What Is Tip Run Eging?

Tip run is a boat eging technique developed in Japan around 2009, purpose-built for deeper water and faster-sinking jigs. Unlike standard eging — where you snap the rod to dart the jig upward and watch it flutter back down — tip run uses a heavier, slimmer jig (typically 110mm, 26g) that sinks fast and drifts horizontally in the current. The take is detected through the rod tip rather than felt through the line.

The jig doesn't have the wide, looping sink of a standard egi. It stays close to the bottom and moves with the drift of the boat, covering ground efficiently in 10–30m of water. Squid hit it on the sink or while it's drifting horizontal — the take is usually a subtle load-up on the tip, not a hard strike.

Why Melbourne Is Good for Tip Run

Port Phillip Bay and the Rip entrance create conditions that suit tip run eging well — tidal push, 10–30m depths along the main channel edges, and squid that hold in mid-column or near bottom over sand and weed patches.

Most Melbourne shore and pier eging happens in 2–8m. That's standard egi territory. But once you're on a boat in deeper water along the Bellarine Peninsula channel or off the outside of the Heads, you're in tip run range.

Two spots in particular stand out.

Flinders

Flinders is on the Mornington Peninsula side of Port Phillip Bay's entrance — a short boat run from Flinders Boat Club puts you in 15–25m of water along the edge of the main channel.

Conditions that suit tip run at Flinders:

• Incoming tide pushing north into the Bay — the current loads the jig and keeps it near bottom on the drift
• Wind from the south or south-west pushing the boat slowly north over the channel edge
• Moderate to low light — early morning before the wind picks up is prime
• Water clarity of 3m+ — tip run jigs rely on subtle action and visibility; they're not designed for murky water

Darker natural colours (green-brown, olive, navy) tend to work well here over the weed patches. Chartreuse and orange work better in lower light or overcast conditions.

Queenscliff

Queenscliff sits on the Bellarine side, right at the Heads. The boat ramps at Queenscliff and Swan Bay give you quick access to:

• The channel edge (15–25m) running south toward the Rip
• Pope's Eye — an artificial reef in 8–12m that holds squid year-round, with tip run working well in the deeper sections around it
• The Rip entrance area — 20–30m+ with strong tidal flow. This is where tip run really earns its name. The current here is significant; a 26g tip run jig holds bottom where a standard 20g egi would be swept off course

Conditions at Queenscliff:

• Best on the run-out tide when water is draining south — the current is predictable and the boat drifts a consistent direction
• Early morning before the Rip builds — by mid-morning the tidal push through the Heads can make depth holding difficult
• In 20–30m, use darker mid-water colours: deep navy, brown-pink, or UV-reactive patterns if the water is tinted

The Rod Holder Drift Technique

You'll see this at both spots — particularly on boats carrying multiple rods — and it's a legitimate and effective method that gets dismissed unfairly.

How it works:

1. Lower the tip run jig to within 1–2m of the bottom
2. Clip the rod into the rod holder at roughly 45 degrees
3. Let the boat drift. The jig trails just above the bottom, drifting horizontally through the current
4. Watch the rod tip — a squid taking the jig will load the tip down slowly or cause a small trembling movement
5. Pick up the rod and sweep forward to set — don't strike hard; tip run squid are often hooked on the outer tentacles and a hard strike pulls the jig free

Why it works:

A tip run jig in a rod holder is not lazy fishing — it's presenting the jig at the exact depth and angle that squid expect to see it. Drifting horizontal, near bottom, moving naturally with the current. No angler input needed. The jig is doing its job.

This method covers more ground per hour than active jigging, especially in 20m+ where you're burning time just working the jig back to depth. On a slow drift over a sandy channel edge, a rod in the holder will often outfish an actively worked jig.

Practical tips:

• Use a slightly lighter drag than normal — the rod holder puts load on the setup; you want the reel to give when a squid takes before the jig pulls free
• Check the jig every 5–10 minutes to re-set depth as the boat drifts over different bottom contours
• Braided line (PE 0.6–0.8) is essential — you need to feel bottom changes through the tip. Mono or fluoro main line loses sensitivity at 20m+
• At Queenscliff in strong current, you may need a 1m leader and a 3–5g chin sinker above the jig to hold bottom

Tip Run vs Standard Egi — When to Switch

Once you're regularly fishing from a boat at Flinders or Queenscliff in 15m+, it's worth carrying a dedicated tip run setup alongside your standard egi rod. There will be sessions — particularly on slack-water days with weak current — where the active egi approach is better. And sessions where the boat is moving steadily on the tide and the rod holder drift catches everything.

What Jig to Use

The RUI Tip Run Squid Jig is 110mm and 26g — the correct weight and profile for this style of fishing. The slim dart body sinks fast and holds depth in current that would lift a standard egi. Available in nine colour options covering the key Melbourne conditions: natural and dark tones for clear-water Flinders sessions, bright UV patterns for overcast days at the Heads.

→ Shop RUI Tip Run Squid Jigs