# Grouper / Snapper jigging on the cheap



## barefootin (Jul 28, 2008)

I thought I would bounce this tactic offyou guys and see what you think. I hate giving up expensive lures to the toothies when vertical jigging or using other expensive lures. Sometimes its so bad you gotta move but sometimes you can just change the tactic to put meat in the box. This is something I have learned that works.

This is nothing but an octopus skirt over a bait rig fished like a jig on the bottom. 

Thread a leader through a cheap 6 - 9" skirt, add a 2 - 4 oz egg sinker, beads and tie a short surgeons loop in the leader. Put the loop through the front of the circle hook, twist, loop over the hook point, and do this two more times and set (loop snell). Lubricate the weight and set in the head of the skirt. You can add anextra egg if you need more weight and I find that using glass or brass beads between the eggs creates a bit of the ole clackity - clack, much like a carolina rig thatreallyis effective.

Add your whole or strip bait to the hook.

Get this rig to the bottom quick and just hop it off the bottom on a drift. The noise and action of the skirt will bring them in. You may lose a few but at less than $1.50 in tackle, you can stay in the game without sacrificing the expensive stuff.


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

You know what, I like this a lot. I'll be sure to use this down south on some Key's AJ's. Feeding cudas $10 jigs gets old really fast. Thanks for sharing. I'll need to figure out how to keep the skirt/weight from sliding up the line as I'll be jigging the water column. Rubberbands or something....


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Have no doubt it will work. I used the exact same thing for rockfish and lingcod in California with excellent results.


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## barefootin (Jul 28, 2008)

You can peg the egg with a piece of toothpick. 

Switch to a J-hook and lose the bait for speed jigging the water column. Yes it works.

All the best,


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## MGuns (Dec 31, 2007)

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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

Or you could buy a flutter jig mold off do-itmolds.com and start making your own! I have to say, it was one of the better decisions I've made at the rate we burn through jigs! Nothing feels worse than dropping a shiny new butterfly jig over the side only to have it eaten by a small king...



The only challenge we've had is keeping the paint on the jigs. We've epoxied, lacquered, superglued, and we can't seem to keep the paint from chipping when we catch three or for small AJs or something on it.


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## specslayer (Oct 9, 2007)

dang i like that alot looks like a deffinite bite....worse case you catch a red snapper lol


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## Team Bloody Waters (Feb 24, 2009)

I noticed youi used a circle hook and that made me think about something...If I wanna try for some grouper with a ling lure and tip it with some squid does this mean I could get in trouble for using bait without a circle hook?

Cool setup, not trying to derail


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Team Bloody Waters (1/22/2010)*I noticed youi used a circle hook and that made me think about something...If I wanna try for some grouper with a ling lure and tip it with some squid does this mean I could get in trouble for using bait without a circle hook?
> 
> 
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> Cool setup, not trying to derail




I think you do actually. According to what I could find, you need to use a circle hook when using natural bait. This only applies to reef fish, of course.


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## barefootin (Jul 28, 2008)

true - king,

What is your painting process?

I find that washing and rinsing the lead before powder painting helps secure the finish and always cure the painted lure for at least 20 mins after. I do use a candle to warm the mold before pouring which may leave a layer of soot / wax on the lead.

I might try dipping the lure in epoxy gloss to finish.

Have some new vertical jigmolds and a powder spray gun ordered.


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *barefootin (1/22/2010)*true - king,
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> 
> ...




I bet a powder spray gun would work well. I usually pour them and drop them off with chris (private pilot) for him to paint them. For the most part I think the painting process has been spray paint covered in some type of finish. I have used powder paint with success for bonita jigs and such, so I'm sure it would work great on the vertical jigs. I just didn't think about a gun to apply it with, I'll look into that.


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## wrightackle (Oct 29, 2007)

That one color [#66 in the P-LINE color chart]that is in the ziplock bag in the picture is a killer on grouper. Just wondering if you have a source to buy them in bulk? I have made some lures like your setup using the cannonball weights but that mold only goes up to two ounces.


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## reelfinatical (Sep 30, 2007)

Now that's neat and cheap! :thumbsup:


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## barefootin (Jul 28, 2008)

wrighttackle,

I get those skirts from "dollar fishing" on ebay; 7.5" @$.60 ea I think. I also buy discontinued or reduced bulk from places like "squid nation".

The cheap chinese stuff works fine.


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## fred (Dec 28, 2008)

Good idea. I'll definitely be doing some of that this season.

Is there a reason not to use wire from the beads to the hook (action, e.g.)? Seems like it would be hidden by the skirt.


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## specslayer (Oct 9, 2007)

i got bored and made my own version. just used tri beads instead of a loop. i know the hook is a little far back but it will still work i bet.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

> *wrightackle (1/22/2010)*That one color [#66 in the P-LINE color chart]that is in the ziplock bag in the picture is a killer on grouper. Just wondering if you have a source to buy them in bulk? I have made some lures like your setup using the cannonball weights but that mold only goes up to two ounces.


My favorite is the # 26 in P-Line color chart.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

Works for sure. I have done this with squid teasers with a 6 oz lead. Also doesnt hurt to tip it with a little squid.


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## wrightackle (Oct 29, 2007)

This has been a great thread, thanks barefootin for starting it. Lobsterman #26 is a great color too. All of the luminous skirts do great for deep jigging. I used to sell a lot of the skirts that Speckslayer showed in his pic. Commercial guys fishing off of Louisiana would drag the exact same setup you rigged up between snapper spots for Wahoo. In my fathers era in the tackle shop he sold homemade Diamond Jigs. Never bothered to paint them. When they would lose that initial shine that lead has coming out of the mold they would just take a butter knife and scratch the lead to bring out the silver flash again. Pretty neat. Thanks also Barefootin for the leads on the squid skirts. My favorite size is the 5 1/2". P-Line dropped that size and jumped from the 41/2" to the 7 1/2"


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Wrighttackle, You mentioned Wahoo liking them, well so do Dolphin. I will say I have caught more grouper on a plain lead glow squid skirt than all other baits combined. My son and I would go out with nothing but jigs and catch out limit of grouper all the time.


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## alle9219 (Aug 16, 2009)

What size hook do you use this those setups? Do you trim the tentacles at all to help with setting the hook or does it work fine as is?


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## barefootin (Jul 28, 2008)

I use 8/0 Owner 5379s almost exclusively. Eagle Claw 2004s will save ya a bit and do well. No need to trim. Snell or loop snell for the circles which kind or precludes the use of wire.

Have rigged the Js on wire, but most of the time would rather get cut than bring the toothy to the boat so I rig with fluoro or mono.

Nice rig specslayer.

All the best


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## Hibauchery (Sep 30, 2009)

Good idea... great $$ saving tip... much appreciated post!


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## Heller High Water (Nov 1, 2007)

Really good post guys. Great idea, now we need a cheaper and more environmentally friendly substitute for lead. I have tried cement but not dense enough, it requires twice the size mold for the same weight. Have you guys had any luck with anything else or do you just use lead?


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

what the hell 's wrong with lead? we fish with it we don't eat it.


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