Vertical jigging

lerouxjaco

Senior Member
This method of fishing is definitely very effective and a productive method, and is a must if going after game fish. Jigging can be used effectively for not just catching fish but also to entice fish in striking and works very well while drifting for game species as one or two anglers can jig at a time while in the drift.

 This article from the net gives some basics on jigging

 

There are numerous names and sub sets of Jig Fishing including:
 
 Speed Jigging
 Japanese Jigging
 Deep Jigging
 Butterfly Jigging
 Extreme Jigging
 Vertical Jigging
 "Working the Iron" 
 
These are some of the many names for jigging with long jigs that has seen a phenomenal rise in popularity within Asia, Oceania, Europe and now the US. 
 
Its recent rise in popularity hides the fact that Jig Fishing is one of the world oldest fishing techniques via lures.  Its origins can be traced back to the early Polynesians and Europeans hundreds of years ago.  So we can be sure this type of artificial lure fishing works.

In the early 1990 Yoichi Mogi of Japan reinvented jigging. He was the driving force behind many of the improved rods, reels and jigs which popularized this new Japanese style jigging. 
 
Traditionally big fish are landed with heavy rods, lines & lures.  The challenge has historically been a combination of fighting the fish and the tackle which reduced the enjoyment of the sport. 
 
But the Japanese tackle companies embraced a total redesign of their salt water fishing equipment.  The results are very impressive with light weight powerful reels combined with small but incredibly strong graphite rods.  These combos put enjoyment back into fishing and produced an amazing list of angling accomplishments normally reserved for heavier tackle.


  

Effective jigging

The success to a jig fishing trip is the ability of the boats skipper to put the jigger over and onto fish.  Initially finding fish might simply mean looking at a fish finder but first the skipper must know where to look and how to give the jig fishermen the chance to make the most of the opportunity.

The main advantage of vertical jigging is, you are placing the jig precisely where the fish are located.  Knowing the depth of the shoal, the jigger can drop the jig to the exact required depth with multicolored braided line.  This line is also known as PE (Poly Ethylene or braid) line.  Working the jig at a precise depth is more effective than jigging blindly.

Predatory fish such as Yellowtail Kingfish frequent underwater reefs and structures.  Look for fish on the 'up-current' side of structures and reefs.  It is the skill of the boats skippers to position their crafts up current of the structure and allow for current drift, wind and give sufficient time for the jigs to drift and hit their mark.   From there it is the skill of the jigger to tempt the fish to hit.

Fish will attack jigs when they are feeding, if a baitfish appears to be injured or fleeing the predator.  Other times the jigger will simply get an impulse strike if the jig presentation is right.  Jig presentation is improved by working the jig with the rod and the reel.  The Japanese have created jigging techniques called mechanical jigging or fast pitch, short jerk to enhance the action of their highly technical jig designs.  

 

Using these particular techniques is very effective and less tiresome than speed jigging"

Jigging Reels

Some jiggers have a preference for overhead (multiplier or conventional) as opposed to regular spinning reels.  For overhead reels we suggest a narrow spool reel as line laying will not be such a major problem and you can then focus on working the jigs.

Recommended overhead reels:

Shimano 

Ocean Jigger

Trinidad

Torium

Daiwa 

Saltiga

Saltist

Accurate - Boss

Studio Ocean Mark Blue Heaven

Duel Speedy

Pro Gear Oceanus

Recommended spinning reels:

Shimano 

Stella

Twinpower

Daiwa

Saltiga

Blast

Finnor

Van Staal

Accurate Twinspin

There are other reels that may be worth including but those listed reels are very popular and well proven globally. Some reels are very capable while others will have limitations due to the rigors of extreme jigging.

There is a common misunderstanding about high gearing jigging reels.  Due to the ever growing quantity of jiggers experimenting in deeper and deeper waters, there is a requirement for heavier jigs and occasionally less streamlined jigs.  A heavy jig load and the increasing fish size have made the use of 6:1 gears plain hard work!  Practiced jiggers prefer 4:1 to 5:1 ratio gears with the torque to do the work without undue fatigue.

A good drag system is imperative to firstly stop, and then reel in big target fish.  Fish such as Kingfish and Hapuka (Grouper) make their home in deep reef systems.  When hooking up on these denizens, you have to stop them from running back into the reef.  Similarly, hard running pelagic need suitable drag pressure to stop them.  From both scenarios, poor drag performance will usually produce one result!

Jigging Rods

As with any type of fishing, there is never one rod that will suit all occasions. A good jigging rod must be light, have a parabolic action and strength for lifting.  Parabolic rods are easier to jig in the Japanese style, they also help the angler fight big fish and are needed for braided line.

Depending on the jigging style and reel type employed, rod lengths can vary.  Overhead reels are best partnered with short rods, as short as 5"  Spinning reels are best with longer rods, as long as 7".  Most novice jiggers will begin with an existing longer rod, graduating into a specialist rod later.  The following are simple guidelines -  

Recommended jigging rods -

Jigging Master

Daiwa Saltiga

Shimano Trevala

Shimano Speed Master

Carpenter                           

Smiths

Lamiglas Tropic Pro

Sevenseas

Fisherman

CB One

Seed

Calstar

There will be many other rods that would be worthy of inclusion but these listed rods have been popular and well proven world-wide.  All of the above brands have rods that are very capable for extreme jigging in both overhead and spinning models.  Different target fish will require different jigging styles which may need different rod types.  Ask for expert advice about rod choice to avoid a costly mistake.

Jig types

There are many different jig manufacturers on the market but they all produce jigs where the weight positioning is centre weighted, tail weighted or somewhere in between.

Centre weighted jigs

These jigs are weight balanced near its centre.  This jig is designed to flutter, glide and dart during the drop but fall slower than tail weighted designs.   Use this jig in shallower water and for bottom fish (Snapper) that prefer a slower, fluttery presentation.  These jigs are the most common and versatile designs and are must have weapons in the jigger’s arsenal. 

 

Recommended centre weighted jigs

Hardy Long

Curved Slider

Ruddertail

Triangle

                                        

Tail weighted jigs

 

These jigs are weight balanced at or near the tail.  This jig is designed to drop and lift quickly with a little action.  These are the jigs to target deep water bottom fish as their streamlined designs will resist the effects of current better. 

The jigs also tend to have small face profiles for better streamlining thus reducing the jig load felt at the rod.  Because they are used in deep water, most jigs tend to have luminous finishes which help illuminate this lethal offering to any prospective fish.

Use these jigs to target deep water Kingfish, Hapuka and Sea Bass.    

 

Recommended tail weighted jigs

Super Deep

Deep Slim

Curved Slider

 

There will be other jigs on the world market that could be included but there are so many manufacturers that it would be impractical to list them.  The above jigs are very popular and successful. 

Jig size

When choosing the jig size - target fish, water depth and current flow should be considered.  Heavy tail weighted jigs can be used with pin point accuracy on a small target.  A common guide is for 100g for every 20m of water. 

Choosing between a short or long jig might be helped by comparing jig length to the local baitfish at the time.  It is also a long-held belief by Japanese jiggers that a long jig resembles a big baitfish which will entice the bigger predators!   This choice then becomes a personal one or one that is determined on the day as fish will always have their daily preferences.

 

Jig color 

With a wide range of jig colors, patterns and finishes; it can be hard to choose a suitable color.  There is a long held belief that the jig color should match the overhead light conditions i.e. dark overhead = dark colored jig, bright sunny = bright colored jigs.  At night and during deep jigging sessions, jigs that are mostly luminous are popular because of their ability to be seen in the dark water.  Often before the first drop, I will observe what color jigs have been selected by other jiggers and then choose a different color.  This way most of the color spectrum is covered and if there is a hot color, then you can quickly change to that.   In most cases, the prettiest jig is the one that gets tied on and we all know that you will only get bit if you have it in the water.

 

Assist hooks

One of the most significant jig developments has been the assist hook.  The assist hook comprises a wide gape hook spliced to a short, looped Kevlar cord.  The cord is usually looped onto the connecting end of the jig so that the hook is positioned behind the head and belly area of the jig.  This is an area jiggers believe predatory fish strike which leads to improved hook sets.  Another benefit is less snags because of the absence of the traditional tail treble.  Many Japanese jiggers believe that predators also attack the assist hook so they often dress the hook like a flasher or fly.

Choose an assist hook by ensuring the hook gape is wider than the jig.  Jiggers often use two assist hooks, varying the cord lengths for greater coverage.  Additional assist hooks can be looped in at the tail if you are getting missed strikes when the jig is dropping.  The tail assist will fold up against the jig and into the strike zone but a problem is the potential of the jig to tangle with the leader if jigged too vigorously.  

There are many ways to make assist hooks, the main ingredient is Kevlar cord.  Cut a 30cm length of Kevlar, double the cord then carefully tie a 2 turn uni knot or nail knot onto the hook shank then tighten with pliers.  Trim off Kevlar tags and finish off with a short length of heat shrink tubing to protect the knot.  Another simpler way is a single overhand knot onto the hook shank, a drop of super glue then heat shrink tubing.

 

Lines

This new Japanese style jigging could not begin without the advent of ultra thin braided line which was introduced at that time.  Braided line is a must when jigging, it not only reduces drag and stretch but it enables the jigger to easily work the jig without being hampered by thick line.  The thin braids drastically increase line capacity, or in reverse reduce the size and weight of the reels needed.

The Japanese call these lines PE lines which are an abbreviation for Poly Ethylene being the scientific name for spectra or dyneema or simply - braid!  Japanese use PE as a unit of measurement for braided line thickness, a PE5 braid is roughly equal to 50lb test. Most Japanese PE lines are characterized by color coding where each color measures 10m of line.  There are usually 5 different colors which are repeated over the entire length of line.

 

Leaders

The use of leaders is important in jigging because the terminal end is exposed to reef, abrasion and bite-offs.  Asian jiggers much prefer the stealthy advantages of fluorocarbon leaders since their waters have long been ravaged and the fish have become line shy.  

When considering leaders, it should be a wind on with a length between 3m to 6m.  The length is necessary because there should be at least several turns of leader on the reel when the fish comes within gaff range.  This allows the leader man an easier line to handle as well as affording some abrasion resistance should the fish suddenly dive beneath the boat rubbing the line against the hull.

There are quick and easy ways to join braid to leader but that generally does not mean they are best.  Novice jiggers should begin with game fishing leaders which are joined by loop-to-loop connections.  These leaders can be brought over the counter and are easily replaced but there comes a time when the complete jigger should be able to tie at least one of the elaborate connecting knots like the FG, GT, PR, Midknot.  These knots are very streamlined and strong, they can withstand day-long popper casting.  The bulkier uni-to-uni or bimimi-to-albright knots will suffice but fear for the rings on your rod guides.     

Check our knot section for some of these knots and links to knot tying sites.

 

Jigging styles

The are 2 basic styles in Japanese style jigging, not including other factors like speed or hesitation. 

 

Long stroke-

 Working the rod from the gimbal plate.  The rod is lifted in a wide arc or long stroke then dropped to allow the jig to flutter downwards to induce a strike.  Simultaneously, the reel is quickly wound in 2-3 turns for each cycle.  This style is best suited to centre weighted jigs, spinning combos with a longer rod.

 

High pitch, short jerk

Also known as mechanical jigging". The rod is carried under the armpit and the rod is stroked in a small arc.  Simultaneously the reel is quickly wound in 1 turn for each cycle.  This style is best suited to tail heavy streamlined jigs, overhead reels with a shorter rod.

The above is a guide for the Japanese jig style, there are no set rules to abide so you can easily mix up the techniques and tackle to suit yourself.  Certain species prefer a slower fluttery jig presentation while others prefer blistering speed.   Both styles can be successfully worked at either slow or high speed or a combination of both.  The attraction with jigging is the room to experiment to find what works for you. 

 

Early jigging

Seemed focused on high speed.  The jigs in the 1980-90s were often short and symmetrical.  High speed retrieves were needed to give those jigs action, thus the term speed jigging was born.   This is still a successful technique, even more so with the advent of the long jigs; but tiresome.   Most jiggers of that time would be set up with long, heavy rods and large high speed reels.  Monofilament was the standard line at that time. We all know just how insensitive, stretchy and bulky nylon monofilament is.  The technique required the jig to be dropped to the bottom then quickly wound to the surface, this was tiresome work.   A yoyo technique was for the jig to be repeatedly bounced up and down on the bottom much like a yoyo.  Using mono of those times meant that rods had to be physically long to make a long enough stroke in order to take the stretch out of the mono and move the jig.  

You can see now the advent of thin strong braids, modern tackle and technical jig designs have confined this old jigging style to the attic.

 

Tips for the first jigging trip

Get a good pair of split ring pliers to change jigs quickly.  Proper tools are necessary to safely open the 250lb rings.  

Get a pouch for your pliers while you at it.  Otherwise they will never be in their proper place at your side.

Gloves for jigging.  Get past the macho attitude, it is very easy to get used to fishing with gloves.  Find a pair offering good protection against braid cuts and are comfortable to wear.

Gimbal belt.  Mandatory for fighting big fish.

Have replacement assist hooks pre-tied.

Wind on leaders or leader material and tools to quickly make you own.  

A spare jigging outfit.  Or a spare reel spool filled with braid or a spare spool of braided line.

A range of jig types in several colors and weights.

Sunnies and a hat.

Take a camera.

 
 

lerouxjaco

Senior Member
I know that this facet of fishing is getting over exaggerated at the moment with a lot of attention focused on the success achieved with jigging alone, although I don't believe jigging is this wonder fishing method. Jigging in conjunction with normal drift baiting for game or bottom fishing is definitely effective as we have experienced up to now. With trolling your lure does cover a large area but also only for a short period at a time, while when you drifting your baits are quite "dead" unless you fish with live baits. What we do find with jigging is that the game fish tends to follow the jig which means you are getting the fish excited, and if it doesn't strike the jigs then you are at least getting the fish attention and placing them in the strike zone of the other baits. I think that the biggest advantage of jigging is that while drifting you can work a good spot more than once before drifting over that spot and if it does hold fish then the chances that you will entice the fish in striking either the jig or your baits is very good. Most of our club members that I have spoken to will never go fish without at least one jigging rig on the boat as we have proven to ourselves that this is a very effective method of fishing. But that said I will never leave my baits at home either as you don't decide for fish what to eat they do.

If any of you guys tried this facet of fishing please give some feedback as I would like to know what success you've got with jigging also.
 

ChrisW

New member
I guys,

I was trolling around & I found this forum with excerps above, written by me and found on my website - http://www.jigsdirect.com

I do agree with lerouxjaco about the effectiveness of jigs and also the need to employ different fishing techniques on any given day.  But these days I have become an obsessed jigaholic!   For those of you who have done some jigging, you will know that it can become quite contagious to the point of an obsession.  New jig buddies are mortified to hear that we leave port without bait!  That is the only way to learn an artform when there is no backup bait available!

I live & fish in New Zealand (soon to be WRC champs 2007) and target Yellowtail Kingfish and Grouper on jigs.  Over the last few years, my offshore trips have been JIG-ONLY, guiding Japanese jig fishermen who flock here for our pristine jigging waters.  The jigging craze is a world-wide phenomenon that is quickly enveloping Aust and NZ. 

Results of 3 days jigging have resulted in a C&R total of 150-200 Kingfish and 25-30 Grouper for 6 jiggers. The Kingies range from 20kg to 35kg with bigger fish now and again. The Grouper range from 10kg to 70kg - all on jigs. 

The skippers are always agast at the effectiveness of jigs over bait or live bait.  Of course they are impressed because of the lack of bait needed and the cleaning afterwards. 

Me with a 35kg Kingfish caught at the 3 Kings 2006.

 
 

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Nepptune

Sealiner
Hey Chris,

Great post mate, and thanks a ton for signing up and blowing us away with that Yellowtail pic...damn that thing is a bus!!!
Great to have you here to share your knowledge on Jigging too, the more info we can spread the better!!

Welcome to Sealine, and watch out, the Boks are gonna take the All Blacks.... its time!:)
 

Ajay

Senior Member
Hey Chris

You guys have really got yellowtail heaven over there. Ours are generally substantially smaller with a really good fish being 20 odd kilos. The biggest SA specimens are taken offshore mostly at a seamount called Vema but still dont clock in anywhere near your monsters.One day.........

Nice site with some great looking jigs. Probably a little pricey for me given exchange rates and postage but those Sanmes Cuttlefish Ruddertails and trolling blades all look peachy.Really classy finishes.

I know u didnt want to brag but I cant believe the size of some of those jigs and this is just a joke....
 

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Polychaete

Senior Member
[color=#006600][u]lerouxjaco[/u][/color], Thanks for the info!


[color=#006600][u]ChrisW[/u][/color], a very informative and interesting report.   Beautiful barrel of a fish.   You seem very knowledgeable on fishing, but should perhaps consider consultiing some more enlightened opinion on matters sporting...New Zealand (soon to be WRC champs 2007):doh:doh:headb
:lol:1:lol:1:lol:1

I very seldom take any form of bait with me besides metal & plastics and have preferred artificial for many many years.
 

ChrisW

New member
Boks beat Samoa by 5pts!  :dohCome on guys, is this the mark of a WRC team?  A 40pt drubbing is about minimum.  The AB's will have to show ya how it's done - so long as they are not fed poisoned sandwiches!
 

ChrisW

New member
[color=#006600]Ajay[/color] wrote:
Hey Chris

You guys have really got yellowtail heaven over there. Ours are generally substantially smaller with a really good fish being 20 odd kilos. The biggest SA specimens are taken offshore mostly at a seamount called Vema but still dont clock in anywhere near your monsters.One day.........

Nice site with some great looking jigs. Probably a little pricey for me given exchange rates and postage but those Sanmes Cuttlefish Ruddertails and trolling blades all look peachy.Really classy finishes.

I know u didnt want to brag but I cant believe the size of some of those jigs and this is just a joke....
Thanks AJ,  that jig is a Dancing Magic and weighs 1.2kg and is 60cm long.  Very ackward to jig but as you can see - got eaten!  Proves to me at least that Yellowtail don't have a problem with big meals.

Unfortunately quality and performance costs.  I don't mind swapping a few jigs with some of those glassy things that you dig up in your gardens!  lb for lb is a good trade?
 

Ajay

Senior Member
Hey Chris---There was this SA nostradamus dude called Siener Van Rensberg who predicted that a "skaapkop" (sheepshead) diamond would be found. Some types are reckoning that this latest big one  is it. Either way someone is into some stupid money if its for real....!

As for those jigs, I see that most of the large tail seem to be taken on these deep water ultra slim types and not really as much on surface iron. We tend to use a lot more surface iron Salas 6x type here or slim white plastic poppers but when fish are down they seem to be a lot  more picky.Not sure if its from simply being used to them feeding much more freely when they are up top or if its the colder water near the bottom or what.Tail can be a battle to figure as you know.

Anyway I bought a couple of small 100 and 150 gram ultra slim deep water types to try out this season and am planning on giving them a fair crack over thje next few months when I get a chance.I have tried that PR connection knot from your site(on my spinning rig) and it looks great.U reckon thats the best knot? Also my fluoro wasnt quite as long .Only enough for about three or four turns round the spool.Is that too short?

Cheers
 

ChrisW

New member
AJ I tend to replicate what I see the Japanese and Taiwanese jiggers do, afterall they are masters in this artform.  Leaders tend to be long, up to 6m.  The tendancy in Japan is towards the PR connection although there are other very good knots that do the same job.  I learnt the PR well and have instructed plenty of anglers too, but you must have the heavy bobbin in order to apply a decent amount of compression to the leader.  The big advantage with the PR is you can make it short or long if you want guaranteed knot strenght, and it is really streamlined too.  I reckon this is the best connecting knot for me, plenty of others think the same.

Since you are mainly jigging the upper surface layer with Salas type jigs, can I assume that the fish (Tuna?) are looking to feed?  Are you also casting to the fish? If this is the case then I would imagine most jigs would get bit.  Consider the centre weighted jigs.  They are castable and tend to be more flat sided which makes them flutter on the drop.  This extra "hang time" with good action I am sure will give you some interesting alternatives to try.  The really skinny, pencil-shaped jigs are better suited for deep water because they fall much quicker and without much action.  Only high speed with rod jerks will get them working properly. 
 

lerouxjaco

Senior Member
Hi ChrisW
Thanks for not complaining me placing your info on our site. Did leave three links back to your site. Had to let these guys know about jigging and your article was very informative. Will like to see what the guys are going to catch with jigging, I like this method although it's hard work jigging the whole day, thus we only jig when we are drifting over pinacles and fish is showing on the fish finder. I will always go down to the bottom and start jigging from there to the top, depending where the fish is feeding will keep on working that layer of water untill the fish go off the bite.
 

ChrisW

New member
Most of our Yellowtail are on the bottom so I only jig the bottom 20m, then drop down again. This is less work as you are work the column where the fish are. But if you see them at a certain depth, then work it. The use of the Japanese multicoloured braid becomes mandatory.
 

lerouxjaco

Senior Member
Hi Chris
How does the make of braid you guys are using compare with the USA or European braids. We don't even see the products on your website in S.A. The price is much the same as the top braids available this side of the world. Like bthe color coding of the braids. Do you have agents in S.A. fpr these products ?.
 

ChrisW

New member
Congratulations on the Boks becoming 2008 WRC!!

Great going guys, I really applaud your team.  Had the guts and durability to go all the way and uphold the Tri Nations honour.

Sorry for not visiting earlier, my tail has been between the legs over the last couple weeks!  Country has been in mourning and the lynching squads are getting ready.

Lerouxjaco, the Jig Star braids I have are very good quality and compare as good if not better than anythng from Europe or USA.  I have just received Japanese YGK Jig Man X8 and Ultra Jig Man X8 braids which as you can gather are specially made for jigging.  YGK makes some of the best braid anywhere!  The PE8 braid tests at 113lb!! normal PE8 is 80lb so there is the comparison.   The prices on my website include sales tax so deduct 10% off the price.

No I don't have any agents in SA for any of my gear.  If anybody is interested I would be keen on hearing from them.  My contact is below - sorry to spam guys!

Chris
chris@bcsent.co.nz

www.jigsdirect.com
 

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Nepptune

Sealiner
Hey Chris
Thanks for the congrats mate... I've been folloing your posts and tutorials on your site, on deepjigging, and fishing.nz over the last couple weeks, and soaking up a TON of info from you guys, thanks for sharing...

Quick question on what shipping costs to SA would be for your YGK Ultra.... I'm looking to spool up a Stella 10000 probably with PE6 for YFT in the Canyons out here.
I have Suffix 65lb on my Stella 6000 for popping and inshore jigging for kingfish, but am looking to increase capacity on the 6000 without having to switch up to an 8000 spool.. Do the YGK lines work well as a popping line too? Probably look at PE 4 or 5 for the 6000?

Thanks for your time and info mate,
Nepps
 

Ajay

Senior Member
Hey Chris---Commizz there. Imagine what it must feel like to be one of the AB players..............You guys and those Frogs. It all goes back to that nuclear testing thing in the South Pacific I think.Thats why your yellowtail are so freeakin big. Ever noticed how they glow a little!!!! Come to think of it ...is that why the Tongans are so big too??
 

ChrisW

New member
[color=#006600]Nepptune[/color] wrote:
Hey Chris
Thanks for the congrats mate... I've been folloing your posts and tutorials on your site, on deepjigging, and fishing.nz over the last couple weeks, and soaking up a TON of info from you guys, thanks for sharing...

Quick question on what shipping costs to SA would be for your YGK Ultra.... I'm looking to spool up a Stella 10000 probably with PE6 for YFT in the Canyons out here.
I have Suffix 65lb on my Stella 6000 for popping and inshore jigging for kingfish, but am looking to increase capacity on the 6000 without having to switch up to an 8000 spool.. Do the YGK lines work well as a popping line too? Probably look at PE 4 or 5 for the 6000?

Thanks for your time and info mate,
Nepps
I think the Japanese manufacturers like to produce and make specialist line for their own specialist & unique fishing styles. That way the angler feels he must buy it all to cover all the fishing styles he participates in.  There are specialist braids for popping too but I can't understand what the difference is.  The YGK Ultra Jig Man X8 braid is super thin so yes you can use this braid to increase line capacity. PE3 = 47lb,  PE6 = 86lb.  Unfortunately I have only the 300m spools in stock, you will have to sell your car if you want a bigger spool of line!    :lol:1I'm glad you  found my info useful, I see lots of potential for Japanese style jigging in SA.  I'm waiting for someone wealthy to sponsor me over to test the waters and grow the interest there :dunno1
 

ChrisW

New member
[color=#006600]Ajay[/color] wrote:
Hey Chris---Commizz there. Imagine what it must feel like to be one of the AB players..............You guys and those Frogs. It all goes back to that nuclear testing thing in the South Pacific I think.Thats why your yellowtail are so freeakin big. Ever noticed how they glow a little!!!! Come to think of it ...is that why the Tongans are so big too??

Hey Commizz.  Surprisingly the AB's arrived home to a supportive welcoming reception of family & friends.  The knives are out for Henry though & he still belives the rotation system was good & would not change it if he had another chance.  For me seeing the AB's play was like seeing a team of strangers getting together for the first time.  The backs were stuffing up moves, they had no penetration when on attack.  No plan B and lack of leadership meant immenent failure.

All Pacific Islanders are naturally big solid people.  The kids are like adults in their early teens so you can see why a lot of smaller caucasians are put off playing rugby at that age.  There is a new school boy sensation like the new Jona Lomo who is just 17yr weighing 120kg and runs like a track sprinter, coming up! Tongans genetically have the highest % muscle mass and fastest twitch fibres of anyone.  This means they run fast and run over anything in the way. 

Yeah our Yellowtail or Kingies do grow big, NZ holds the world record for YT of around 52kg.  The 30kg models have plenty of power so I can't imaging what a 52kg fish would be like but I have busted off fish bigger than 37kg before (biggest landed).  

Enjoy the celebrations.  We hear this could be the end of the Springboks as we know it.  A sad end to one of the truely great rugby teams and traditional foe to the AB's. 
 

lerouxjaco

Senior Member
Hi ChrisW
Thanks for the congrats on our team they made us proud. Next one will be in kiwiland quite sure you guys will do well there.

Thanks for the info on the braid. Just bought some braid recently but will be interested to try some of our stuff in future, might make a plan to get early in March.
 
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