Shimano butterfly jigs...

[ksong]

Originally Posted by Enoch

I really believe there are NO equivilents to SHIMANO jigs. period.

In japan they build huge tanks to test different action, shapes, sizes, sounds, and motion of assist hooks to test run all type of jigs. There are no other companies that do this.

wave tank research just for $20 dollar jigs! kudos to them...

Another case of brainwash by Shimano.
As Mrbill said very few jigs work in any condition.

[hatidua]

one "jig" I never see mentioned on the various jigging sites is the "Sting Silver". While this very inexpensive jig may be fairly regional and only common in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., it's very effective for a wide range of fish and costs a very small fraction of what some of the jigs mentioned here run. Granted, there seems to be an affection for pricey jigs and poppers by many although I've never found a fish that can distinguish price tags very well.

...and although I don't know this for a fact, I would bet heavily that Haw River Tackle doesn't tank-test Sting Silver's

[mcgolfer]

shimano isn't the only company that tank tests there jigs. ...rick

[BretABaker]

diamond jigs work for everything, and have for a long time. shimano jigs work as well, but theyre not the only thing that works.

[Enoch]

haha, ksong... u are practically right. But where can we find info on the remaining companies and their research that is like Shimano's? Much of the websites would be in japanese so we'd have to eliminate those.

Where did you learn about this info? Did you test every jig from the perspective companies, learn from trade shows, and/or just stay on top of the industry from testing new products sent to you?

Kil, i really want to know. And it seems like you are the one to learn from.

pressure question from a newbie...

Originally Posted by ksong

Another case of brainwash by Shimano.
As Mrbill said very few jigs work in any condition.

[ksong]

Enoch, you can not buy Japanese products including Shimano's just based on their own descriptions. Whenever I read them, I get the illusions that their products have magic touches. I stick to proven jigs unless new jigs prove themselves. I don't have to buy Shimano's Butterfly jigs to test as other fishermen buy them and test them and all I have to do is to watch them catching fish.
I posted a few times that Shimano's Trevala rods are not suitable for offshore tuna jigging, but fishermen keep buying them like waves just based on their misleading 100 -200 lbs ratings. I know they keep buying Shimano's Butterfly jigs no matter what as they are Shimano's.

When I went grouper fishing on an 44 hour trips on the Viking out of Tarpon Spring, FL, they sold Shimano's Butterfly jigs and I caught 22 groupers (including shorts) on cheap hammered diamond jigs on that trip. When I visited again on the boat, I saw they sell diamond jigs and get rid of Butterfly jigs. I don't know it was because of my catches on diamond jigs or not, but certainly they see the effectiveness of hammered diamond jigs over expensive Butterfly jigs.
Among Shimano's Butterfly jigs, I like Flat-side jigs and I caught many tuna on the jigs last year.

[hthoang]

Originally Posted by BretABaker

diamond jigs work for everything, and have for a long time. shimano jigs work as well, but theyre not the only thing that works.

I used diamond jigs for the first time offshore recently. I had heard that they were effective for blackfin but I hadn't really considered them for snapper, ambjerjack, etc. They outfished the jigs that I had at a fraction of the cost per jig. $4-$5 with hooks! Sure beats tossing $15-$20 jigs, especially near oil rigs in the GOM.

[Uncle Russ]

[quote=ksong]Another case of brainwash by Shimano.
QUOTE]

I hate to tell this story on myself but what the hell. Back last year when I was gearing up for the Gulf and picking everybody’s brains, I learned everything I could on rods, reels, poppers, and terminal tackle--and I think overall, made some sound purchases based on that research and advice. But right toward the end, I bought a jigging outfit and found myself without any jigs. I read a little bit of Kil’s advice and some from others, and then ran off to Cabelas. I decided I could afford maybe 5 Butterfly jigs and the rest would be diamond jigs and cheaper knife jigs. So I had about a hundred and a half in my cart, when I happened to see the Jose Wehebi video playing on the counter. I watched it through a couple of times and then put back some of the Benthos jigs and allowed myself 3 or 4 more butterfly jigs. About that time, one of the Cabelas clerks came over and said “You can’t beat those Shimanos. Last week a buddy of mine was on a boat in the gulf and the guy standing next to him was catching snapper and grouper on every drop. And he was catching nothing. He borrowed a butterfly jig and started catching immediately. Then he tied on a diamond and went fishless."

I ended up at the checkout counter with—count ‘em—25 butterfly jigs—and a few of the others just for good measure. As I was leaving, the clerk came over to me and said “I saw you looking at those Trevala rods (true—I had been thinking I might use one for largemouth bass) and you you know what? A Shimano rep used one of those last week and picked up a grown man with it.”

OK. So, as Kil was saying…

Russ

[hatidua]

As most everyone here knows, having confidence in whatever you are using really seems to affect getting bit. I was never much a fan of the Williamson jigs but one of the guys on my first Mexico trip last year was up on the bow getting bit just CONSTANTLY on a Williamson jig. Granted, the rest of us on other jigs weren't going hungry either but just seeing a product actually work really helps boost confidence.

I have several dozen Hooker-1 jigs that look so good I might eat them myself. Sadly, I can't get them into fishes mouths as well as many other jigs, I just don't get bit on them much. I'm not planning on putting them in the recycling bin but my high hopes for them have been stunted.

With those diamond jigs being so shiny on every side, I'd suspect they'd be a candidate for wahoo but I've never managed a hoo on anything other than ballyhoo...

While on my daily walk last week in Florida, I saw a kitchen knife laying in the street (just the dull butter knife type). I got to thinking: drill a hole in the tip section, put a split ring on there, tie on an assist hook and I bet that would work great

[Uncle Russ]

hatidua: Actually, you read my mind. I've got several surprise lures I am working up to prove my theory (not mine alone) that you can catch offshore fish on damned near anything--the problem is just finding the damned critters. The world will soon see what I have in store. Here's a clue: One part will relate to a President who was more renowned for his service in the House of Representatives, then in the White House.

Russ