When employing a ball jig, the most successful technique is to keep your line as nearly perpendicular to the bottom as you can. That means using a jig of sufficient weight, which may range from 2 to 10 ounces. You've got to remember that you're not using the ball jig for bluefish or mackerel. Violent jigging action is a no-no. Instead, permit the jig to settle to the bottom. If you're using a rod with a sensitive tip as outlined earlier, just keep bouncing the jig gently. Lift your rod tip a few inches, causing the jig and its trailing strip bait to lift off the bottom, swim along, and settle back down in an enticing manner.

When a hit occurs, often it'll feel as though you've snagged bottom, especially when there's a slow drift. Most fluke will just gently swim up to the bouncing jig and settle back down to the bottom. When you feel this, just lower your rod tip. That allows the fluke to mouth the bait, and then slowly begin reeling. When you do, the fluke will invariably turn away and get hooked in the process.

When using bucktail jigs, as opposed to ball jigs, the technique varies considerably. Among the most popular is the SPRO, which is available in weights up to 6 ounces, and features a rigid O'Shaughnessy-style hook. The SPRO jig is balanced in such a way so that it doesn't hang at a 45-degree angle, as is the case with many bucktail jigs. Instead, these jigs hang horizontally. This means that the nearer to perpendicular that you keep your line, the more the jig will appear to be swimming parallel with the bottom as you drift along.

With the SPRO and other bucktail jigs, many anglers will just place a strip bait on the jig and send it down to the bottom, working their rod tip to lift the jig off the bottom, where the strip will flutter, and then settle to the bottom again.

Another technique employed with the SPRO bucktail is to rig a trailing stinger hook, and use a strip bait ranging anywhere from 6 to 10 inches. Many anglers will cast out and away from the boat, permitting the jig to settle to the bottom and then retrieve, while alternately imparting action to the jig with their rod tip, causing it to bounce and gently lift off the bottom as it swims along, with the strip fluttering.

Anglers using large live or dead natural baits also catch many fine doormats each season. Simplicity is the key in rigging these baits. Begin by tying a three-way swivel to the end of your line, then add a 6- to 8-inch piece of monofilament to one of the remaining eyes of the swivel. Use a Surgeon's loop on the end so you can slip a bank-style sinker of enough weight to hold it on bottom. The next step is to tie 3 feet of 40-pound-test fluorocarbon leader material to the remaining eye of the swivel. Complete by tying a Gamakatsu or Owner live-bait-style hook in 5/0 or 6/0 size to the end of the leader.