The D2 Jig Legacy
In the summer of 1983, a friend named Jim Hall invited me and my dad, Jerry Dudley, on a fishing trip to the Norfork River in North Central Arkansas to go trout fishing. We knew we were going to be using really light line and tiny jigs with hair tied on them which was very different than what we were use to fishing… flies under an indicator and baiting up marshmallows and corn below Beaver Dam and catching maybe 5-6 trout about 10-12 inches long each time we went. By the end of our first trip to Norfork, our numbers were off the charts: 150 trout including a beautiful 4 pound Cutthroat that Jim caught on a 1/16 ounce brown and orange jig and numerous 1 ½ to 2 pound Rainbows all caught on these little hair jigs.
As a result of that trip, we were “hooked” on these tiny marabou jigs and couldn’t keep enough of them in stock to feed our new addiction of catching insane amounts of fish. So, dad got ahold of the person making the tiny marabou jigs, an elderly woman from Eastern Arkansas, and started ordering in mass from her. Over the next few years, dad ordered so many and had built such a trusting relationship with her, that as she got older and was unable to tie anymore, she decided to give the original mold to dad so he could start tying his own jigs.
In the early 90’s dad began tying and the demand became so great that he started a small jig tying business called “Jerry’s Jigs”. He would tie for family and friends and even started tying for guides on the White and Norfork Rivers. Dad even started guiding some on the rivers as well and I would join him as much as I could with the results continuing to baffle us and those who went with us… insane numbers and quality of Rainbow, Brown, and Cutthroat Trout every time we went! The demand became so great that he couldn’t keep up on his own, so he taught me how to mold, scrape, paint, tie, and package the jigs as well so we could keep up with the demand. By the mid to late 90’s the jigs had been featured in a few magazines and dad was featured in a book called “Ozark Trout Tales” written by Steve Wright which was about prominent guides on the White and Norfork Rivers.
During this time, God used this little business and dad’s passion for ministry as a tool to reach out and share God’s love through Jesus with people. Numerous Men’s retreats, Boys Ranch trips, youth groups, and simple one on one conversations took place on the rivers. Countless were encouraged, taught, and some even began their relationships with Jesus on the banks of the river.
Also during this time, dad taught Pam Hall how to tie jigs as well, since Jim, her husband had an allergy to the dandruff of the feathers. Jim sent one of the molded jigs to Cast industries and had another mold made as Jim and Pam had been using them since the late 70’s on the Little Red River in Central Arkansas. The rest, of course, is history as Pam and Jim created PJ’s Jigs (now PJ's Tackle Company) and started mass producing them all for the sake of ministry and helping others. To this day, God has used Jim and Pam to reach countless others for the name of Jesus and we couldn’t be happier for our brother and sister in Christ!
Over the years, we’ve continued to tie, fish, minister to others and even fish competitively with our jigs and have formed some lifelong relationships with people that God has let us cross paths with.
In the late 2000's, dad developed an allergy to the marabou feathers so his tying began to diminish and with me coaching high school basketball and baseball and my wife and I raising two crazy kiddos of our own, I didn’t have time to help him out, so our production of the jigs all but stopped. That didn’t stop us from feeding the addiction of catching fish though, as, like many others, we started using PJ’s jigs.
In the summer of 2018, I found myself with a shortage of jigs and a little more time on my hands during the summer, so I asked dad what he thought about me using the jig mold at my house. Knowing he couldn’t tie anymore, that August he stopped by and dropped off the mold, melting pot, hooks, feathers, thread, bags, paint, and everything else that goes into tying jigs… and gave it over to me!
As my wife and I began to pray through what God might have in store for us and knowing I wanted to follow the integrity and mission of my dad, the following January I acquired an LLC for D2 Jigs (Dudley & Dudley) and got D2 Jigs Trademarked. I also had lunch with Jim Hall (owner of PJ's Tackle Company) to seek out his advice on the varying aspects of running a jig business and Jim was, and continues to be, a vault of knowledge and experience with many great tips and advice. I continue to talk with dad on a regular basis getting his thoughts and approval on the different combinations of jig sizes and colors.
Only God knows what he has in store for us in the future, but I can only imagine that he has purpose for me and my family for his kingdom through these tiny jigs, just as he has through my dad and Jim and Pam Hall.
WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS JIG?
The D2 jig has a unique action to it as it spirals downward when it free falls in the water. The reason it spirals is because the head is rounded on one side and the other is somewhat flat (a supposed mistake when the mold was created)… that’s why it’s special!
Over the years, this jig has produced the following trophies for us:
- 7 Catch & Release Line Class World Records (2 are still standing)
- 30.8 pound Brown Trout
- Several 8-12 pound Brown Trout
- 10.5 pound Rainbow Trout
- 32 inch Rainbow Trout
- Countless 4-8 pound Rainbow, Brown, and Cutthroat Trout
- Thousands upon thousands of Trout up to 18 inches
Over Memorial Day Weekend 2019, my son caught a 28.5 inch Brown trout on 2 lb. line with a 1/16 ounce “Black Widow” jig (picture at the top of this page & video on the homepage). I've never had a more proud fishing moment than watching him fight and land this trophy!
It's also responsible for winning many Trout Tournaments in the Midwest over the years!
As I said on the homepage, it's caught smallmouth, largemouth, walleye, crappie, bream, white bass, stripers, salmon, arctic grayling, catfish and many other fresh water species.
Recently, there’s been a resurgence of ultralight fishing with marabou jigs in the northern states. I had a friend, professional angler Mike McClelland try them out in a Major League Fishing Event on Lake Champlain in New York. THE JIGS WORKED as he caught countless 3-5 pound smallmouth, including this 6.5 pound stud while up there. I can’t wait to get up there and get onto them myself!!
In my little shop there is a big comfy chair sitting next to my work table and that chair is for anyone who wants to stop by and talk fishing as it’s one of my favorite things in this world to talk about (behind the love God has shown me through Jesus and then of course my wife and kids).
If you’re interested in ordering, you can order through this website or you can call me at 479-466-8202. If you’ve never jig fished with an ultralight, call me and we can try to set up a trip with me or my dad… or you can watch our techniques videos on the "TIPS" page on this website (other videos are available on YouTube @ D2 Jigs).
Regardless, I wish you the very best in your fishing adventures!
JD Dudley
Owner/Operator – D2 Jigs