The vertical jig rig
A vertical jig is a 15 g jighead with a soft plastic, dropped straight down under the boat and worked with a lift-and-drop. The weight gets you down to fish holding deep and keeps contact in the wind. It is the boat method for zander and perch here, and the one zander respond to best.
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| Main line | Braid, PE 0.8 (≈0.14 mm, ≈12–16 lb) |
| Swivel | Small, size ~10–12 |
| Leader | Fluorocarbon 0.22 mm (≈10 lb) |
| Jighead | 15 g, with a 2/0 hook |
| Soft plastic | 4" paddletail: yellow or blue for zander, naturals for perch |
What it's for
Zander and perch from a boat, in deep water, and pike take it too. This is the boat method for these species here, and the one zander respond to best. Zander hold deep and like a bait worked straight up and down in front of them, which is exactly what a vertical jig does: it drops fast to the fish, stays in contact in deep water and wind, and you fish it directly below the boat.
The rig at a glance
Read top to bottom, the way it hangs straight down under the boat. The main line (braid, PE 0.8) comes off the rod to a small swivel, tied with a Palomar knot. Below the swivel is the fluorocarbon leader (0.22 mm). At the bottom is the jighead, a 15 g head with a 2/0 hook, dressed with a 4" paddletail (yellow or blue for zander, naturals for perch). The jighead is tied on with a non-slip loop knot, so the head can swing and the soft plastic works freely on the lift-and-drop.
How to build it
- Tie the braid main line to one end of the small swivel with a Palomar knot, then tie the fluorocarbon leader to the other end with a Palomar too. The swivel reduces line twist.
- Tie the jighead to the end of the leader with a non-slip loop knot. The fixed loop lets the jighead swing freely, which gives the soft plastic a livelier action. A Palomar works too if you prefer a fixed connection.
- Rig the 4" paddletail onto the 2/0 hook, straight and centred so it tracks true. Yellow or blue for zander, a natural tone for perch.
How to fish it
Drop the jighead straight down under the boat and let it fall to the bottom on a fairly tight line, watching for a take on the drop. When it hits bottom, lift the rod tip smoothly to raise the lure a foot or two, then lower it under control so it flutters back down. That lift-and-drop, repeated, is the whole retrieve. Most zander takes come on the drop, often as a soft tap or the line going slack. Keep the line near vertical, or you lose contact.
Where this rig works
Right now this rig is fished on one water: Lac du Bourget, in France, for zander, perch and pike from a boat over deep water. As the atlas grows, every new water that uses it will link to this same page.
Vertical jig questions
Dropping a 15 g jighead and soft plastic straight down under the boat and working it with a lift-and-drop, rather than casting and retrieving. The weight gets you down to fish holding deep and keeps you in contact in deep water and wind. It is the boat method for zander, and perch and pike take it too.
A 15 g head suits the depths here. The right weight tracks the depth and the drift speed, so the line hangs near vertical under the boat. If you cannot feel the bottom or the line streams away at an angle, go heavier until it hangs straight down again.
A non-slip loop knot. It leaves a small fixed loop at the eye so the jighead can swing and the soft plastic moves freely, which improves the action. If you prefer a fixed connection, a Palomar knot is fine; you lose a little movement but gain simplicity.
Zander hold deep and respond to a bait worked straight up and down in front of them. A vertical jig drops fast to that depth, stays in contact in deep water and wind, and presents the lure on the spot with a lift-and-drop. That direct, vertical presentation is what zander take best, especially in low light.