Jig Spinner - Focus on Redfin Perch

By Tim Vincent

Who else out there has found a lure that's completely changed the way they look at targeting a species? For some it may be a barramundi and a frog, or a cod with a swimbait. For myself however, it's been the discovery of Jig Spinners for redfin perch. There's just something addictive and exhilirating about that slow thump of the blade through the rod, before being stopped in its tracks by a 45cm perch, that makes me smile every time.

I first discovered Jig Spinning for redfin at Lake Gillear, in my town of Warrnamboool, Victoria, a few years back. The lake had been fishing very well of an evening and I was looking to try a few new tactics. I knew of a few anglers further north using Jig Spinners to good success, in places such as Lake Wendouree and Fyans, so decided to tie one on.

A ZMan 3.75" StreakZ was selected as the trailer. This is a lure that I'd had previous good trips using. A rough and strong southely was blowing straight across the lake and into my face. I was less than 500m from the ocean. It didn't take long before a 45cm redfin was slid onto the bank. What a start! Following that, many smaller fish also found their way onto the hook that night. Later trips to the same spot yeilded quite a lot more fish and I was hooked.

The most obvious piece of tackle that you'll need for Jig Spinning is a Jig Spinner. For those who don't know, a Jig Spinner is basically a simple spinnerbait without the lower section of weight, skirt and a hook. This section is replaced by a clip. To this clip you can attach a jighead rigged soft plastic, or even a vibe.

The Tribe Fishing range of single bladed Jig Spinners dominate my tackle bag. The Olympic style blade offered on the Tribe Fishing spinners is a perfect mix of both a willow and a Colorado blade, making it ideal for all conditions.

The choice of soft plastic is completely up to you. The most popular choices are grubs and paddle tails, as these are lures that come to life whilst being shaken about by the spinning top blade. ZMan's Slim SwimZ and GrubZ are both ideal. I've actually found minnow style plastics to be super effective also, despite having no built-in action to them.

Jighead choice should be a little heavier than you'd normally pick for a soft plastic combo. The reason for this is that the spinner wants to pull the plastic up in the water column, so the lure rises to the top quite quickly over the retrieve. For redfin in my usual spots of 2-10m, I find a 1/12oz is the lightest weight that I'll go for any depth under 3m, while anything over I will fish a 1/8oz head. If the lure rises too quickly, just give it enough time to sink back to the bottom.

The rods and reels for Jig Spinning don't require anything special, although one thing I can say is to go slightly heavier than your usual soft plastic rod. This is because you're also adding the weight of the Jig Spinner and the whole combo also creates a fair amount of resistance when dragged through the water.

I am a big fan of a light baitcast combo for this. A light or medium light power rod in the 6'6" range, matched with a baitcast reel loaded with 15lb braid is a heck of a lot of fun. It's a very similar way of fishing to spinnerbaiting for Murray cod, where baitcasters rule the game. Being able to palm that reel and feel it all through your hands is, in my opinion, a lot nicer than spin.

Spin still has its place however, especially when punching out a long cast to cover plenty of water. It may also be the best option for those that are not experienced using baitcast tackle. A leader of 10lb is ideal if you're after big fish near heavy cover, however 6lb will be fine for smaller fish. Platypus Hard Armour FC Fluorocarbon is always my go to. Flurocarbon is exactly what you need for fishing around rocks and timber, or in clear water.

Don't go thinking that redfin are the only target on Jig Spinners as I've also caught my fair share of freshwater natives using them. Yellowbelly have a real soft spot for Jig Spinners in particular. Match a 1/8oz jighead to a Black ZMan 2.5" GrubZ, pair it with a Jig Spinner and you'll be impressed. My first, and biggest, river yellowbelly fell to this combination in the Wimmera River.

Larger Jig Spinners, such as the TT Lures Jig Spinner HD, are perfect for Murray cod and especially for pressured fish or clear water as you don't have the bulk of a skirt. Whilst targeting the redfin, more than a few brown and rainbow trout have also fallen victim to the Jig Spinner. Usually I've had a paddle tail plastic of 2.5", such as a ZMan 2.5" Slim Swimz, attached when the trout have struck.

Up north, I also enjoyed a fantastic trip Jig Spinning jungle perch in urban Cairns a few years back. Sooty grunter, saratoga and barramundi are all also prime Jig Spinner targets. Also, don't be fooled into thinking that Jig Spinners are a freshwater only option. Yep, they work in the salt! Flathead, salmon, estuary perch, mulloway and even pinkie snapper have all fallen victim.

What kind of retrieve is best when fishing a Jig Spinner? Keep it simple! I've found that ever since I started, a slow wind is the most effective retrieve technique. Let the lure hit the bottom, before slowly winding it back. I usually pause the lure every now and then to keep it on or near the bottom. If you're fishing over weeds or a snaggy area, keep the rod tip up high to bring that lure up and over it.

Hopefully I've enlightened you to one of the most effective lures on redfin, while fishing in the freshwater. Remember though that you can target just about anything you wish with the old Jig Spinner!

Cheers, Tim

Gearing Up:
Tribe Fishing Jig Spinner
TT Lures Jig Spinner
TT Lures HeadlockZ Finesse Jigheads
ZMan 2.5" Slim SwimZ
ZMan 2.5" GrubZ
ZMan 3.75" StreakZ
Platypus Hard Armour FC Fluorocarbon - 6-10lb