JIGS & BOTTOM LURES

Tog Jig

A round lead jig with a strong hook made for tautog in the US Northeast; tipped with crab, it can be adapted here for triggerfish and other crab eaters.

DepthBottom

ActionSlow hop, crab bait

WhereHard bottom, rocky reef, rubble

LevelIntermediate

How to fish it

1
Tip the jig with a piece of crab (half a small crab or a chunk of a bigger one).
2
Drop it straight down to hard bottom and keep the line tight.
3
Lift it gently a few inches and let it settle; keep it in the rocks, not above them.
4
At the first tap or weight, set the hook hard and pull the fish up and away from the rocks.

BigJoe Tips

Tautog do not live in the Caribbean; think of this as a crab-on-a-jig tool for triggerfish and grunts.
Hogfish are mostly taken by spearfishing here and rarely bite hooks well, so do not count on them.
Triggerfish steal baits fast; a small strong hook and a quick hookset help.