Most anglers know that the big, trophy-quality fish are usually at the bottom. They lie and wait for prey and have seen all manner of lures come past and show no interest. I’ve had to improvise in the past when the fish are bottom-feeding and didn’t have the right gear, so if you’re in a position like that, can you use a jigging rod for bottom fishing?
You can use a jigging rod for bottom fishing. Although it is not typically used for bottom fishing, most jigging rods will work perfectly. The best length jigging rod for bottom fishing would be a 5’8-7’, light to medium weight graphite rod with good flexibility fitted with a spinning reel.
Many times, when you are at your favorite fishing spot, you have to be able to change up your gear and lures to adapt quickly to what the fish are eating. If the weather changes, they might go to the bottom to find cooler water and feed on other prey. If you only have a jigging rod on hand, you will still be able to catch fish even if they are at the bottom – all you need to do is change your lure and style. In this article, we want to look at how you can use a jigging rod for bottom fishing;
Which Are The Five Best Jigging Rods For Bottom Fishing?
The five best jigging rods you can use for bottom fishing are the Shimano Trevela, Penn Rampage, Tsunami Trophy, Rosewood Lightweight, and the Okuma Cedros. Let’s look at the top qualities of these five rods;
Shimano Grappler Graphite Jigging Rod
- Very lightweight construction with comfortable EVA handle.
- Extra sensitive for handling and hook-setting.
- Reliable Shimano manufacturing.
- Entirely parabolic, making fighting the fish easier.
- Solid and flexible enough for handling big fish.
- A very versatile rod
- Available in lengths of 5’8″ to 7’0″
Penn Rampage Jigging Rod
- A versatile rod that’s very effective for bottom fishing.
- Flexible with a sensitive tip making hook setting easy.
- The perfect blend of flexibility and rigidity.
- Good strength throughout the entire blank.
- Durable rubber gimbal.
- Available in lengths of: 5’8″, 6’2″, 6’6″
- Effective with lures of 2-5 oz.
- Best to use 30 lb – 80 lb lines.
Tsunami Trophy Jigging Rod
- Very versatile fishing rod suitable for jigging and spinning.
- Lightweight rod making it comfortable during long fishing days.
- Powerful rod able to handle big fish and heavy jig lures.
- Excellent quality in manufacturing.
- Very sensitive for hook setting.
- Available in a 7′ rod.
- Best to use 20 -40lb line.
- Can handle lures of 1 3/4 -4 1/4oz.
Rosewood Lightweight Slow Jigging Rod
- Light and very flexible build.
- Extraordinarily responsive and sensitive.
- Great looking rod and well manufactured.
- A tremendous 2-piece portable option
- Available in a 6 ft 4in long rod.
- Can handle a lure weight of 200g.
- Best to use 1-3/30lbs line.
Okuma Cedros
- Potent rod for hauling big fish while bottom fishing or jigging.
- Well-designed reel seat and comfort grip.
- Fiberglass manufactured for extra durability and strength.
- Extremely balanced rod.
- This rod carries a lifetime warranty.
- Available in lengths of 5’6″ to 7’0
Which Are The Five Best Jigging Lures For Bottom Fishing?
For effective bottom fishing with your jigging rod, the five best lures to use are the Rapala Jigging Raps, Heddon Sonar Blade Baits, Venom High Dollar Stinger Bucktail Jigs, Rapala Rippin Rap, and Silver Streak Blade Baits.
Rapala Jigging Raps
The Rapala Jigging Raps is best known for being the most productive lure for jigging all manner of gamefish.
Heddon Sonar Blade Baits
A highly productive and fun lure to have in your arsenal. This bait creates just the right amount of noise when fished.
Venom High Dollar Stinger Bucktail Jig
An upgraded version of an old favorite, highly productive, and quality lure. Gamefish find it irresistible. Check them out on Amazon here.
Rapala Rippin’ Rap
Rapala has been making exceptional lures that never disappoint. A heavy lure can be cast far, making a significant amount of vibration and noise when reeled in.
Silver Streak Blade Baits
Blade baits are simple but highly effective and work for all types of gamefish—one of the best lures to use for jigging. Check them out on Amazon here
What Is The Best Method for Jigging While Bottom Fishing?
The best method to use a jigging rod for bottom fishing would be from a dock, pier, or boat, giving you the advantage of elevation. Usually, the rods commonly used for bottom fishing are long and stiff.
Jigging is very active; you have to sweep or pop the rod tip upwards or sideways while reeling to move the lure vertically under the water. This technique creates the appearance n an injured fish or minnow that the larger game fish find irresistible.
If you were to use a jigging rod for bottom fishing, you would be able to apply a similar technique, but your sweep would have to be significantly increased from a 2-3 ft sweep or pop to 4-5 ft to create the same lure movements at the bottom.
What Time Of The Day Is The Best For Bottom Fishing?
The best time of the day for bottom fishing is from midday to sunset. During the cooler mornings, fish are slower and tend to feed mid to top water. As opportunistic predators, fish will retreat to the bottom and are more docile during midday, making slower bottom fishing successful.
Where To Best Use Your Jigging Rod For Bottom Fishing
The best areas to use your jigging rod for bottom fishing would be in a moving tide while anchored on a boat. You should be able to work the whole area from your location, paying particular attention to the beginning and the end of the tide where fish are more likely to be lying in wait for prey.
Helpful Tip
Rigging your lures for bottom fishing is important and maintaining the correct depth, making sure you do not get the lure snagged on any debris. Bottom fishing does not mean dragging the lure across the lake or river floor unless you use a Senko lure with the proper technique.
Conclusion
Although not the conventional choice of rod for bottom fishing, the jigging rod will be just as successful in helping you land that big one. Taking care of how you rig the lure, fish the baits, and the water conditions are critical.
In my experience, it is not solely the tackle that helps catch the fish, but the wit of the fisherman using it. So tackle up and try it.
We have articles on Drop Shot and Surf fishing on the site as well.
