The Gleam of Metal Article posted on: Sep/26/01 author: Ron Onorato ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
The Diamond jig has long been considered to be one of the most versatile lures available. It has been around for several generations, and, when properly utilized, will take virtually every species of gamefish available. The jig, which was designed to resemble a sand eel, has undergone some significant modifications over the years. One of the original Diamond jigs that appeared on the scene was the four-sided chrome-plated metal jig manufactured by the Bridgeport Silverware Company. The jig had a large treble hook fixed to one end. The first major change to come to the product was the removal of the bulky treble hook. A single O'Shaugnessey type hook was placed on the working end of the jig by means of a large barrel swivel. The result was a lure with better action and appearance. Other changes to the lure included the addition of large surge tubes to the working end, replacing the straight hook. In their quest for a better product, other changes were made concerning the shape and design of the lure. Since the Diamond jig is meant to primarily imitate a sand eel, some lure manufacturers went a step farther, and created a lure that more closely resembled a sand eel. One of the more effective lures of this mode was the now defunct Tri-Fin Sand Eel Jig. This jig was a curved piece of lead, molded to look very much like a sand eel, and painted in several sand eel colors.The lure was extremely effective on striped bass. Unfortunately, The Tri-Fin Company went out of business, and with them went a great lure. Other design changes to the lure included the covering of the jig with shrink wrap surgical tubing. Virtually every species of gamefish on Long Island can be taken with the jig. Striped bass, bluefish, and weakfish are the primary targets, but cod and pollack will sometimes take a jig more readily than a piece of skimmer clam, especially at Block Island. Sea bass and porgies will also respond to the lure, and, anyone making an offshore tuna trip can take a fair number of fish on the jigs. Using the jig is not difficult, and there is not a lot to do with the lure. It is when the fish are on the picky side when subtle little things can make the difference between success and failure. Let's start with the bluefish. Bluefish like a lure that is moving at a good rate of speed, so it pays to get one of the high speed retrieve reels that will give you a 5:1 or 4:1 retrieve. Sometimes it's a matter of simply letting the lure get to the bottom and retrieving it all the way to the surface. This is especially true in shallow water when the fish are feeding at all levels. At other times the fish will be feeding in a narrow feeding zone covering no more than 10 or 15 feet in depth, and it is here that you must focus your attention. Unlike the bluefish that prefer a lure moving at a high rate of speed, striped bass prefer a somewhat slower, deeper approach. Except at times during the height of the migrations, bass spend most of the time feeding very close to the bottom, so sometimes all you need to do is put three or four turns on the reel and you will have moved the lure out of the feeding zone. The rate of retrieve is also significantly slower, sometimes so slow that you are just barely moving the lure off the bottom. Such things as strength of the tide and speed of the drift will also impact the way you're going to work the lure. Weakfish are also vulnerable to a well-placed jig, and they will take the lure in a manner similar to the striped bass. There are a couple of important things to bear in mind when jig fishing. I'm sure that everyone has heard of "match the hatch". If fish are eating tiny 2-inch sand eels, you're not going to have much success fishing with a 6-ounce jig and a long tube. Conversely, if the fish are doting on the big 6- or 8-inch pencil-size sand eels, then a tiny 2-ounce jig will not be quite as effective. Proper selection of color is also critical if you plan on using the surge tube lure. Green is perhaps the most effective, with a purple or dark red a close second. At other times a white tube will do the trick. Then there are the days when the fish will show a preference for the straight chrome plated lure. You have to be prepared for all situations, and should have a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Like with all types of fishing, you should try to use the lightest gear possible that is effective. For big bluefish, that may mean a 30-pound outfit, while for the smaller fish, a 20-pound outfit is suitable. When it comes to striped bass, my preference is something in the 20-pound range. The use of the lighter line will give you greater line sensitivity when it comes to feeling some of the lighter hits. All you need do is attach a 3-foot length of 30- or 40-pound leader ahead of the jig to prevent bite offs. When going after the blues, you may have to use leader material that is in the 60- or 80-pound range. Wire leader material is not anywhere near as effective as mono, and should be avoided when possible. As long as the sand eel population holds at a fairly abundant level, the Diamond jig will remain a mainstay in the angler's arsenal.
