Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Deep-Reef-Heavy-Tackle-Offshore » Jigging with Soft Plastics

Jigging with Soft Plastics

By Brendan Blackburn

When you hear the term jigging you begin to think of large metal lures, typically in the 100+ gram range, that require an intense retrieve to get the results you're after. There is little doubt that this style of fishing produces quality fish... but what if there was an easier way that produced just as many fish.

Well there is. Jigging with soft plastics has become many anglers go-to technique when fishing both the inshore and offshore scene, and it is without a doubt my go-to technique when fishing the local scene. It is physically less demanding than jigging with metal lures, so you can fish for longer and not get as worn out, leaving plenty in reserve for when you're target species hooks up.

With the ability to catch a wide variety of species and numerous retrieval methods available, it makes soft plastics hard to go past. When fishing between the 30 and 50 metre range you will often encounter species such as amberjacks and kingfish, right through to snapper and jobfish. Having the ability to target all four of these fish within the one retrieve is what makes soft plastics so affective.

For this depth I prefer to use the ZMan 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ in a range of colours, with a personal favourite being the Pearl colour. When rigging these plastics it's hard to go past the TT Lures 1oz 6/0 headlockZ HD jighead. I have found this to be a great combination, with a sink rate that still allows the plastic to reach the bottom even in high current scenarios, while being light enough to allow a natural slow sink that appeals to the mid-water fish such as snapper and green jobfish.

When targeting amberjacks and kingfish, you want to be looking for areas with large amounts of structure and bait. Wrecks, bommies and ledges are ideal locations as they often create back eddies and pressure edges underwater, trapping bait and in turn holding predators. In this situation, allow the lure to sink to the bottom, before ripping it back up with a pump and wind technique, similar to jigging with a metal jig. This can be achieved by using anywhere from three to ten aggressive twitches of the rod, while maintaining a fast wind, before pausing for a spilt second and then continuing the retrieve again. Nine times out of ten the quick pause is enough to trigger a bite from even the most timid fish, which can often be seen following the lure up on the sounder but refusing to eat. Just be ready for the last second hit when the lure is just below the surface. The retrieve is not over until the lure is out of the water.

Some people despise AJs and consider them a pest fish, however, from a sports fishing perspective they tick all the boxes. They fight hard and you just never know how big the AJ will be until the fish is at the surface. If they get their head down and are able to build some speed they are near impossible to stop with structure around.

Another method I find highly effective is a constant twitch and wind, which consists of a moderate to high speed retrieval while simultaneously twitching/ jigging the lure. I find this to be the best technique for aggressively feeding fish that often turn away from the lures if paused while using the aforementioned technique.

When chasing mid-water fish, such as snapper and green jobfish, fishing flatter country with smaller shows and less structure is ideal. These areas can be found close to bommies and ledges. Finding these isolated patches, away from the areas covered in bait balls and pelagic species, often produce the larger fish and reduce the chances of getting sharked.

Having located the fish, it pays dividends to use a multi-coloured braid, allowing you to pin point the depth of your lure and drop it right amongst the school of fish. Snapper are a sucker for a slow sinking plastic and the majority of the time will always eat on the drop or on the pause.

My preferred technique is a simple two to four erratic twitches of the rod tip, before allowing the lure to sink back down and pick up the slack line. When the fish are timid it pays to slow the retrieve down and fish a more subtle twitch, while keeping slight tension on the line as your lure sinks back down and in turn slowing the sink rate to a bare minimum. For this slower method you can't go past the ZMan 5" StreakZ Curly TailZ. Depending on the depth and current run it might also be worthwhile dropping a jighead size if the fish are fussy, allowing an even slower, more natural presentation.

So the next time you find yourself on the water give these methods a go and the results should speak for themselves. Just remember to switch it up, after all you're chasing a wild animal and how you caught them last trip won't always work this trip.

Cheers, Brendan

Gear List:
TT Lures HeadlockZ HD Jigheads
ZMan 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ
ZMan 5" StreakZ Curly TailZ