Photo credit: Paul Stowe
Cephalopods include several species of creatures that may seem a little strange at first, so you'll need very specific lures to target themjig is one of them. Cuttlefish, squid and other fish have a completely different structure to fish and a behaviour that can sometimes be confusing if you've never fished before.
Yet these species are fascinating to catch and lure. The way they move, their attacks and their defences are simply unique. In fact, many anglers on all coasts often wait for the right time of year to catch a few.
La jig is a lure specially designed for fishing for cephalopods. Its shape, design and various elements are part of a genuine Japanese culture that has developed this type of lure over the years. While it may be fairly simple in our French approach, in Japan it is a true art, with almost infinite possibilities.
If you're a complete beginner in this discipline and you only want to fish for cuttlefish, we recommend that you start by reading our article Start cuttlefish fishing: our advice. You'll find a wealth of information perfectly suited to this very special type of practice.
What techniques can be used to catch cephalopods ?
Photo credit: Tackleland
In the end, there aren't many of them. Rather, it's the location or the way you present the concept of jig that you can vary the possibilities. But if we're talking about sport fishing here, we'll confine ourselves to the marvellous squid jig lure.
In fact, this technique has a very special name: the Eging. It brings together research into cephalopods, cuttlefish and squid, with decoys.
Products have been specially created. These include rods, reels, braids and entire ranges of tackle and accessories for these species.
If you'd like more information on how to animate your lure from a boat, then you'll find what you're looking for in our article Jigging from a boat? How do you go about it ?. You'll soon discover that there are many subtleties that will make all the difference.
Where and how to fish ?
As cephalopods can be found everywhere on the French coast, it is fairly easy to come across them if you look for them during periods when they are present. Certain areas lend themselves more easily to their presence than others.
- The calm of the Mediterranean Sea, with its many creeks and inlets, makes it an easy place to stay.
- The same will be true for the Arcachon basin and the inlets into the land, with practices that can extend from winter to summer.
You can fish from the shore or from a boat. If you know your fishing areas well, you can regularly catch cuttlefish and squid by moving your jigs at different depths and speeds. Don't forget to find out about the tides - our articleWhat tide for cuttlefish ? deals in part with this subject.
Animation will be an essential element in the success of your fishing trip. Visit Bichi Bachi requires a certain finesse and habit in the presentation of your lure. You'll always have to opt for strikes that aren't really strikes and animations close to the bottom when you're looking for cuttlefish or between two waters when it comes to squid.
Our articleHow do you animate a jig when fishing ? for more information.
It's the repetition of the technique that will gradually help you to get your bearings and to understand the bite, the hooks and the reaction of your lure. We advise you to make your first outings during the day so that you have a visual of everything that happens during your animations and your bites.
You'll then be able to feel comfortable with less light, perhaps with a flashy line at first, to better appreciate the effect of the weight on the descent.
What type of jig should I choose?
It's a decisive factor in the success of your fishing. The variety of choice is simply immense. And yet, France doesn't have anywhere near the choice you'd find in countries like Japan.
There will be several jigging families that you can use with varying degrees of effectiveness. We're going to take a look at the different technical characteristics of this lure and the different advantages it can offer.
- The first thing to consider is size. It must be well adapted to the cephalopods you are looking for. It also has to be consistent with what's in the water. Otherwise, you could spend hours fishing through numerous cephalopods while attracting absolutely no attention.
- The basket, which is a term for the hook, will have a particular profile to easily capture the tentacles. Different shapes may exist for each species. The body, meanwhile, will regularly be covered in fabric, but new models are coming onto the market with smoother, differentiated structures.
- Finally, there's another essential element: the sinker. This is what will allow the lure to sink more or less quickly in the water column. In fact, you'll find indications not in grams but in numbers. These are referred to as size 1.0, 2.0 , 3.0 etc etc. The higher the number, the longer the jig will be and the faster it will sink.
What's got people talking is, of course, the colour of your jig. Here again, the possibilities are so numerous and the variations in mood so great that you'll need to opt for a selection of several colours. That way, you'll always have what you need on hand.
As a general rule, you'll opt for colours that are more natural, so that you can practise in daylight as well as at night. You'll need to opt for slightly different colours for sunrise and sunset. Violet, yellow, orange... and finally, you can opt for very bright colours, or even fluorescent colours for tinted water.
If you want to fish for cuttlefish at night, we recommend you readNight cuttlefish fishing: which colour to choose ? This will give you all the information you need to make the right choice.
As you can see, the world of eging or bichi bachi is a world apart. You can keep it simple by practising from time to time at the right time of year with generalist equipment, or you can invest yourself fully in the technique, editing and philosophy to discover a Japanese art form that is different from what you already know.
Don't forget to select the rest of your equipment carefully, for maximum performance. In fact, our articleWhich rod is right for jigging ? could be ideal reading if you want to understand what's at stake.