August 12, 2017
By Ned Kehde
Since January, we have published 10,323 words about the manifold virtues of a marabou jig. This endeavor encompassed four Midwest Finesse columns.
The first segment of our series about the marabou jig was published on Jan. 20. It featured some historical aspects about the marabou jig and the ways that Jeff Gustafson uses it at the Lake of the Woods near his home in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. Our second one was centered upon the insights of Josh Douglas of Mound, Minnesota, and it was published on Jan. 25. The third one focused on Seth Feider of Bloomington, Minnesota, and it was published on Feb. 4. The fourth one
Shortly after we published the fourth column, a longtime Finesse News Network member and Midwest finesse practitioner, who has been a marabou jig devotee since the 1960s, contacted us and noted that we have failed to publish a gear guide about the 1/16-ounce VMC Dominator Marabou Jig. He politely suggested that it was high time for us to alert the finesse-fishing community about it, and we agreed with this angler who did not want us to mention his name.
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It is created around a small ball-headed jig and a VMC Power Gap hook, which is said to be five percent wider than traditional jig hooks. This high-carbon-steel hook also possesses a 60-degree rotated eye. The size of the hook on the 1/16-ounce VMC Dominator Marabou Jig is a No.2.
A combination of marabou feather material and fibers of flashbou is attached to the collar of the jig. The flashbou is added as a light reflector, which is said to catch the attention of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass that have been unresponsive to other styles of jigs.
It is available in three colors: black, brown, and white.
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Besides the 1/16-ounce one, there is a 1/8-ounce and a 1/4-ounce model. The 1/8-ouncer sports a No. 1 hook, and the 1/4-ouncer possesses a 1/0 hook.
It is available at several Internet venues, and the price per jig ranges from $2.59 to $2.99.
Endnotes
(1) On July 24, we received an email from Dan Quinn of Hudson, Wisconsin. He is the Field Promotions Coordinator for Rapala, and VMC is part of Rapala's group of tackle manufacturers. He informed us that Rapala inherited the marabou jig when it acquired Luhr-Jensen & Sons, Inc, in 2006 and 2007. Ultimately, Rapala moved the jig from Luhr-Jensen to VMC, and named it the VMC Dominator Marabou Jig. And since then it has been well received by scores and scores of smallmouth bass anglers.
Dan Quinn is a talented and versatile angler. He is also the son of Steve Quinn of Brainerd, Minnesota, and In-Fisherman's senior editor. Dan says that he uses the black 1/16-ounce VMC Dominator Marabou Jig a lot when the smallmouth bass are in relatively shallow water. He employs a slow and steady retrieve across the shallow-water habitats. He likes to use it attached to a lightweight braided line and fluorocarbon leader, and he notes that Sufix's Nanobraid is a great asset for making long casts with the 1/16-ounce VMC Dominator Marabou Jig. He says his methods of fishing with a marabou jig parallel those that Jeff Gustafson and Seth Feider employ, and for details about their methods see endnotes No. 2 and No. 4.
(2) Here is the link to the Midwest Finesse column that features Jeff Gustafson's ways with a marabou jig: http://www.in-fisherman.com/gear-accessories/the-marabou-jig-according-to-jeff-gustafson/ .
(3) Here is the link to the Midwest Finesse column that features Josh Douglas' ways with a marabou jig: http://www.in-fisherman.com/gear-accessories/the-marabou-jig-according-to-josh-douglas .
(4) Here is the link to the Midwest Finesse column that features Seth Feider's ways with a marabou jig: http://www.in-fisherman.com/gear-accessories/the-marabou-jig-according-to-seth-feider .
(5) Here is the link to the Midwest Finesse column about Keith Thompson's ways with a marabou jig: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/the-marabou-jig-according-to-keith-thompson .
