Dirty Jigs Compact Double Willow Spinnerbait Review
First Impression
Dirty Jigs has produced some of the best bass jigs on the market and many anglers across the country have trusted their products to haul up hawgs into their boats for years now. So it's a no-brainer that the TW crew had to check out their first spinnerbait, the Dirty Jigs Compact Double Willow Spinnerbait, to see what it’s all about.
Right off the bat we noticed the detailed heads, fine cut skirts, excellent color schemes, and legendary hildebrandt blades that come stock on these baits. Another characteristic that we observed was the head size compared to the overall profile, which was somewhat small, and led us to believe that this spinnerbait is built for targeting finicky fish. So we put it to the test and wanted to find out for ourselves; what makes this spinnerbait different from all the other spinnerbaits on the market?
“They did an awesome job on the build. Hildebrandt Blades are always a huge plus. I like that the beads, wire spacer and clevis are all proportionate. The swivel spins with ease.”-Jeff
- Hildebrandt blades
- Color combinations
- Size/compact profile
- Quality components
- Wire bait keeper
- Banded skirt
- Light wire durability
- Tendency to roll at faster speeds
Final Verdict
Breakdown
Performance: 7.3
Our crew chucked this spinnerbait all over the place and quickly realized it got bit pretty much everywhere. Running true right out of the package, most of our reviewers agreed that a medium to slow retrieval speed provided the best results, as some reported that it would roll over when reeled at faster retrieve speeds.
It was noted that the full size blades protrude past the hook, which may result in some short strikes from fish that get keyed in on the top blade instead of the hook. As a solution, we recommend utilizing the wire hook keeper to lock a soft-plastic trailer in place and create a larger target. Alternatively, rigging a trailer hook can be another option to help increase your hook up ratio when dealing with short striking fish.
“I caught fish at every one of our local lakes in tournaments. northern strain, Florida, and spotted bass. Definitely performed how I hoped it would.”
Durability: 7.8
Overall we were pleased with how well the bait held up, the premium components are a key factor for the spinnerbait’s durability, with one of our reviewers even describing its construction as feeling bulletproof. One area of concern was the banded skirts and how well they would hold up, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that they did pretty well, though some threads were lost after heavy use, this was as expected and was nothing out of the norm for your standard spinnerbait’s skirt durability.
Value: 7
Coming in at $9.99, the Dirty Jigs Compact Spinnerbait is a dollar or two higher in price compared to your average spinnerbait on the market. Built using high-end components and hildebrandt blades, this higher price point is justified especially when you consider the attention-to-detail and outstanding build quality. As many educated spinnerbait anglers know, hildebrandt blades are regarded as the best in the business due to the unmatched vibration and flash that's produced by the blades.
"With the solid build and premium Hildebrandt blades I feel this spinnerbait is a great buy at $9.99."
Utility: 7.6
The Dirty Jigs Spinnerbait is highly versatile, we found that it works everywhere your normal spinnerbait does and has the capability of fishing in more places due to its compact size. For those that want a quality product that they can fish anywhere, the Dirty Jigs Compact Double Willow Spinnerbait is a great option, whether you are beating the bank, running it through cover, or over clear open water, the small profile is built to always get bit no matter the conditions or environment.
"I was able to catch fish throughout a range of conditions: super hot, raining, overcast. It stayed on my deck for 3 months and fished 3 different lakes."
Final Thoughts
After thorough testing we had a couple of recommendations from our staff to help this bait’s performance. One of our reviewers suggested trimming the underside of the skirt to about a third of the length to enhance the skirt’s flare and get it to pulse more. To work this bait at a faster retrieve without it rolling over, one solution proposed is to downsize the blades to help it run true at faster speeds.
In conclusion, the bass living in your local lake have likely seen a spinnerbait more than just a time or two. With fishing pressure at an all time high, the Dirty Jigs Compact Double Willow Spinnerbait is a fresh new look for those highly-pressured bass and entices more bites through its subtle appearance. After many hours of product testing and time spent out on the water, we approve of Dirty Jigs’ take on the classic design and believe this will be a bite producer when normal-sized spinnerbaits can’t get it done.
Breakdown Summary
| Performance | 7.3 |
| Durability | 7.8 |
| Value | 7 |
| Utility | 7.6 |
Final Verdict |
7.3 |