How to use Nomad Design Jigs
Discover the full Nomad Design jig range with the Streaker, Buffalo, Ridgeback, and Gypsea jigs. Learn the techniques and tips for using each jig effectively in any situation.
The Streaker Jig is built for speed. Its long, slim profile cuts through the water column fast, getting down to fish holding deep or sitting in heavy current where other jigs struggle to reach the strike zone.
Drop the jig to your target depth and start working it with sharp rod lifts and quick retrieves. The streamlined shape allows the jig to shoot upward with speed, then glide and kick erratically on the fall, perfectly imitating a baitfish trying to escape.
Most bites will come during the drop, when the Streaker slides and flutters back down through the water column.
You can fish it two main ways:
High-Speed Jigging (Pelagics)
Once the jig reaches depth, work it aggressively with rapid rod lifts and quick cranks of the reel. The Streaker will dart upward and then glide on the drop, triggering reaction strikes from fast-moving predators like tuna and kingfish.
Mid-Water Search Technique
If fish are marking mid-water, work the jig in shorter bursts through the zone. Lift the rod sharply, then allow the jig to fall naturally before repeating. This keeps the lure moving erratically through the bait schools where predators are actively feeding.
Because it sinks quickly and moves with an aggressive darting action, the Streaker excels when fish are holding deep, feeding on fast-moving bait, or when strong current demands a jig that gets down quickly.
Available Weights: 40g (1.5oz) – 420g (15oz)
Best For: Deep water, strong current, and fast-moving pelagics including tuna, kingfish, and other mid-water predators.
The Gypsea Jig is built to work on the drop. Its classic teardrop profile creates a wide flutter and strong thumping action as it falls, triggering aggressive reaction bites from fish holding anywhere in the water column.
Start by dropping the jig to your target depth, either mid-water or right to the bottom. Once it hits depth, use sharp rod lifts to send the jig darting upward, then allow it to fall on a controlled slack line. Most bites come on the drop, when the Gypsea kicks side-to-side with that wide flutter.
You can fish it two ways depending on the species and conditions:
Fast Erratic Jigging (Mid-Water Pelagics)
Use aggressive rod lifts and quick cranks to rip the jig upward through the water column. The Gypsea will dart and then flutter back down, imitating a fleeing baitfish, perfect for tuna, kingfish, and other aggressive predators.
Slow-Pitch Bottom Work (Reef Species)
For snapper, grouper, and other reef fish, drop the jig to the bottom and work it with slower lifts and pauses. The wide fluttering fall keeps the jig in the strike zone longer and imitates a wounded baitfish struggling near the seabed.
Because of its balanced shape and strong vibration on the drop, the Gypsea is deadly when fish are sitting off the bottom or reluctant to chase fast-moving jigs.
Available Weights: 40g (1.5oz) – 300g (10.5oz)
Best For: Inshore reefs, offshore structure, and deep-water pelagics including Bluefin.
The Buffalo Jig is a center-balanced flat-fall jig designed to hang and flutter in the strike zone longer. Its wide body and balanced weight distribution create a slow, wounded baitfish action that predators simply can’t ignore.
Drop the jig to your target depth, either mid-water or all the way to the bottom, then work it with a lift, pause, and fall rhythm. Use smooth upward rod lifts followed by controlled slack to allow the Buffalo to glide and flutter naturally as it falls. That long, horizontal fall is where the magic happens, and where most strikes occur.
Because the Buffalo is center-balanced, it stays in the strike zone longer than traditional jigs, making it incredibly effective when fish are feeding on injured bait or holding tight to structure.
You can fish it two primary ways:
Long-Fall Jigging (Pelagics & Bluefin)
Drop the jig deep, then make a long lift of the rod and allow the Buffalo to flutter back down on slack line. The slow falling action perfectly imitates a wounded baitfish drifting downward, deadly for Bluefin tuna and other aggressive pelagics.
Controlled Bottom Work (Reef Species)
For snapper, grouper, and reef predators, drop the Buffalo to the bottom and use shorter lifts with longer pauses. Let the jig flutter naturally back toward the seabed where predators often ambush struggling bait.
The Buffalo is especially effective when fish are keyed in on dying baitfish or reluctant to chase fast-moving jigs, thanks to its slow, natural fall.
Available Weights: 80g (3oz) – 320g (11oz)
Best For: Reef species, deep-water structure, and pelagic predators including Bluefin tuna.
The Ridgeback Jig was one of the original Nomad Design innovations, built for anglers who want one jig that can do it all. Its knife-shaped profile and keeled body cut through the water quickly, while the distinctive angled hump creates unpredictable movement on both the lift and the fall.
Drop the jig to your target depth and start working it with controlled rod lifts. Depending on how you work the rod, the Ridgeback will either kick out into a wide flutter or dart aggressively side-to-side like a fleeing baitfish.
That versatility makes it deadly when fish are switching between chasing bait mid-water and feeding close to the bottom.
You can fish it two main ways:
Slow Pitch Flutter (Reef & Structure)
Drop the jig to the bottom and work it with slower lifts and pauses. The Ridgeback will kick wide and flutter as it falls, imitating an injured baitfish struggling near the seabed, perfect for snapper, grouper, and other reef predators.
High-Speed Erratic Jigging (Pelagics)
Use faster rod lifts and quick retrieves to make the jig dart aggressively through the water column. The keeled shape keeps it tracking straight while the hump forces unpredictable erratic movement that triggers reaction bites from tuna, kingfish, and other pelagics.
Because it can be worked both fast and slow, the Ridgeback is a go-to jig when you need to experiment with different jigging styles to find what the fish want.
Available Weights: 40g (1.5oz) – 320g (11oz)
Best For: Reef species, kingfish, tuna, and situations where both slow-pitch and high-speed jigging techniques are needed.
Watch the video below - Breaking down the new colour range in the Next Gen Nomad Design jigs - Why & When to use them
From the high-contrast Black Pink Mackerel for low light, to Fuzzy Glow, Glow Out and Mint Mackerel...each colour is built with purpose using glow paint, UV stripes and premium foil finishes to trigger more bites. Designed for serious jigging performance in all conditions.
