Metal jigs
Lure · Last reviewed 2026-08-10
Dense metal slabs that fish the whole water column on the drop — the only lure family that reaches deep water in strong tide, and the one where the take comes on the fall.
Safety
Hooks and barbs — Can cause injury needing treatment
Assist hooks and trebles on a heavy metal lure, arriving at the boat at speed with a fish attached and a deck moving.
What reduces it: Control the fish before unhooking, use a de-hooking tool rather than fingers, and keep the swing path clear when a fish is lifted.
Line under tension — Can cause injury needing treatment
Snagging a heavy jig on rough ground at depth loads the line hard, and pulling for a break returns metal at speed.
What reduces it: Point the rod down the line and pull with the boat rather than by hand. Wear eye protection and keep others clear.
Precautions that always apply here
- If a hook goes past the barb into a person, cut the line, leave the hook where it is, and get medical help. Pulling it back out does far more damage than pushing it through under proper care.
- Wear a buoyancy aid or lifejacket. Cold water incapacitates strong swimmers within a minute, long before swimming ability matters.
A metal jig is a piece of shaped metal, heavy for its size, designed to be dropped and worked vertically. It is the only lure family that reliably fishes deep water in a running tide, because it is the only one dense enough to get there.
The design logic is entirely about the FALL. A metal jig's action on the drop — whether it flutters, glides, spirals or drops straight — is determined by where the weight sits along its length and by the cross-section, and that fall is where most takes happen. A symmetrical centre-weighted jig flutters and is used for slow presentations; a tail-weighted knife jig drops fast and straight and is used to reach depth quickly and to be worked hard on the retrieve.
That produces the two distinct styles the catalogue describes on the jigging record. SPEED JIGGING works a fast, tail-weighted jig hard on the rise to provoke a reaction. SLOW PITCH works a centre-weighted jig with the rod loading and unloading to control an enticing fall. They use different jigs and different rods, and using one style's tackle for the other simply does not work.
Assist hooks at the head, rather than a tail treble, are now standard on most metal jigs. They hook better on a fish taking from above and foul the bottom far less.
- Depth range
- From the surface to well over 200 m depending on jig weight, current and line diameter. The only lure family that reliably reaches deep water in a running tide.
What it does in the water
Determined almost entirely by weight distribution and cross-section. A centre-weighted symmetrical jig flutters and glides on the fall, presenting a long, erratic, dying-baitfish descent. A tail-weighted knife jig drops fast and straight, reaching depth quickly and darting sharply when lifted. Neither has any built-in action on a steady retrieve — everything comes from the rod and from gravity, which is what distinguishes this family from every other lure type.
How it is worked
Speed jigging uses a hard, rhythmic, co-ordinated rod lift and reel wind, with the take almost always coming on the rise. Slow pitch uses shorter rod inputs that load and unload the rod, letting the jig flutter down on a controlled line, with the take coming on the fall and registering as slack line or as the descent simply stopping. In both, the line must stay near-vertical: a jig streaming away at an angle is not fishing the depth the sounder showed.
What it imitates
A wounded or dying baitfish falling through the water column, which is the single most reliable trigger in the sea — a fish that flutters downward is one that cannot escape. The flash and the erratic descent do the work rather than any resemblance in shape, which is why metal jigs look like nothing in particular and still catch a very wide range of predators.
Where it stops working
- Requires braid. Monofilament stretch absorbs the rod input before it reaches the jig and hides the take at depth, which makes the technique physically impossible to perform properly.
- Needs the line near-vertical, so a fast drift or strong current defeats it regardless of jig weight.
- Snags heavily over rough ground, and losses are expensive because metal jigs are not cheap.
- Speed jigging is genuinely physically demanding and cannot be sustained for a full day.
- Requires a matched rod: a speed jigging rod and a slow pitch rod are not interchangeable and using the wrong one prevents the technique working at all.
Where to go next
Fish it catches
Greater amberjackThe lure family that reaches deep structure in a running tide, worked hard on the rise for a fish that will chase — and heavy enough to survive being dragged back out of cover.
Atlantic bonitoA small casting metal reaches bonito shoals from shore and boat and matches the small baitfish they are feeding on more closely than a trolled lure can.
Atlantic codThe pirk is the oldest artificial in this fishery and works on the drop: a cod holding over hard ground responds to something falling and fluttering above it, which is how a wounded fish behaves and how a lifted-and-dropped metal behaves.
Atlantic mackerelA small casting metal covers the distance to a passing shoal and sinks fast enough to reach it before it moves. Mackerel hunt by sight in the upper water and take a fast, flashing retrieve because that is what fleeing sandeel and sprat look like.- Australasian snapperSlow-pitch and mechanical jigging reaches snapper holding deeper than a soft bait can be fished effectively, and the flutter on the drop is what the fish responds to.
- Black rockfishJigs worked off the bottom over shallow reef and kelp.
- BluefishA casting metal survives the dentition better than a soft bait and reaches fish holding under a surface blitz rather than in it.
European sea bassA small casting metal buys distance in wind and gets under the surface when bass are feeding deeper than a surface lure or a shallow minnow will reach — usually the answer in a big sea rather than a fine-weather one.
9 more
- Japanese amberjack Fish
- Kahawai Fish
- King mackerel Fish
- Lake trout Fish
- Ling Fish
- Pollack Fish
- Saithe Fish
- Yellowfin tuna Fish
- Yellowtail kingfish Fish
What these connections rest on (17)
Practitioner consensus — 17 connections
Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.
Greater amberjack
A practitioner claim about a lure-species pairing.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of vertical jigging with metal jigs for deep structure predators.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: The tackle classes used for large marine predators fished vertically.Passage read and verified
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Atlantic bonito
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Atlantic cod
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established shore and boat lure practice for the species in north-west European seas.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure selection for this species, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Atlantic mackerel
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established shore and boat lure practice for the species in north-west European seas.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure selection for this species, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Australasian snapper
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Black rockfish
A practitioner claim about tackle commonly used for Sebastes melanops.
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of this presentation for black rockfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of comparable presentations for the species group.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Bluefish
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated North American lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the tackle conventions used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
European sea bass
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established shore and boat lure practice for the species in north-west European seas.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure selection for this species, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Japanese amberjack
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Kahawai
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
King mackerel
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated North American lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the tackle conventions used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
Lake trout
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated North American lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the tackle conventions used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
Ling
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established shore and boat lure practice for the species in north-west European seas.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure selection for this species, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Pollack
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established shore and boat lure practice for the species in north-west European seas.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure selection for this species, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Saithe
A practitioner claim about a lure-species pairing.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of jigging and pirking for midwater gadoids over wrecks.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fast jig retrieves for saithe.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Yellowfin tuna
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Yellowtail kingfish
A practitioner claim about which lure family answers this species' feeding or holding behaviour.
- IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish taken on artificial lures, and the line and tackle classes used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated lure practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Understanding it
What these connections rest on (1)
Practitioner consensus — 1 connection
Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.
Jig weight and fall rate
Profile as well as weight is selected on in jigging practice, specifically to control the drop.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Sea angling practice on tackle and presentation in tidal water.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Comparable reasoning from the freshwater tradition, independently arrived at.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Instead of this
What these connections rest on (1)
Practitioner consensus — 1 connection
Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.
Saltwater lures
A practitioner comparison establishing where each part of the family operates.
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of saltwater lure categories and the depths each fishes.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner guidance on lure selection by depth and current.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Sources for this page
- Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of metal jig design, weight distribution and the distinction between fast and slow presentations.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
- General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: The widely restated practitioner position that braid is required for vertical jigging and that the line must stay near-vertical.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
How FishingHQ labels evidence is explained in the evidence policy.