What is this jig?

[rimfirematt]

Found on the beach (in dry sand and grass)

on the kenai peninsula. Brass body, steel hook. Rawhide and feathers. Weird. I didn't find it a freind did while metal detecting

 

[Lundfisherman]

A jig used in Jack poleing for tuna

 

[carolinaboy]

If you want to see it in action watch this old video of lift pole tuna fishing by the San Diego Tuna Fleet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLuUmKcgPwQ

Or just run it up to 9:30 or so and see it being stowed.

And if you're willing to sell it, I will buy it from you today.

 

[rimfirematt]

Thanks guys ! I never would have guessed. I didn't find it. A freind did. I let him know

 

[BrownBear]

Tuna fishermen call those "picks," as in tuna picks. We kept a few bamboo poles rigged with them when I was crewman on an albacore troller back in the late 1960's and early 1970's for the times when small "schooley" fish were chummed up close to the stern. Only got to use them once, and briefly. Kind of an art to it, and it didn't happen long enough for me to do much learning. The skipper was an old hand and really sailed some fish over the rail in the couple of minutes the school was up tight.

 

[rimfirematt]

Now the question of how did that wind up in alaska

 

[carolinaboy]

Now the question of how did that wind up in alaska

Yea, that's a real mystery since the way that jig is used is pretty much a "clean and jerk" style of fishing. Sling the lure into the school, get a bite, yank the fish clean out of the water onto the boat deck behind you. When the claw pressure is off the fish it self releases. Maybe somebody was using is instead of a snagging treble hook by slinging it into some schooling salmon close to shore?

If your friend is interested in a sale, let me know.

Here's a couple of mine with a mild restoration.

 

[rimfirematt]

What's it worth?

 

[carolinaboy]

What's it worth?

Depends on the condition and what size squid it is. The ones I have are #1 size...the big 4 pole jigs. They weigh 4.5 oz. Worth up to $10 or so. Smaller ones a little less. Also, some are stamped with brands like Mt. Fuji and Made in Japan or Made in Occupied Japan. That can affect value.

Than there's the perceived value of "how bad one wants it" or "how much will you give me?".

I'm no expert, I just like them and the history of their use. Still being used around the world in pole caught tuna fisheries like the Maldives islands.

 

[4merguide]

Maybe somebody was using is instead of a snagging treble hook by slinging it into some schooling salmon close to shore?

I would tend to think this was the case......

 

[FishGod]

Looking at some of those torn up Kenai rainbows, I would assume this is standard gear for Kenai bows :lol:

 

[Paul H]

Sure was interesting to see the historic videos of commercial jack pole fishing. A bit of googling even brought up some threads that indicate a few boats are still using this method of fishing.

 

[carolinaboy]

Here are two I just got next to a restored one. The lighter is for scale. Looks to me someone had hot dipped these two I just bought in a tin pot. They're both #1 size Mt. Fuji brand. I redressed them for mild restoration purposes but don't plan on fishing them. Hard to believe someone would try to use them for a snagging hook. They would have to nearly duplicate the same technique as tuna men do using a very stout rod and fixed short line. I don't see how anyone could cast, reel and jerk one on these into a fish and expect to hook or impale it and then get it to shore. Maybe a Tuna Man could do it but the angle of the claw isn't conducive to anything but in the mouth for the few seconds it takes to yank it 20 feet from water to land. Still kinda interesting that one ends up on the Kenai Peninsula.

 

[BrownBear]

It's always interested me that the poling picks have single hooks, while those we used for commercial albacore trolling had doubles.

On a side note, between schools our galley was rocking and rolling. We'd cook up 10# batches of macaroni and gunny sacks of popcorn. When we got on a school you'd keep reaching down to scoop up a ladle full and scatter it across the water in a big spread. Big job after collecting and putting down the schoolies was to wash down the deck and get rid of all the puked up macaroni and popcorn. Worked great for keeping a school in your wake, but what a mess! :lol: