I’m writing in response to questions about which jig types to use in different conditions and tactics. I’m just sharing my own personal preferences. Remember the jig choice possibility is unlimited. You can be creative with the different action tone (rod power and jig weight combination) too. I just hope this will help you classify jig types.

What jig for the first drop?

When you get to the first fishing point of the day, one of the purposes to choose the first jig to drop is to evaluate the conditions. I recommend to use the same jig as the pilot jig so that you can build up the sense to know how vertical you are, how the bottom current is moving, and what kind of fish will be interested, what kind of action is effective and so on.

Arc

Arc is what I recommend. It’s such a versatile semi-long jig. Adaptive to any conditions, Fast to fall, great in uplifts and also in falls. Ideal for the scouting jig. If you really get to know this jig, you can pick up a lot of information about what’s going on down there. Pay attention to how it lifts (light or heavy), how long it slides (long or short), and how it falls (fast or slow).

What jigs for slow conditions?

Sometimes the bottom current is not moving and the fish is slow. Even though you see fish one the fish locator, they are not biting.

Rector

Rector is such an effective, proven jig. Good for any fish. Works very well in uplifts and in falls. It falls like a falling leaf. Slow application or fast. Strong action or soft. As long as you are in the light water situation, Rector will do the job.
The only downside is that it’s slow to fall. When you are not in the vertical alignment, you don’t want to use this jig.

Secret Rector

Secret Rector is Rector with ditches on the belly. It lifts lighter and slides longer at the end of the lifts. Bigger horizontal range of movement. So when you want to show more lifts with some energy, use Secret Rector. When you want to show lifts and falls, use Rector.

Abyss

Abyss is pretty versatile but especially effective in falls. It’s a very technical jig and such fun to play with because the jig is so sensitive to your different actions. If you give no tension on the falls, the jig falls slow in random actions. If you give a little tension on the falls, the jig slashes down fast.

So, always make sure you are fast to go to one direction, and slow to the other direction. Lift slow when you fall fast. Lift fast when you fall slow. Make that change of pace. Do not go fast up and down. If you manage the line tension in up and down, this jig is great to work with.

Gawky

Gawky is the fall game specialist. Lift flow with the soft action tone, and let it free fall. This is the first jig in Slow Pitch Jigging history that proved the falls actually work. Fall is a sign of weakness. It is effective especially when the fish is slow and only interested in easy targets.

What jigs for non-vertical alignment?

When you are free-drifting, sometimes the wind pushes your boat and you can’t stay vertical. This is a heavy water situation. When you pull up the the rod, the water feels heavy and your line feels like a rubber band. What you can do is to use light line and heavy jig to keep your line as straight as possible with the jig.

When you are not vertical and pulling away from your jig fast, don’t use Rector because it falls too slow. And don’t use Gawky because the application is likely to use many falls, which will allow the jig to be pulled away.

Spunky

Spunky is fast-to-fall, light-action jig. For the normal use of this jig, when you want to show energetic action, you want to use this jig in strong action tone. But when the condition is tough and it’s hard to stay vertical, this jig does a great job in soft action tone (heavy jig weight for the rod power) too in the heavy water situation.

The downside is that it lifts light and fast, and it falls fast. Going fast up and down is a sign of unpredictability. Everyone stays away from the crazy boy. In the light water condition, play energetic actions with not much falls. lift fast, give it a punch, this jig flies, and reel in as it falls, and lift fast… It will be fast paced application with short falls. But in the heavy water situation, while other jigs have trouble following your actions, this jig can play. In the heavy water situation, the fall won’t be fast.

Arrow

Arrow is the latest addition to SFC jigs. It was designed specifically for free-drifting situation. Very fast to fall, and very sensible to respond. Try not to use fall actions much. Imagine that it suspends in the water at the end of the lifts. It’s great for Tuna too.

Arc

Arc is also a great jig to go to when the water is heavy.

What jigs for deep waters?

I’d say 150m+ deep waters as being on the spankered boat. If you are free-drifting, you can say 100m+ deep waters.

Cranky

Cranky is very responsive jig. It doesn’t work well with big actions but very effective by small short rod actions, in general. When you go deep, all your actions on the boat is minimized at the jig. That makes this jig great in the deep. Available in heavy weight as 500g+ too.

Gawky

Gawky is specifically designed for fall actions in deep waters. Available in heavy weight as 900g.

Arc

Arc is also a great jig to go to when the water is deep.

This is condition-oriented classification. Each jig type is NOT limited to above conditions. In the field, I try every jig types until I find the lucky jig.