This is one of the most exciting ways to fish for Steelies in my opion. Any other jig fisherman out there? Does anyone have secret methods of tantalizing more fish to the jig. I have came up with several that seem to work great for me. I also have a arsenal of many colors combinations and sizes to use. It really helps when you make your own. If anyone wants to know more about jig fishing please feel free to ask me. I make and sell jigs in stores in the pacific northwest and alaska. Fishing is in my blood. good luck and slam them dead. If you want to see some of my pictures go check out my site. It is in my profile. Good luck, and may all have a big cromer on this spring. Steve

I am also starting my own fishing business, can I get your email or whatever I need as many tips as I can getting my name into the stores, seems like you should be able to help me.

Andy
answer@techline.com http://The_Steelhead_Solution.homestead.com

Hello Andy,
I sent you my web address, check it out and get back to me. It is very hard making money at making and selling jigs. good luck. steve

I know the jigs I use, Rainbow Jigs, is a small operation without a website at this time but word of mouth has been so good that they are now shipping jigs all over the country. The key is to have a better product than the rest.

I wasn't trying to burst your bubble. I do make money with my business. The stores i have my product in have drop lines to carry my jigs. I pride myself with my quality and if any customer ever has any problem with any of my products i always make it more then worth my time to inform me. The main reason i started making jigs was because of the poor quality of other jigs. I consider my jigs the best on the market, and so do the people that have fished with them. I spare nothing at making them that way. I am a perfectionist when it comes to building/making lures. That is why i tie all of my jigs. Well, tomorrow i am going out to fish the main columbia river with them and i will keep you all informed. Good luck and have a very nice day. Steve
P.S. I to have sold my jigs all over the country and also in several different countries.

Just a little note for the both of you. Take it from me, I've been there. Who the @#*% am I to be giving advice on this subject. Well I am the inventor of "John's Jigs" a company I sold 3 years ago. Still a very popular jig in the Northwest. Before you get in over your head, make sure you have plenty of stock on hand for the tackle shops. When they go big, they really go. I had plenty of trouble keeping stores stocked, even though I had at one time, 7 people employed making jigs. Forget about fishing when they go big, You'll have no time; one of the reasons I sold my company. One last thing; if your jig is patentable, do it. You are entering the most cutthroat business I have ever seen. Even if its not patentable you'll at least have a patent pending until its rejected, keeping copy-cats at bay. Good Luck in your endevour. J-

I have been tying my own jigs for about a year now and I must agree, it is very exciting when you catch a fish on your own creation. Since the four of you have tied thousands more then me, I would appreciate any tips you might have. What size seems to be the most productive? What color combinations catch the most fish? Do yarn tails work better then marabou tails? Do you paint "Eyes" on your jig heads?....Thanks for all of your help.

Randy, the jigs I tied were and still are tied on "Gamakatsu" hooks, and I didn't use lead heads. "John's Jigs" are tied using bar-bell eyes and use rabbit fur rather than marabou. Rabbit lasts a lot longer when exposed to water, unlike marabou. As far as colors go; pink & white, Cherise & white, Black & white, are all good color combinations. Solids go with black in low clear water "summer run special" and all cherise in colored. As far as size goes 1's and 1/0 worked the best for me. One note to remember; jigs work best in clear water, its pretty much just a visual thing. Be sure to try other gear under a float too for assured success. Tight Lines Randy.

Watching a bobber is an exciting way to catch a steelhead ???? A jig is a jig is a jig. Deadly for sure but exciting and cutting edge. Hardly...

Yesturday we had a good day fishing. We caught 2 Steelies on the columbia river at the mouth of the Umatilla on my Black and White and Black and Pink 1/8 oz jigs. I lost one fish that i shouldn't have. It bit on the retrieve and i was caught with my pants down and didn't set the hook. Over all though it was a good day since most of our water is blown out still. Knock'em dead, and take a kid fishing. Steve

I've never fished jigs before, how far down from the bobber do you set them? Do you want them tapping on the bottom, or just off?
Thanks,
david

Howdy,
I let the water depth and temp. make the call. Waist deep ( 3ft.) is the setting I use most commonly. If the water is deep enough and I'm not getting strikes, I'll set it chest deep. An occasional take down on a rock is o.k., but I'll reset shallower to avoid this. (when my bobber goes down I want to know its a fish) I don't fish deeper than 6 or 7ft. then I think the drift gear is more effective. Purple, pink/white, and orange/yellow jigs with a chunk of shrimp. Remember C&R and they'll be waiting for you next time!

Andy & Glo-A-Bou: Please e-mail me info. on your products. I would be particularly interested in buying several of your jigs for myself but also to field test for our ifish.net Website.- Steve Hanson, ReelTruth1@aol.com