I'm talking a 1/8th to 3/8th's ounce rated rod. Which was hard to find before Academy Sports came to this town. The good thing about Academy Sports (if there is one or two) is that they brought the Gulf Coast mentality to Bazzaro world, Florida. Lots of Cast-Away LIGHT rods, along with lots of affordable H&H tackle items, such as corks and jigheads.
I say Gulf Coast mentality. Because prior to Academy breaking out and heading due East to Florida.
Thier heritage has always been, Gulf Coast States.
Yeah, around here it's alot of super fast action, stiff as a board, casting rods.....GALORE! And way too many spinners!
Exactly what a TROUT angler doesn't need or really wants. Especially, if you're a Texas "wader".
Another thing people don't do much of around here. Just too much M-U-D.
I love wade fishing. And wish it was easy to do more of it. I guess extreme current, excessively high tides, and again M-U-D. Can keep ya from doing a lot of it. In Texas, imagine Mill Cove completely wade'able! That's the Texas Coast.
Maybe the reason Academy Sports has Stingray leg guards on the shelfs. Floating stringers, and short handled dip nets, and lots of waders.
Okay....I got off topic for a moment.
Back to jiggin'.
From what I gather over my 30 years of jetty fishing. Not a lot of people use a light jig and soft plastics along the BIG ROCKS. But rather think that's exclusive to a creek somewhere.
Want to stop catching Junk fish? Get rid of that Jig-N-Shrimp combo meal that catches it all along the BIG ROCKS. And pin on a soft plastic instead.
OPPPPPPPPS, did I just not include all the Sheepsheader's out there???
Oh, I'm sorry.
But, this is my report, and my blog. SO I WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT SHEEPSHEAD. But rather a predator fish, like Trout, Reds, Flounder. Not a grazer-fish, that is a bitch to clean and yields no meat.
"Sorry".
My favorite set up for jigging is of course as mentioned. A Super Light 3/8ths max rated rod, and a super quality low profile casting reel like a Shimano Citica or Curado. Spooled with 15# braid, to a long 15-20# Mono sacrificial leader, to a loop knot and a H&H tackle 1/4 ounce "Tout head" white jighead, with a Matrix Shad in Green Hornet or Avacado color.
1/4 ounce- H&H "tout head" White at: Academy Sports
My Favorite's, The Matrix Shads from www.docksidela.com
I guess being a micro manager has my liking this combo is; Notice that the face of the Matrix Shad is FLAT. I like that.
Notice, that the H&H "tout head" jig has a FLAT back end. That means the soft plastic and jig head go together tightly. Notice the "double barbs" on the H&H jig heads. That means that the Matrix Shads are held tight to the jig heads.
Add the two together and you get cast far as hell, along with sink fast, sleek and LOADS of "wobble" from the Matrix Shads.
Also, the Matrix was designed by guys who catch more Trout than all of Jacksonville will in a year, in just a couple months. THEY know their Trout! They fish where TROUT is KING, all year long. Just not in the late fall and winter...and "Not Sheepshead."
