Zig Jig System


		The Zig jig system The Zig Jig is fished by casting perpendicular to the flow or quartering downstream just a little. Let the Zig Jig sink to within 3" to 6" of the bottom on slack line and then give it a good pop with your rod. Drop your rod tip as the jig drops on the slack line and when you think it's almost on bottom, pop it again. As you are dropping your rod tip while the Zig Jig sinks, reel in the excess line. Repeat the pop and drop action of the retrieve all the way in. If you are fishing this technique correctly, you won't feel the fish bite. When you pop the Zig Jig at the bottom of the drop, you'll either pop the jig or set the hook. Trout, and most other fish, will hit the Zig Jig on the drop about 95% of the time. Most of the time they are biting at the bottom of the drop or as the Zig Jig nears the bottom. Under most conditions, if you are not catching fish, the jig is simply not getting deep enough and you will need to slow down your retrieve. If you are hanging up all the time you need to speed up your retrieve or pop the Zig Jig sooner. The water on the White and Norfork rivers is normally clear enough to estimate how deep it is. A good rule of thumb is to count the Zig Jig down at one foot per second. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is a must in order to estimate the depth of the water and to see the fish chase the Zig Jig. When you see a fish chasing the jig adjust your retrieve to the speed the fish seem to want that day. Many times the fish will swirl and strike at the Zig Jig all the way to the boat. Many fish are caught within three or four feet of the boat, including some pretty nice size fish. The Zig Jig is one part of the fishing system that I have developed. To complete the system I needed a great rod and line. The CrossFire rod was engineered specifically for the techniques used to fish the Zig Jig in the most effective manner possible. It is a 6' 6" IM6 graphite spinning rod with an ultralight, very fast action for lures from 1/32-5/16 oz. Like the Zig Jig the CrossFire rod was designed by fishermen for fishermen. I tried many rods and couldn't find one that would do exactly what I needed. Take a look in any catalog and see how many quality 6' 6" one piece rods you can find that will cast a 1/32 oz lure. I knew what was needed and kept tweaking the action, the backbone and high quality components until I finally found right match. The result is the CrossFire rod you see here. These rods are great for any kind of finesse fishing for trout, crappie, bass, bream, etc. You will have the ability to cast a long way with light lures, the sensitivity to feel your lure, and the power to land the big one. The last, but not any less significant, part of the Zig Jig System is the line. I use Tectan, a line that is sold exclusively through Cabela's. It is a German made line that is smaller in diameter, stronger, and has less memory than any other light line on the market. A bonus is that Tectan comes in only one color, a light green, that is perfect for any condition. Even in the clearest of trout waters it is almost invisible. If Tectan is not available I use a line from Rapala called Finesse Series. I use 4 lb. test in both of these brands, although Tectan has a 5.1 lb. test that will cast a 1/32 oz jig. The advantage of these lines is that they are smaller in diameter and allow the Zig Jig to work better. If you compare Tectan to other lines you will see what I mean. The last part of the Zig Jig System is a high quality spinning reel with an excellent drag system. Since you are using light line the drag needs to be smooth so a big fish can take line without breaking off before you've had a chance to wear him down and land him. There are a number of good brands available such as Shimano and Daiwa. A very important feature to have is anti-reverse because many times the fish will hit the Zig Jig on the initial drop. If the reel turns around, say 3/4 of a turn, to get back to the stop in it's action, you've missed the fish since your line was too slack to set the hook. Fishing is like anything else, it's a lot easier when you've got the right tools. Back to the top of the page.


ARKANSAS MARKETING & SPECIALTIES, INC.