JUNGLE JIM 1

The crappie I caught from the lake.

I got out and fished a lake off the Meramec for a couple hours trying out the new Finesse mold that just came out rigging it with a 3" Berkley power grub. Only got bit once but it was a good crappie, first 15"er of 2022. Decided to try the Meramec for a little while since it looked good, not muddy. I caught three drum on first three casts that I had to drag over a tree and up the bank. I decided to move closer to the water without sliding down the bank in case I hooked something bigger because there was no way for me to get anything big in from where I was. I caught a couple white bass and then got smoked, probably a hybrid that broke me off in five seconds. Should have retied after dragging the drum over the tree since line was nicked and frayed. Next cast and it happened again but this time line held and I was able to get this nice hybrid in. Man these fish are strong. I did get a smaller hybrid a few minutes later and a few more small whites before they quit biting. I caught the hybrids on 3"Keitech's that I rigged weedless, this new mold is a keeper.

Thanks Dutch, I really like the swim bait heads you sent me. Wish I would have gotten more 1/4 oz. since I use that size more. Working with new colors that I mixed today. Jigs in the oven now.

I got some swimbait heads from a member and thought I would paint a few with the new pigments that I have been working with.

I have a couple videos on you tube about painting with crinkle powder paint that shows how I make them but the pigments I have been mixing with clear have taken my painting to another level. It makes the paint lighter and it swirls more during the baking in the oven. Billethead, I can always use the mallard flank. December 30th I caught my biggest Black crappie on a little gadwall feather jig with a #10 hook. Just shy of 18" and weighed 3-01 lbs. I released her after a couple pictures. I'm afraid to post picture because someone would recognize where I was fishing. Had the whole lake to myself the last seven trips there.

It's what I do when it's too cold to fish. I recently started making my own colors using Pearl Ex Pigments with clear powder paint and here are some of the results. These are all 1/4 oz.

I'd like 50 each of the 1/4 and 3/8 oz football and 25 each of the 1/4 and 3/8 swim bait. Let me know how to pay you.

Wow, some really nice hybrids. I'd be happy with just one of those right now.

I had shoulder surgery in August so I can't drive or fish but I can still paint. I painted some 1/8 Diner Shiner heads and some Midwest Finesse heads yesterday. I think they turned out ok. Even managed to tie a few. Hopefully be able to try a few by the end of the month.

Some custom powder painted jigs that I made yesterday.

I believe it's called a teardrop mold.

I really am addicted to this paint, already have close to 1500 painted already. Works of art?

These are some new baits I made . 1/2 oz Arky head, 4/0 Gamakatsu 614, crinkle paint heads and blades. Head to tail baits average 5".

These are some new baits I made . 1/2 oz Arky head, 4/0 Gamakatsu 614, crinkle paint heads and blades. Head to tail baits average 5".

I've been painting a lot of jigs the past couple of weeks, Crinkle powder paint is addicting and this morning I thought I needed to start tying a few. The paint jobs I think look great so I need to raise the bar on my tying. These are 3/32 and 1/8 on #1-1/0 Mustad ultra point hooks. Tails are mostly Canadian Pine squirrel.

I have for the past few years gotten into the JDM rods, Japanese Domestic Rods and once you get one in your hand you will understand why. Super light and sensitivity is fantastic. I have six now but my favorite is my Soare BB S700SULS which is a 7 foot rod that I liked so much I purchased a second one. You could probably find one now for around $150. Great rod for trout, crappies and panfish but will handle a nice bass as well. My 7 foot Soare weighs 2.4 oz. Only downside is you order from Japan without holding the rod first but the Soare to me is like a magic wand.

I had been doing ok by dipping in the colors and then reheating the head after dipping in the crinkle but once you dip it in the crinkle you should stop and not heat again until you cure the jigs in the oven. After dipping it in crinkle the head should look shiny black and and when you bake them in the oven the colors come through. Been experimenting with oven temps and seems 300-350 works the best for me and heads are finished in 10-15 minutes.

I love painting jigs. A new kind of powder paint came out called crinkle in four colors so I ordered some to try. It was frustrating at first because I couldn't get mine to look like the paint jobs that I had seen. Finally, after a couple hundred so so painted heads I figured it out. Don't know if they will catch more fish but they sure look cool.

I bought a Revo MGX Extreme 2000 in 2017, it came with two spools, regular and shallow which I thought was a great idea. Casts great and in February, 2018 caught my biggest bass that weighed 9.5 lbs. on 4lb line using a black hair jig. Went home and bought another reel so now I have two. I use them all the time whether I'm fishing for bass, crappie or bluegills. Only reels I like more are my Stella's.

All I fish are small lakes and rivers from the bank or wade. The feathers I used to make the jig are mallard flank but also use gadwall and wood duck feathers too. I started tying over 25 years ago and my first fish caught on my ties was made with duck feathers, still my favorite jig.

That crappie was caught using a Keitech 2" Easy Shiner. Only plastics I use are Keitech or stinger baits with long tails. Mostly use my duck feather ties. I waded yesterday and couldn't have reached the fish from the bank. This one might be a male, looks like it's starting to darken up.

I went again today and did slightly better numberwise with three , biggest was just over 14". Lost another giant that hit my jig inches below the surface as I was going to drop my jig into another spot. It took off like a hybrid striper peeling drag and ripped the hook out in about two seconds. I don't keep big crappie but would have liked to have a couple pictures before I release it. Losing two giants in two days is too much.

I gave my favorite crappie lake yesterday a shot yesterday and it was slow. Only caught one ten incher in three hours then wind picked up so tried one spot before I left. Lost a big black crappie on first cast, got me wrapped in brush and hook pulled out. A couple casts later I stuck this slab. I thought it was a 17 incher but only measured 16.25". Still bigger than my previous biggest crappie at this lake by a 1/4".

One more of the "Beave".

The bass spit this up at the bank. A couple more pics.