<h2>Buying Guide: Jigheads</h2><p>At first glance, the jig head can seem like the less important part of the setup - after all, it is the <strong>soft lure</strong> that attracts the fish. But there is a catch. There are significant differences between jig heads that can genuinely decide whether you come home with fish or without.</p><p>When buying jigheads, it is well worth taking a closer look at the material, the hook and the overall construction.</p><h2>The Hook</h2><p>Jigheads come fitted with a wide variety of hooks. You can often spot the differences by colour, wire gauge or hook shape. But what really matters?</p><h3>Hook Size</h3><p>A wide range of hook sizes is available, from tiny hooks to large ones, each combined with different head weights. Finding the right hook size for your soft lure and target species can be tricky. The table below gives you a guide to which hook size suits which lure size. Bear in mind, however, that hook sizes are not precisely standardised - a size 3/0 from one manufacturer can be noticeably larger than a size 3/0 from another. When in doubt, trial and error is the only reliable answer.</p><div><table><colgroup><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Hook size</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Soft lure size</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#2 and #3</span></p></td><td><p><span>Mini soft lures from 3-4 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#1</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to max. 2.5 inch or approx. 6 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#1/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 3 inch or approx. 7 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#2/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 3.5 inch or approx. 9 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#3/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to approx. 4.5 inch or approx. 11 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#4/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 5.5 inch or approx. 14 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#5/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 6.5 inch or approx. 16.5 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#6/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 7.5 inch or approx. 19 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#8/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 9 inch or approx. 23 cm</span></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><span>#10/0</span></p></td><td><p><span>Soft lures up to 10 inch or approx. 25 cm</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>As mentioned, sizes may vary slightly due to manufacturer differences or personal preference. You should also always consider whether you intend to fish with a stinger or without. If you fish without a stinger, choose a jig head one size up depending on the soft lure and target species. Since wire gauge generally increases with hook size, you can also deliberately go larger when targeting big fish. For halibut fishing, for example, a 15 cm soft lure is often paired with a size #10/0 or even a #12/0 jig head.</p><p><strong>TIP</strong>: Soft lures longer than 25 cm are better fished on a system rig or screw-in jig head.</p><h3>Hook Shape</h3><p>The shape of the hook is equally important. Relatively flat hooks with little distance between the shank and the hook point tend to perform poorly, as they struggle to take hold in the fish's mouth.<br>Hooks with a large gap between the point and the shank are more reliable - the greater the gap, the more consistently they connect.</p><p>Some jigheads are also cast with <strong>offset hooks</strong>, which allow soft lures to be presented weedless and therefore snag-resistant.</p><p>So-called <em>Fireball Jigheads</em>, designed for fishing with deadbait, feature very short-shanked hooks. For this reason they are rarely suited to use with soft lures.</p><h3>Wire Gauge</h3><p>As already noted, wire gauge and quality play a decisive role. The gauge should match your target species and be heavy enough that the hook cannot bend open or break during the fight. At the same time, the wire should not be excessively thick, as heavier wire penetrates the fish's mouth less cleanly. The ideal balance between maximum strength and a manageable wire diameter is what you are looking for.</p><h3>Hook Point</h3><p>Hook points come in several designs. Most are chemically sharpened and conical. Others are ground and may feature a cutting edge of sorts, while some have a reinforced, arrow-style tip. All these point designs offer good hooking performance. That said, it is worth knowing that not all jig hooks are equally sharp - and more importantly, not all stay sharp for equally long.</p><ul><li>The <strong>sharpest points come on carbon steel hooks</strong>, though these are prone to rust.</li><li><strong>Red anodised steel hooks</strong> resist rust better but are not as sharp to begin with, and dull more quickly. They are also difficult to re-sharpen, though they are relatively affordable.</li><li>The <strong>best compromise between sharpness and durability</strong> is offered by black nickel hooks. These are the most widely used finish on jigheads for good reason.</li></ul><p>Even so, quality varies considerably between manufacturers. Spending a little more generally gets you sharper, stronger hooks.</p><h2>The Head</h2><p>Jigheads are available with weights made from a range of materials.</p><p>The most common is <strong>lead</strong>, which is popular because of its low cost, ease of casting and high density. Lead is, however, toxic, and as a result alternative materials have become available.</p><p><strong>Tungsten</strong> is one such alternative and is the technically superior option. Because tungsten has a higher density than lead, a tungsten jig head is smaller than a lead one of the same weight. Its hardness also produces a noticeably sharper signal when the head contacts the bottom. The downside is that tungsten is expensive and difficult to process, which is why tungsten jig heads are generally only available in lighter weights and at a higher price point.</p><p><strong>Zinc alloy jigheads</strong> offer another lead-free option. They are easy to manufacture and therefore barely more expensive than lead heads. Their lower density means they are physically larger for a given weight, and the range of available models is still relatively limited.</p><p>If you want to move away from lead without a significant increase in cost, lead-free jig heads are well worth considering.</p><h2>Lurekeepers</h2><p>Most jigheads feature some form of <strong>retention system</strong> for the soft lure. This may be a moulded barb or a lead collar formed during casting, or small wire barbs cast into the head.</p><p>A moulded barb is simple and inexpensive, but it has the drawback that slender soft lures often tear when you slide them on. Wire barbs solve this problem - though the lure will likely tear when you try to remove it. For this reason it is generally best to <strong>mount a soft lure once and not change the hook afterwards</strong>. Securing the lure to the jig head with a drop of superglue before the first use also helps it hold up to aggressive takes.</p><h2>Head Shape</h2><p>The standard option is the round head jig, which works in virtually any situation and at any venue.</p><p>Football heads are also widely available and are the first choice for vertical jigging. They concentrate the weight mass and give the soft lure excellent lateral stability. A zander attacking from the side will also frequently clamp the football head between its jaws, which reduces the chance of the hook kicking sideways on the strike.</p><p>Erie and stand-up heads are specialist shapes designed in theory to hold the soft lure slightly off the bottom, improving bite conversion. They work well in stillwaters but tend to tip over in stronger current, where a round head jig is the better choice.</p><p>Finally, the triangular dart head causes the soft lure to dart from side to side on the drop, adding movement to the lure and triggering more aggressive responses. It is particularly well suited to no-action style soft lures.</p>