Hammered Diamond Jigs .....

[awesum]

After reading about the success of Kil and others catching grouper with hammered diamond jigs recently I couldn't resist the urge to order some. I ordered some 8 oz. and 10 oz.. They arrived yesterday.



I'm not sure I got the best brand but they came with whimpy hooks and a swivel that looks suspect to me.

So before I start snipping off hooks and swivels I would like to poll the readers here as to how you rig them for grouper.

Questions I might ask are ....

Can you just rig it with an assist hook like a butterfly jig?

Do you replace their hook with a stronger live bait version by adding a split ring to the swivel (what size?)?

Or maybe a 4/0 4X (6X?) treble hook (i can see a big grouper mauling this)?

If their swivel is good what about using that on the leader end?




Many thanks for your opinions.


Bobby

[BretABaker]

where did you order them from, and which model did you order?

[etan]

I have been using hammered diamond jigs since 2000. Mine are probably the same brand you have. A 61# wahoo almost straightened the hook on one of them. I have started rigging mine with an assist hook and taken everything else off. I think they work just as well and you don't have to worry about the ring pulling out of the jig. Lets go fishing!

[Uncle Russ]

Bobby: Not much experience here, but passing on what I have read from others-- and what I have done myself--correct or not. I know assist hooks are definitely used, and I have rigged mine all 3 ways--I am leery about split rings. I had a few (non-hammered) that had excellent welded rings and the wimpy treble or Siwash. so to get the hook off I had to cut the ring and replace it with a split ring.

The only really good split rings I have are Japanese.

I have the same question about the swivel--i.e., if you DO use it, should you put it on the line end or the (bottom) hook end? If the former and you use assist hooks, then you would still have the split ring to the solid ring onto which you tie your leader and the assist hook(s). So this way, the strength of the swivel would make no mor difference than the strength of the split ring. That is one thing I like about using assist hooks.

I know Kil has said how he rigs his, but like Bill Clinton, I just don't remember.

[Snagged]

I got some from jigs rigs and stuff in their tuna configuration, the standard is more for blues and stripers.
Using assist hooks works very well also.

jigsrigsandstuff.com

[Jason4606]

Sorry I'm not an expert on the rigging question. I ordered the tuna version and they sound pretty stout. Waiting for them to show up to take a look.

But just as an FYI... When I ordered the tuna jigs from Jigs, rigs and stuff's eBay store (One Stop JIG Stop), I also got some of the hammered sardine jigs that aren't on their regular website. Available in 2, 3, 4, 5.7, 7.7 and 9.7oz. I'll post up pics when they get here but take a look below:

Hammered Sardine tuna, wahoo, striper 3-jigs, 9.7oz ea - eBay (item 180252255175 end time Jul-09-08 17:54:15 PDT)

Jason

[Formula4Fish]

Bobby,

I was using one of those at Nobel Clyde and got a good strike on it. It wasn't the hook that straightened or the swivel that parted. It was the bottom ring that the swivel is attached to that failed when it pulled right out of the jig. I've since, been rigging them with assist hooks.

Dick

[Bellyups]

Jason, those hammered sardine jigs look pretty interesting. I also like saying "hammered sardine" for some reason. I don't know if it is because it reminds me of drinking or if it is the thought of stepping on and squashing thawed sardines on the Big E or other party boats.

Looks like assist hooks likely will give you the most confidence as long as a toothy creature doesn't stop by.

[BretABaker]

i have the tuna version and they will hold up fine. it is what we caught all of our grouper on the big e a couple week ago. the hooks will hold up to tuna just fine.

[xs_tackle]

Originally Posted by etan

. . . I have started rigging mine with an assist hook and taken everything else off. . . .

Nate,

1. Assuming you use jigs of various lengths, how do you determine hook size, number of hooks to use and cord length of each (even the ready-mades come in different hook sizes and cord lengths); do the answers vary according to the length or weight of the jig?

2. On a longer jig, would you attach one or more assist hooks to the tail end of the jig? It seems that if you didn't, you'd miss hookups when the jig was falling (and your front-end assist hooks were fluttering above the jig, near the line).