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The Tungsten Jig Truth: Performance Benefits of Premium Tungsten Northland Fishing Tackle boasts 95-97% tungsten purity – the most possible – in ALL its tungsten jigs. So, what are the other guys using? You might want to ask… |
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BEMIDJI, Minn. (August 14, 2024) – North America’s largest jig manufacturer, Northland Fishing Tackle, has been a driving force in today’s tungsten craze. The inventive company has been crafting, prototyping, and selling tungsten lures for years, putting them leagues in front of the competition. Over the last couple years, you’ve seen introductions like Northland’s Tungsten Jig, Tungsten Short-Shank Jig, Tungsten Crappie King and others, as well as a full assortment of tungsten ice fishing jigs. Surely, the company’s tungsten lures are environmentally friendly, but as critical to anglers…they perform exceptionally. Nearly pure, 95% tungsten products were in limited availability until recent years because of the manufacturing cost. Tungsten is an expensive material that also comes with significant investments in manufacturing equipment. Being a leader in jigs, Northland stepped up to the plate and made these investments in hopes the product would be received well by anglers, despite its premium price. Anglers immediately appreciated the benefits and tungsten jigs quickly became a top seller. |
“Authentic 95% pure tungsten jigs simply fish better than their lead counterparts,” said Northland Pro and professional guide, Brad Hawthorne. He says the advantages are multiple, including more sensitivity due to the hardness of tungsten; the ability to present a smaller and denser jig profile than a lead version of the same weight; having a faster sink rate; and sporting a wider hook gap.
With anglers seeing the advantages of tungsten, more manufacturers are making tungsten jigs. But it’s important to know not all tungsten jigs are made the same. Many manufacturers reduce the amount of tungsten while increasing the amount of less dense alloy/binding materials.
Hawthorne elaborated: “You reduce hardness when you increase the amount of alloy/binding materials. Sensitivity suffers along with diminished hardness, too. You also end up with a larger jig that sinks slower when compared to what Northland makes.”
Not every manufacturer adheres to Northland’s strict manufacturing standards. Some companies reduce the amount of tungsten while increasing the alloy/binding materials, even using plastic as the bonding agent. Plastic? It’s true.
NORTHLAND’S PURE TUNGSTEN PROCESS
Tungsten starts as a powder in the manufacturing process. Tungsten powder is combined with other elements to aid the manufacturing process. The mixture is then put under high pressure and temperature to form the jig. The differentiator in this process is the mix of pure tungsten and whatever other elements are used. Northland uses 95% pure tungsten in their product to maximize all of the benefits of tungsten including sensitivity, size, and hook gap.
“The improved sensitivity is significant,” Rick Billings, Northland COO. “The hardness of real tungsten telegraphs the bottom, rocks, and wood much better through the line and rod. You just feel more, including bites.”
Smaller is better, too, when you need a heavier jig in deeper water but don’t want to upsize the presentation. Think of neutral to inactive crappies or walleyes on the bottom. You want to reach them, but don’t want a giant jig to stick in front of them.
Tungsten also plays into a faster drop rate. Tungsten, being significantly denser than lead, falls quicker. Billings commented: “Having a faster drop rate is important in many applications, but one standout scenario right now is with forward-facing sonar (FFS). You need to get to the fish fast, and Northland’s authentic tungsten does that.”
The wider hook-gap on genuine Northland tungsten jigs is something you might not think about right away, but it’s oh-so important. For example, if you compare a ¼-ounce tungsten jig to a lead version of the same weight, the hook-gap is wider. Why? Because with a smaller head, you increase the distance between the hookpoint and head, increasing the gap. The natural upside is greater hooking power and percentages.
NORTHLAND TUNGSTEN IN ACTION
To get a feel of how Northland’s tungsten products perform on the water, Marketing Manager and avid tournament angler, Charlie Peterson, offered up his take: “Being able to fish a lighter jig than you would with lead really promotes finesse, whether you’re fishing with live bait or soft plastics. By lighter, I mean if you were typically using a ¼-once led jig, you can throttle back to a 1/8-ounce and not lose a step.”
Peterson continued, “And even though you drop weight, you gain sensitivity. Tungsten is so much better at providing feel through your rod and line. Paraphrasing Northland pro Jason Mitchell, ‘Northland tungsten makes a $100 rod fish like a $300 rod.’”
“You only need to try our tungsten jigs once, and you never go back.”
THE LAST WORD
There was a time when tungsten was only promoted for its environmental benefits. Now, anglers have realized all the performance benefits, like being smaller, harder, more sensitive, and dropping faster.
But now the buyer must beware as tungsten has become part of mainstream fishing. The challenge for anglers is determining which offerings are true tungsten and not merely tungsten in name alone.
Fortunately, Northland means what it says. If it’s labeled tungsten, it’s tungsten, and you benefit from all the metal’s beneficial properties and the lures it’s made into.
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