Savage Gear recently revealed three new colours of its super popular Needle Jig lure – Mackerel Ayu, Pink Belly Sardine and Full Glow – but how do we come up with the colours for products like this? It’s not simply by magic, although some magic definitely happens once they hit the water and start enchanting the fish! Here is some insight into how these new colours came to the range.

Mackerel Ayu

I’ve lost count of how many times in my life that mirror-coloured jigs have made the big difference compared to jigs with prismatic reflections. Over the years, I have seen that jigs that produce even just a single reflection are some of the most efficient both on both sunny days and cloudy days. This new colour is a more natural reflection in combination with a natural Ayu colour that can be associated with various prey fish like bogue – it gives a truly stunning effect. Adding the mackerel design to the back completes a very attractive and natural lure for outwitting difficult-to-catch fish. It’s perhaps one of the most effective colours ever in calm conditions.

Pink Belly Sardine

With a blend of 70 per cent natural presence and 30 per cent vibrant colour, this jig will not go unnoticed. Natural colours with intense details often excel as they combine the natural effect, along with a little provoking power of bright colour. The result can be effective in both deep and shallow water, as well as in any bright conditions. The pink of the belly is fluoro, designed to catch the eye of predator fish and irritate them. Once they’re locked on, the blue of the back and thick scale foil on the main body will entice them into a strike. This intensive combination is a tried-and-tested fish catcher.

Full Glow

A decade ago, I must admit that the thought of using a glow jig made me feel a bit sick. They seemed cheap and fake to me, but boy have I been proven wrong over the years. In the autumn and the winter these colours can get a reaction out of fish like no other. Maybe it’s because of the strong contrasts? Maybe it’s that they imitate the glow that frightened squid make? Who knows? What we do know and what I’ve learned is that these kinds of colours come into their own on cloudy, drizzly days especially when fished in deep water. They can also be effective in summer too – particularly when shore jigging for barracuda. The combo of colours here is a cheeky pink on the top and a little canary yellow on the bottom – it chirps like a charm!