# Marking depth on lines for tuna jigging



## ksong

For tuna jigging, right tackle is important and sizes/colors of jigs are important. But the most important thing is to know right depth and fish at the right depth.

Color coded lines revolutionized tuna jigging by giving you right depth. 
I doubt anyone in the US have used the color coded line longer and more extensively than I have used for tuna jigging.

However, I found there are a few issues of using the lines.
1. When fishing in darkness, the color coded lines are useless.
2. When casting, it is hard to know right depth.
3. Colors fade out after using one year.



So I tried to find other way to overcome the issues. 
The best way I can find is to mark depth by wrapping other braid line using half hitch knot as you see in the picture. You can see it and you can feel it with your fingers.

I have one mark at 100 ft and two marks at 200 ft. As the prime zone for tuna is 80 ft - 200 ft. 100 ft mark and 200 ft mark is good enough.

I had 200 lb tuna at 100 ft mark on last Sat/Sun and had longfin at 110 ft on Thur/Fri trip.
Though it was dark on both trips, I could manage to jig right depth using this method.

bigeye at 100 ft.


longfin at 110 ft


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## Jungle_Jim

Kilsong, what weight jig is that? I find it difficult to buy the right jigs because of all the choices and weights so I basically look for what works for others and copy them


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## ksong

ikross,
If you fish in Gulf of Mexico, you need casting for jigging. 
I have success by casting far from the boat as yft were cruising outside of lights of the boat when I fished on the Big E. After casting, I count 5 - 10, and start jigging.


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## ksong

ikross,
If you just want to drop jig, you should use color coded line instead of counting. 
I caught over 1000 tuna on jigs with color coded line for two decades. 
Many times yft swim at the same depth. When i hook up a tuna, I always check the depth and drop jigs a the same depth for another tuna. 

Blackfin are different. They are all over. I try to avoid blackfin when I fish Gulf of Mexico.


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## ksong

If you are comfortable with what you use, that is fine. 
I just want to help other fishermen based on my tuna jigging experience.
One of my advice is not to fish deep for yft. 
I got a yft at the bottom of canyon, but mostly they stay not deeper than 250 ft where ever you go including Gulf of Mexico.


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## ksong

ikross,
Opinions vary. I am entitled to give my opinion based on my experiences. 
I used to fish Gulf of Mexico every year out of Venice, LA or Texas and I caught yft on jigs most of time. If my post offend you, I apologize for it. 
I made trial/errors while jigging tuna over 30 years and I like help others not to repeat my kind of errors.


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## ksong

ikross said:


> Mr Kilsong . You quoted this on another forum.
> "When I fish Gulf Mexico around oil rigs, I observed that fishermen fish too deep for yft while yft crash on top outside of boats lights".
> 
> Could you be so kind to explain whats your suggestion , advice ?
> Thank.you.


I cast far with 8' rod and start to jig after counting 5 - 10 or without count. I never drop my jigs deeper than 200 ft for yft. Sometimes I jig slowly to avoid blackfin attack.


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## ksong

You can use spinning rods for casting. When yft crush outskirt of boat lights, it means yft are around the boat. Even you don't cast, yft are under the boat, but not deep.
Bright lights of oil rigs, attract bait and bait attract tuna. Bait are not deep an so yft are.
I fished yft all around the world and the behavior is same including Gulf of Mexico. 
In fact, I fish shallower in Gulf of Mexico than in other areas.
Tuna marks you get in deep could be blackfin.
I'd like to know how many yft you got on jigs in deeper water.


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## ksong

How deep do you fish for yft with bait ?
Stay in 80 ft - 200 ft for yft. Your yft catch will be doubled.


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## ksong

Whether you jig or use bait, you fish where fish are.
So I'd like to know how deep you fish with bait for yellowfin.


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## ksong

So you drop your bait to 350 ft. Good luck.
Bigeye are different. They usually stay deep. We normally catch them on jigs in 200 ft - 300 ft deep though we catch them shallower sometimes.


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## fullon_harvest

VERY helpful advice, especially the half-hitches. 

Thank you.


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## nook

Waste of time IMO


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## stryper

Keep the ideas coming Kil

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk


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## fullon_harvest

ksong, 

I see the marks are half-hitches going the same direction (as it makes the spiral), but how do you start the half hitches and what knot do you use to finish? Do you use serving? I'd like to avoid using super-glue and am concerned about the knots coming untied/loose after repeated trips through the guides.

Thank you in advance.


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## tj5

first off i use Jb white hollow 
i have marked mine with a black permanent marker
at 50 feet marks 
50 feet it gets 4 marks about 4inch then at 100 gets about 4 feet long marks 
50 stays same but at 200 gets 2 marks about 4 feet long and 300 gets 3 marks 
makes for fast references dropping down


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## nook

after a few trips,,,salt crystals will bled out the marker...


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## tj5

it dos but still see them good enf to still use the marks
plus ant nothing to remark them to markers cheap


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## ksong

fullon_harvest said:


> ksong,
> 
> I see the marks are half-hitches going the same direction (as it makes the spiral), but how do you start the half hitches and what knot do you use to finish? Do you use serving? I'd like to avoid using super-glue and am concerned about the knots coming untied/loose after repeated trips through the guides.
> 
> Thank you in advance.


I start with half hitch and end with half hitch. And I put super glue on it. 
You can finish the mark with any knot you want. I find putting glue protect the mark going through guides. But I didn't use glue at all last year and I didn't have any issue. Manny tuna jig fishermen on the East Coast start to mark the line with the concept and they all like it.


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## fullon_harvest

Pic of 200 ft. marks:



I look forward to testing them out tomorrow night.

Thank you.


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## nook

Bumpy....Murphys law ! GL with those knots going thru your guides .


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## ksong

fullon_harvest said:


> Pic of 200 ft. marks:
> 
> 
> 
> I look forward to testing them out tomorrow night.
> 
> Thank you.


Good luck tomorrow. It's been tested for several years without any issue.
You never learn anything if you don't try with positive attitude. 
You don't even feel when the marking knot go through guides. You got to watch it closely or use your hands to feel it.
I am one of the first guy who used color coded Japanese line for tuna jigging in the US. I am positive that the line marking with half hitch knots is much better than using color coded lines.


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## nook

Good Luck with that !


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## fullon_harvest

This worked excellent! No yft : (, but the bfts were between 150 and 200 : ) and this helped me box more fish, by keeping me in the zone, in the dark.



My heavy jigging set-up is an Accurate/400 OBX conventional with 80lb. JB and I used a scrap of old 50 lb. PowerPro to make the marks (no glue). I did not find it too "bumpy" and I found myself using the tip of my right index finger on the spool to "feel" the marks on the drop and kept my right thumb on the main lever arm. It may not work for everyone, in all applications, but it worked for me.

Thank you for the tip!


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## ksong

Glad it worked for you. 
Yellow fin/bigeye jigging bites are getting hot at canyons on the East Coast now. 
We usually jig for yft in 100 ft - 150ft, not deeper than 200 ft. 
I plan to go to canyon next week and I will post pictures of tuna on jigs.


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## nook

fullon_harvest said:


> This worked excellent! No yft : (, but the bfts were between 150 and 200 : ) and this helped me box more fish, by keeping me in the zone, in the dark.
> 
> 
> 
> My heavy jigging set-up is an Accurate/400 OBX conventional with 80lb. JB and I used a scrap of old 50 lb. PowerPro to make the marks (no glue). I did not find it too "bumpy" and I found myself using the tip of my right index finger on the spool to "feel" the marks on the drop and kept my right thumb on the main lever arm. It may not work for everyone, in all applications, but it worked for me.
> 
> Thank you for the tip!


go deeper ...you'll find the yft there :ac550:


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## William Dean Sr.

nook said:


> go deeper ...you'll find the yft there :ac550:


What's with you, man? The guy was just trying to post something that helps him identify line depth and at what depth he usually finds tuna. Then someone tries his technique and lands some fish and has no issues with it. But you still continue to bash it.

Your posts are worthless, start your own thread.


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## ksong

I don't think nook last long here like other his usernames. 
Some just like to be a spoiler.


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## nook

Lol.....so you can't say your opinion ? So far it's a respectable debate ....unless you have to agree to or bow to what a sponsor is preaching .
Actually , if he goes deeper he might find yft . GL


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