dockboy
08-11-2010, 08:55 PM
Well, as this year has so far been crud for fishing the pelagics locally, perhaps it is time to cover something for our local fisheries of bass and yellowtail. This year has been a great year for calicos in many of our local spots, and the yellowtail showings have been more frequent this year, even if the bite has been more spotty than years past. Reports are of yellows on paddys down south, and maybe some yellowfin tuna too. That would be nice, because all 3 of the mentioned species like a special form of exotic fare: surface iron. Cuda love the iron too, and it has been a great year for them too. I’m not going to cover what you need to start fishing iron, as far as setup, jig types, and technique goes. Search around this site, and you will find what you are looking for. A search around the Web is sure to find answers to your iron questions also. One piece of advice is to go to a local shop or shops, and pull on some sticks. Different jig sticks have unique “vibes”, and the only way to get a comfortable iron outfit is to check them out personally. Once your setup is complete, and you have practiced your iron casting to a polished degree, its time to get irons.
Now, not all irons are made equal. Tady and Salas are the main brands, and Sumo is not too far behind. No matter the brand, each individual iron has certain properties that make is swim better or worse than others. I have used the nice Sumo 7xs and old, cheap Iron Man or Candy Bars with equal success, because the action was right for that particular day and time. Here are some tips:
•Look for irons with asymmetrical holes for the line tie ring. A straight, centered hole will swim okay, but jigs with a little bit of an off centered front hole often swim best
•Look for concave sides and sharp edges in the iron body. An iron with a flatter back, or smoother, less defined edges won’t swim nearly as well.
•Match your iron to the bait size and color. Something like a Tady A1 is good when smaller bait like anchovies or small sardines are favored; likewise, big horse sardines in the tank makes a Tady 45 or Salas 7x a better choice. Color wise, try to match your bait. Lots of guys love the Wounded Soldier pattern locally for bass, and many also love the Senorita colors. But if you look at the most common local baitfish like sauries, sardines, macks, or anchovies, these baits looks nothing like the real thing. Fish might eat them, but I’ve never been in a jig bite where I was discernably at a disadvantage regarding jig color, where the guy fish the Senorita was kicking my Mint/White jig’s butt. I go for a general match. Mint/White is a nice blend of lighter colors with some contrast, and chrome colors are great for tuna. Blue/White is nice match of macks and bigger sardines. And locally, Green Sardine (white with olive markings) is an excellent choice.
•Match your jig to the retrieve speed you need it for; a jig needs to swim, not spin. Some jigs, like Candy Bar 112s, have a good “thump” to them because they swim great a low speeds. Likewise, some jigs do best a medium speeds, and so are great for fishing fast. Experiment, and see what the fish want.
•It’s a good idea to take your jigs somewhere you can test them after purchasing them. Take them out to a local pond, or the local harbor. Try each iron out, and see if it swims correctly. Test the speeds of retrieve to see what speed makes each individual jig swim the best, and learn them. Plus, this testing serves as handy casting practice for when you are actually fishing.
•You can salvage jigs that don’t swims, in many cases. With a pair of split ring pliers, and some heavy duty split rings (I prefer the Owner Hyperwires), you can attach a ring to the line tie ring. This provides another pivot point for the jig to swing upon, and this little modification can make a mediocre jig swim much better. Not all jigs can be saved, but that’s the risk you take when you buy a surface iron.
•Don’t fish light line. 30lb is fine for line irons like Tady A1s and Cs, but 40lb is more versatile. Sure, 25/30 is a lot of fun in a wide open cuda or bonito bite, but if your main outfit has 40 or a 40lb leader (for those using a Spectra/leader setup), you are set to fish the larger jigs for larger fish. The iron bite is a reaction, a savage explosion from the fish you just triggered into biting. They DGAF about line size, usually.
•If you are having trouble discerning what you are looking for in a surface iron, ask a shop employee. They can often select the best to be found in shop, because these guys know their stuff. Support local shops, and they will support you.
Now there are thousands of ways to modify irons; grinding on them, bending them, redrilling the line tie, the lists goes on. I just hope to get you started on the delicate process of buying surface iron. These jigs are a great way to have fun while fishing our local waters. The hits are first rate, and with time you learn how to truly hunt down your quarry, learn its instincts and triggers. Its not for some people, but if you want to give it a shot, keep these tips in mind when you go to buy your jigs. Tight lines!
Now, not all irons are made equal. Tady and Salas are the main brands, and Sumo is not too far behind. No matter the brand, each individual iron has certain properties that make is swim better or worse than others. I have used the nice Sumo 7xs and old, cheap Iron Man or Candy Bars with equal success, because the action was right for that particular day and time. Here are some tips:
•Look for irons with asymmetrical holes for the line tie ring. A straight, centered hole will swim okay, but jigs with a little bit of an off centered front hole often swim best
•Look for concave sides and sharp edges in the iron body. An iron with a flatter back, or smoother, less defined edges won’t swim nearly as well.
•Match your iron to the bait size and color. Something like a Tady A1 is good when smaller bait like anchovies or small sardines are favored; likewise, big horse sardines in the tank makes a Tady 45 or Salas 7x a better choice. Color wise, try to match your bait. Lots of guys love the Wounded Soldier pattern locally for bass, and many also love the Senorita colors. But if you look at the most common local baitfish like sauries, sardines, macks, or anchovies, these baits looks nothing like the real thing. Fish might eat them, but I’ve never been in a jig bite where I was discernably at a disadvantage regarding jig color, where the guy fish the Senorita was kicking my Mint/White jig’s butt. I go for a general match. Mint/White is a nice blend of lighter colors with some contrast, and chrome colors are great for tuna. Blue/White is nice match of macks and bigger sardines. And locally, Green Sardine (white with olive markings) is an excellent choice.
•Match your jig to the retrieve speed you need it for; a jig needs to swim, not spin. Some jigs, like Candy Bar 112s, have a good “thump” to them because they swim great a low speeds. Likewise, some jigs do best a medium speeds, and so are great for fishing fast. Experiment, and see what the fish want.
•It’s a good idea to take your jigs somewhere you can test them after purchasing them. Take them out to a local pond, or the local harbor. Try each iron out, and see if it swims correctly. Test the speeds of retrieve to see what speed makes each individual jig swim the best, and learn them. Plus, this testing serves as handy casting practice for when you are actually fishing.
•You can salvage jigs that don’t swims, in many cases. With a pair of split ring pliers, and some heavy duty split rings (I prefer the Owner Hyperwires), you can attach a ring to the line tie ring. This provides another pivot point for the jig to swing upon, and this little modification can make a mediocre jig swim much better. Not all jigs can be saved, but that’s the risk you take when you buy a surface iron.
•Don’t fish light line. 30lb is fine for line irons like Tady A1s and Cs, but 40lb is more versatile. Sure, 25/30 is a lot of fun in a wide open cuda or bonito bite, but if your main outfit has 40 or a 40lb leader (for those using a Spectra/leader setup), you are set to fish the larger jigs for larger fish. The iron bite is a reaction, a savage explosion from the fish you just triggered into biting. They DGAF about line size, usually.
•If you are having trouble discerning what you are looking for in a surface iron, ask a shop employee. They can often select the best to be found in shop, because these guys know their stuff. Support local shops, and they will support you.
Now there are thousands of ways to modify irons; grinding on them, bending them, redrilling the line tie, the lists goes on. I just hope to get you started on the delicate process of buying surface iron. These jigs are a great way to have fun while fishing our local waters. The hits are first rate, and with time you learn how to truly hunt down your quarry, learn its instincts and triggers. Its not for some people, but if you want to give it a shot, keep these tips in mind when you go to buy your jigs. Tight lines!