Jigging

There are many great jigging spots in the Auckland and Coromandel areas – and they’re easily accessible. Graeme Paterson tells us where to get started and how. Perhaps you’re like me. I like to get out and find my own fish to jig, it’s what defines me from the charter trip junkie who solely relies on someone else to put them onto fish.

A region famous for it’s jigging, Aaron Levien shares some top jigging spots to try in the Bay of Plenty. This article looks at general locations to help put you and your mates onto those addictive line-stripping yellowtail kingfish from Mayor Island to White Island.

Current lure patterns and their various techniques for deployment, are now so effective at catching fish, that many anglers no longer even entertain the idea of using bait. Just about every fishing shop you visit will now be decked with walls full of lure options from all the major manufacturers (and a few boutique players). The patterns and designs often look so good you just have to try them out. Yes, some lures are certainly designed to catch the fisherman, but do they work on the fish? Yep! hard. Any popular lure pattern fished correctly will likely stock your bin, even on tough days.

While jigging on the lakes for large rainbows may not appeal to the died-in-the-wool flyfishermen, in the hands of an expert the jigging outfit produces more hookups than any other style of trout fishing.

Kingfish are a sensational species for sport fishermen, and we are very lucky that they can be found all over New Zealand, in fantastic numbers and sometimes gear shattering dimensions. The Coromandel peninsular is famous for some stellar kingfish action, so let’s look a bit closer at the many options here.

I love witnessing people's first kingfish capture and take pride in watching mates getting buckled over the side of the boat by a big green beast.

Great Barrier island, the jewel in the Hauraki Gulf’s crown. It always seems so close yet so far away. Is the fishing really as good as they say it is? In a word – yes.

Mechanical or vertical jigging with metal lures is not a new method of fishing and has been around for many years both in New Zealand and overseas.

One of the most underrated, and under-utilised lures available to fishermen really does come in a small package. Although the old saying ‘big bait – big fish’ will often hold true, it was a long time ago, from well-respected fishing legend Rick Pollock, that I heard the opposing argument ‘elephants eat peanuts’.

The FG Knot with a Rizzuto finish is my go-to leader knot. I'll use it for GT, Tuna, Bass and everything in-between! But this here shows you the exact knot I tie when Popping and stick baiting for GT with my heavy setups.

We look back at the arrival of inchiku jigs in New Zealand, and offer a few reasons why you might want to revisit this super reliable technique - plus how-to set up an inchiku out of the packet.

A user review of Tasline Elite Braid, a top choice for anglers seeking more line capacity and reliability for catching a wide range of fish, from kingfish, to hapuka and marlin.

Snapper can be frustrating fish to chase, particularly when they are in spawning mode during spring. But there are some things the canny fisherman can do to increase the chances of bringing home a good fish. Snapper are our most popular sport and table fish.

If you haven’t tried slow pitch jigging, you should! You will catch more fish, you will have a versatile weapon for deeper conditions and workups, and you will have a great excuse to buy some very stylish new gear.

There always seems to be a new and fantastic invention to lure fish to the end of your line.

Discover how matching rod action to your lure and target species can dramatically improve your results—this short intro from Fishing Coach Pro sets the stage for smarter, more effective lure fishing.

Kingfish are big bad brawlers so don’t be afraid to take the gloves off when fighting them. Some days you need every tip and trick in the book!

Graeme Paterson is always seeking new fishing experiences and to find out more about the sport. Here he combines two popular methods of targeting kingfish, and got the result he was after.

For me, chasing kingfish on jigs is where my craze and passion for fishing started.

How to tie PR and FG knots

Right now is a great time to be fishing kabura jigs

Kingfish have a reputation for being jig-shy, but if you present the right lure in the correct way, your chances of a strike are good, says Troy Dando.

No more chipped rod guides from smacking the swivel yet again! With a small shift, they can still be used to do what they do best. Check this pearl out: To Swivel, or Knot?

We are all familiar with the application of braid line for deep water fishing and for casting soft baits and jigs. But this unique line has the potential to revolutionise our approach in many more areas, from live baiting for kingfish to straylining for snapper.

Follow the adventures of the Team from Catch using softbaits to target snapper in Northland, New Zealand. Along with spectacular scenery, learn tips and tricks from the team to increase your success and enjoyment of softbaiting. We discuss softbaits (also known as soft plastics), jigheads, sea terrain and equipment needed to have you fishing like a pro.

Review for jig and soft bait holder from Anchorman

The Japanese invented micro jigs, and have also developed some specific techniques for fishing them. These little lures are deadly in NZ waters, particularly on snapper. Check out this great technique instruction, it's in Japanese but has full subtitles.

Here's an excellent video that describes the techniques for both mechanical and slow pitch jigging. In particular the use of spinning reels to jig for kingfish, and the technique for slow pitch is well worth a watch

Slow-pitch jigging: If you haven’t tried it, you should; you'll almost certainly will catch fish. Here's how to do it!

This is a unique lure that has been developed in New Zealand by Catch, from a ground-up concept. It’s unusual in that it has been designed to be a jack-of-all lures. Catch explain it can be cast, trolled, jigged, and fished from boat or shore. Wellington angler Jason was presented with a range of Catch gear to trial, and here we will focus on his use of the Squidwings, as without doubt, how you fish it dictates how successful it will be.

Get the inside word on the art of slow pitch jigging with Flyn Jack. Experience the beauty of the South Island of New Zealand, as Flyn gives advice on using this technique to target Snapper, Kingfish, Trevally and Tuna.

Check out some awesome action on the Boss lure, and Espresso's hints and tips on how to fish it to get the best results

An awesome weekend kayak fishing from Taemaro Bay, just south of Doubtless Bay on the North Island of New Zealand.

Sometimes it makes sense to go small.

Whangarei autumn fishing outlook: mid-water snapper in 65-80m, yellowfin crashing the party, and why you shouldn't fish the bottom.

Here's a refresher or a beginner's how-to for fishing the deadly Inchiku style jigs that are so effective on everything from snapper and kingfish to john dory and cod. Check out the video from Grant 'Captain Espresso' Bittle explaining the ins and outs.

Want to put together an A-grade set up? Check out the essentials, it might not cost as much as you'd previously thought. If your passion is chasing kingfish with dedicated gear, here are a few specialised accessories we love but which are often undervalued and overlooked.

Relatively slow to gain in popularity when compared to soft baits and kabura jigs, microjigs are actually very effective on a huge range of fish and can easily be fished using soft bait or light overhead gear combos. They offer a lot of fun on light gear, and there will be times when they are the most effective lure in the arsenal. When the anchovy schools are running, and the fish are actively feeding, microjigs can be deadly.

Workup season has begun, and that means some of the best fishing of the year is happening out in the gulf right now. It’s the time of year that big schools of pilchards start moving in from the north, so the flotilla of boats chasing workups will be heading to the incoming channels around Little Barrier Island, around Horn and Anchorite rocks and eventually deeper into the upper Firth of Thames.

English subtitles: Watch and learn the subtleties and actions, and the reasoning behind them in this instructional video. There's a lot to be applied here to slow pitch jigging for snapper and kingfish here in NZ.

Here's a complete step-by-step guide to using micro jigs. Learn the techniques to be successful at catching fish with four methods explained in detail including easy to follow instructional diagrams.

If you have been using slow pitch jigs without much success, or if you want to know more detail about the right way to fish them then check out this video featuring expert jig master Markus Church from Rod and Reel tackle.

The first day of kayak fishing I spent off the Kapiti coast during June, with plenty of surprises on a windless winter morning. The method was dropping sliding kabura lures into deep water where lots of different species lurk, even through winter..

With the popularity of inchiku, slow pitch, and speed jigging, it's often the assist rig that gets beaten up before the metal jig. In some cases you might just prefer to customise your own rigs to suit your choice of hook. If you want to get the edge on your mates, here's a cool video showing how its done.

Here’s a red hot looking jig freshly out from the team at Shimano Fishing. At NZFW we love our slow pitch jigging, and these new releases from Shimano promise to be the real deal. As soon as we have a good field test under the belt we will be reporting back, but if looks could kill, these lures will be pure magic.

Stunning video from JE Wilds targeting kingfish on topwater from the rocks. Check it out...

Does light leader catch more fish? Catch Fishing thinks it does. Here's a few reason why Espresso thinks they are right...

The kabura is undoubtedly one of the most effective lures on the market. It is deadly on just about any fish that eats squid, which is just about everything! It's very simple to fish, so ideal for kids or beginners getting in to lure fishing. It's also nice and heavy so ideal as a prospecting lure when your looking at sign and wondering if it's worth a serious stop. Here's what the kabura is all about in a bit more detail.

Get the inside word on the art of mechanical jigging with Flyn Jack. Experience the beauty of the South Island of New Zealand, as Flyn gives advice on using this technique, the importance of a pause and half winds. Ideal for targeting Kingfish, and an informative video if you are new to fishing.

Grant 'Espresso' Bittle invites the fishing community to provide feedback on his proposed fishing coaching seminar initiative.

For many anglers the complexities of consistent and productive fishing are a mystery.

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it is the newest addition to the Catch Fishing ‘Livies’ stable of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) wriggling goodies.

Epic kingfish action at the Ranfurly Banks

If you're familiar with vertical, or 'mechanical' jigging for kingfish, did you know that the same technique can be applied to working mechanical jigs both from a boat or from shore? Here's a quick breakdown on how it works from the Aussie boys at AdriftByNature...

Black Magic has added the exciting slow pitch Flipper jig to their range.

After spending time on a few of charter trips it becomes really clear that these guys know their stuff and are really committed to getting you onto some good fish. Here's a few tips and insights from the best in the business to help you on your next kingfish jigging adventure.

Spring and Summer work-ups are one phenomena that not only get nature's participants excited but fishermen as well. As the water warms up in springtime, snapper start to move into the gulf, usually from a northerly to southerly direction.

When dolphins or whales are pushing baitfish up and churning the ocean into a giant berley trail, gannets and terns will usually be signposting where the action is. Fishing in workups can be frantic, and in the excitement it is often easy to suddenly find yourself with a limit bag in only an hour or so.

Kingfish are an exciting species to target from small craft, and their power and tenacious attitude is all the more appreciated when the fish can literally tow you around. Here's Viking Kayak's Stephen Tapp with a few tips on jigging when you don't have much room to play with.

The Deep V is a versatile lure for catching kingfish, XXL snapper and many other species. It combines several design features to present a lure that is irresistible.Here's a slow pitch jig that can either be mechanically jigged or slow pitch fished to save your energy. Check out the new Catch Deep V

Why bigger jigs out fish smaller options when the bite's on. Speed jigging tips from Espresso in the Hauraki Gulf.

A classic Saltwater Assassin aka Lee Kennedy kayak vid. Enjoy.

Check out this awesome jigging action on board Epic Charters in the magnificent Coromandel. Using new products from Catch Fishing (a prototype spin-jig rod and 300 gram Double Trouble jigs) Jigging maestro Edward Uhai Lee shows off the best speed jigging technique we have seen anywhere.

Watch now: Grant 'Espresso' Bittle and Catch pro angler Edward Uhai Lee share some expert knowledge with hints, tips and technique advice to help you with your artificial bait game. Recorded live at the 2019 Hutchwilco Boat Show. Enjoy.

This may come as a shock, but in the days before jigs, fishermen would use bait. Not highly sophisticated but still effective were ledger and strayline rigs adorned with pilchards

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it is the newest addition to the Catch Fishing ‘Livies’ stable of TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) wriggling goodies.

Check out this very tasty video featuring the new Shimano Stella in action. It's all in Japanese, but a picture tells a thousand words.