Technique 03
Vertical jigging in the Canary Islands
Straight down, straight up, and a take that feels like the rod has been kicked out of your hands. Jigging is the most physical fishing we offer and the one that produces on a bad day.
What vertical jigging is
A metal jig is dropped to the bottom and worked upwards with a rhythm of rod lifts and reel turns. The jig imitates a wounded baitfish fleeing vertically: an escape route no predator ignores.
The rhythm is everything. Too slow and nothing commits; too fast and you exhaust yourself in ten minutes.
When and why
When and why we use it here
Jigging is our winter backbone and our fallback on any day when the pelagic picture is poor. Structure holds fish regardless of what the surface is doing.
It is also the technique for anglers who want to work for the fish rather than wait for it.
Tackle
Tackle and rigging
Short, powerful jigging rods with fast reels and serious drag. Braid main line for the direct connection: you feel the take through the rod, not the line stretch.
Jig weight is dictated by current, not depth. In strong current we go heavier to stay vertical; the moment the line angles away, the technique stops working.
On board
What it is like on board
Hard work in short series. Ten minutes of jigging is a workout, and most people are content with half a day.
The reward is immediate: the take is violent, unmistakable, and it happens with the rod in your hands rather than in a holder.
We don't wait for the fish. We follow them.
Tell us when you are coming
Send us your dates and the species you are after. We will tell you honestly what the ocean is likely to be doing.