Saltwater Jigging Guide: Vertical, Slow Pitch, Speed, and Casting Techniques

The jig hits bottom at 120 feet. You engage the reel, rip the rod tip up hard, let it fall back on a tight line, and rip again. On the third pull the rod loads up and stays loaded. Something down there grabbed that hunk of metal and now it's heading deeper. You're tight to an amberjack and the fight is on.

Jigging is the most active, hands-on technique in saltwater fishing. No waiting around for a bite. No watching rod tips. You're working the jig every second it's in the water, and when the strike comes, you feel it in your arms. It's physical, it's visual, and it catches some of the strongest fish in the ocean.

Types of Saltwater Jigging

Not all jigging is the same. The four main styles each target different species, use different gear, and require different skills. Understanding when to use each one is what separates productive jig fishermen from guys who just bounce metal up and down.

Vertical jigging is the classic - drop a jig to the bottom or a specific depth, then work it back up with sharp rod lifts and controlled drops. This is the brute-force approach that catches amberjack, grouper, tuna, and anything else that lives near structure. The jig action is aggressive - fast rips upward followed by a controlled fall on semi-tight line. Most strikes come on the fall.

Slow pitch jigging originated in Japan and has taken the saltwater world by storm. Instead of violent rips, you work a specialized jig with slow, rhythmic half-turns of the reel handle. The jig flutters and spirals on the fall, mimicking a dying baitfish. Slow pitch catches fish that won't react to aggressive vertical jigging - pressured tuna, deepwater grouper, snapper, and amberjack that have seen too many speed jigs.

Speed jigging is exactly what it sounds like - high-speed retrieves with a heavy jig. Crank the reel as fast as you can while pumping the rod. The jig screams up through the water column, triggering reaction strikes from fast predators like tuna, wahoo, and amberjack. It's exhausting. It's also devastatingly effective when the fish are keyed on fleeing baitfish.

Casting jigs (also called horizontal jigging) involves casting metal jigs and retrieving them with varied rod work - lifts, twitches, pauses, and steady retrieves. This is the go-to technique for striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore from boats and from shore. Diamond jigs, bucktails, and blade-style jigs are the standard casting options.

Jigging Gear

Each jigging style demands slightly different gear. Here's what works:

Vertical jigging rods are typically 5'6" to 6'6", heavy power, with a fast action tip. You need enough backbone to lift 200-500 gram jigs from depth and enough tip sensitivity to feel the strike on the fall. Pair with a high-speed conventional reel (6:1 ratio or higher) loaded with 50-80lb braid. The high gear ratio lets you pick up slack quickly between rod lifts. A Calcutta rod leash is cheap insurance - a hard strike from an amberjack or tuna can rip an unattended rod right over the rail.

Slow pitch rods are different from conventional jigging rods. They're typically 6-6.5 feet with a parabolic (slow) action that loads progressively through the blank. This action is what gives the jig its characteristic flutter and spiral on the fall. Pair with a narrow-spool conventional reel with a moderate gear ratio (4:1-5:1). Spool with 30-50lb braid and run a 30-60lb fluorocarbon leader. The lighter setup lets the jig do the work rather than the angler.

Speed jigging gear overlaps with vertical jigging. Heavy spinning or conventional setups in the 50-80lb class, high-speed reels, and 50-80lb braid. Spinning reels have an advantage for speed jigging because you can crank faster without the crossover motion of a conventional reel. A 6000-10000 size spinning reel with a 5:1 or higher ratio is the ticket.

Casting jig rods are 7-8 feet, medium to medium-heavy, with fast action. Spinning reels in the 4000-6000 size loaded with 20-40lb braid handle most inshore and nearshore casting applications. For heavier offshore casting (tuna, amberjack), step up to a 50lb conventional setup.

Assist hooks are the standard terminal connection for vertical, slow pitch, and speed jigging. Unlike treble hooks hung from the bottom of the jig, assist hooks ride at the top on a short length of cord, staying close to the head of the jig where fish typically strike. They hook up cleaner, snag less on structure, and make releasing fish easier. For casting jigs, treble hooks and bucktail-dressed single hooks are still standard. Use Gamakatsu Octopus hooks or dedicated assist hooks for building your own rigs.

Jig Types

Jigs come in dozens of shapes, but five categories cover most saltwater applications:

Diamond jigs are the workhorses of northeast fishing and one of the oldest jig designs. Heavy, compact, four-sided metal bodies that sink fast and flash on the retrieve. AHI Diamond Jigs are the standard - available in weights from 1oz to 24oz, they handle everything from casting for stripers to vertical jigging for cod in 200 feet. Effective for striped bass, bluefish, cod, pollock, sea bass, and tuna. Simple, proven, cheap.

Butterfly (flutter) jigs are designed for slow pitch and vertical techniques. Their flat, asymmetric profile creates an erratic flutter on the fall that triggers strikes from fish that ignore conventional jigs. The Williamson Kensaki jig is one of the best in this category. The asymmetric shape gives it an exceptional spiral fall that triggers tuna and amberjack that have seen every other jig in the spread. They come in 60-500 gram weights. Colors that mimic local baitfish (sardine, herring, mackerel patterns) consistently outproduce plain chrome in my experience. These are the go-to for tuna, amberjack, and grouper on deep structure.

Flat-fall jigs are a subset of butterfly jigs with a wider, flatter profile that creates a slow, horizontal falling action. They excel for slow pitch applications and for targeting species that feed on dying or injured baitfish falling through the water column. Snapper, grouper, and pressured tuna respond well to the subtle presentation.

Knife jigs are narrow, elongated jigs built for speed. Their slim profile cuts through the water with minimal resistance, making them ideal for speed jigging and vertical jigging in heavy current. The narrow shape also sinks faster than butterfly jigs of the same weight, which saves time on the drop in deep water. Knife jigs in the 150-300 gram range are the standard for speed jigging tuna and wahoo.

Bucktails are jig heads dressed with bucktail hair or synthetic fibers. They are the staple casting jig for striped bass, fluke, and weakfish along the northeast coast. For inshore species from redfish to speckled trout, the Clarkspoon Shad Jig gives you a versatile option that swims naturally at slow retrieves and produces in stained water where flash jigs go unnoticed. Tip bucktails with a strip of pork rind, Gulp, or cut bait for extra attraction. For understanding how jigs compare to other artificial approaches, see our types of saltwater fishing lures guide.

Technique by Jigging Style

Vertical jigging: Drop the jig to the bottom (or the target depth if fish are suspended). Engage the reel and rip the rod tip up 3-5 feet in a sharp, aggressive stroke. Let the jig fall back on a controlled, semi-tight line - just enough tension to feel the strike but loose enough that the jig falls naturally. Repeat. Work the jig up 30-50 feet, then drop it back and start again. Most bites come on the fall or at the bottom of the stroke. When you feel the weight, don't pause - reel tight immediately. Amberjack and grouper will bury themselves in the wreck in the time it takes you to think about setting the hook.

Slow pitch: This is finesse work. Drop the jig to bottom, engage the reel, and make slow, deliberate half-turns of the reel handle while lifting the rod tip gently. The rod should load and unload with each turn, creating a rhythmic pumping action that gives the jig its signature flutter. Between each crank, pause briefly and let the jig fall a few inches on slack line. The fall is when most strikes happen. You're not trying to rip the jig upward - you're creating a controlled, spiraling descent that looks like an easy meal. Work up 20-30 feet, then drop back and start over.

Speed jigging: Drop to bottom or target depth. Lock the drag down tight. Crank the reel as fast as you can while making short, sharp pumps with the rod. The goal is to make the jig scream upward through the water column at maximum speed. This is a reaction technique - the fish doesn't decide to eat. It reacts to something fleeing at high speed and smashes it instinctively. Speed jigging is brutally effective on tuna and wahoo but it's also brutally exhausting. It's not uncommon to work 20-30 drops before getting a strike, and each drop is a full-body workout. The payoff is typically the biggest, most aggressive fish in the area.

Casting jigs: Cast beyond the target area (structure, breaking fish, current line), let the jig sink to the desired depth, and retrieve with a combination of steady reeling and rod tip lifts. For striped bass on diamond jigs, a moderate-speed retrieve with occasional pauses and twitches works well. For bluefish, a fast, steady retrieve triggers explosive strikes. For false albacore and bonito, a high-speed retrieve matching their typical prey speed is essential. When working over structure, let the jig hit bottom briefly before starting your retrieve - the initial lift-off often draws an immediate strike. For more on how jigging fits into a complete offshore approach, our trolling spread guide covers integrating jigs into a broader game plan. For deep water work specifically, our how-to-deep-drop guide explains the overlap between electric-reel jigging and traditional deep drop technique.

Species Targets

Tuna (yellowfin, bluefin, bigeye) respond to all jigging styles. Vertical and speed jigging in the 150-300 gram range produce on deep structure. For slow pitch specifically, the Williamson Kensaki in 200-300 grams gets bit on pressured yellowfin when speed jigs are getting ignored. Casting jigs work when tuna are busting bait on the surface, and the AHI Diamond Jig in 3-6 ounces is the go-to for schooling tuna from the surface. Jigs in the 100-300 gram range cover most tuna applications.

Amberjack are the ultimate vertical jigging target. They live on deep wrecks and reefs in 80-250 feet and they hit jigs with authority. Drop a 200-400 gram jig to the bottom, rip it twice, and hold on. AJ's fight straight down with incredible power. Heavy tackle (80lb+ braid, stiff rod) is mandatory - if you let them get back into the wreck, you're done.

Grouper respond well to slow pitch and vertical jigging near structure. They ambush from the bottom, so most strikes come in the first 10-20 feet of the jig's ascent. Use Epic circle hooks as assist hooks for easier releases on undersized fish.

Striped bass are the primary casting jig target in the northeast. Diamond jigs in 2-8 ounces, bounced off the bottom or ripped through schooling fish, produce consistently from boats and from shore. AHI Diamond Jigs are the northeast standard for stripers. Dress them with a tube tail or Gulp strip for extra attraction.

Bluefish crush jigs with reckless aggression. Any jig, any speed, any depth - blues are not picky. Use wire leader and ball bearing snap swivels to prevent cut-offs and allow quick jig changes. Connect with double crimp sleeves for a clean, secure wire-to-swivel connection.

Cobia respond to sight-casting jigs as they cruise the surface, and to vertical jigs dropped on structure where they stage. Bucktails in the 1-4 ounce range are the classic cobia casting jig. Billfisher snap swivels make swapping jig sizes quick when you need to match what the fish want.

Depth and Current Considerations

Current is the biggest variable in jigging effectiveness. In slack current, jigs fall straight down and work predictably. In strong current, your jig sweeps away from the boat, your line angle increases, and maintaining bottom contact becomes a battle. To understand how weight relates to depth and current, our sinker weight guide applies the same principles to jig selection. And if you are building your own assist hooks or replacing factory trebles, our hook size chart maps hook size to species and jig weight so you are not guessing.

The rule of thumb: use 1 gram of jig weight for every foot of depth in calm conditions. In moderate current, bump that up 30-50%. In ripping current, you may need to double it. If you're fishing 200 feet in moderate current, a 250-300 gram jig is a good starting point. In that same spot with heavy current, you might need 400 grams or heavier.

Line angle matters. If your braid is going out at more than 45 degrees from vertical, your jig isn't working effectively. Either add weight, move upcurrent, or wait for the current to ease. An ineffective jig presentation is worse than no presentation - you're wasting energy and spooking fish with unnatural movement.

Tips for More Fish on Jigs

• Match the bait size. If the fish are eating 3-inch glass minnows, a 12-ounce diamond jig is not the answer. Downsize your jig until it matches the prevalent forage.
• Change colors before changing techniques. If fish are marking on the sounder but not biting, switch from chrome to a natural baitfish pattern before giving up on the jig entirely. Color changes produce on days when nothing else does.
• Sharpen your hooks. Factory hooks on many jigs are adequate but not sharp. Touch them up with a hook file before fishing. A sharp assist hook means the difference between a solid hookup and a bumped fish.
• Fish the fall. In vertical and slow pitch jigging, 80% of strikes happen as the jig drops. Keep enough tension on the fall to detect strikes but don't restrict the jig's natural action. If you feel any weight that shouldn't be there - reel tight immediately.
• Vary your cadence. If the standard retrieve isn't producing, change it. Speed up, slow down, add pauses, add extra twitches. Fish get conditioned to seeing the same jig action all day. Something different often triggers the bite.
• Start at the bottom. Even when fish are marking mid-water on the sounder, start your jig at the bottom and work up through them. The jig approaching from below mimics natural baitfish behavior better than dropping through a school from above.

Jigging is the most direct, visceral way to catch saltwater fish. Every strike is earned through rod work, and every fish fights harder because you're fighting them vertically on tight line. Get the right jig for the technique, match the weight to the depth and current, and keep that jig moving. The fish will tell you what they want if you're willing to experiment. Tight lines.

Know Before You Go: Regulations change frequently. Always check current size limits, bag limits, seasons, and gear restrictions with your state fisheries agency before heading out. For Atlantic species, visit ASMFC.org for interstate management updates.

Questions about tackle? Call us at 888.453.3742 or email help@thetackleroom.com.