Grouper jigging ? for yall.

[Jared D]

So I have been doing the jigging thing for about 3 years now. Had good results, but heres one area I am curious about. Some of the bottom numbers we hit in warmer water are covered with AJs, and often I dont want to mess with Jack after Jack after Jack. I have tried the yo-yoing style where you jig the lure off the bottom without reeling in line, and done OK, but it doesnt seem to do as well as when you make it dash up towards the top four or five cranks. However, once you get above the first few cranks, the AJs find ya more often.

What kind of tricks do yall suggest to keep the jig towards the bottom and still make it attractive to the local gag population.

[Anders]

try different color jigs, ones that are not as appealing to AJ's, darker colors, although an AJ will eventually eat anything, Tred Barta caught one on a slice of bologna.

Try only jigging it once or twice and then letting it go to the bottom.

Try using bait.

Try using bucktails, or other similar jigs that AJs might not jump on, but like I said earlier, they will eventually eat anything.

Try moving to different sides of the area where you are catching gags. Maybe the AJs wont be there, yet....

Try deeper spots that hold fish so maybe the AJs will be further up in the column.

AJs like big, bright jigs so try going small.

Those are different ideas I thought of while reading.

[Jesse Lockowitz]

vary between a few short fast hops and then slow yo-yo without taking up any line.

[Jiggin Junkie]

I like short fast hops without taking up any line.

[markc]

if i am covered up in AJs and want to get to the bottom, i will let my jig down as slowly as the current/drift allows. if i dont get bit on the bottom i can jig like crazy on the way up and hook into an aj.