not the best.

Most definetly is the best lure. It catches bass, walleye, perch, pike even. You can get a 20 pack for around $2 around here. I even know a few people that make their own and have success with them. Great article.

I agree - especially when you consider how effective it is in both fresh and salt water.

And another nod to its classic status is how the jig has influenced streamers in fly-fishing: many of the best streamers nowadays are tied with weight in the forward portion so they "jig" when retrieved. Think Clouser Minnows; cone-headed Wooly Buggers, etc.

Largest bass I ever caught was on a marabou jig out of my grandpa's pond. Reminds me I should fish 'em more often. Micro jigs are also good for stocked trout in Kansas and Missouri.

I agree with the author,fishing jigs are my top producer in both fresh and salt water,catches from tilapia to carp to saltcatfish and ocassional snook.My favorites are the egg type head with fibers like bucktail and dog tail (my poodle bring a lot every month),but sometimes the sintetics works well.

crappies and walleye are the two fish that i use jigs to catch

I can't argue with John Merwin.

big trout sure love marabou jigs

I would say they do catch all sorts of species, but you have to add bait to it in order for it to work.

One other advantage of a jig is that with soft plastic, twister-tails you can change colors and styles quickly and easily. And they do catch everything. I've caught everything from blue gill to northern pike on these, including a channel cat and a carp.

Jigs are great. Now if only you could fish them from shore into a pond...

I do not know if it is the best but certainly on the top of the list.

i need to find where to buy these. i live in pennsylvania and in my creek (the perkiomen creek) you can catch anything on anything!

Usually the only time i use jigs is on bass and kokanee. but they are very versatile- last summer i was jigging for kakanee i caught a 20 inch brown trout.

A white jig has been my go to bait for years. A lot of times catching fish when the fishing was slow.

A gold 1/16 oz. bare trout magnet jig head with a 3/4" black & chartreuse micro bitsy tube & a nice fat wax worm has caught me a ton of trout in my local stream. My trick is to find a place where some decently heavy current runs into a deep hole. Then I will put my hip waders on & sneak up to casting distance from downstream. I will stand to one side of the stream & cast as far upstream into the rapids as possible. Then just let the current bring the jig into the hole while slowly taking up the line. I try to let the jig bounce along the bottom so leave some slack in the line until the jig reaches the bottom of the hole & the current stops pushing it. When this happens I like to use a slow pause retrieve method to drag the jig along the bottom & throw a few rod tip twitches in here & there. This set up has also worked well for me using a dead-drift method, trout will slam it when it swings out of the current. For clear water conditions or extra finicky fish I use a 16" 100% fluorocarbon leader.

except i like to stick with floating lures cause for some reason i always get these caught up in rocks.

I caught my biggest Striper on a red and white jig with a Blue Herring trailer

I agree, but I mainly use jig heads as a backup lure.

Always the go to lure/bait when all else fails.