Popping and Jigging in Cabo san Lucas

Deep Jigging in Cabo San Lucas.

Fish the surface any way you want, but always drop a jig down, whether you have marks on the fish finder or not. It takes extra time and patience, especially when fish aren’t visible, but it adds an important dimension by working the water column for fish that may be surface-shy due to fishing pressure or other reasons in our sometimes crowded spots during the peak summer months. In March 2021, deep jigging produced nearly as many yellowfin tuna as popping. Deep jigging on the tuna grounds makes sense. According to Shimano, the Butterfly Jigging System was developed in Japan in the early 1990s to catch bluefin tuna in depths of up to 500 feet.

These “slim” jigs have a unique action due to their slightly non symmetrical shape and thin profile. They sink like a rocket. The fast sink is a key element in performance since it allows the angler to retrieve it in fast, short intervals. If you had to wait for the jig to flutter down, it would slow the pump technique and destroy the violent action that gets reactive strikes. When retrieved in short strokes, they angle off in horizontal slices rather than vertically. This movement is fooling the bigger, more mature fish that previously would take only a well-presented live bait, in some cases. For the longer jig styles, the presentation differs slightly. Once you hit bottom, or the desired depth, make a long lift, lower the rod to create a slack line on the drop, and then retrieve.

The jigs are designed to work best with a fast-retrieve reel, heavy-duty parabolic rod and Spectra superbraid line. The outfit I use is a Stella 1400 or Shimano Talica 25 with 65- to 80-pound PowerPro Spectra tied to six feet of 100-pound P-Line leader and a Trevala TVC 66H rod when fishing 6- to 9-ounce jigs. Of course, lighter tackle can be used when appropriate. Other reels include Jigging Master, Avet HXJ, Accurate 500N, Saltiga 30T, Penn TRQ25N and the Fathom series. For spinning, the Shimano Stella series, Trevala, Black Hole Cape Cod Special and Fathom Blade rods are a good combination.

Start with an assortment of heavy-tackle plugs festooned with 3X treble hooks. You need to start with a lot of plugs because you’re probably going to lose a few. Jig locally made here in Cabo San Lucas by our amigo Felix lures.

The jigging method is simple and can be learned in minutes, and it is easy enough to work a jig all day without getting worn out. Shimano illustrates this method online at shimano.com, or you can do a Web search for “Shimano Butterfly Jigs.” Just drop the jig to the bottom or desired depth in free-spool (you may get a strike on the fall, so be prepared to engage the drag quickly). As soon as the line goes limp, reel in some line to keep it from snagging on the bottom. Now reel fast for several strokes, stop, swing the rod tip up and then lower as you reel again. Develop a “bouncing rhythm” motion using this fast but short retrieve. The jig will be doing all sorts of sideways and erratic movements that elicit a reactionary strike from a wide variety of game fish.

I call these “upside down” jigs, because the tethered hooks seem to be attached at the wrong end of the lure near the eye with a split ring/solid ring arrangement. One or two hooks may be used. The tethered hooks come with an attached thin cord with a loop on the end that you fasten to the solid ring on the jig.

Tie the leader or main line to the solid ring in between the tethered hooks if you are using two. This takes a little time to get comfortable with, because typically lures are tied on opposite the hook end.

Deep jigging can produce surprising results. For example, after a popping session on our 28ft Hydra Sport center-console from Cabo San Lucas, we decided to jig for grouper in 400 feet of water, only to hook a 130-pound yellowfin tuna instead. When you’re popping and jigging, you’re covering the water column and its myriad of game-fish possibilities.

Pop fishing or “popping” is one of the most exciting ways to fish as you can witness all the action close to the surface of the water. This style of fishing involves dragging a lure known as a popper across the surface of the water with a short sharp retrieving action.

If you are the type of Angler that like to try popping & jigging in Cabo San Lucas

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