Using the rail

[MarkR]

Hi Fellas,

Got this pic from Caranx. The anglers with the overhead reels have the rods tucked under their right arm and are cranking with their right hand too, all of them, see first and third angler from the backgound.

Watched a video where ksong uses the rail to fight a good YellowFin Tuna caught while jigging off an oil rig, same thing, right arm tuck and right hand crank while rod foregrip is supported on the rail.

Seems more natural to me to tuck the rod under the left arm if you are right handed and crank with the right hand. Any views?

[Makaira]

Hi Mark,

This "using the rail" technique may well put the heavy duty harness & gimbal belt manufacturers out of business on the West coast long range tuna fishing charters. It sure looks ugly ... but it must be working because most hardcore regulars fishing long range boats on the US west coast are doing it these days and it seems many novices are switching over as well (based on what I have read on the Allcoast Board). I have seen a VCD footage where the owner of Accurate uses the rail to handle "barndoor" halibuts in Alaska too. Technique works well only on yoyo up-down battles when the fish is sounding deep & closer to the boat because otherwise, the angler cannot get any good leverage to use the rail to his advantage.

Topic was briefly discussed here in the past

Using The Rail

Best regards,
Makaira

[MarkR]

Hi Mak,

Thanks for the link, recall seeing that one. Sure is a cool way to fight fish! Must try, hope it works on giant dogtooth...muahahahahahah

Anyway, the guy in your link has the rod tucked under his left arm. Guess it's a personal preference thing then.

Doubt all rods can take that kind of abuse though, would not want to try it with with a Japanese jigging stick!

Just too bad for all the spinner guys out there, you'll have to sit out on this one!

Tight lines,

Mark

[DaFrogman]

MarkR,

In the photos it looks like they could have just been waiting for their jigs to get down before commencing jigging.

For me I guess it would depend on the butt length. With shorter butts, the reel would be too close to my body to put the rod under my right arm and crank with my right hand. But with a much longer butt, it might work out.

Using the rail I guess is a logical technique, especially if you have waist height rails or gunwhales that don't allow the easy use of a harness or even a gimball plate, where you can dip the rod tip down to gain line on the crank and then raise the rod sufficiently without high sticking.

But for the record, I tend to hold the rod in either hand waiting for the bite, but when fighting the fish, I prefer the rod to be planted in a plate or in a rod "mushroom" in the "groin area" offset to my left side giving me the clearance to crank with my right hand and arm.

But you're right, fighting a fish or jigging like that sure would seem weird to me.

Saimee

[DaFrogman]

I just realised I used the term "Rod Mushroom" and "Groin Area" in the same sentence...

I am loosing it slowly here guys...hehehehehe.

Saimee

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by DaFrogman

MarkR,

In the photos it looks like they could have just been waiting for their jigs to get down before commencing jigging.

Hi Saimee,

Yes, didn't cross my mind that they could be waiting for their rigs to hit bottom...anyway here's the Kil Song video, hope there's no copyright on it...yikes!

Just seems more natural to have the rod butt tucked under my left arm.

Cheers mate,

Mark

[MarkR]

Sorry guys,

Can't upload the video, file's too big.

[Makaira]

Yo MarkR .... if memory serves me right, that picture from Ksong's post is showing them having fun jigging for Humbolt squids .... so no real need to use the rail . Looking at that photo & the configuration of the boat, it may be a little difficult for them to "use the rail" as the gunwhale seems very low on that boat.

[Makaira]

Originally Posted by MarkR

Sorry guys,

Can't upload the video, file's too big.

MarkR, email the video to Edy & see what he can do about posting it. Very interested in watching it!!!

[MarkR]

Here it is Mak,

Right arm tuck and the Kil Song Special:

http://www.zippyvideos.com/5506870765472316/kil_yft/

Hope the link works!

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Makaira

having fun jigging for Humbolt squids .... so no real need to use the rail

You could be right Mak...but looking at the size of those sotongs!!!!!!!!!!

[MarkR]

Yeah, had a look at the post again, squid fishing! But just seems strange to have all 4 anglers holding their rods in that manner....

cheerio,

mark

[DaFrogman]

Mark dude,

The vid worked out fine, they looked to be small YellowFin Tuna... thought it was gonna be megasquid.... and they still used the under right arm and cranking using right arm technique.

Thanks for the link dude.

Saimee

[Makaira]

Originally Posted by MarkR

Here it is Mak,

Right arm tuck and the Kil Song Special:

http://www.zippyvideos.com/5506870765472316/kil_yft/

Hope the link works!

This must be them fishing off Louisiana on the charter with a chap called Randy of the Vertical Jigging Forum I know of a one or two anglers who crank that way too. I guess it's whatever makes them comfortable.

[Randy]

Hi Mark!

been a lurker in this forum for quite some time and intended to keep the status quo, now I cannot tahan anymore....

Now you know why Shimano USA introduced the Torsa for jigging, lots of cranking power.....

The method Kil was using is the predominant method whether the east or west coast, especially boats going out of San Diego (SD). I once went on a 3 day trip to the baja coast out of SD, virgin fishing trip in that part of the world, excited and anxious to hook my first california yellowtail and also show off my shiny wares. 12 hours on the boat and we finally reach our destination, out in the northern pacific along the baja mexico coast but exactly, I really don't know where. I was told the first stop would be yellowtail spot so I had my 870 and favourite smith AMJ readied, cocked and loaded with a pretty jig. Then the Capt announced .. alright boys waters too cold, ain't gonna be any yellows, we will head inshore for some cod fishing... there goes my yellowtail!

Then I thought oh well, since I've never caught a cod why not! and cod are good eating!!! So I change to a lighter outfit, a caldia kix 4000 with a lighter AMJ, the deckie came over and told me to "put that toy away" and use something heavier! I ignored him... First drop (on the drop), something REALLY HEAVY took my jig, gave it a few vicious strike (neighbour thought I was crazy!) and the hook came off, then I got another hit gave it a few gentle pull and I was hooked up.... the thing ran no more than 5 second and stopped fighting, wtf?!?! slowly pump up it up and saw a freaking humbolt squid and when I looked around, everybody was bring in squid, huge squid much much bigger than those Kil caught at sea of cortez. One more drop and then I had enough, no shiok at all like pulling a piece of weight. All my neighbours were happily winching in the squids, rod on the rail, turning and turning the handle, they do it with this funny posture that is beyond words, looks reaaly weird and funny to me. Then we moved once everybody had enough of squid.

Ling cod jigging was nothing to shout about, those fish are so lazy and lethargic maybe because of the cold water, they pull like a GaoHe except there is no hole for them to hide, after peeling less than 1 color of line thats it! At that point all my hopes of a good trip ... I spent the last day sleeping in the bunk. One thing I notice is live bait works best in those waters, jigs works but not as effective.

Majority of anglers in the US are meat fisherman, that is why you see fish count is important, it is always numbers. I am very surprised that there is better C&R spirit in Singapore, compared with US. Even with limits and size regulations, fishing is pretty tough in the coastal area, I would akin that to our local shore fishing, once in a blue moon you get a nice ACK. As for myself, I doubt I will go out fishing the west coast again. The Gulf coast however, is a different story...

When I did my first recce trip at Louisiana, intention was to jig and pop the famous Midnight lumps for cow YellowFin Tunas but the weather did not cooperate so I spent the 2 days jigging the oil rigs. THEY ARE FULL OF FISH, its like dropping a sabiki on one of those unjams in permanggil but instead of selar and kembong you get bonito, mutant bonitos 7-8kgs... they are so greedy. I had one came back with my neighbour's line though its mouth and gills; the jig 50m down! And if the fish in one rig is spooked, another rig is just 5 minss away and there is one rig either direction at 5-10mins travel. Anyway, that was the first time the capt saw vertical jigging though he had heard so much of it. He was really impressed. And the rest is history.. every customer I bring there tells me that its the best fishing trip they ever had! Every trip I do, I convert 4 anglers to jiggers No more winching for them, clean one on one fight with the fish.

Send me your add again and I will pass you a full video of our last Louisiana trip, you can share with your buddies and make them drool.

I had the opportunity to spend several drunken nights with the master of crazy jigging and discussed and bs-ed for hours about jigging. The japanese regards using of harness, rails and aids as not sporting as far as jigging is concern. It must be a honourable one on one fight with the fish, muscle and the fish. I was thinking if thats is also one of the reason they use spinners, with spinners you can't use the rail... I try to be sporting too but sometimes when using conventional, the fish pull so hard I can hardly lift it up from the rail, so no choice but to leave it there

Randy

[DaFrogman]

Hey Randy,

Nice post dude, thanks for dropping in... I hear ya on the "Can't Lift the Rod" bit dude ....understooded.

Welcome to FO... you got a nice place of your own too in the DeepJigging Forum.

Saimee

[MarkR]

Hi Randy,

Great to have you here on edy's forum too. Couldn't reply earlier, totally KO from a lacklustre overnight bottom fishing trip. Age is catching up, I can just feel it...

Thanks for sharing your experiences and interesting anecdotes. Looks like you're starting a vertical jigging revolution in the US!

Cheers,

Mark

[stickbom!]

wah... I wanna try catching mutant sotong too... but that would mean I need to fly halfway around the globe. *Sigh!* Hey Randy, could you send me a copy of that DVD? Would be great seeing Yanks getting excited over jigging

[Randy]

Thanks Saimee, Nice forum here!

[stickbom!]

Originally Posted by Randy

Thanks Saimee, Nice forum here!

Wah ask you got free DVD only act blur/ geh si neber see me liao... sadness! LOL

[Randy]

I send you later.. in aug together with a potentially record breaking fish with a spinner video.. kekekekeke