Fish with Metal Lures & Jigs

Primarily used to target fast moving, predatory species such as king fish, mackerel and tailor these fantastic lures have grown in popularity to the point where they now take the place of many other offerings when targeting an ever broadening list of top quality fish species. There are how ever four key rules which must be followed for success.

1 – The right metal lure or jig is selected

Selecting the right metal lure or jig requires some knowledge from the angler regarding what it will be used for and where? For example whilst targeting medium sized tailor and salmon over a short casting distance during calm, windless conditions, a small, light metal lure around 20 – 30 grams in weight might be selected. Where as if chasing larger tailor and salmon within a long casting distance in rougher , windier conditions, a metal lure that is larger and heavier may be required. Fishing with metal lures and jigs really gives an angler the chance to imitate the various actions of many bait fish to perfection. Metal lures are ideal for targeting fish species that hunt small to medium sized bait fish close to or on top of the water surface and will produce incredible results when used correctly. Metal jigs are designed to be retrieved vertically as opposed to metal lures and slices being retrieved horizontally through the water column. Size and colour choice is also a key factor when selecting any lure and trying to replicate the exact size, profile and colour of the prey your intended target species is feeding upon will increase chances considerably! Most lures on today’s market contain a series of stripes on them, this is designed to mimic the fright stripes often seen on bait fish during predatory situations. The weight of the metal lure or jig should also be taken into careful consideration as trying to cast a lightly weighted, metal a long distance requires skill and the correct fishing tackle. Selecting the correctly weighted jig is also crucial as a jig that is too heavy will simply not look natural enough to fool most fish and a jig that is too light will simply not make it down into the strike zone and stay there long enough to be truly effective.

2 – The lure is used with the correct rod, reel and line

Choosing the correct rod, reel and line to use in conjunction with your lure choice is extremely important! More often than not casting or jigging any lure, small or large, light or heavy will take its toll on the angler eventually. Choosing the wrong outfit as opposed to the right one will not only severely decrease your chances of catching a fish but also frustrate and exhaust you both physically and mentally. The correct fishing outfit should be a shear pleasure to fish with even when not catching. Budget is always the first thing to take into consideration with a good rule always being to spend one amount once! Never buy cheap, flimsy tackle as it will simply not last and eventually let you down when you need it most, generally on a fish of a lifetime! Braided line is generally a must for casting most lures including metals and due to its super thin, ultra low stretch qualities allows anglers to fish lighter, deeper and feel much more than they used to with conventional monofilament  lines when both casting and jigging. Most lures will swim with more action when used in conjunction with braided lines and fluoro carbon leaders! Medium sized 4000 – 6000 class spin reels loaded with light 10 – 20lb braided lines are generally used to throw metal lures for species such as tailor and salmon etc and when coupled up with light, graphite rods in the 6’6” – 7’ range make incredibly effective fishing tools for targeting an enormous variety of fish species.  These reels are also incredibly effective for jigging light 60 – 150 gram jigs and when loaded with PE lines with ratings of around 2 – 4 or 20 – 40lb and matched to light, powerful, graphite jig rods make excellent light jig combos. Reels with high speed retrieves are also preferred for casting and jigging metal lures and helps to place more action into a retrieved lure or jig with less exertion from the angler.

3 – The lure is cast or dropped into the correct location

Making sure the fish can see your lure by casting it or dropping it into the correct location is most important. Casting metal lures around turbulent surf zones, shallow reefs, current lines and bait schools is a sure fire way to locate many fast moving, predatory species. Dropping metal jigs to the sea floor around sunken wrecks, reefs and steep drop offs and pinnacles is also an extremely effective and exciting method of targeting an enormous variety of both pelagic and demersal fish species. There are many various shapes and styles of metal lures and jigs available on today’s market with them all having one thing in common,  they will all produce incredible results when fished at the correct location in the correct manner! Working out which lures and jigs to use when, how and why is often the fun and exciting part of fishing and something that keeps us forever guessing. Quite often a lure that is red hot one day will not work the next and this is the reason successful anglers carry so many. As with most fishing instances try to fish as light as possible this way your offering will look as natural as it possibly can. A jig or metal lure that is too large and simply being used because the anglers tackle is not adequate to cast something lighter and more appropriate will do nothing but frighten most fish away! Finesse is the key to most successful fishing scenarios and believe it or not still applies when fishing with metal.

4 – The lure is trolled or retrieved correctly

Trolling or retrieving metal lures and jigs with a natural and enticing action will increase strike rates considerably. Try to pay attention to the natural behaviour of the bait your intended target species is feeding upon and try to imitate it to perfection. Generally most bait fish have a slow stop, start or fast, erratic, panic stricken swimming motion that when replicated correctly will account for a very large variety of both demersal and pelagic fish species. Imparting action into the lure can be easily achieved by twitching the rod tip during the retrieve or troll. Extra depth may also be achieved by thrusting the rod down into the water whilst trolling or retrieving a cast. Attaching most lures with either a wire clip or loop knot will ensure they swim to their full capabilities! Keeping the rod tip pointed high whilst trolling and retrieving will ensure the lure tracks through the surface of the water column.

There are generally three types of retrieve used in conjunction with metal lures…

1. The slow roll, which is a simple slow wind of the reels handle whilst  the rod tip is pointed towards the water. This retrieve imparts a slow, weakened swimming action into the lure and is a great retrieve for slower moving species when used in conjunction with a few twitches and pauses mixed in.
2. The fast burn, is a retrieve used to fire up fish and is a matter of pointing the rod tip towards the water and winding the reels handle as fast as you’re heart will allow. This exhilarating retrieve imparts a fleeing, panicked bait fish action into the lure that most fast moving, pelagic species find irresistible!
3. The twitch and turn, is a retrieve that takes a bit of getting used to and requires a fair amount of co ordination and concentration to master successfully. Try to imagine you are freezing cold and shaking as you point your rod tip down towards the water and turn the reels handle at a slow to medium pace whilst vibrating the rod tip erratically. This should impart the shimmering action of a small, injured bait fish that is nervously making its way along the surface to avoid detection. This is an absolutely deadly retrieve that when used in conjunction with most lure types including metals has proven to produce results when all else fails!

Matching the right lure to the right rod, reel and line

Choosing the correct rod and reel to use in conjunction with your metal lure or jig is extremely important as the wrong combination will only result in frustration and failure.

Metal Lures for Casting

Heres a rough guide of what sized metal lures to use with which rod and reel outfits when casting…

1. Lure size – Ultra small – 5 – 15 gram
   Rod and reel match – Ultra light 1 – 3kg, 6’6” – 7’ graphite rod and 1000 class spin reel loaded with 2 – 4lb braided or gel spun line.
2. Lure size – Small – 20 – 30 gram
   Rod and reel match – Light 2 – 5kg, 6’6” – 7’ graphite rod and 2500 class spin reel loaded with 6 – 10lb braided or gel spun line.
3. Lure size – Medium – 30 – 40 gram
   Rod and reel match – Medium 4 – 8kg, 6’6” graphite rod and 4000 class spin reel loaded with 15 – 20lb braided or gel spun line.
4. Lure size – Large – 40 – 80 gram
   Rod and reel match – Heavy duty 8 – 15kg, 6’ – 7’  graphite rod and 6000 – 8000 class spin reel loaded with 20 – 30lb braided or gel spun line.
5. Lure size – Extra large – 80 – 125 gram plus
   Rod and reel match – Extra heavy duty 15 -24kg,6’graphite rod and 10,000 – 20,000 class spin reel loaded with 30 – 80lb braided or gel spun line.

 Metal Jigs for Jigging

Here’s a rough guide of what sized metal jigs to use with which rod and reel outfits when jigging…

1. Jig size – Ultra small – 40 – 80 gram
   Rod and reel match – Ultra light PE 1 – 2, graphite rod and 3000 class spin reel or ultra small sized overhead reel loaded with PE 1 – 2 rated braided line.
2. Jig size – Small – 80 – 150 gram
   Rod and reel match – Light PE 2 – 4, graphite rod and 4000 – 6000 class spin reel or small sized overhead reel loaded with PE 2 – 4 rated braided line.
3. Jig size – Medium – 150 – 200 gram
   Rod and reel match – Medium PE 4 – 6, graphite rod and 6000 – 8000 class spin reel or small to medium sized overhead reel loaded with PE 4 – 6 rated braided line.
4. Jig size – Large – 200 – 400 gram
   Rod and reel match – Heavy duty PE 6 – 8, graphite or fibreglass rod and 8000 – 10,000 class spin reel or  medium sized overhead reel loaded with PE 6 – 8 rated braided line.
5. Jig size – Extra large – 400 – 600 gram plus
   Rod and reel match – Extra heavy duty PE 8 graphite rod and  20,000 class spin reel or medium to large sized overhead reel loaded with PE 8 rated braided line.