Favorite casting jigs

[Catt]

20 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Several companies used to make both casting jigs along with flipping/pitching jigs (Stanley, Bulldog, Gambler are a few that come to mind). Casting jigs had lighter wire hooks with longer shanks, often with O’Shaughnessy style bends, and frequently thinner skirts.

 

Lonnie made one jig that was called a casting jig because anglers back then didn't need a separate jig for flipping, pitching, casting, punching, or swimming. 

 

We fished what we had in our hands.

[Fishin Dad]

16 hours ago, Munkin said:

Bought these hooks off Ebay I think? They look cool and have a teflon coating but hardly fit any molds. If you have a 60 degree flat eye mold I will send some just pay shipping. 

 

Allen 

Unfortunately I haven’t jumped into the jig making hobby yet.  I was hoping you sold the completed jigs.  They just looked like a versatile jig.  Thanks. 

[Team9nine]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Lonnie made one jig that was called a casting jig because anglers back then didn't need a separate jig for flipping, pitching, casting, punching, or swimming. 

 

We fished what we had in our hands.

 

...At some point he DID decide they needed different jigs for those techniques, perhaps shortly after the time of the Randy Dearman victory using braid ('93). Either way, Stanley started labeling jigs for casting that had the lighter wire and longer shank hook (original?), and jigs for flipping/pitching with their heavy wire round bend style hook. They were clearly differentiated on the package. I still have a couple dozen of his 'casting' jigs because the design still has merit today, and is not near as easily found as it was 'back in the day.'

 

 

 

 

 

[WRB]

Back in 1995 In-Fisherman magazine article Horizontal Jigging I explained and illustrated the difference between casting jig and flipping jig. A good casting jig uses a longer shank hook to move the hook point back from the jig head.

The football jig has a compact short head that moves the hook point back by design. A compact jig like Arkie Head is longer to accommodate a weed guard uses a shorter shank heavier* wire hook. The Arkie jig is designed to be more vertically fished by flipping or pitching in lieu of making longer cast. 

Why does this make a difference? Hook setting! A vertical presented jig the hook set is vertical with upward motion driving the hook point up through the bass closed mouth.

A jig cast horizontally away from you the engulfs the jig in it’s mouth then hook setting pulls the jig straight out of the basses mouth and a short compact jig head often forces open the mouth without the hook point contacting any tissue.

The longer shank hook point sticks tissue before the head drives open the basses mouth and a hook set results.

The problem the longer shank hook also tends to snag brush or any cover easier then the shorter compact jig. 

Line tie is another factor, closer to the jig nose collects fewer grass/weeds debris. Trade offs, longer smaller wire hook sticks mouth tissue more often, shorter more compact jig with heavy wire hook can be pulled out of cover with stronger line.

So many jigs so little time.

Tom

* some bass hooks use .090D wire, stronger enough to pull 300 grouper out of cover!

A .060D forged hook(flatten sides) will not flex and strong enough for any fresh water fish.

[Team9nine]

This is the original image from the 1983 trademark claim from Stanley Jigs, back when, like @Catt mentioned, they only had the one original "casting" design. 

 

[Bankbeater]

I use Strike King Bitsy Flip jigs.  I lose a lot of jigs throughout the year and these don't break the bank.

[Mbirdsley]

The ones I make.  I haven't used a store boughten jig now in probably 4 years. Well i take that back I do buy tube jigs and Midwest finnesse jigs . A decent tube jig isn’t that expensive to buy.  I havnt been fishing the bed enough lately to justify buying the mold