Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig Review

The product recommendations on our site are independently chosen by our editors. When you click through our links, we may earn a commission. 

For most anglers a jig is a go-to weapon for big fish throughout the year. Most purchases of jigs are based on price and color. Head shape determines the type of cover they will be used in. Most times seasonal patterns and target depth determines the weight and style of the jig used. There are flipping heads, football heads, swim jig heads, Arkie style heads which include several varieties and now a hybrid heart-shaped head designed by Strike King’s bass-fishing legend Denny Brauer called a DB Structure Jig.

The Strike King DB Structure jig is available at these online retail partners:

Here are some aspects I believe set this jig apart from others:

  • Unique Head Design
  • Creative horizontal line tie position
  • Super Sharp Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook
  • Numerous Proven Colors and Weights
  • Heavy Duty Head Facing Keeper for Trailers
  • Durable Construction
5740096.jpg
The heart-shaped head makes it very snag proof / Photo by Jason Sealock

I love creativity and also believe you can always build a better mousetrap. The uniqueness of this head comes from its heart shape and a unique nose-down horizontal line tie. It fishes equally well in rock and brush.

Football head jigs are great for rock and rubble but usually roll over and hang up in brush. Like a football head, the DB Structure Jig is wide but the big difference in the tapered head at the line tie. That smooth shape is a natural for being cast as well as pitched and fished through brush. Versatility is the DB Structure Jig’s middle name.

The DB Structure jig’s unique oblong shape allows it to bounce off of cover and honestly I have not seen a jighead that comes through heavy cover better. The bent down position of the line tie allows the jighead to wobble through and over cover, and the hook point position is precisely aligned for a more direct pull point and better hooksets.

I have missed very few fish with this jig even in deep water brush which is a testament to the design and balance of this jig. Lighter versions can also be hopped or used like a swim jig.

I call the DB Structure Jig a hybrid which means it combines the versatility of a casting jig with the attributes of a football head and its ability to be fished in rock.

5740099.jpg
Terry with a nice Illinois bass caught on a DB Structure Jig

I have never been a huge fan of cutting style hooks but the Owner Wide Gap especially designed for this jig may just be the exception. Typically cutting style hooks can create a larger hole that can mean lost fish. The hook-up-to-boat-ride ratio has been nearly 100 percent. That impresses on me that this style hook may be the best option for jigs of this type.

As with most Strike King baits, their designers extensively use their pro staff. When you have one of the foremost experts on jigs on staff you had better get his opinion. Denny Brauer is in a class by himself regarding jigs and the little things that can make one a winner over the thousands of jigs on the market today.

“When we started this project we were looking for a cross between a football head and conventional jig, a hybrid,” said Brauer. “Phil Marks and Tim Reneau worked with me on this jig, and no doubt, it was a collaborative effort. An effort that took 6 months to get the way we wanted it.

Building a jig like the Structure Jig first takes knowing how the fish bites it. Typically a fish inhales the entire jig and because of that the jighead must be pulled through his mouth to get hook penetration.

5730103.jpg
Structure jigs with Strike King trailers / Photo by Jason Sealock

“We wanted a heavy-cover jig that fished well through all types of cover, especially wood, but also had good hook-up ratios,” Brauer said. “You can make a jig that is entirely weedless but many times it is ‘fishless’ too as a result. The Structure Jig is the best of both worlds, exceptionally weedless but also due to its head design, line tie and tapered nose is extremely good at getting fish in the boat out of heavy cover. I even like it in grass.”

Brauer’s favorite colors are green pumpkin brown, watermelon red, and blue craw. He usually trails the jig with a Rage Chunk or a Rage Craw.

As far as wood, rocks and even grass, the DB Structure jig is pretty close to perfect. I have fished it in places that before I could only dream about getting a jig through, and it fishes through it flawlessly. The Structure Jig will always have a place in my tackle arsenal, in particular the 3/4-ounce model, and I recommend it highly.

The Strike King DB Structure jig is available at these online retail partners:

5710089.jpg
Another nice bass falls victim to the Structure jig / Jason Sealock