickbaits which is one of my aims this summer.
Let us know how your trip went, we can't get out fishing here as every weekend its blowing 15-25knots. >:(
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at least you have the possibility of getting out, Bun. I only get to go out when I go away on a trip, once every few months!
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Not a fishing trip this week for you Brandon, at least you can hit the tackle shops in Singapore ;D.
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Hey Sami how you been mate? You know i've always been a big fan of the Zest and Smith jigs, they seem to have the best action and give off a great flutter going down and when ripping up through the water and they always perform when things are a bit slow out there... There pricey but worth it! Let us know how you went with the fin mate ;) We'll have to get out there soon and do some filming and underwater filming with Jeffro.
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I haven't done a lot of jigging for Fin but have caught them as a by-catch - mainly on smaller jigs such as hookers. You may want to PM Mark Stotesbury on this forum who seems to target them regularly in South Africa.
If you know fish are in the trail, i reckon it would be worth a shot dropping down a sinking stickbait such as an Orion BigFoot/Ocea Pencil etc.
Good luck mate.
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Btw, all the by-catch has been on a slow, deliberate slider technique chasing Dogtooth - not fast action, slow it down baby! 8)
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The Baby Runboh is a favorite stickbait for tuna casting, this ones a Bluefin ;D
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Hi Sami - welcome to the site!
Jigging/popping for yellowfin are certainly not as popular here as it is in other countries like the USA. There, they seem to target yellowfin specifically with popping and jigging techniques. The little I've read is as you've set out below. Small, heavy jigs worked very quickly with a treble or single off the tail.
I tried this (unsuccessfully) in Vanuatu around a FAD. It feel very strange dropping a jig down when you know you will never hit the bottom!
I found this site while looking for information about GT popping as I go to Taveuni Island, Fiji by the end of Nov.
I happen to jig tuna including yellowfin regularly on the East Coast of the U.S..
The most popular technique for tuna jigging here is slow jiggigng by moving rods up and down in desirable depths. Though we jig them at the edge of canyon or deeper, you rarely catch them deeper than 100 meter and the prime depth you jig is 30 - 50 meter deep.
While you catch them longer or bigger jigs, you get more bites with smaller jigs. My preferred jigs are mostly 200 - 250 gram/ 15-20 centimeter though I've seen long jigs or bigger jigs work.
220g Seven Seas Hooker jigs work great for tuna.
The jigging techniques you use also work for tuna too. Tuna jigging here usually reguire longer hours and it is not uncommon we jig 10-12 hours non-stop to get a few bites on jigs as
tuna don't bite all the time and they sometimes just ignore jigs and you never know when they respond to jigs.
Many guys use treble hooks or single hooks, but assist hooks work as well.
I saw one member posted a tuna picture caught on a jig in South Africa. My next destination is Cape Town for jigging big yellowfin, probably Nov, 2008. :)
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Welcome KSONG,
Thanks for such an informative post.
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Great info KSONG, you guys get some diversified catches in the US, the Tuna/Runboh pic in the post above was from one of Sami's [US Sami] Cape Cod trips, and well done on your Broadbill [2] on jig captures, the only ones I have heard of, I would say the 'Kiwi' Jiggers would be interested in that. Oh, and I also see you like fresh Calamari ;D
There are some Fiji threads/topics throughout the site that might be interesting to you, especially Sachin Chaudhry's.http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php/topic,190.msg2071.html#msg2071
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Great info KSONG, you guys get some diversified catches in the US, the Tuna/Runboh was from one of Sami's [US Sami] Cape Cod trips, and well done on your Broadbill [2] on jig captures, the only ones I have heard of, I would say the 'Kiwi' Jiggers would be interested in that. Oh, and I also see you like fresh Calamari ;D
There are some Fiji threads/topics throughout the site that might be interesting to you, especially Sachin Chaudhry's.http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php/topic,190.msg2071.html#msg2071
Thanks for your kind words. :)
Catching two swordfish on jigs on a single trip should be my highlight of this year.
I always envy 'Kiwi' jiggers as they can fish Ranfurly Bank, Three Kings Islands or giant bluefin tuna out of South Island. I might go back to NZ again next year to jig giant bluefin.
I had a chance to fight a giant estimated about 400 lbs on a jig for half an hour, but 100 lbs leader line was cut by the fin.
I think our group is going to have fun in Taveuni Island, Fiji if weather cooperates. :)
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ksong, thanks for sharing your knowledge. It's great information for us guys who know nothing about it.
I can't see how you're ever going to top jigging up two swordfish. That is my dream fish. Jigging giant bluefin is going to be a completely different kettle of fish. Dave Irving was actually looking at trying this at some point as well. This would have to up there in terms of jigging captures if you can land on of these although I think a really big swordie would be the ultimate capture on jig.
Hope you have good weather at Taveuni. The fishing should be fantastic there.
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Nice 300+lb YFT on Surface Bull.
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That's a great jigging article you did in Fishing World Sami, very good reading. The 'spiced' up jig was different where it looks like the Kingie took the plastic squid, if it works , GOOD.
I have had a few tuna on jigs but never a YF [yet], mostly Bonito and Mac Tuna and always in 70m or deeper water, not target species but always fun. As Brandon said, in the US they use the smaller profile jigs and also cast for them with stickbaits which is one of my aims this summer.
Let us know how your trip went, we can't get out fishing here as every weekend its blowing 15-25knots. >:(
the spiced up jig and variations come out when the fish are fickle the old faithful jigs don't produce - good to keep trying something different, especially when markng fish that don't want to bite. jury is still out on what is most effective however.
cheers,
sami
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Nice 300+lb YFT on Surface Bull.
Any tuna over 200 lbs caught on jigs or poppers is extraordinary, but 300 lbs ?
Here are some pictures for comparison.
the fish claimed as 300 lbs.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/ksong/Fernando6.jpg)
295 lbs yellowfin
(http://www.bloodydecks.com/gallery/files/3/4/0/9/merle-295.jpg)
They say the 300 lbs fish is 71 inches. 73 inch bluefin tuna is around 230 - 240 lbs.
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Hey Sami how you been mate? You know i've always been a big fan of the Zest and Smith jigs, they seem to have the best action and give off a great flutter going down and when ripping up through the water and they always perform when things are a bit slow out there... There pricey but worth it! Let us know how you went with the fin mate ;) We'll have to get out there soon and do some filming and underwater filming with Jeffro.
hey brett - keen to catch up with you guys, has been a while.
how's you're boat going now, u been out much in it ?
cheers,
sami
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Thank you to all that have posted - appreciate the feedback and ideas.
Went out yesterday wide off sydney hoping to jig a 'fin, trolled and trolled all day but didn't turn a reel. A few fish were caught on other boats but the reports seemed sporadic.
I was hoping to drop a few jigs around some decent markings or when hooked up on the troll but the 'fin didn't read the script unfortunately.
Cheers,
Sami
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Thanks Ksong, I read the latest update where they measured wrong. :(
Formula used: IT MEASURED 71 INCHES LONG WITH A GIRTH OF 49 INCHES. BY OUR FORMULA THE TUNA WEIGHTED AROUND 308 POUNDS.
Actual Formula: "the formula is the square of the girth in inches by the length in inches and divide by 800. Not the square of the length in inches by the girth in inches and divide by 800. That fish tapes at 213.08875lb not 308.76125lb"
The angler can still smile ;D
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Hey Sami how you been mate? You know i've always been a big fan of the Zest and Smith jigs, they seem to have the best action and give off a great flutter going down and when ripping up through the water and they always perform when things are a bit slow out there... There pricey but worth it! Let us know how you went with the fin mate ;) We'll have to get out there soon and do some filming and underwater filming with Jeffro.
hey brett - keen to catch up with you guys, has been a while.
how's you're boat going now, u been out much in it ?
cheers,
sami
Hey sami, only been out on the boat once since we finished it but no luck on the kings thats day. Heading out with Jeff tommorrow to see if we can get a few. Look forward to catching up soon mate.
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Hi ksong.
if you in south africa you let me know and i will take you fishing for yellowfin best time is november to april with march being the safer option as nov-jan the wind blows 35+ knots just about every darn day if you can plan a 2 week trip and we should get a few days in .
cheers mark
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Hi Sami
we catch our yellows behind stern trawlers and longliners on bait . when we jig for them its the fish under the chumline that eat the jigs, the fish in the chumline are more keyed into chunks than jigs, although they do nail floating stickbaits cast back in the chumline.had good success with hooker ,jigging master ,fisherman jigs and orion stickbaits, lost the last one to a 80+kg fish next to the boat though .river 2 sea make a shin penn "stickbait "works great in the glitter green .dont think the leader size is a issue as my buddy caught a 50kg on a apple core so go figure .use a blue rose rod stella 20000 ans 50/80lb braid
cheers
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Hi ksong.
if you in south africa you let me know and i will take you fishing for yellowfin best time is november to april with march being the safer option as nov-jan the wind blows 35+ knots just about every darn day if you can plan a 2 week trip and we should get a few days in .
cheers mark
Mark, thanks for the invite. I am leaving for Taveuni, Fiji for GT popping tomorrow. I'll send an e-mail when I come back from the trip.
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I am just a mess!!
2 Swords on jigs IN ONE NIGHT....by a lotto ticket man!!!
The yellowfin are exceptional fish for casting/jigging tackle...
So small 200-250gram jigs with TAIL hooks work best???
Only asking since some of the spool jobs I have seen up at Fraser Island when a free-falling jig has been nailed have run 400+ metres mid water (50-60m down) and just kept trucking.
Some were doggies since they went into reef though I reckon the only other thing they could be is 70+kg yellowfin....I want one!!
Makes chucking poppers at longtail tuna seem a tad lame :(
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So small 200-250gram jigs with TAIL hooks work best???
I am a believer that fish likes to aim at dangling hooks of jigs. So I don't see much difference whether hooks are located at the head of jigs or tail of the jigs. I use tail hooks just because I have been using it for a long time. :)
We had a great time in Taveuni, Fiji. Even though we are novice GT fishermen, we could catch and release many GT. My biggest GT was about 80 lbs, but we lost 5 huge monster GT for various reasons.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/ksong/fiji11-24-07210.jpg)
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sami: It is funny. I was just going to reply to this post recommending that you go over to our 360tuna board here and ask ksong your question, when I saw he had found the site and answered you. One of the problems we have down here on the Texas coast is that whenever you drop a jig into the water around the big floating oil rigs, a much smaller Black Fin Tuna eats it.
Kil: I cannot remember but on your trip(s) to the Gulf of Mexico, have you been successful at all in jigging up a Yellow Fin?
Russ
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Russ,
When I fished at a rig out of Venice, LA in june, 2006, I could land yellowfin on jigs as there are not many blackfin, but I had to give up jigging yft on the 80 hour Carribean Sea trip as blackfin tuna were so thick. On the upcoming 52 hour Big E trip in Gulf of Mexico, I plan to experiment to cast jigs along with poppers for yft.
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Guys does all this apply to SBT ( southern blue fin tuna ) because we had a bumper SBT season this year down here in Victoria.
If next year is the same i would like to try jigging or popping for them.