We have a report from Mario in Malaysia.

Mairo’s tackle
[highlight1 variation=”orange”]Rod[/highlight1] ?
[highlight1 variation=”orange”]Reel[/highlight1] Shimano Ocea Jigger 2000NR-HG
[highlight1 variation=”orange”]Line[/highlight1] ?
[highlight1 variation=”orange”]Leader[/highlight1] ?
[highlight1 variation=”orange”]Jigs[/highlight1] Seafloor Control Rector 180g

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IMG-20140916-WA0048m-

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Hi Totos!

I just got back from my fishing trip at Pulau Jarak here in Malaysia.

I am CONVINCED by slow jigging! It just works! Before the trip, I managed to get myself an Ocea Jigger 2000 but could only find a cheap jigging rod that doesn’t have much bounce to it. I’m still on the lookout for a better alternative here in Malaysia.

Anyway, even with this mismatched setup, I was still able to land 5 fish and missed a big one that managed to unhook itself.

We were fishing in relatively shallow water…around 60m. I decided to go with the Rector 180gm and proceeded to try the long fall method described in your website. I tried slow-pitching, but the rod was just not reactive enough. It bounced back so quickly that it almost felt like speed jigging. With the long fall technique, I made sure to be extremely deliberate and moved very slowly. After each lift, I only cranked 1/4 turn.

It worked! In less than an hour, 5 landed. The first 2 were very small (one was only slightly larger than the jig!) and thankfully managed to release without much harm. They were both lizard fish.

The 3rd one landed is the first photo I attached. This proves to me that slow jigging works so well because this fish (we call it chicken fish in Malaysia because the meat is quite firm) has a tiny mouth and there is no way it will go after a speed jig. It got hit by 2 of the hooks and was a pleasant surprise!

The 4th one landed was a large 2kg squid! First time I ever caught a squid on a large metal jig! We didn’t take a photo because it was busy decorating the boat with ink!

IMG-20140916-WA0041m-The last one I landed was a golden snapper…a rather small one but so satisfying on this method. Usually with speed jigging, the jigs are worked out of these bottom dwellers strike zone. This slow jigging method is PERFECT for these!

Unfortunately, the current picked up after this and I could no longer keep the jig vertical…looks like I will need to get a few heavier jigs from you before my next trip! With the fast current also came a small school of Spanish Mackerel…I didn’t want to lose my precious new jig to these line cutters!

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and advice with me. I made sure to read and read and read your website to try and remember everything and it is so satisfying to see that it really does work!

With sincere thanks and best regards,
Mario

=== Catches ===
golden snapper
lizard fish
filefish
squid

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Congratulations Mario! Lizard fish? Filefish? Squid? If you start hooking those fish, you are definitely getting slow pitch going. Sooner or later, you will be hooking the kind of fish that other anglers would long for.

I assume you were fishing on a free drifting boat with no sea-anchor? If that’s the case, your decision on 1/4 crank per pitch was a brilliant intuition. The current pushes the line to bring up the jig anyway. I would jerk the rod sideways, following the extension of the line going into the water, maybe without any reeling even. And I would try to move it in the widest swing possible in order to have the maximum fall time. I don’t know how you did it, but I’m sure your application was right on the money for that circumstance.

I wish I could see your decoration of the squid ink! I’m sure it must have been very Zen looking 🙂

Now you’d better get yourself a descent rod and heavier jigs!
Good luck!