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 .”
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016 I FLWFISHING . COM 91