Andy Vallombroso is a master at tying jigs, especially ‘Hair Jigs’, and rightfully so his Custom Hand Tied Jigs have been featured in some of America’s most respected Bass fishing magazines. “In-Fisherman has ran numerous articles on all of my hand-tied jigs, as well as Bassmaster Magazine featuring my Custom C.A.D. jigs, and most recently www.BassEast.com   did a feature article on my newly designed Rattlin Hair Jig,” says Madison Connecticut’s Andy Vallombroso. ( www.AndysCustonBassLures.com )

Intrigued by Vallombroso’s enthusiasm, and overwhelmed with his craftsmanship involving research and design modifications to his ‘Rattlin Hair Jig’, I invited Andy to be a guest on my Cable TV Fishing Series, The Bass Bureau…….Where the Road meets the Water! His answer……….”Only if we make it a ‘Jig’ Show” My response, “That’s fine as long as I pick the location!” We both agreed!

Placing a call to my favorite host Andy and Sheree Wess, proprietors of Lakeside Motel and Cottages on the shores of Lake Cobbosseecontee in Winthrop Maine, I secured our cabin reservations, for three-days of on the water filming. Vallombroso had never been to Lake Cobbie as the locals affectingly label it, nor had he experience a taste of Maine’s untapped bass fishery. (www.Lakesidelodging,com)

Having surrendered numerous double-digit largemouth bass over the years as well as some behemoths bronzebacks, Lake Cobbie’s scenic panoramic views of mountain top pine trees framing over 5,0000 acres of pristine bass water, is a worthy treasure in and of itself!

Our Goal was simple, utilize only Andy’s Custom Hand Tied Jigs, spool our reels with the worlds first and foremost fluorocarbon line, Seaguar, ( www.Seaguar.com ), then lock this combination onto the reel seat of ultra-sensitive and extremely light-weight Custom Hand Made Power Tackle Rods. ( www.PowerTackle.com ) Lakeside Motel’s private ramp made launching my Nitro Bass Boat a breeze, while dock slips with electricity kept our batteries at peak power levels. ( www.MarineUSA.com )

Scanning a Lake Cobboseecontee map (Available @ Lakeside Motel), Vallombroso and I determined our starting point based on seasonal patterns and weather conditions. “After the ‘Post-Spawn’ period, bass move towards their summer habitat, which usually isn’t all that far from their spawning grounds,” suggested Vallombroso. Then walking over to a series of rocky shoreline along the bank, Vallombroso began turning over rocks until he finally held up several live crawfish. “Although similar, every lake has it’s own concentration of minerals within the water. This in turn will effect the color of creatures such as crawfish,” says Vallombroso. Adding, “My line of C.A.D. Custom Jigs are all Computer Aided Designed, based on the color combinations of crawfish during the Spring, Summer and Fall.”

Idling out of Welch Bay, we began out 3-Day Jig Adventure by heading towards the ‘Horseshoe Island” section of Lake Cobbie. Having spooled 6 lb Seaguar ‘INVIZX’ 100% Fluorocarbon line on my spinning reel, I threaded the Seaguar through the ferrules of a 7’ SPN44 FastMedHeavy Power Tackle Rod. ( www.PowerTackle.com )The longer rod length coupled with the lightweight line on a spinning reel makes for a perfect balanced combination when utilizing light wire jigs, such as Andy’s 1/8oz or º oz Rattlin Hair Jigs. Vallombroso, utilized a 7’ SPN43 Medium action Power Tackle spinning rod, paired with Seaguar’s newly Developed 8lb ABRAZX 100% Fluorocarbon line, (www.Seaguar.co) while his jigs of choice ranged in sizes from º oz Black Synthetic Rattlin Hair Jigs, to his patent 3/8 and _ oz C.A.D. Jigs in his Summer color.

Scanning our bow-mounted Lowrance 520 color electronics, we searched for isolated rock piles and patches of vegetation. Vallombroso tipped his offering with a black Lunker City ( www.LunkerCity.com ) plastic chunk, while I decided on a small avocado twin tail for my 1/8 oz black Rattlin Hair Jig. It wasn’t long before Andy Vallombroso started to display his angling talents. Battling several smallmouth bass in the 1.5 to 2.5 lb range, a few short largemouth’s and then two that went over 3 lb, I was still looking to land my first bass!

Under the mentoring instructions of ‘Jig Master Andy Vallombroso’, I changed to a heavier º oz Rattlin Hair Jig, sticking with a black color synthetic hair jig I tipped it with a small crappie size single tail black grub. “The heavier jig paired with your single tail grub should fall much faster allowing you to get your bait into the strike zone quicker,” replied Vallombroso.

For the first two-days Andy Vallombroso continued to enlighten my cameramen with his bottom bumping jig tactics, and I found his advise to help increase my bass tally. Although he far excited my single digit bass catching count, he also suggested I try switching to one of his living rubber C.A.D. jigs in either 3/16, º, or 3/8-ounce size. “No thanks,” I replied, as my stubborn ‘Don’t tell me!’ French heritage guided by angling actions…………….or lack of action I should say!

Moving to various sections of the lake we continued to concentrate on outside weedlines, rocky tapering points, and of course isolated pieces of cover, such as rock piles, grass patches and stumps. Our productive water depths on the first two-days ranged from as shallow as 2’ around downed wood along steep banks and docks, to an average of 10-15 foot depths.

On our third day a cold front had moved in the night before and the bass bite all but seemed to die. Vallombroso suggested we slow down our presentations, work lightweight jigs, crawling them extremely slowly along the bottom and stick with 6 lb Seaguar 100% Fluorocarbon INVIZX line for all of our presentations. Andy rigged a 3/16 oz C.A.D. Jig to his Power Tackle SPN43 Spinning combination. And for this ‘Ole Stubborn Frenchman’ I stuck with the Rattlin Hair Jig, this time in a 1/8 oz Avocado color, utilizing my 7’ Power Tackle SPN44 ultra-light weight rod to make long precise casts.

After several failed attempts to entice more than a single bass bite at several prime locations, we turned to our sonar equipment and searched out humps in deeper water. Idling over several humps reaching to within the 10’ depths at their crowns, with saddles and sharp tapering side edges dropping into 20-25 foot depths, we tossed four buoy markers into the water at precise locations. “Many times deeper bass are not as affected by a cold front as are the shallow bass,” suggested Vallombroso.

While Andy worked his Custom º oz C.A.D. jig, this time with an Uncle Josh #11 Brown Pork Frog, I continued to search for a matching trailer for my 1/4 oz Avocado color Rattlin Hair Jig. Unable to find a trailer I decided to work the Rattlin Hair Jig without a trailer……...You might say my frustration was beginning to get the upper hand?

Being able to detect the rocky bottom utilizing the º oz hair jig within the 20-25’ depth range was quite easy. Even with a slight breeze I was able to locate an isolated shell bed. No doubt the sensitivity of Seaguar’s 100% Fluorocarbon line and it’s inherent sinking characteristics, in combination with Power Tackle’s thru the blank handle allowed extreme telegraphing sensitivity the entire length of my line, from my hair jig to my reel seat.

Tossing another buoy marker over the side, I backed my Nitro boat off the shell bed to within perfect casting distance. Jig Master Andy Vallombroso made the first cast and before I could flip the bail on my reel, he loaded his Power Tackle Spinning Rod with a slight sideward sweep, turned to me with yet another bass eating grin and replied, “This is incredible, as soon as my jig hit the bottom I felt the shell bed, I slightly dragged my jig, paused and gave it a short hop, then suddenly I actually felt my rod tick in about 18 feet of water!”

While I watched Andy enjoy playing out his bass, I kept wondering why a smallmouth bass hadn’t exploded through the surface water? Reaching down to lip land Andy’s bass, my question was answered, as I held up a beautiful Lake Cobbie largemouth. Removing his jig I noticed Andy had switched to an avocado/black synthetic Rattlin Hair Jig with no trailer. Without saying a word, I simply held out his jig in one hand and his largemouth in the other. With a chuckle in voice he said, “It’s all about location and the proper presentation!” As he added, “Having the right bait does hurt either!”

For what seemed to be like an eternity, just about every one of our casts with either the º oz Avocado or the Avocado/Black Synthetic Rattlin Hair Jigs with no trailers produced one bass after another………….and not just smallmouth bass, but rather some very nice largemouth bass.

Sitting on our cabin porch listening to the Loons and watching the sun set over Lake Cobbosseecentee, was the perfect ending for our three-day Jigging Adventure. Then Andy softly whispered, “You know Billy, you are never to old to learn! Who would have ever thought that 3-5 lb largemouth bass would be occupying a deep shell bed?” Then with a wry chuckle in my voice I answered, “Andy those largemouth’s ate your Rattlin Hair Jig as though it was Crawfish-Candy!”

God Bless and Best Bass’n