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Slow pitch jigging
Posted on 5/13/25 at 12:44 pm
Posted on 5/13/25 at 12:44 pm
Any of yall slow pitch jig for snapper and grouper? I’m thinking about adding a setup and wanted to pick brains on terminal tackle, good rods, etc.
I don’t have the energy to vertical jig all day, and live bait fishing can get a little monotonous. Aside from that, I’ve heard tales of proper technique slow pitching out catching live bait 5-1 on some days. When a technique is developed and popularized in Japan it grabs my attention.
I don’t have the energy to vertical jig all day, and live bait fishing can get a little monotonous. Aside from that, I’ve heard tales of proper technique slow pitching out catching live bait 5-1 on some days. When a technique is developed and popularized in Japan it grabs my attention.
This post was edited on 5/13/25 at 12:46 pm
Posted on 5/13/25 at 12:52 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
Fun as hell, your arm will get tired..
Posted on 5/13/25 at 1:35 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
I really enjoy spj and will usually give it a shot before going to live or dead bait. It's like anything else though, you can spend as much as you would like on a set up and there is not much "lower end" gear for sp jigging. You can spend a small fortune on jigs alone. I've tried all kinds over the years and can attest that the higher end jigs do out perform amazon knock offs. I prefer JJ or JYG brand.
LINK
LINK
Posted on 5/13/25 at 1:37 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
Good video to watch
I order my jigs and assist hooks, barrel swivels, split rings on temu, much cheaper for the exact same thing
I order my jigs and assist hooks, barrel swivels, split rings on temu, much cheaper for the exact same thing
Posted on 5/13/25 at 1:45 pm to Sea Hoss
quote:
I've tried all kinds over the years and can attest that the higher end jigs do out perform amazon knock offs. I prefer JJ or JYG brand.
Interesting, maybe next trip I'll stick with only JJ/JYG jigs to see if it makes a difference. Just sucks to break off and have another $25+ fall to the bottom of the gulf

Posted on 5/13/25 at 1:53 pm to Sea Hoss
So I already have a speedmaster II 12. From a reel standpoint would this be practical?
Thinking about a star rod, spiral wrapped, medium light (30-50 pound braid rated) (PIISPC68ML). I think 150-200 gram jigs will probably be my most used weight based on the average depth I fish
Thinking about a star rod, spiral wrapped, medium light (30-50 pound braid rated) (PIISPC68ML). I think 150-200 gram jigs will probably be my most used weight based on the average depth I fish
Posted on 5/13/25 at 2:12 pm to Mac
quote:
Just sucks to break off and have another $25+ fall to the bottom of the gulf
Yes it does, I only tend to jig around low relief structures if I can help it, damn a rig donkey breaking off $25 jigs on a cut off rig

Op: as far as your set up, I would use whatever I had to start with just to see if you like the style of fishing. Lighter outfits are better and easier to jig all day with but expensive. As far as jig weights and rule of thumb; 1 gram per ft of depth. That will work some days but others the current will require doubling that rule of thumb.
Nice YF I took on a JJ torpedo jig

This post was edited on 5/13/25 at 2:17 pm
Posted on 5/13/25 at 2:32 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
Never heard it called this, but watched a short yt video. This is basically how they jigged a rattletrap for stripers in the deep timber on Lake Seminole in the 80's. The strike would always come on the fall, as the rattletrap would flutter down.
Posted on 5/13/25 at 8:02 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
I’ve only done it maybe 40-50 times (still consider myself an amateur) but in my experience it works well when you are doing something like drifting a good ledge or natural bottom where you don’t know exactly where the fish are but it’s fishy. If you know exactly where the fish are, there’s no reason to Jig imo if you have good bait.
You want to go lighter than you think, generally speaking you want small light set ups. 15-20 lb test to start. Drag set at 12-15 lbs so high drag but not crazy high, let the fish fight the rod.
You also have to be careful as anywhere with a lot of kings you’ll lose expensive jigs.
You want to go lighter than you think, generally speaking you want small light set ups. 15-20 lb test to start. Drag set at 12-15 lbs so high drag but not crazy high, let the fish fight the rod.
You also have to be careful as anywhere with a lot of kings you’ll lose expensive jigs.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 12:34 pm to baldona
I went ahead and got a setup because I'm a degenerate.
We don't typically fish artificial reefs, we fish lot of natural bottom and rock piles along ledges in 160-210 feet of water.
I know that 30 pound test braid is kind of the baseline for this technique- but there isn't a ton of current in the panhandle, and there are large grouper and a lot of places for them to try to hide- said all that to say that all of the tackle shops around here recommended 40 pound test minimum.
We fairly routinely catch 20+ pound red snapper and grouper, and we have to deal with sharks, so there are times it's paramount to get them up ASAP. 15-20 pound test was never really in the cards for what I'm targeting. I got the Daiwa SAGLD35JH. Put 330 yards of Yo-Zuri zuper braid on it in 40 pound test- I'll probably fish with a 45 pound flouro leader to start. I've got it on an acid wrapped star rod rated for 100-300 gram jigs. Setup feels really nice in my hand, it's going to be nice not holding a broomstick all day if nothing else, but I'm definitely looking forward to learning the technique
Interesting take because I've read the opposite when it comes to true slow pitch- everyone i've read and listened to made it a point to say let the reel fight the fish, and that basically the rod is there to impart action on the jig and to keep the hook pinned when you get bit. Point the rod down and methodical steady "winch" on the reel. Old habits die hard though, i'll have to break the pump and wind mindset.
We don't typically fish artificial reefs, we fish lot of natural bottom and rock piles along ledges in 160-210 feet of water.
I know that 30 pound test braid is kind of the baseline for this technique- but there isn't a ton of current in the panhandle, and there are large grouper and a lot of places for them to try to hide- said all that to say that all of the tackle shops around here recommended 40 pound test minimum.
We fairly routinely catch 20+ pound red snapper and grouper, and we have to deal with sharks, so there are times it's paramount to get them up ASAP. 15-20 pound test was never really in the cards for what I'm targeting. I got the Daiwa SAGLD35JH. Put 330 yards of Yo-Zuri zuper braid on it in 40 pound test- I'll probably fish with a 45 pound flouro leader to start. I've got it on an acid wrapped star rod rated for 100-300 gram jigs. Setup feels really nice in my hand, it's going to be nice not holding a broomstick all day if nothing else, but I'm definitely looking forward to learning the technique
quote:
let the fish fight the rod
Interesting take because I've read the opposite when it comes to true slow pitch- everyone i've read and listened to made it a point to say let the reel fight the fish, and that basically the rod is there to impart action on the jig and to keep the hook pinned when you get bit. Point the rod down and methodical steady "winch" on the reel. Old habits die hard though, i'll have to break the pump and wind mindset.
Posted on 5/14/25 at 2:50 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
Interesting take because I've read the opposite when it comes to true slow pitch- everyone i've read and listened to made it a point to say let the reel fight the fish, and that basically the rod is there to impart action on the jig and to keep the hook pinned when you get bit. Point the rod down and methodical steady "winch" on the reel. Old habits die hard though, i'll have to break the pump and wind mindset.
Yeah poor wording on my end. That's what I meant. I mean people say "fight the reel", but I dont really get that, the rods are super light so the fish is pulling up and down on the rod.
The point as you more properly said, was to allow the fish to fight the lighter drag setting on the reel and pull drag over fighting a high drag setting and not pulling drag.
Nothing wrong with using 30-50 lb braid, the smaller diameter just allows you to use lighter weight jigs and doesn't get impacted by the current.
Ideal jigging conditions are something like 0.25-0.5 knot current so you are drifting but drifting slowly.
ETA: yeah most people just keep the rod steady and don't lift, just simply reel.
This post was edited on 5/14/25 at 2:54 pm
Posted on 5/14/25 at 3:51 pm to baldona
If you want to go down a rabbit hole on YouTube, check out this guy's channel. Aka Shen Jigging
I think he is sponsored by Hearty Rise rods. He puts the equipment through its paces. It's crazy the amount of drag he puts on the big grouper.
I think he is sponsored by Hearty Rise rods. He puts the equipment through its paces. It's crazy the amount of drag he puts on the big grouper.
Posted on 5/25/25 at 11:59 am to Riseupfromtherubble
Had my first crack at slow pitching yesterday. Caught more fish than all of the live bait guys on board. Landed 6 different species- ARS, Vermillion, Scamp, Gag, Amberjack, Mangrove. Filled the box


Posted on 5/25/25 at 7:23 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
Thats a great trip! Spj is such a fun technique.
I build my own rods but the saltiga you got is awesome. I have one on a power 4 and it packs a punch.
I typically fish near rigs in the Gulf so 65lb braid and 80lb leader are how we roll, but open water youd be surprised how light most folks go. 15lb-30lb depending on the depth (the deeper the water the lighter the line usually).
One of the best things about spj is the variety of fish you catch. Everything hits a jig.
The folks at johnny jigs are top notch. They love to talk about situations and setups. They live and breathe that stuff and a phenomenal resource for the whole spj community.
You should join the texas spj group on facebook (even though i realize you arent in tx). Theyre the most active group and have a lot of knowledge and info on trips all over the gulf.
I build my own rods but the saltiga you got is awesome. I have one on a power 4 and it packs a punch.
I typically fish near rigs in the Gulf so 65lb braid and 80lb leader are how we roll, but open water youd be surprised how light most folks go. 15lb-30lb depending on the depth (the deeper the water the lighter the line usually).
One of the best things about spj is the variety of fish you catch. Everything hits a jig.
The folks at johnny jigs are top notch. They love to talk about situations and setups. They live and breathe that stuff and a phenomenal resource for the whole spj community.
You should join the texas spj group on facebook (even though i realize you arent in tx). Theyre the most active group and have a lot of knowledge and info on trips all over the gulf.
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