I guess that by now many of you anglers in Cyprus have seen, heard, read about or even given mechanical jigging a try.

Mechanical jigging is really making an impression in Cyprus recently and the market has been flooded with all types of the latest and greatest specialist jigging rods, reels, jigs and terminal tackle.

This is great for fanatics like me, but often it leaves the average “weekend fish-hunter” wondering from where to start.

This is the first part of a jigging guide we are putting together to help answer a lot of your questions. It aims to give you a better understanding of this method of fishing from start to finish. In this section we will be covering the basic techniques involved in mechanical jigging, and discuss the rods and reels required.

My jig-fishing skills have developed over the past two – three years through many hours on the water and by fishing with more experienced jig-fishermen, many of whom helped me out with information and tips when I was new to the sport. Special thanks to “Hampas” for his patience and valuable support.

This series deals with modern tackle used for mechanical jigging – not the old school speed-jigging with fast-taper fibreglass rods and high-speed reels spooled with monofilament.

Finally, before we get into it, I would like to point out that I don’t work in the fishing industry, nor am I affiliated with any companies or brands.

History

The art of ‘mechanical jigging’ was pioneered in the early 1990s by a Japanese angler by the name Yoichi Mogi. The development of suitable rods, reels and jigs for this extremely effective method of fishing was largely influenced by Yoichi.

Mechanical jigging has spread to many areas of the world, thanks to guys like Yoichi, Okada San, Konishi San and Pony Liu traveling around the world and targeting various sport fish, promoting the sport, their respective fishing tackle brands, and filming their fishing adventures in world-class areas.

So, enough about the history of jigging, I am sure that  you are ready to look the basic technique involved in mechanical jigging which involves using an overhead reel, even though a good spinning outfit can also be very effective.

Dances with Predators

(Dances with Wolfs is one many favorite movies)

The main aim while mechanical jigging is to get the jig ‘dancing’ its way up through the water column (or part of the water column, depending on where the fish are), so predatory species are enticed into biting. This is done with smooth (and/or erratic) lifts and drops of the rod while retrieving line at the same time.

Start with the rod’s butt section under your left armpit (for a left-hand-wind reel it would be under the right armpit), your thumb and index finger gripping around the side-plate of the reel, and the remaining fingers curling around the rod. Next, point the rod down toward the water, click the reel into free-spool and drop the jig to the bottom. When the jig touches down, quickly put the reel into gear and get the jig up away from the bottom with a wind or two to help prevent getting snagged. With the rod pointing down and the reel’s handle hanging downwards, take a lift of the rod up to an angle of around 45-degrees. At the same time take half a wind of the handle, which would leave it at the top of the rotation.

Next, drop the rod again, and at the same time take a half wind of the reel downwards. Now slowly and smoothly put the up-stroke of the rod and reel handle and the down-stroke of the rod and reel handle into one smooth motion.

This is the basic technique involved and just a starting point. You can jig using this technique at a fast/slow/moderate pace, or mix it up and add a pause in there – or even a yo-yo motion – the choice is yours. On days out jigging I have experienced times when the fishing has been slow and the slightest change in technique has made all the difference, so don’t be afraid to mix it up a bit from time to time. In the next section we will be discussing jigging fishing equipment there advantages and disadvantages so you form an idea of what is best for you.