The biggest problem with jigs is the intended purpose and the type of cover.
A flipping jig need a stout hook and an arke style head or wood head.
A football head is designed for use on rock banks and uses a lighter wire hook.

There is no single jig that is an universal to fish any lake or cover.

Jig skirts and jig is all a mater of personal choice depending on the lake.

I'd say the best jig a guy can use is the one the he has confidence in. If you like what your fishing with, you'll probably catch fish.

Everyone has there favorite hook, skirt colors, etc. just like the last post, there isn't a single universal jig.

I personally like custom skirt to match what I think the fish are eating, it give me confidence.

A good keeper is also important, nothing worst than fighting your trailer every cast or getting super glue all over everything. I have come to love the Hitch Series Trailer Keepers. They are easily added to most jigs and they work with any type of trailer. They really hold your trailer well and it is also easy to change baits if needed. Excellent product!

I agree with MutantSlinger.I want a SHARP hook most of all. One that stays sharp and can be sharpened easily with a stone.I also want a skirt that stays together.

#1 hook with some backbone...no cheap junk wire hooks.

#2 a good quality trailer keeper

#3 good quality skirt

Most jig companies will skimp with either cheaper lighter wire hooks or cheap skirts. Those are the two most expensive components in building a jig.

I like a swim jig with a good hook. I don't like to keep a fish on for five minutes it usually kills them.

I use a swim jig for most everything and I want a set of good keepers one for the skirt and one for the trailer. I don't have time to do no gluing.

I also like a good brush guard that I can flair out.

I only use two colors. Black and black. Kidding I also use chartreuse sometimes. My skirt and trailer are secret.

Big Hook, Brush guard that comes down just a fraction beyond the hook and no more. Matching head and skirt with no funky colors.

A wood jig can be fished in any way whether it is on rocks and dragged on the bottom or whether it is pitched into stumps/timber.

Football heads to me seem to be best suited for areas that have small rocks/pebbles or road beds that don't have significant cover.

I like wired on round rubber jigs that get through wood and grass. The weedguard should be dense enough to be weedless but not fishless. I do like a single rattle most of the time. Good luck with your project.

I personally get really wrapped about the axle with the trailer keeper. The hook is obviously very important. But as has been witnessed here time and time again, everyone has their own preferences on hooks. Everyone likes strong hooks, but this also varies depending on the cover or structure you are fishing. One key element though that I have noticed as of late is the hook size. I used to be a big fan of 5/0 and 6/0 hooks, but in my recent jigs I have been using a lot of 4/0 hooks and they are performing well.

With Skirts, I like a whole bunch of strands 30 minimum X2 because of the fold and I have been adding Flashabou.

Skirt tied with wire is a +.