Commit to the Trip

[Sea Draggin]

I want to touch on something about jigging and artificials that we experienced over the weekend. Jigging is just fishing......and fish move and don't always feed.

We looked all day Friday for a big knot of jacks and did well on groupers and pomps, but never found the jack mark we were looking for.

Sunday morning started slow as well, until we did eventually find a monsterous school.

I think it would have been easy to give up, but we were committed to the trip and it finally payed off bigtime. We didn't have one ballyhoo on the boat all weekend. Nothing but artificials. Sunday after the tourney, if we did have a pack of ballys, I have no doubt they would have been deployed, but we had committed to what we believed in and wanted to do.

I think a lot of people want the results I have had this year, but won't commit to the trip. They either save jigging / artificials for Plan B or try it for a few hours and then give up when they aren't killing it, instead of keeping the faith.

If you really want to get into fishing with artificials, then I say don't be afraid to commit. I encourage you to leave the trolling or bait fishing stuff at home one day, and just go for it. Sort of like switching from springs to monel. Sometimes you just have to dive in head first.

Just some thoughts I wanted to share, as I was thinking about how easy it would have been for us to give up.

Next time I might touch on Loyalty.

PS. I don't expect any replies to this, but thought I would put it out there, because commitment and loyalty have been on my mind all day.

[seasea]

i hear yah jim. its hard to stick w/a game plan sometimes when its not working out like you wanted. it feels great when things do finally come together, you feel as if you earned it.

[gman]

We went through the same thing in Panama believe it or not, the first 2 days were absolutely miserable, bites were very hard to come by. The captains suggested using bait as they were marking fish like mad but many of us just kept trying to dial them in until we really hit the jackpot. All it took was a change of technique and the fish reacted until we could not lift our arms anymore

I grew up trolling, chunking the NE canyons. I love sharking but Im addicted to popping and jigging. I like the challenge and have no problem scoring a zero for the day just for the challenge.

[Sea Draggin]

I'm looking at some of the nicest jigs I have ever seen. Three skids of them.

[swell rider]

I will give you two views on this, most charter capts. and mates for that matter base alot of the success of there days trip by what they throw on the dock at the end of the day, thats there biggest advertising..putting the meat on the dock and I understand that..When I take Jigging trips we plan the day before leaving the dock, bait or no bait..I don't base my success on what I put on the dock at the end of the day..

Now my personel opinion is if you want to throw Iron all day, knock yourself out I could care less...Guys getting into jigging today are like the old fly fishing guy's it's all about there style of fishing and how they want to do it and I respect that.. Sticking to what works for you as an Angler is whats important.. Successfull fishing trips should not be based on how many fish you kill but how much fun you had.

[Sea Draggin]

I'm looking at some of the nicest jigs I have ever seen. Three skids of them.

You NE tuna guys are going to want to kiss me on the mouth, but I have to ask you to refrain from that

There's even a smattering of triple ring ultra heavy split rings in there.

[Gmoney!]

pics please Jim....

As for jiggin...its just another style...and if you just want to catch fish, you use what you can to catch them.. if you are hell bent on using artificial means only, then obviously you can live with the consequences...each has its on place... I am just getting into this artificial stuff, and of course its a lot more fun then trolling... but I also enjoy live baiting...

Lets face it not many enjoy trolling

No comment on the loyalty thing :P

[markc]

I'm looking at some of the nicest jigs I have ever seen. Three skids of them.

hmm does this mean that i can finally order some more flat side jigs?

[Sea Draggin]

hmm does this mean that i can finally order some more flat side jigs?

They are beautiful and wait until you see the new hook sets. The 12/0 version of my original 10/0's on the 300g says New Jack City all over it.

I pulled one out for a quick look and all I could say was damnnnn!

[markc]

i get paid tomorrow