Favorite? Well, the more different ones/types/styles/weights/colors I buy, the more difficult the choice I have to make to answer that question...
Ive found that buying verticle jigs is addicting to me... Ive got more vertile jigs of all shapes/sizes/colors than "carters got pills" (thats an old school saying :rotfl
But, its very true for me.. I have one he-ll of a time just figuring out what to put them in so I can find them to take them with me when I go fishing. I would guess, my shoulder bag with jigs weighs 50#.
Just know when I answer this, that i consider Kil, Bret, Jim and George as the professors of Jigg'n, Im just a measly green horn in comparison to their abilities and knowledge of vertical jiggin. So when I say something goofy as comparison to what they say, just take it with a grain of salt and dont throw to big a rock at me when I do
Ive always felt like when a person gets to the point they quit learning or better yet, they quit WANTING TO LEARN how to do something better, thats when its your time to be called away... So, Im always in the "I WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS" mode hopefully..
With that said, here goes my response to your question---
I will say this. Ive only been "really into" verticle jigging for about 4-5 yrs. But I've jigged with old school chrome treble hook diamond jigs maybe 30+ yrs back and I'm over 50 now
And ya know what? I guess my favorite, until I buy that magic one someday,
IS STILL boring looking ole diamond jigs..
Now, with that said, after reading post made by Bret and Kil on other message boards and PM'n them and emailin them, the TYPE and WAY I diamond jig fish has changed tho...
Ive seen many many times on folks asking kil and bret about their favorite reef fish jig, and correct me if Im wrong fellas, the answer usually comes back to simply saying "a hammered diamond jig" .
I mentioned I have all these jigs, but the only one I presently need to rebuy and have to rebuy on a regular basis is hammered diamonds 6-8-10oz, and I dont really like the ones with the big treble hook, I like the J hook best Like this one
and a nice little grouper liked it too
and am beginning to use the assist hook tied to the head ring.
This last year, I had one of the sponsors that 2cool now has
(I gave him 2cools web address an suggested he try advertising here, and now he is by the way. his names George, hes a good fella)
make me some special hammered diamonds that would slide up and down my floro leader with some clackers on the bottom to make noise. I truly love this jig.
I only have one left and hopefully I can get him to make me some more. The one pictured above, I had put s wire thru to avoid cutoffs. This particular one is now rusting away in the jaw of some whopper grouper at Campechee I couldnt get up before he broke my line with two of us trying to lift him up. (Impatience was my down fall that day, I still have the spot number tho ..hahaha) If I had any brains of marketing, I would design and sell my own. This is one jig I TRULY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN. Ive caught a whole mess/variety of fish with it. I was gonna picture several types I caught in one single day, but, it takes up to much space to post, but heres one
I got the idea off of a TV show with that Dalberg fella when he took a chrome shiney diamond and simply bent over the round rings on the bottom so it could slide up and down.... This is a picture of how he had it and this was my first home made slider
As far as store boughts, Hotrod got me hooked on these yella glow williamsons. If I had a suggestion, it would be to NOT put a hook on the bottom of this one along with the assist at the top. Ive never caught a fish on this jig on the bottom hook and it hangs up sometimes while slow bouncing on the bottom
I like a whole mess of verticle jigs and brands. Ive even made several ones in my shop out of stainless of various lenghts, thickness's, weights, styles and Im still buying and will continue to buy different types, colors, brands styles etc so I can have a new favorite. Remember, I told you I was addicted to buying the dang things
But, with that said, its gonna have to be a mighty good one to knock the king, (hammered diamond for reef fish) off its throne in my book.
But, Im still look'n for that majic one, two or ten others that are just as good if not better in the future. Be sure and tell Santa what you like, they make great stocking stuffers
Hog