Tackle

Jigging rods are typically shorter than popping rods. Jigging rods are usually between 5 and 6.5 ft long, 1 or 2 piece, rated for Pe4 to Pe6 line for jig weights of 150 to 400 gms. Jigging depths can vary from 50 mtrs to 150 mtrs depending on the weight of the jig and current.

Unlike popping reels, jiiging reels need to have a low gear ratio. The low gear ratio makes jigging easier on the angler and also has the grunt needed for reeling up hard fighting fish from the depths. Quality spinning reels like Shimano Stella and Daiwa Saltiga among other popular jigging reels maybe used. For the serious jigging enthusiast nothing beats an overhead jigging reel. Today there are many reels available with a wide array of specs to suit the needs of most jig anglers.

As super lines and braid rose in popularity, so did jigging. The thin diameter of these lines and no stretch quality made it possible for anglers to fish deeper, with lighter jigs and feel a lot more. Jigging lines these days come colour coded so the angler knows the depth at which they are fishing. Varivas Avani Big Ones and Daiwa Accudepth are good brands that are quite easily available.

Though many anglers use fluorocarbon as leader while they jig we prefer to use mono. The same stretch features of mono are what we like when fighting big fish and also mono is easier to get out of the reef if ever one gets snagged.

Anglers keen on jigging will need to carry jigs between 150 gms and 350 gms. Fisherman Andaman, Skill Jig, JiggingMaster jigs, Shout Jigs, Williamsons and Duel are a few popular jigs carried. We prefer semi long and long designs in natural, blue/silver, blue/green and pink. Avoid rigging with steel traces if you would like to catch more fish.

We recommend anglers carry large sized jigging hooks in various brands. Sizes ranging from 8/0 to 12/0. Hooks will have to be rigged with Kevlar assist, the best being Varivas Assist Line SS 80. Owner SJ-41 size 13/0 or Shout Kudako size 7/0 and 9/0 or any of the BKK jigging hooks 9/0 to 12/0 are carried by jiggers.

You will need a spinning rod rated for Pe8 to Pe10 line and it should be able to handle a drag of 10 kilos and over. A rod length of 7’6” to 8’6”, with an intersection close to the butt will be the perfect tool for the job.

There are many choices of which the most popular are the Shimano Stella SW 14000 HG and upwards size or the Daiwa Saltiga 6000, 6500 size. These reels are ideal for the job. GT popping also require a reel with a high gear ratio so one can collect slack line while popping quickly. All GT popping reels will have a 5.0 : 1 or higher gear ratio. The reels have to also be capable of surviving repeated runs by large fish and all consistently exerting a force of over 10 kilos of drag smoothly. These reels will also need to have relatively large spools to accommodate line. Line capacity on a spool now becomes very important, as an angler will need a large line capacity for heavy braided line. The minimum we would suggest would be around 200 meters of braided line.

 Pe-8 to Pe-10 (Jerry Brown, Tuff Line, Power Pro) or braided line with 100lbs breaking strain.

Braided and Pe lines have no stretch. While popping we use a pretty high drag setting in order to stop the fish from heading back into the reef. When big fish, especially GT strike there is tremendous tension on you’re whole setup. This is why we recommend you use 170 lb to 220 lb shock leaders to act as a shock absorber. Leader lengths vary based on personal preferences but we prefer anglers use a minimum of 150 cms. We prefer monofilament over fluorocarbon leaders as they are softer and more pliable. Fisherman Stealth and Varivas Shock Leader are some of the common brands used.

Carry as many as you’d like! We recommend clients carry 12 to 20 poppers between 120 gms and 200 gms. Bigger, brighter and louder poppers catch the biggest GT. Familiar models are Orion poppers, Heru, Hammer Head, Craft Bait, Shell Shaping, Halco and Yo Zuri.

When the GT decide they are not in a mood to eat poppers nothing can be done… except to tempt them with something different. This is where stickbaits come into their own and ones that swim just below the surface or sinking models are very effective. The usual good colours are ones that resemble baitfish, blacks and purples, pinks and redheads. Commonly used stickbaits are Siren, Shimano, Daiwa, ASWB and Orion.

Humans still haven’t been able to make a treble strong enough to withstand the pressure exerted by a GT! Gamakatsu GT Recorder, BKK, Shout, Mustad and Owner all make large GT fishing trebles. Use the largest sizes you can find 10/0 to 6/0 depending on the brand you choose to buy.

Owner Hyper Wire 11H, Shout or Mustad with a breaking strain or 200 lbs to 300lb