Bigger is always better, right? WRONG!!
We all have fallen for the misconception that bigger is always better, that we need bigger lures for those bigger fish. But in ice fishing, this statement couldn’t be more wrong. In the winter time, fish in our area are slow at pretty much everything except fighting the hook-set. That includes their eating habits! So how do we trick them into eating? By going small!
Today’s spotlight is the tungsten Wolfram Jigs by Fiskas. I could go into the tech side of these jigs, like telling you Fiska is an area of Norway, or fiske means fish in Scandinavian, or that wolfram means tungsten in Scandinavian culture, but that won’t tell you why these jigs are premium at putting fish on the ice. So why are these jigs excellent?
First off, they are tungsten. The properties of tungsten metal are twice as heavy as lead. So, with the weight being double, you can keep your jig size down to a minimum while keeping your weight to a maximum, allowing you to feel every twitch and bob and swirl that you use to lure in a stubborn fish. The added weight also means that you can jig faster, creating a bigger frenzy in the water, attracting even the most finicky fish to give your lure a look-see. Or maybe you popped up onto a crappie spot full of keepers, that extra weight will allow you to drop down to the depth you need even faster than lead!
Second, Fiskas are very well known for their sharp hooks. I couldn’t agree more, as my experience with these jigs has never let me down on a hook-set yet! Whether is was gills, crappie, or bass, in murky water or sight-fishing in Little Millers Bay of West Okoboji, as soon as I knew they sucked my jig in, their days were numbered. Be aware that sharper hooks means to be more careful handling these jigs, as I have found myself hooking my own clothing a few times while baiting the hook.
Third, these are small! Let me reiterate, these jigs are very small! As I stated above, most of the time it’s easier to go smaller than bigger in lures to get the bite. Even the most stubborn fish tend to suck the smaller baits in as it requires less effort on their part. Granted, not every fish will always bite, but most of the time fish will suck in a smaller lure over a larger lure because it’s easy prey! Don’t let the small size fool you into thinking these jigs are not potent tho, as I have personally witnessed some 16″ 3lb. large-mouth bass falling victim to these little jigs.
Beware that these jigs are going to hurt your wallet more than non-tungsten jigs of the same size, as the prices of these are between $2.50 to $3.00 bucks each, unless you are buying them in 6-packs, which are about $16.00 roughly, due to tungsten being so hard to form & paint compared to lead. Normally I would tell you to shy away from the next “greatest” fishing gizmo, but these Fiskas Wolfram Jigs are proven, at least 10 years proven. Whether you want to be the next tournament winner, or just filling your freezer with fish, you will want to have a couple of these jigs in your arsenal. Tip them with a waxie, or a spike, or even the plastic of your choice, and start putting fish on the ice! If you are price conscious, stick to a couple basic colors that you know fish in your area normally attract to. Around here, fish seem to attract to white, red, or gold. Any variation like polka dots painted on the lure will work as long as your base colors follow the normal colors fish in your area attract to. If you can afford to expand, pick a few more different base colors to get the feel of what fish in your area like, such as silver, chartreuse, blue, orange, or green. You could even choose pink, however I like to tip with pink plastics for pan fish, and matching colors to jig heads has never proven to be very successful in my experiences. Once you get past the sticker shock, you will be very impressed with the action of these jigs, as well as the results!
Shane123
