THE TECHNIQUES
1. Reel and Kill Jig: 1 / 2 ounce Rod: 7-3, medium-heavy Cashion worm rod Line: 12-pound-test Sunline FC Sniper Reel: 6.5:1 Ardent Apex baitcaster
Crank the reel four to six times at three-quarters speed, then kill it.
Hold the rod tip at 10 o’ clock.
Maintain a tight line as it falls.
The jig scoots away and then glides back toward bottom.
Wind slowly to keep the jig near bottom.
2. Slow-Roll
Jig: 1 ounce Rod: 7-6, medium-heavy Cashion F90476 flipping stick Line: 20-pound-test Sunline FC Sniper Reel: 6.5:1 Ardent Apex baitcaster
Stop and let it sink every five to seven cranks.
3. Double-Stroke
Jig: 1 ounce Rod: 7-6, medium-heavy Cashion F90476 flipping stick Line: 20-pound-test Sunline FC Sniper Reel: 6.5:1 Ardent Apex baitcaster
Stroke the jig with two short hops instead of one big one.
Rod starts at 9 o’ clock. Hop halfway to 10:30, hesitate briefly then hop to 12.
Let it fall on a tight line.
6.5:1
Though reels with high retrieve ratios have their fans, Neal relies on a 6.5:1 reel for many of his offshore techniques.
“ It allows you to slow down if you want to slow down,” he says.“ You can burn it plenty fast enough with a 6, but if you want to fish it slow, close to the bottom, you can still do that as well.”
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