Video: Slow Jigging Deepwater Jigging Stripers on Sand Eels

Capt. Mike Hogan and Capt. Cullen Lundhold of Cape Star Charters heads out to deep water in Cape Cod Bay targeting finicky Stripers feeding on Sand Eels suspended in 70' - 90' depths. Using subtle jigging techniques, they connect on some nice stripers using the 7.5" HD Pro Tail Eel and 2.5oz Sand Eel Metal Jig.

Gear List

Rod: 8' St. Croix Custom Blank

Reel: Shimano Saragosa 5000

Line: Powerpro 40lb

Leader: 30lb Fluorocarbon

Slow Jigging: This is my favorite jigging technique for fishing with soft baits and I think the most underutilized. It’s a great technique for fish you see on the fish finder that “won’t bite anything”. As compared to speed jigging, a slow-jigged lure is an easy target for lazy striper. Slow jigging works well with eel tails such as the Hogy Pro Tail Paddle and the Hogy Pro Tail Eel softbaits. You rely mostly on boat drift and slow rod tip motions to work the bait. The natural softness of the plastic does the rest. It’s really a slow method. I jokingly teach people my method by instructing to fish like “you really don’t care about fishing."

Steps:

1. Drop to a specific depth that you are targeting.
2. Slowly Raise your rod tip and let it fall slowly.
3. Every few moments, change the depth by 10’ slow cranks, then repeat the slow jigging action.
   
4. Drop back to the bottom and repeat.
5. Once you have too much line out, creating too great an angle between you and the lure, which is caused by the boat drifting, reel in and repeat.

Benefits:

1. Stay in a key strike zone for a very long time
2. Natural subtle movements present a slow easy bait for lazy stripers to eat. The subtle movements of a softbait tail are deadly.
3. An easy technique for inexperienced guests on your boat.