Murubushi 2-day Trip
We went on the picnic with Murubushi. 2-day trip to Aguni and Tonaki islands. Unlike our island stay trip, in which we stay in a lodge on Aguni Island, this trip will just anchor the boat through the night under the stars. 48-hour fishing marathon. This is also fun.
More
32kg Malabar Grouper
So it happened in the first day of 2-day island stay trip to Aguni Island with 23 anglers from Hong Kong. They came to Okinawa and I organized the fishing trip as a field guide with 3 local captains. I caught this 32kg Malabar Grouper, Epinephelus malabaricus. Rod. Slow Jerker 603-3 Reel. Ocea Jigger 2000NR-HG Line. Super Fireline PE2.0 Leader. Seaguar FXR #12 Jig. SFC Rector 210g It was toward the end of the day. We were at the bottom of the tide, the current was loose and the fish was slow. People were not catching much at this time and I had nothing much to do as a field guide. All day I had been helping anglers and ike-jime closing their catch. Well, I might as well give it a shot with my slow pitch jigging now. Luckily, right away I caught this 5kg Chinamanfish, Symphorus nematophorus This cheered up the group. Yes, that’s what I wanted. Nothing keeps you going more than someone else’s good catch. Another hour had passed. Nothing much happened. I continued my jigging. At 17:50, captain announced that it would be our last drift of the day. We were only 5 minutes away from the island port. 60m deep. In the earlier drift, we drifted over a drop off. It was 60m dropping down to 100m just in about 20 horizontal meters. It was very steep. I didn’t know beforehand. As I played several touchdowns, I …
More
Keep it rolling for 2017
This was my second day out this year. I really wanted to get the action back in my bones because I felt a little shaky in whatever I did on the boat on my first trip. Off we went on Kou Maru. My first ride on this boat. This is one of a few boats that operate on the east coast of Okinawa island. The fishing field was pretty close, within 90 minute range away from Naha area. The captain said we were going to hang around mostly 200m. We stopped around 130m first. I got a little amberjack, which I released. Slow Jerker 603-4 Ocea Jigger 2000NR-HG Supre Fireline #2.5 Seaguar FXR #12 SFC Arc 230g The boat was silent for a while until I brought a 2-meter red stick on board. SFC Abyss 290g on 603-4, at 200m deep. Red Cornetfish is slimy any yucky. But this fish is priced very high for high-end Kyoto restaurants. Sashimi is good. Soup is good. The fine oil has a little sweet taste. Only thing you should concern is that, if you heat it for too long, the meat gets firm easily. The disappointment was that you only catch this fish when the tide is not moving and fish is not active. We knew the tide was loose, judging by the water resistance on the line, and this catch confirmed it. One of my fellow anglers got another cornetfish, and the captain decided to move on to deeper. …
MorePrevious Blogs
The first jigging trip of the year 2017
I was finally able to go out fishing!!! (January 3) …
We took a ride on Yumeno Maru. 3 hours north …
Amberjack in its supreme season
Amberjack is getting ready for their spawning season. They are …
My first fishing trip of the year
Wishing everyone a happy 2016!!! Finally I was able to …
My first trial with SFC new jig ABYSS
I went out on Tengu last Wednesday. There have been …
What goes around comes around (Part 2)
So my morning has passed with a lot of excitement …
What goes around comes around (Part 1)
I went out for my last fishing trip of the …
I went out for the first full day trip of …
We had a great weather on Sunday after the weather …
Hi everyone. I’m aware that I have so many emails …
Hi Toto,
I want to say thank you for all your efforts on this web site.
I found slow pith very interesting on my kayak fishing,
After reading information and discussions on this site i started,
Working and fishing with this style.
I filmed my fishing trips and tried to shape my style on each trip,
The success come quicly! So .. I want to say Thank You again 🙂
Attached video from my last trip dedicated to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBGTv4eFaug
With Regards,
Kobi Shalom
Hi Kobi.
I watched you video. Nice catch! It looks like you got good rod actions going there.
But it looked like your line was going down really sideways. It would help you a lot more if you can stay a little more vertical.
Do you use a sea-anchor? Even dragging a bucket may help you. Kayak is under a lot of influence of the wind. It would improve your productivity very much if you just have the counter-measures for that.
Nice…. Learn a lot from reading your blog.may I know what your favourite jig. What type and color most effective
Hi Frenzyhook.
I don’t believe there’s no BEST jig or color. It’s very important to have varieties of jig weights and types, and you choose them purposefully with the adequate action tone.
http://www.anglers-secrets.com/faq-how-should-i-match-the-rod-to-the-jig/
Personally, I use all the SFC jigs in one trip mostly. Rector, Abyss, Arc are probably the most frequent jigs I use. But it doesn’t mean they get the fish I catch. Amberjack may have been caught around the active school of fish with Spunky on energetic tactic. Grouper may have been aught when there was no fish action with Gawky on fall tactic.
Hope I’m making sense.
Hello Totos,
Few weeks ago I went out with my kayak to test my slow pitch jigging skils ,again :-), Fish’s was small and most of them released back to grow. after watching the GoPro video I found setisfied progressive with my slow pitch technique and again! I feel need to share it with you and say again Thanks! Thanks for high quality information you share on your web site and on YouTube, information that make us grow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fv54-srX4k
Best regards from israel,
Kobi Shalom
Hi Kobi.
Thank you very much for sharing your video.
I can see that you are playing different rhythms and actions. That is very good to see. Especially on kayak, only limited range of rod angle is available for actions. Enjoy fishing and keep up your good work!
Hi Toto,
I have recently started getting into slow jigging and have a Shimano Ocea Calcutta 300hg and a Storm Adajo, i normally fish at 30m-50m will this rod and reel work?
What PE line and which jigs do you recommend?
I have always wanted to get a conventional overhead but have concerns with reels with no level wind, can you please let me know of your thoughts?
Thanks.
Hi C.
Storm rods are not available in Japan and I can’t make my suggestions on that. Sorry.
Ocea Calcutta 300HG is one of Sato Sensei’s favorites. He uses it in the shallow waters like yours, and when he doesn’t expect any big fish. Targeting small groupers and other dermersals.
But here’s some ideas on why Sato Sensei doesn’t use level winder for open targets.
http://www.anglers-secrets.com/why-do-we-use-the-reel-without-levelwider/
The one without the level winder just needs a little line management when you collect your line. Not necessary during actions. It’s not much especially in the shallow waters like yours.
Hello Toto !!! I wanted to say thank you for all the videos, the recommendations and the explanations … I wanted to ask about ass’s hooks I purchased several models and always listed numbers like 202,203,205 or 217,218 and so how can I tell which sizes these destroyers are parallel in the market? Such as 0/2 0/3 and so on.
Hi Elico.
I’m quite sure what you are asking exactly, but it’s about the hook size ratings.
ASS hooks are Kinryu. Kinryu, Decoy, Cultiva, Gamakatsu, all the manufacturers use different sizing.
There is a picture to compare ASS and Pike here.
http://www.anglers-secrets.com/product/02hook/a-s-s-standard-anaaki-hook/
ASS hooks are available in 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 now. 26 is a little bigger than Pike 3/0.
Hey Toto !!! I wanted to ask a question about ocea jigger 2001 ….. I use this machine along with evergreen 603-3. When I filled the thread I did it in a slow and orderly way with my finger and sometimes rolling a thread and working long builds up a lot of thread in one area while on the other hand there is less thread Is it common and happens a lot or is I just doing something wrong? Thanks in advance
Hi Elico.
I’m not quite sure what you are asking, but you are saying that your PE line is not loaded evenly on your reel?
Yes, you should always try to spool the line evenly. Use your thumb or a finger to guide the line to get the even load. When you are fishing the fish, that is not possible. Never mind. Just remember to control the line load whenever possible.
The important thing is to line is loaded tightly, and that the line is not crossed steeply. Otherwise, when you happen to fight a big fish on that loose load or crossed load, the line may break right there.
From your reply to my question …. I understand that this happens often so as you say should guide the thread with a finger because the line is not loaded evenly when I collect the line. Thank you very much
Hi Totos,
I’ve been following this site and your blog for some time and finally I bought all the gear that is needed for slow pitch jigging:
– ocea jigger 2001 NR HG
– Goskupe Slow Tech GSL66-160
– PE line DANGAN BRAID #2 (35lb) x8
– VARIVAS Shock Leader 25 LB fluoro carbon
and all other rings, double assist hooks and jigs.
I think I am ready to try, but I need small advice:
I dont know how to begin the spooling line on ocea jigger, which is the best way?
THANK YOU
ALL THE BEST
Srdan
Hi Srdan.
Welcome to slow pitch jigging.
OJ2000 loads about 620m of PE2.0 line. I don’t know how long your line is, but I would back up the reel with a mono line, PR knot to PE line, and try to load max spool.
Thank You so much ,
is there a specific knot for tightening mono to spool? I’m asking, because , as You know the spool is U shape…
I don’t know what you mean by U shape, but any knots will do. You see many on the web.
Hello Toto san! How are you? I am Paolo from Italy! Long time we don’t talk! Toto I have questions for you about Micro jigging. You teach us that for the GearLab Micro Flips we can use a spinning rod and spinning reel and just cast and retrieve, ok good! But for the Daiwa TG Baits?? Can I use a spinning rod and spinning reel to do the “Crazy Shake” the “Tip Flips” or the “High Pitch”…? Or can I use a Light Jigging Rod I have for Inchiku-Kabura? Or I need a proper Slow-Pitch Jigging Rod to move the Daiwa TG Baits? どうもありがとうございました Thank you very much!
When you are in the shallow waters, on a free drifting boat, I think micro jigging is the most effective and the most versatile techniques there is. Diagonal alignment is better. You should cast is the boat is not drifting much. It’s very important, like any other jigging techniques, to make 2 different actions clearly and alternately. Lifting to invite, fall for bites.
TG Bait is a very versatile jig. Try any actions. Choose spinning if you are in diagonal alignment, overhead if in vertical alignment.
Hello Toto! Thank you for your explanation, very good! I understand the concept for the Micro Jigging. I have question for the TG Bait, when I choose spinning in diagonal alignment I can use a spinning rod, correct?? If I am vertical and I choose overhead (Hi-pitch??) can I use the same spinning rod? Thank you very much for clarifying!
Yes spinning works better in diagonal alignment. Of course spinning works in the vertical game too.
Maybe you should understand the pros and cons of the spinning. Pros are, the spinning is good at fast retrieving by rotations and it’s good at casting, while the overhead is good at steady retrieve. Cons are, the spinning creates too much noise when retrieving when you want to listen to the line, and it doesn’t have torque in one single turn.