Each year it seems a new "super bait" phenomenon hits the bass-fishing marketplace. Sometimes thee tool is actually new and innovative, but rarely does it maintain the initial groundswell, like after a big tour-level win.


History tells us that when something gets hot, and pro anglers use it for a victory, it gets copied, tweaked and rushed to market by the duplicators quicker than you can say "Senko" or "Chatterbait." Everyone wants a piece of the pie, and because manufacturers see the window of opportunity open for only a short amount of time, they take advantage quickly.


A small change here or there might protect manufacturers from patent infringement, and the original often loses steam as anglers opt for bargain knock-offs.

I'm a believer that baits can be replicated, but never duplicated. They're seldom as good as the original, and I've seen it over and over.

As an old-timer in a sport that gets younger each year (which by the way is a good thing), I've seen copycats come and go. But those companies that don't copy others have the staying power to maintain a position of strength in the market.

One manufacturer I've watched very closely is Jewel Bait Co. Headed by owner Gayle Julian and sales chief Bryan Head, this company is all about doing things right.

"We make sure every jig that leaves the plant is exactly the same," Julian said. "Almost the same isn't good enough."

Head told me: "We've had a stellar year here at Jewel, and it's attention to detail on every product, and listening to anglers, that allow our baits to catch bass."

Precise weights, original designs and colors, exceptional-quality custom hooks – Jewel jigs are the complete package.

What's also interesting is that Jewel used to be a regional company, with a massive and loyal following in the Ozarks. But they've more recently gone national, and can be found in just about every big-box store on the planet.

Old Dog, New Tricks

This past summer, I added some dimension to my deep-water arsenal by using a heavier jig and a technique I call the "bump, hop and grind" (BHAG). Due to very high temperatures this summer in the Midwest, I saw bass on my locators deeper than any prior year, and I needed a technique and bait to match.

Turns out, I had one of my the strongest offshore seasons in recent memory, and I have to say the Jewel jig and the BHAG technique made the difference.

My BHAG technique works like this. I make a long cast and let the jig fall to bottom. I drag it about a foot, then stroke it hard to jump it up. Then I let it fall again. But whenever I come into contact with something higher on the structure or cover – like a boulder or rockpile – I crawl it up to the high point, then swim it off and let it fall again.

It's important to visualize what the bait is doing as you work it, and many of the most violent hits are either on the fall or while swimming. You have to be a line-watcher with this technique.

I've caught bass with the Jewel Football both by throwing shallow and bringing the bait to deep, and by fishing from deep to shallow.

The ticket for me was to use a 1/2- or 3/4-ounce Jewel Football in brown or PBJ (weight depended on depth), combined with a watermelon or cinnamon Zoom Super Speed craw. I fished the jigs on a 7 1/2-foot Powell Max rod with 16-pound Gamma fluorocarbon.

Long casts were essential. The fluorocarbon line gave me the ability to feel bites in deep water – especially in windy conditions – while the Super Speed craw slowed the rate of fall.

I was able to catch bass in depths from 15 to 29 feet. Remember, this was in Illinois – typically considered "the mud belt" – and we never catch bass this deep. The typical thermocline for most Illinois lakes is near the 12- to 15-foot mark throughout the summer.

Key Bait Features

Jewel Football jigs have a fiber weedguard that allows the bait to pull through heavy cover without hanging up.

The concave head below the line-tie creates a rocking movement when in contact with cover, which allows the jig to roll over limbs and rocks.

I also love that the jighead is painted with a tough, chip-resistant, custom powder-coated finish.

This jig also has a cross-eyed, proprietary-bend, black-nickel Mustad hook.

It's a great product and I recommend it highly.

Notable

> The Jewel Football jig comes in 1/2-, 5/8-, 3/4-, and 1-ounce models.

> A two-pack retails for $4.59. To check 'em out at the BassFan Store, click here.