On the upper East Coast, fishermen are casting their lines for big bluefish, striped bass, and even weakfish. Yet it’s the bluefish that are easier to haul in, as they tend to present themselves more easily, particularly during daylight hours. But to catch those summer bluefish, there’s one tried-and-true piece of equipment you’ll want to use. It’s so effective, in fact, that you might refer to it as a diamond in the rough. Game & Fish presents an in-depth exploration of the diamond jig:
With respect to handling performance, diamond jigs are extremely efficient because of their naked chrome-plating-over-lead construction. They are simple, clean, inexpensive and tooth-proof. Diamonds require no hooks to re-bait, no chewed-up surface plugs to discard and no mauled bucktails or soft plastics to replace. Unlike a swimming plug with multiple treble hooks dangling from it, a diamond jig’s body also makes a sturdy and safe handle with which to lift and unhook feisty fish.
For fishing performance, it doesn’t get much better. Diamonds can plummet in the strongest currents or flutter downward like wounded prey, yet they wobble irresistibly like a fleeing baitfish when retrieved.
Photos: Game & Fish (top); New England Boating (above)
