Lure Review: War Eagle Pro Football Jig

This bass jig has a football-style head that allows it to crawl over rocks, wood and other cover

A Mount Ida, Arkansas, bass fisherman likes to dance a jig so much he helped create one.

PRADCO Outdoor Brands’ Dustin Elder was the man behind the plan who introduced the world of jig fishermen to the War Eagle Pro Football Jig. The new bait is one of several credited over the past eight years to Elder, assistant brand manager for Fort Smith, Arkansas-based PRADCO, where he started working while studying advertising and public relations at the University of Arkansas (Class of 2017).

The 29-year-old lifelong, avid bass angler enjoys catching bass on a jig, particularly in deep, clear lakes he fishes in Arkansas.

“The ol’ jig doesn’t get people riled up but it’s a fish catcher,” he said. “It catches fish and always will.”

A basic concept for the look of the perfect pro football jig he wanted intrigued him. After Elder got the idea, he “petitioned” PRADCO and received the go-ahead to research and design a football jig with the help of pro staffers led by Stetson Blaylock, an Arkansas bass pro from Benton. That was in 2018.

Blaylock’s input complemented Elder’s creative plans as the project progressed through prototypes, the PRADCO employee said.

“We actually built the jig in 2019 … all finished up and ready. We were going to put it in production then,” Elder said, noting the new product as well as other newly minted artificial lures sat around for a few years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rollout was delayed until ICAST 2023.

Positive feedback

The War Eagle Pro Football Jig is everything Elder wanted it to be and is the pride of War Eagle Custom Lures Inc. out of Rogers, Arkansas. Bass anglers have also responded positively anywhere jigs are thrown.

“It’s been well-received,” Elder said. “It (a pro football-style jig) isn’t the most exciting lure, not the most-selling like a spinnerbait or a topwater.”

What’s so special about it? For starters, the artificial lure manufacturer built a very specifically contoured head that allows it to crawl over rocks, wood and other cover or get ripped through grass. He installed a recessed line tie so it wouldn’t stick out and get caught on grass. A main feature is a lighter hook, a stout 4/0 medium-heavy wire hook that penetrates the roof of the mouth on hooksets.

The War Eagle Pro Football Jig also has a heavy fiber weed guard that further reduces hangups. It’s adorned with a high-quality silicone skirt with seven colors, including his favorite, 3D pumpkin.

“People should throw this pro football jig because we tested it for a really long time. We know it works,” Elder said. “We didn’t just put something out there and it sucks. We crossed our t’s and dotted our i’s with it.”

Add a crawfish imitation

Elder usually slips on a YUM Craw Chunk or YUM Spine Craw as a soft plastic trailer for the War Eagle Pro Football Jig.

“Any crawdad imitation is what I usually go with,” he said.

A bait keeper firmly locks any soft plastic onto the powder-coated bait.

Elder also trims the skirts and soft plastic trailer because he traditionally fishes the pro football jig in extremely cold weather. However, as Elder and others pointed out, it is a versatile bait that can catch bass any time of the year.

He believes it should be very effective anywhere bass anglers are targeting fish in 10- to 15-foot depths and deeper.

For more information on the War Eagle Pro Football Jig and other PRADCO Outdoor Brands products call 800-531-1201 or go to www.pradcooutdoorbrands.com.

The post “Lure Review: War Eagle Pro Football Jig” first appeared on LouisianaSportsman.com.