Before super-soft plastic lures, there was pork. The period of the late 1970s through the 1980s was the golden age of the jig-and-pig, as professional and amateur anglers alike used it to win lots of money in tournaments around the country. Back then, you couldn’t say “jig” without saying “pig.” Yes, pork-belly futures were riding high. However, there were significant drawbacks to pork baits. They dried out too quickly if left attached to a lure lying on the deck of a boat. Even more problematic was how the tough, leathery tail bait sometimes wrapped around the hook point, resulting in missed fish during the retrieve. Still, many old-timers had faith in the bait and continued to fish it religiously until the soft-plastic revolution finally overwhelmed the marketplace. As tackle shelves filled with plastic trailers, venerable pork baits failed to make an impression on new anglers. Pork faded into the background. Yet there continues to be a cult following for pork among everyday fishermen and guides, as well as some pros who regard it as a secret weapon for special circumstances. Following are five solid reasons why some anglers have never given up on the pig and why bass fishermen today should still have those little jars of brine bait in their boat.
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