Starting a conversation among fishermen about what might be the “best” saltwater fishing lure will surely embroil you in a spirited discussion. Opinions and passions run strong on the subject, but many would argue that the humble bucktail jig should hold that title. The bucktail has been around almost as long as fishing itself and can be used to catch a great many different species.

Jigs are ultra-simple, cost-effective lures that can be fished alone or sweetened with a piece of cut bait to add scent. They consist of a lead head and a “skirt” of some sort, which adds both color and motion. Jigs come in a wide variety of sizes (defined by their weight), colors, head shapes, and with lots of options in terms of skirt material. They were originally named “bucktails” because the first ones used deer hair as a skirt, but synthetic materials are now the norm.

In this discussion, let’s focus on using jigs when bottom fishing, because that’s an area where they excel as a lure. Deep jigging, a technique where you drop a jig to the bottom on a reef or wreck, is both fun and highly productive. And as a bonus, you might get bit by a pelagic species on the way down or back up, if nothing eats it at the bottom. Jigs are best used when cast by a spinning rod that has a limber enough tip to impart a “jigging” action.

The term “deep” is misleading because there’s no standard depth that defines this. What does define it is how you work the jig. Drop it to the bottom, then work it back toward the top, jigging it with a series of striking motions with the rod. The idea is to make the jig move quickly and erratically up through the water column, like a wounded bait fish.

The size jig you’ll need depends on how deep it is where you‘re casting and how much current there is. You need to be able to reach the bottom, but still have a light enough jig to let the rod impart the proper action. It’s a balancing act worked out through trial-and-error, like so much else in fishing. But once you begin experimenting, you may find it’s a highly addictive activity, as so many others have.

Almost all bottom species react to jigs, including snappers, groupers and amberjack in the south, cod, pollock and striped bass up north, and the myriad rockfish species on the west coast. That’s why the lowly bucktail jig might just be the best lure you’ll ever own.

Contributed by John Brownlee of Blue Creative Group

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