Codding with Jigs

This is my favorite way to target rockfish when they are really eager to bite. Using a Jax Jig or Diamond Jig with an optional shrimp fly teaser makes rockfishing a whole hell of a lot more fun as more often than not if a big rockfish wants to bite the jig, it will slam it, unlike when you are fishing bait. Here are a few tips for fishing this set up.

Roy Rose Knot with Two 1/2 Hitches
Cut about a foot to a foot and a half of line. Put this piece of line flat with your main line about a foot and a half to two feet from the end of the main line. Before you do this, tie a square knot on the piece of line for differentiation, because after you tie the Roy Rose, you won't know which is which, and knowing this is important. Make those two lines into a loop, and then wrap them four times, and pull it tight, and make sure the knot is tightened down all the way, but don't worry, most often this know will not look very pretty.

Tie the jig onto the main line (the one without the square knot) about a foot to a little over a foot from the Roy Rose knot. Then, take the other line and cut off the square knot and tie your shrimp fly on this line. Don't make it too long as it will twist on the main line leading to your jig if you have a fish on it. Don't have it too far from your jig as the idea of this set up is a big fish chasing a small fish.

After tying the shrimp fly, bring it above the Roy Rose knot and wrap it once and bring it through the loop, tightening the half hitch on or above the Roy Rose knot. Tie another half hitch in the same direction, and pull it tight. That way, the shrimp fly will stand out away from the main line.

Replace the Hook
A Jax Jig or a Diamond Jig bought in the store will come with a heavy duty treble or single hook already on it. Those hooks are fine, but when it comes to snagging the bottom, you will never get it out. In this case, get Mustad 3551 treble hooks. They are strong enough not to bend out on a big fish (I've caught big grouper and reds with them, and my friends have caught lings with them), but they are of light wire and will often bend out when you snag a rock. Sometimes your jig will break off, but the chances that it will simply bend out are much higher. That way you get your jig back and you can either replace the hook or bend it back in place.

Where And How
Once you have it rigged up, here's the where and how while fishing the jig. I suggest fishing the bow unless there is a light load - that way chances of getting tangled go down. On good days I get by using a six ounce Jax or Diamond jig, but when the current gets bad I will bump up to an eight ounce jig and/or cast updrift. Once you get it down there, you have to keep moving it up and down. When you get a bite, don't set the hook, just start winding. If you set the hook, in my experience, the fish rips off the hook. I also highly suggest using spectra while fishing the jig with a short top shot of 30 pound monofilament. Lastly, when you have a nice fish on, go easy on it and back off your drag once you have it off the bottom if you need to.

Good luck!


Double reds I caught on a purple and black Jax Jig with a shrimp fly. These bit on the way down to the bottom.


My personal best chilipepper weighing at 3-1/2 pounds caught on the shrimp fly.

ok man i tried really hard to grasp how to tie that not you were tlaking about but well i dint get it lol so your going to have to show me how its done next time i make it out there

I will show you next time you're out fishing on the boat. I tried to find a website that shows a diagram with how to tie it but I couldn't find one. I might draw my own diagram and add it on here, it's better than just a description.

I think Roy Rose knot is another name for the surgeon's knot.