What does it mean when someone refers to shooting a jig?

Shooting a jig conjours up the thought of a gun firing a jig in to the water below, but nothing could be further from the truth. Shooting a jig is a term given to a specific type of casting a jig. 

Shooting a jig is not an overhead casting method and can be used when there are many overhead obstructions or the fisherman is looking to cast into a specific spot as shooting a jig is also more accurate than an overhead cast.

Shooting a jig is generally used when a fisherman wishes to get their jig into a dark, shady place where there is not much room for inaccuracy like under a dock or pontoon during the summer months.

To shoot a jig you cast underarm, almost catapulting your jig across the water, the technique involves holding the jig on one hand (with the hook facing away from the hand) and holding it close to you while having the rod in your other hand.

When you have chosen your spot, you toss your jig underarm from the lowest possible trajectory and timing it right you point your rod in the direction the jig is travelling, making sure your line is released so there is no resistance for the line travelling from the rod.

By following this method you should see your jig hit the water and skip across it in to the location where you want the jig to rest (hopefully under a shady dock or pontoon where many Crappie are resting out of the summer sun).

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