By Joe Sheaffer
The more I fish the more I’m asked by friends and other anglers, “What is your favorite lure?” Like most anglers I have a plethora of lures, top water plugs, diving plugs, spoons, all types of plastic lures and live bait rigs. I use many of these lures occasionally throughout the year. However, without any hesitation the answer I always give is a jig of some type. A plain old jighead would be my favorite because it can be paired up with many different options. A grub, swimbait, jerk shad, shrimp and so many types of creature baits to name a few. Other types of jigs, Bucktails, Swimjigs, Jig and Pig, Diamond jigs and Casting jigs are examples of very productive presentations. Using a jig sounds somewhat Neanderthal but honestly this lead on a hook lure, can be very versatile. Using your imagination can put so many different twists on presentations that can be very productive. Starting with the weight of the jig, color, shape and don’t forget the add ons. A jig and paddle tail probably accounts for more fish being caught than any other presentation. Simply changing the weight of the jig and the color of the paddle tail as conditions dictate can make a decent day of fishing a great day of fishing. Sure, most people will jig the lure off the bottom or use a slow retrieve and these presentations are very productive. Other presentations like, quick jerks, waking the lure on the surface and dead sticking off the bottom can be very effective. A bucktail in the surf, a swim jig on the flats, a casting jig offshore, all have a place in this fishing game. I am a firm believer that you can never have too many jigs. There is never a time that at least one fishing rod on my boat has some type of jig tied on. Sure, there is a time for other types of fishing lures but I would highly recommend having a jig in your arsenal. Using these awesome lures will definitely help anglers catch more fish. Keep casting and good luck!