jiggerjohn
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2010
- Messages
- 547
Over the past two seasons a pleasant distraction has become white perch. They're small but tasty, and strike and fight hard on light tackle. I've caught some very nice ,meaty specimens, however, off Lake Erie piers and in brackish waters down at the Outer Banks. I understand East Coast tidal water fisherman love them, and this particular perch population seems to be spreading everywhere! And these small powerhouses LOVE jigs!! Many anglers will mention that 1/8 oz sized spin jigs are a vastly preferred offering to work the shallows where white perch usually feed. Yet even with lift of an overhead spinner, this size jig seems to sink a bit too fast for my liking in 2-5' water along rocky banks and rip rap areas. That is, until I REdiscovered a real oldtime favorite spin jig, specifically designed to work extreme shallows.....
Today's anglers may not remember bass fishing legend Billy Phillips . He began entering B.A.S.S. tournaments during the 1970s, fishing essentially as an amateur against the pros of that time. He fished out of little more than a small jon boat, using basic Johnson spincast outfits, and working only extreme shallows with his own brilliantly designed , carefully constructed tiny spin-jig. In his first tournament he deftly left Bill Dance in second place! Later he took 4th in the B.A.S.S. CLASSIC ! I recently located one of his still sturdy spinjigs in an old tackle box -sure was unique with a small sized spinner blade as the jighead (fitted more like a spoon to allow slight planing and a unique wobbling action) and a thumbnail sized spin blade above on a ball bearing swivel. I've found this can be retreived slower and shallower than any other spinnerbait, and is perfect for my recent interest in securing a jig slow moving enough to entice picky white perch!
The really neat thing was, I seached online for info on Mr. Phillips' "L'il Jewel" and discovered,to my delight, that these are still individually hand constructed by a master craftsman protege of the late Billy ,by the name of John McBride in Tennessee! (Billy Phillips lures .com). I do believe the blosoming white perch population is about to decline!!
Today's anglers may not remember bass fishing legend Billy Phillips . He began entering B.A.S.S. tournaments during the 1970s, fishing essentially as an amateur against the pros of that time. He fished out of little more than a small jon boat, using basic Johnson spincast outfits, and working only extreme shallows with his own brilliantly designed , carefully constructed tiny spin-jig. In his first tournament he deftly left Bill Dance in second place! Later he took 4th in the B.A.S.S. CLASSIC ! I recently located one of his still sturdy spinjigs in an old tackle box -sure was unique with a small sized spinner blade as the jighead (fitted more like a spoon to allow slight planing and a unique wobbling action) and a thumbnail sized spin blade above on a ball bearing swivel. I've found this can be retreived slower and shallower than any other spinnerbait, and is perfect for my recent interest in securing a jig slow moving enough to entice picky white perch!
The really neat thing was, I seached online for info on Mr. Phillips' "L'il Jewel" and discovered,to my delight, that these are still individually hand constructed by a master craftsman protege of the late Billy ,by the name of John McBride in Tennessee! (Billy Phillips lures .com). I do believe the blosoming white perch population is about to decline!!
along with a few other hidden items!