Daytime & nighttime jigs simplified

[pjstevko]

Can't figure out what jigs to buy, how to rig them or which ones to use at night vs the day??? We've all been there which is why most of us can't carry our own tacklebags anymore. Well West Coast Jiggerz has finally taken pity on us and put together rigged day and nighttime jig combo packs.  This makes it extremely easy for first timers and newbies to buy the right jigs the first time.  Buy two nighttime and 2 daytime hitters combos and you'll be set all season.  Take the guess work out of jig selection.

Yes they're expensive but these guys make the best jigs around. Look around our watch videos and you'll these jigs everywhere.

I have no affiliation to this company other than being a big fan.  I wish these guys had these combo packs when I first started, I would have saved a ton of $ buying other jigs.

If you're new or want proven jigs this is your ticket.

https://westcoastjiggerz.com/shop/rigged-day-time-hitter-jig-bundle/

https://westcoastjiggerz.com/shop/rigged-night-time-hitter-jig-bundle/

Hope this post will help someone...
Pj

[boon]

I think I've mentioned it before but these feel real expensive for generic Chinese jigs.
I guess you're paying for the curation of the selection slightly taking the guesswork out of it.

In my experience, if the jig has nothing except the weight printed on it, it's a generic chinese one and you can probably buy it for roughly $10 if you hunt around enough.

EDIT: Hard to make a determination on the assist hooks they come with though, if they're quality they would make more sense.

[redsetta]

Agree re: quality hooks.
I exclusively fished 9/0 Shout Kudakos on the trips to the Three Kings, Ranfurly etc and they cost nearly NZ$15 a piece. Worth every penny in my experience though...

[pjstevko]

I think I've mentioned it before but these feel real expensive for generic Chinese jigs.
I guess you're paying for the curation of the selection slightly taking the guesswork out of it.

In my experience, if the jig has nothing except the weight printed on it, it's a generic chinese one and you can probably buy it for roughly $10 if you hunt around enough.

EDIT: Hard to make a determination on the assist hooks they come with though, if they're quality they would make more sense.

The hooks are Suteki brand,  might be the Fighter model

[jurelometer]

I think I've mentioned it before but these feel real expensive for generic Chinese jigs.
I guess you're paying for the curation of the selection slightly taking the guesswork out of it.

In my experience, if the jig has nothing except the weight printed on it, it's a generic chinese one and you can probably buy it for roughly $10 if you hunt around enough.

EDIT: Hard to make a determination on the assist hooks they come with though, if they're quality they would make more sense.

I took a look at the website, and there is no indication that these guys have any involvement in either the design or manufacturing of the product.  This is pretty common.  I haven't seen a USA based modern style jig company that isn't basically in the clone business, mostly commanding a bit of a premium in price. The question is if you are getting something of value for this premium.

I agree that there is value in a curated set of jigs for a specific fishery (e.g., party boat Bluefin Tuna out of San Diego), especially when there are recommendations from actual customers like PJ. It is small money if they end up shortening your learning curve by a trip or two.

————————
Having messed with designing and making jigs like these for a few years now, I think I can add some observations on what the potential differences are between originals and clones.  I am  not going to comment on the ethics of purchasing a clone instead of an original design.

(TLDR: Clone  jigs will usually have identical  actions to the originals, but are more likely to skimp on materials and base coating, making them less durable.  Pre rigged clones are less likely to have quality hardware properly sized and rigged.  But there are also reasonably well made inexpensive clones, expensive crappy clones, and expensive crappy originals).

1. Design accuracy.

As a test, I once designed and built a mold master for a clone of the original Shimano butterfly jig completely from scratch using free software and a 3D printer.  It didn't take long, and was very accurate in terms of dimensions, weight (once I nailed the alloy), and action.  If I can do this in my garage, clone manufacturers should not have a problem.

2. Alloy

This one does nor get enough attention.  Pure lead is the cheapest option, but lead is very soft.  Pure lead jigs  will dent, which causes the finish to flake off.  The bottom end of the jig can get flattened by bouncing bottom. Thinner profile jigs will bend easily, ruining the action.

The solution is to alloy the lead with an other metals.  One of the best choices for jigs is antimony, which has skyrocketed from five to $30 per lb since 2022.  Tin is also useful, and also has skyrocketed  in value.  This is before  the new tariffs. I shudder to think what the prices will be when I have to replenish my stash.

I like to shoot for a very hard product, but it does increase the material cost. And there is such a thing as too hard.  One more thing:  the hardest alloys melting point can get so low that you cannot  use higher  temperature curing finishes.

The premium priced products from big name/large scale manufacturers tend to use harder alloys, but usually not as hard as mine.  The cheaper clone stuff is usually softer,  and the rest of the pack (big but not huge manufacturers, boutique jig companies) are a mixed bag.  Some popular brands that are not clones make some shockingly soft jigs.

3.  Finish.

It is not hard to throw down a powder base coat, emboss with a holographic foil, add some airbrush tint, and a clear coat.  They all can make pretty lures.  The hard part is getting good adhesion to the base metal.  You can't see the difference when you are buying a new jig, so this is a spot where lower end manufacturers cut corners.

As someone who follows the science, I think that fish generally don't care about the paint job as much as we do (especially a bluefin at 300'  at night ), but I know that most of y'all disagree.

4.  Hardware (for pre-rigged jigs)

Not only do we need to consider the hook used, we also need to consider any split rings, the assist cord material and how well the cord is connected to the hook.  In  addition, the hook size, shape and and weight, cord thickness, and cord length all need to be sized appropriately.  Sizing can be a bigger issue with clone manufacturers, who are unlikely to be doing any field testing and may not have much of a pro-staff feedback cycle.  Getting the assist hooks right does have an effect on jigging success.  And the right setup is going to differ for the same jig based on the specific fishing situation.

IMHO,  the best choice if you are buying clones (or originals), is to do your own rigging, but this does take some experience.  This is a situation where a curated clone product for a specific fishery has a potential  advantage.

-J

[Keta]

Eddy Bombs have worked well for me at night.  My last 3 cow BFT and a few "small" ones (100#+) were caught on them.  The hooks I use cost far more than the sinkers. I make my own assist hooks and use high quality split and solid rings.

I do however have a bunch of heavy jigs in my box.