Jig Design And Catching Bass

You would expect Denny Brauer to love the Strike King Pro-Model jig. After all, his name and picture are on the package.

But he really loves the jig because he designed it to be what he believes is the most-effective fish-catching jig out there. Here's what the acknowledged master of flipping and pitching says about it.

Lot of Differences

"There's a lot of difference in jig design," he says. These differences include "where the line tie is, how it's turned, the shape of a head, how a jig stands up when it hits bottom, how strong the weedguard is, skirt placement, rattle placement, the hook can be too small or too big," and more.

When Brauer set out to design the Strike King Pro-Model jig in the 1990s, "it didn't happen overnight," he says. Decades of experience went into an initial design that was refined over several months of testing and fishing.

"We looked at how it hooked fish, the percentage it hooked, everything," he says. "Even the finish that goes on jighead affects how it catches fish," Brauer says.

Jig Factors

It's a pretty good bet that most BassFans have never considered the paint on a jighead as a factor that affects their fishing success. And, truthfully, since few of us have the skill and touch of Brauer, maybe it doesn't.

That said, BassFan.com asked Brauer for a few pointers about what factors to consider when choosing and fishing a jig.

Weedguard=Fish Guard

"A weedguard is a fish guard," Brauer says. "A weedguard can prevent fish. The jig with the best fish-catching ratio would have no weedguard at all," he adds, "so be careful about having a heavy weedguard."

He notes that the skirt on the Pro-Model jig might have a guard that's too soft for some anglers, who might find themselves getting hung up because of it. But Brauer says that "if you're going to be a good jig fisherman, you should be able to fish a jig with no weedguard through a brushpile."

Hook Size

When considering a jig hook, keep in mind two factors: penetration and hook size. For example, "with too small a hook, you'll get penetration but not enough holding power," Brauer says. Conversely, a hook that's too thick and big won't penetrate enough, "so when the fish jumps, you end up losing it.

"What you want is a medium-size hook," Brauer says. "It should be very strong , and about a 4/0."

He adds that "you want the outside bend perfectly parallel with the shank," which he believes hooks more bass.

Reason for Great Seasons

Again, everything that Brauer believes makes the best bass-catching jig is incorporated in the Strike King Pro-Model jig: the line tie, correct paint, everything -- even the rattle. "The rattle placement helps rotate the bait in the fish's mouth to where you hook a higher percentage of fish," he says.

The jig has been on the market for 4-5 years, and Brauer says that he believes it was part of the reason for the amazing seasons he had in the late 1990s. "I changed from catching 7-8 fish out of every 10 bites to catching almost every one," he says. "All I can tell you is that there's only one jig I use."