3 ways to give a boost to your fishing catches using tenya jigs

How do we effectively use the tenya jig the right way is something many people ask me. Of course, everyone knows that we use a live prawn here and we drop it to the bottom of the seabed. Most fishing folks do that and already catch fish with the tenya jig. So what's really so special about it? Well, in my humble experiences with the tenya jig, I found there are three ways to "accelerate" the bites and get more fish.

Before you go into the the three ways, learn how to hook a live prawn on the tenya by watching this video.

1. Cast and bounce 

A very common way that most people use is using the tenya to cover more ground. This often happens as the boat is drifting. Casting the opposite direction to where the current is heading will give you good ground to cover. As the tenya returns to you, lift and bounce( releasing line after the lift) to try and locate the snags and caves in which the fishes are hiding in. Snag rate is high using this method but if you're on light tackle, you should be able to navigate through the snags well. It's best to do this at the front or back of the boat so that when your tenya returns to under the boat, you can swap over to the other side and continue bouncing. If you're at the middle of the boat, you'll have to recast.

2. Let it drift 

Letting the tenya drift is very versatile and you can do it whether the boat is anchored or drifting. Generally, what it means is that you let the current carry the tenya across the bottom. If you are anchored, simply fish in the direction of the current and drop the tenya. The current will carry your tenya further once it reaches the bottom. Release line occasionally to let the tenya stay at the bottom as it needs to be at the bottom to be effective. If you are drifting, do the same thing but be more mindful of snags as terrain will change much quicker. It's like madai fishing but more sensitive to bites. When you use this method, ensure you're at the back or front of the boat and that you don't cross line with others.

3. The big drop 

I never thought this would be a proven method but I tried it many times and it works wonders. This method is also why most anglers say "goalkeeper" or taken on the drop. What I do is that I crank a few rounds and lift the tenya 15-20ft off the bottom. I then open my bail arm to let the tenya drop onto the seabed. When you do this, you stir up alot of grit and sand on the seabed and this can attract fish since you'll be displacing coral, organisms such as worms and so on. Another reason why this works well is that if the boat is drifting, you'll be "dropping" into potential strike zones such as coral patches, caves, natural rock crevices and drop-offs. This method is more effective when the boat is drifting. If the boat is anchored, you'll be "dropping" on the same area unless you move around the boat. To operationalise this method while drifting, simply crank 5 rounds, then drop it back. Repeat repetition about 5 to 10 times a minute. It's more effective when you alernate between bouncing and dropping.

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Need some Tenya jigs that are effective? You can get some from Bakgal's carousell shop.