Let’s walk through my current deep-sea jigging setup and everything I’ve got dialed in to keep things running smoothly.

Gimbal: A Game-Changer, Not a Must-Have

Wearing a gimbal isn’t necessary, but it makes life a lot easier during deep-sea jigging. Trust me—it’s better to have it strapped on from the start than scrambling to find it mid-fight while a beast from the deep is peeling drag! Just make sure your gimbal fits the rod butt snugly for a secure setup.

The Ocean’s Legacy lightweight aluminium gimbal is so comfortable that you barely feel it, even after a full day on the water—definitely worth the investment.

Rod: Ocean’s Legacy Elementus Deep ELDS-B611H+ PE5+

This overhead rod with spiral guides is a gem. Rated for jigs up to 700 grams, it’s lightweight yet has a soft enough tip for slow-pitch techniques. At the same time, it’s got the backbone you need when fighting big fish further down the blank. It balances finesse and power like a pro.

Reel: Studio Ocean Mark L80Hi

Designed specifically for slow-pitch and deep-sea jigging, this reel features a narrow spool, huge line capacity, smooth drag, lightweight construction, and a fast retrieve rate. While it’s not essential to have something this high-end, it sure makes the experience better. Years of design tweaks went into this reel, and you can feel it with every crank.

Braid: Sunline Siglon 8X PE3

I’m running PE3 Sunline Siglon 8-strand braid—it’s super thin, super smooth, and lets me spool up to 800 meters. That gives me more than enough line for deep water while reducing drag in the water column. Although PE3 works great, I might bump up to PE4 for heavier drag settings and to keep big fish from diving back into structure.

Knot: FG Knot

For the braid-to-leader connection, I swear by the FG knot. It’s never let me down and handles heavy leaders with ease. Smooth, reliable, and once you master it, it’s hard to switch to anything else.

Leader: Ocean’s Legacy Duelist Shock Leader 80lb-100lb

I typically use 80lb or 100lb Ocean’s Legacy Duelist Shock Leader, depending on what I’m targeting. For the leader-to-swivel connection, I rely on a trusty uni knot—simple but effective.

Jig Rigging: Keeping it Tangle-Free

My deep-sea jigging rigging differs slightly from other styles. I add a small ball-bearing swivel to eliminate line twist. At the bottom of the swivel, I attach a Ocean’s Legacy Monster Split Ring.

Old-school advice suggested tying your leader directly to the solid ring attached to the hook, but with modern split rings being so strong, there’s no need. Plus, with my reel putting out just 12kg of drag, a solid split ring can handle the load with no problem.

Jigs: Ocean’s Legacy Deep Contact

My go-to jigs are the Ocean’s Legacy Deep Contact, usually in the 560g or 720g range. Pink Lumo is my current favourite, but honestly, all colours seem to get results. It’s always good to have a variety on hand.

Assist Hooks: Double Trouble

I run Ocean’s Legacy Twin Assist Stinger Tako Bait hooks at the top, attaching them to the same split ring as the jig. This setup lets me swap out jigs or assist rigs without re-tying—saving time on the water.

For added security, I also rig a set of double assist hooks at the bottom of the jig, connected with another split ring. This way, I maximise my hookup chances, and if both top and bottom hooks set into the fish, it’s not going anywhere.