# Aj jigging



## NOsaints (Aug 8, 2011)

went to panama city to visit family and they wanted to take a open charter with like 40 people so i decided to bring my new jig and jigging setup, the charter went 10-15 miles out and was in alittle over 100 feet of water, triggers, porgies, beelinerss, snapper and a red grouper were all caught but no aj's. everyone on the boat was using squid. so i thought i would give the jig a try (new to all of jigging) and at each spot about 4 times id drop it and jig it up(watched a few jigging videos to try to learn how to do it) didnt get any hits, were using butterfly jigs green and blue, 4 and 5 oz jigs. does anyone know why no aj's were caught or what my problem was?? thanks for the help


----------



## The Langeeee (Aug 20, 2010)

Could have been a number of things. Color, technique, size of the jig, if the fish are there and leader as well. A rule that has kinda helped me is I use 1 gram for every foot of depth. If i am in 100 feet of water I use 100-150 gram jigs. If i am in 200 ft of water 200-250 gram jigs. What does your jigging setup consist of? also the deeper the water i prefer jigs that glow. just my 2 cents.


----------



## MissKristy (Dec 1, 2007)

What size leader should you use and how long


----------



## The Langeeee (Aug 20, 2010)

I use about a 20 ft leader of 60 lb mono attached to 50 lb braid. If you think you need more go up to 65 lb braid with a 20 ft leader of 80 lb mono.


----------



## feelin' wright (Oct 7, 2007)

My opinion is the leader is too long. With a long leader the mono stretches and takes action away from the jig. I only use about a 3-4 foot leader when jigging. 
Just my .02.


----------



## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

I would say with 40 lines hitting water up and down , ant AJ's if any were there would have been spooked !!


----------



## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

NOsaints there could be a bunch of reasons, I wouldn't sweat it. Some areas just don't hold AJ's. Keep at it and vary your retrieve from time to time till you find what works. Also try diff styles of jigs. Once you get one you'll be hooked! Good Luck.


----------



## Mullethead (Oct 4, 2007)

If the typcial speed jig - butterfly jig motion does not get hit - there are several things to try - 

- Alter the jigging motions - slow down - speed up 
- Go to a smaller jig 
- If its mainly just bottom fish and no AJs - work the jigs longer in the 'strike zone' near the bottom - with short pops - and don't rip all the way to the surface
- yo-yo a diamond jig right on the bottom (this is deadly for scamp) 
- Try a bucktail -lazer tail - lucanus - and akis stlye jig - worked slow near the bottom 
- Or.... tip a bucktail ji with a squid strip or bonita belly strip (real thin ) this may be cheating to jigging purist- but it will get hits when they are not hitting anything else


----------



## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

Was it sunny or cloudy? Last time I went out I only got a little action on jigs and that was during a couple brief periods the sun came out. Could have been coincidence or maybe there's something to it. We went to live bait and ended up with our limit.


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Ajs like big structure, there might not have been any or at least very few because the ajs eat jigs up this time of year if they are there.


----------



## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Here's another good thread about AJ jigging. 

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f34/jigs-84005/


----------



## NOsaints (Aug 8, 2011)

i was using 160-180 gram jigs i believe, 6 foot 60lb mono leader on 65lb braid, i was using the shimano butterfly jigs two different styles...


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

NOsaints said:


> i was using 160-180 gram jigs i believe, 6 foot 60lb mono leader on 65lb braid, i was using the shimano butterfly jigs two different styles...


You just weren't in Aj territory because those are Aj candy.


----------



## NOsaints (Aug 8, 2011)

Well maybe ill have some luck next time out thanks everyone


----------



## MissKristy (Dec 1, 2007)

What about Williamson speed jigs or the bass pro jigs they any good


----------



## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

MissKristy said:


> What about Williamson speed jigs or the bass pro jigs they any good


I've used but I haven't caught anything on the Williamson jigs but the bass pro ones are deadly for me. I use the 5 and 7oz ones in the green or blue ones an they produce well.


----------



## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

Butterknife.


----------



## Nick J. (Mar 15, 2009)

Trophyhusband said:


> Butterknife.


I've seen some that are welded together and have halogram tape and eyes on them but this looks like it was stolen from the kitchen:whistling:, had a couple holes drilled in it, and fish on. How simple was that one to make?


----------



## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

That one was super simple, pretty much how you described. There are others that I put a little more work into just for fun. Check out this thread:

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f33/homemade-knife-jigs-105901/

I'll be testing out any of them I haven't caught fish on this coming thursday. Here's a video of a couple of them getting used too:


----------



## Diesel (Jan 9, 2008)

lobsterman said:


> Ajs like big structure, there might not have been any or at least very few because the ajs eat jigs up this time of year if they are there.


What he said. 

AJ like large structures, if you don't know what you were on top of you could be wasting your time. To the east is mostly live bottom. Use conventional jigs..or diamond jigs (swap the trebles out for circle hooks if you are on a charter) too. Work them fast, you can catch everything from snapper to kings as well.


----------



## standrew (Dec 15, 2009)

^^^^^^^^^^^ This. You were fishing hard bottom with little relief. Aj's like structure. Although I've caught firetruck red grouper on those jigs on the hard bottom.


----------

