jigging with Stella 8k HG

[chris yuen]

  greetings everybody...

  would like your thoughts and opinions here.

  i have been using this medium jigging step up which consist of a Yamaga Galahad 59/5 PE4 rod paired with Shimano Stella 8k High Gear (Blue colour series) for my jigging trips in the Maldives over the past couple of years.

  i have to confess that my catch n hit rate while using this setup is really disappointing!! while everybody is jigging and landing fish... I'm perhaps the only one with ZERO hit!! in summary...everybody outfished me.

  ok..lets put luck aside. i cant be so unlucky for 6 trips rite?? I've tried changing jigs (colours/size/weight/length) and also tried other methods of jigging style (short strokes/ long stroke/ fast/ slow). still on my recent trip.. i probably landed 01 fish with this jigging outfit!! its very frustrating when everybody is catching fish the moment their jigs land on the ocean floor (OK i admit luck plays a big part here)..but even when theres a frenzy in the mid water with GTs n Doggies being landed.. i could be the hardest working guy then..but theres just no hit on this jigging gear!!

  question here is... besides me..is there something wrong with this jigging setup?? i cant help but suspect that the reel..being High Geared.. does effect the jig action when retrieved?? if it is..shld i use a slow retrieving jigging method?? for this method... wat kind of jigs are most suitable?? or shld i capitalise the High Gear reel and use a fast action jig with the long fast/short fast jigging action??

  i have a trip coming in May n Im really confused now.. hope yr opinions/thoughts/info/techniques/advice can enlighten me!!\

  many thanks in advance n have a nice weekend!!
 

[Mark Harris]

Hi Chris

My first reaction is... Hmmm......

A high speed reel for jigging should not really effect the number of the fish you catch providing you understand your gear ratio (which you clearly do). What it does do is make the fish much harder to raise once caught, and for that reason you might want to consider a slower speed PG reel. But that in itself will not solve your problem.

The only advice I can think of is rather obvious. Watch the guys fishing with you:

What type of jigs are they using (type is much more important than colour IMO)?
What jigging styles are they using?
What are you doing differently to cause your lack of success?
Try to replicate the successful techniques and retrieve speeds, remembering to make an adjustment if they are using slower speed reels than you (likely).

When jigging, it is important to never get stuck into a rut of repeating a failing technique. Mix it up it terms of technique, speed, rhythm etc., and don't be frightened to experiment. As an example I have lost count of the number of times I have caught a fish using a simple slow straight retrieve for 20 metres off the bottom then drop again and repeat, when other much "cleverer" jigging techniques have failed. Also, mixing up the speed (but maintaining a rhythm) can often work - eg 3 quick then 2 slow... repeated over and over.

Good luck. You story does surprise me a bit especially as it relates to The Maldives. Everything I have read and heard points to this being  one of the easiest places on earth to catch fish!

[Bwanna Surya]

Agree on Mark's point above...just to add...you may also check your size of the hook..lenght of the assist vs length of your jig..for me I go fast short stroke when I am using bottom weighted jig..and medium to slow long stroke when I am using cetre weighted jig..good luck

[Andrew Smart]

I prefer high speed overhead reels for jigging,but a spinner is quite different and alot harder so I stick to PG models.

As long as your action is not hindered by the fact your using a HG model there should be no issue's,and as the others have suggested mix it up and maybe try jigs others are catching fish on.
Sometimes you just have a bad run that cant be explained logically.

[DarrylMartin]

what 'size' jigs are you using? Having fished Maldives before, I can suggest a few jigs which proved highly successul amongst the anglers I fished with. The technique we employed was very simple slow mechanical jigging.

[Peter Childs]

Chris, I use a HG Stella 8K jigging for NSW east coast kings (amongst a range of other outfits).  I reckon the HG works fine with the 8K spool, It's not much fun with a 10K spool, and is well matched with slightly longer jig rods 5'6 - 5'9.  If you go for a PG reel you will be looking for a 10K spool to up the retrive rate a little and then wanting to shorten the rod.  Clearly it's not your outfit, causing the trouble.

I second the advice of others;
1) Watch very closely and try to emulate the action and setup of the guys catching fish - immitation is the greatest compliment!
2) If you are on your own, mix it up until you find what works on the day.

Just on another note, make sure your leader is long enough and not too heavy for the quarry you are chasing.

Happy jigging

[Andrew Smart]

Good point about the leader.
As we fish grounds that have started to come under pressure lighter leaders come into there own,sometimes its a hard call though depending on fish and terrain encountered - but if you can go lighter without losing fish to the reef I would everytime.

[Chris Wong]

I've been on enough fishing trips to quickly realise that certain areas of a vessel are hot spots!  Sounds unexplainable crazy, but I seen "unlucky" anglers move to where the action is and hook up.  Fortunately, I recognise this fairly early and make a move without muscling in on a fellow angler. 

If you are using and doing much the same jigging action as successful anglers without success, think about a move but ask nicely if you can crash the party.  If I see this happening, I will often volunteer my spot or encourage the angler to move or even swap rods.  You have to make drastic changes in order to force a luck change. 

[Mark Harris]

Good points from Chris (Wong). Hard to imagine that being the case over SIX different trips as though as Chris (Yuen) is reporting! And to The Maldives as well where the fish are truly thick.

And I love that monstrous jig thing you are holding in your avatar Chris W..... what is it please?

[chris yuen]

  hi everybody..

  this is indeed wat a forum should be...with valuable info n tips, opinions and information and FRIENDLY!! so pls let me say a big thank you to everyone who had contributed!!

  now back to my problem..lol..

  FYI, i have 3 sets of jigging gears when im fishing in the Maldives. light (Offblow Pe1.5 w Twinpower 4k PG), medium (Yamaga w Stella 8k HG) and heavy (Genensis Pe 6 w Daiwa Exp).

  of the 3 ... i must say that i use the medium setup the most often. reason is that it is the most suitable (jigging depth) and less stressful (weight) as compared to the heavy setup.

  and it is bcos of the poor result that this medium setup i've been using gives me the conclusion that the high speed reel is the source of the problem.

  besides the reel...adding to my concern or shld i say confusion.. is always the colour/action/size of jig tat im gonna to use. weight wise is pretty standard with jigs ranging from 120-200g.

  unlike popping...where i am pretty confident with my casting distance, the way i tease with stickbaits/poppers and hooking up a GT when it strikes...jigging is a field where i must say im pretty LOST  lol!

   yes.. i've observed the guys catching fish and changed my jig to those that matches theirs as closely as possible (colour/size/weight).
 
   i've also realised that its always the guys in the front or the back of the boat that will strike 1st..depending on which side is approaching the drop off 1st. so im always in a position with the best opportunity..lol!

  but when i drop my jig into the water...i have no idea wat kind of action it will give or shld i give it?? shld i use long or short strokes...fast or slow retrieve for this particular jig eg butterfly jig, jack knife etc etc. and also with this high speed reel.. is my fast retrieval too fast..??

  trail n error have confused me and made me frustrated at times...i jus don hv the confidence when im jigging bcos of all these factors!!

  now im thinkin maybe i shld pair my yamaga with the Daiwa Exp..wat do u guys thinks??

  thanks for listening and yr valuable opinions and thoughts will be greatly appreciated!!

 



 

[Greg Burt]

Mark, that 07 Three Kings pic of Chris and the jig is a classic, , the 'Jig' is a Dancing Magic jig - 70cm long, 1.2kg, made of alloy, I believe there were a few around after that initial exposure to them, They are also on the awesome looking NZ 'Heavy Metal Jigging Comp' Trophies.

PS: Love the Top Catch slogan in the bottom pic 

[Greg Burt]

I found this picture of Luke and the Jig at Pro Shop Mogi stand at the Osaka Jigging festival, it is on Mogi's Facebook.

[Mark Harris]

Mark, that 07 Three Kings pic of Chris and the jig is a classic, , the 'Jig' is a Dancing Magic jig - 70cm long, 1.2kg, made of alloy, I believe there were a few around after that initial exposure to them, They are also on the awesome looking NZ 'Heavy Metal Jigging Comp' Trophies.

PS: Love the Top Catch slogan in the bottom pic 

Thanks Greg. I am scared just looking at that jig. I can manage 600-700 grams in short bursts, but 1 kg plus is just scary.

[William Espina]

i also have the stella 8kfa, i have spooled it with ygk ultra jigman pe4 and paired it with a jm ps 250g for jigging.
i also use the 8kfa with my saltiga 80tn for casting stickbaits and irons to boils. i am in love with the reel!


fish on!

[Mads Soendergaard]

Hi Chris

On my last trip to TZ-MOZ I was jigging with a 10000SW (High gear), my 2. travel mates was using low gear reels. I had a few more hits using the high gear reel, so I dont think that it matters what gear ration your reel has. Besides that, I think its a bit harder to jig with a high gear ration reel.

6 trips with bad luck = 6 trips with great luck.

/Mads