Owner Jig Rig

The 2011 ICAST show had dozens of quality offerings in the terminal tackle department, an today we are going to give you our in-depth review of one of those products, the Owner JigRig Tungsten Weighted Hook.

No, it’s not a jig or a football head or anything quite like that. It is a hook, with a welded ring through the eye, with an elongated tear drop shaped weight attached to it.

So why in the world would you want this and what, if any, advantages does it have over other pieces of tackle you already possess? Let’s get it in the water and find out.

Fishing The Owner Jig Rig

The first thing that really stands out with the JigRig is that when it hits bottom, it doesn’t lie completely flat. The shape of the weight keeps the hook just off the bottom. Why is this feature important? Glad you asked.

Primarily, this allows the angler to work soft plastics without having the bait actually in contact with the lake bed. It is suspended ever so slightly above it which, in our testing, allowed fish to get the bait in their mouths that much easier, thus increasing your hook-up percentage.

Secondly, this seemingly odd configuration also allows the angler more mobility from his lure. How’s that? We’ll explain.

Prior to the introduction of pivot head jigs you just weren’t able to impart much lateral movement to your offerings nor did they sway independently from the weight. Pivot head jigs which we have reviewed and are now a staple in our tackle box allowed some of that movement but the JigRig takes it to a new level.

With the bait and the weight having a greater range of motion the angler can now impart more side to side movement simply by moving his rod tip from 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock on alternating pulls. This particular retrieve produced more fish for us than any other.

For the purpose of presenting bottom dwelling baits like craw imitations, big worms or anything whose tail-end will float, the Owner JigRig gives you a presentation unlike anything the fish have seen before. Add to that fact that all the components are high quality and you have yourself a very effective tool.

The Owner Jig Rig In Cover

Another pleasant surprise that we discovered in our testing has to do with how well the JigRig comes through cover. There are  myriad  applications that one wants to keep in constant contact with the bottom. The con to this is of course lost baits from hang-ups with rocks, timber or any number of underwater obstructions.

Owner Jig Rig Worm

I can honestly say that to date, we haven’t lost a single JigRig to any such impediment. Considering the tungsten version of this rig retails for between $7 and $9 for a two pack depending on the size you choose, not constantly losing them is of course a good thing!

As with all pieces of tackle that are designed to be fished on the bottom, one of the attributes the angler is looking for is the ability for that tool to kick up a mud trail. This is effective due to how closely it resembles crawfish as they scoot along the lake bed. Again, the JigRig doesn’t dissapoint. Not only can you maintain constant bottom contact, add lateral movement to your presentation but also kick up a very convincing mud trail.

All things considered, we are definitely awarding the JigRig a permanent place in our tackle boxes.

Finally, although the current line-up of sizes is somewhat limited, there are enough choices to match whatever you have confidence in using as far as soft plastics go. Pick up a couple and give them a go anytime the conditions dictate a bottom hugging presentation and see if you don’t agree that the JigRig is money well spent.

Owner Jig Rig
Overall Rating
Innovative, and effective!

See ya’ on the water …