Walkin’ the Tightrope

There are several waters I fish where a spinnerbait consistently outproduces a swim jig or Chatterbait, and others where it beats them in certain situations. Unlike some of you, I never put the blade out to pasture, and I’m particularly fond of certain finesse models. Some of my favorites have become discontinued or harder to find, and others just won’t take a beating from larger fish. The wire breaks or they stop running right. Still others don’t vibrate enough to know whether they are working correctly.

That’s why I was excited to meet Ryan Whitacre at the Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo. Two friends – one of them a top tournament competitor and the other a jig manufacturer, told me that Whitaker’s Tight Rope jigs were top notch, but I focused in on the spinnerbait off to the side. Here’s what he has to say about them.

If that’s not enough, enjoy a little Stevie Ray Vaughan.