Bergen Record

THE BERGEN RECORD

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ

Jersey RIGG Proving to be an Effective Lure

By Don Ecker

What are the important features of a great fishing lure? First and foremost, it has to catch fish - lots of them.

It should also be relatively simple to use, a lure that produces for novices and experts alike. Ease of rigging and casting, good hook-setting qualities, versatility in a variety of fishing situations, and durability are other vital features.

A great lure must stand up to repeated use before it has to be replaced.

Based on my experience, I must give Jeff Cammerino’s Jersey RIGG high marks on all counts. Though it’s taken the Lyndhurst resident years to perfect his lure, at first glance it looks like just another small plastic worm.

Not immediately apparent are the keys to the Jersey RIGG’s effectiveness - length, weight, diameter, density, surface design, and finish - plus the way it is placed on the hook.

The approximately 3-inch lure, available in a variety of popular colors, is rigged by inserting a 1/0 hook through the center, with the hook point exposed. It extends an equal length on both sides of the hook.

Cammerino’s technique is to cast the lure to a likely spot, and shake or twitch it in the strike zone, before beginning a twitch-pause-reel slow retrieve. The lure has neutral buoyancy, and it usually is fished with the hook providing the only weight, thus creating a very slow sinking rig.

The combination of the lure and hook, however, has sufficient weight for easy casting. Cammerino fishes the Jersey RIGG on 6- or 8-pound spinning gear, ideal for pitching to fishy targets or skipping under overhangs, docks, and boat houses. It lands softly, rarely spooks fish, and has a lifelike pulsing action that says to a bass, “here is something worth eating”.

Cammerino has a growing collection of clippings and letters attesting to the lure’s effectiveness. The Jersey RIGG is credited with a number of tournament victories and lunker catches. Pro bass angler George Cochran, a Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) Master’s Classic champion, is fishing the lure and reports good results. Cammerino’s scrapbook also has glowing reports of bass catches by beginners using his lure, which seems to have great appeal for largemouth and smallmouth bass, striper hybrids, and a variety of other species including saltwater gamefish.

A week ago I met with Cammerino for a hands-on session with his Jersey RIGG. Reaching the lake after 2 p.m., we were informed that the fishing had been rather poor over the past several days. Undaunted, Cammerino made a few casts from the dock before launching the skiff we would use, and quickly caught and released a pair of largemouths.

We moved about the lake, fishing shoreline structure and some mid-lake weed beds. A golden Jersey RIGG with a gold flake build-in was the most effective color. More than several dozen bass were caught and released in slightly more than four hours - outstanding for a lake that was supposed to be fishing poorly or any lake for that matter.

Though not entirely weedless, the lure worked well while fishing weedy structure. I’m convinced we’ll hear lots more about the Jersey RIGG in the coming seasons. It’s available in many local tackle shops. If you can’t find it, or need more information, phone (570) 226-6304 or write 75 Mountain Lake Estates, Hawley, PA 18428.

HOME