JUNGLE JIM 1

Two years ago I had one take a Whopper plopper while fishing Big River just at daybreak. It was super strong, especially in the current and I had to follow it downstream a ways before finally landing it after about 15 minutes. Remember thinking that's a weird looking carp. Ran back to get my gear bag to get a picture and on the way back I watched it flop a couple times and back in the water it went. Probably was in the 20 lb. range. After seeing these pictures of grass carp I know that's what it was, the one and only grass carp I've ever caught.

I recently started tying in rattles to my chatterbait style of baits for even more noise.

Those certainly look bigger than what I catch here, really nice variety of colors. There are more hybrids now than there was 20 years and will probably have more different crosses in the future.

The main ingredients in the pictured baits feature a possum tail and bunny body. Going to start putting rattles in some, in particular the chatter style baits.

I usually sell on ebay but wanted to offer some to members here. I make custom jigs, shakee blade baits and underspins mostly now. Pictures are just a portion of what I make. Gives me something to do when it gets to hot or cold to fish. I didn't join OA a few years ago to sell jigs, this is the first time I am making this offer but a few have inquired about me selling jigs and a few have some. If you have an idea on a particular bait message me and I will let you know if I can do it. Prices run $3- $7 per bait.

Just seen this and would have wanted it just to use at a certain lake but it's cool giving it away to your young friend that will use it more than me. Lucky day for him, very nice gesture.

And the little box turtle.

Snake was close to 4 foot long, bigger than I thought when I was taking photos.

Crappie have finished spawning finally. Girls don't have their bellies anymore. Did catch one big colored up male yesterday but wanted to get him back on it's bed quickly so no photo. Biggest crappie was a 14.5 inch female and an 18" Largemouth was the highlight for the day. As I was leaving I spotted this Black snake stretched out across the trail. I thought it was dead so I poked it with my rod and it moved a little. Got a few pics since it was in no hurry to leave. It coiled up in a strike pose and let me take it's picture. As I was leaving I spotted a small box turtle sunning itself on the road so snapped a picture before moving it to a safer place.

With the warmer temps I've been seeing some starting to bed. They are super spooky once they start bedding so I leave them alone and try to find the one's who haven't moved up yet since they are more willing to bite. I use tiny jigs less than an inch long on #10 or #12 hooks. I've been catching mostly gills but manage to catch several redear each trip with the biggest so far being 10.5 inches.

Not really fishing for bass but about every trip I have a couple join the party and get the blood pumping, especially when I'm wading belly deep fishing brush piles and flooded trees with my 9 foot Loomis steelhead rod, lucky I've been using 6 lb test or I might not have gotten them out. Biggest this year has been 19 inches.

This is the latest in my memory that crappie have spawned here in our area. Males are finally getting dark but the girls are still full of eggs. Lake was flooded but has been dropping and for the last few trips I have been able to reach some pre-spawn fish in the brushpiles by wading with 9 and 10 foot rods. Blade baits and duck feather jigs are both working for me, the crappie have been really thumping the baits leaving no doubt when they hit. I don't know where the bigger 14 - 15 + inch females went, haven't gotten one of those in over a week but 11-13 inchers are fun too.

Baits that survived the snagfest and a bunch more that I made today. Prop baits and Tailgunners were used the majority of the time.

A few more pics.

Got out yesterday for round 3 with my son. Weather conditions changed from windy to no wind at all to start. Let him have the first shot and he got on the board on his third cast with a nice slab. I snagged up on my first cast and had to break off. A pattern developed, seemed like if you didn't snag up you caught a crappie. I lost at least a dozen baits and my son lost even more. I did have a couple stretches where I would catch 4-5 in a row. My biggest was 14" and my son got his PB crappie, 14.75 ". He also got the only male crappie, just starting to darken up. Overall it was a good day, not as good as day 2 but he was happy. Everything caught on blade baits I made.

They reopened this lake on Tuesday, I've been fishing it since the 80's.

A few more pics from yesterday.

Went crappie fishing again today, very windy but the sun was shining. I had the whole lake to myself again. Started slow because I couldn't get the feel of the 1/16 blade bait I was throwing. Tied on a 1/8 oz. propeller bait and started fishing deeper water letting it hit bottom before starting my retrieve. Couple of turns of the handle and thump,fish on. First fish was a slab crappie, 15 1/4 inches. Took a picture or three and after a quick measurement let her go. From there the action was non stop until about 10. Tried another spot, one fish in an hour. Tied on my last 1/8 since I lost the other three. Caught 7 more with 8 casts. Total for the morning was 40-50 crappie, at least a dozen were over 14 inches with three topping the 15. Only three crappie were under 10 inches, caught some nice bass and a few white bass as well. My best day size wise ever at this lake.Not a single male, all girls and all caught in deeper water. Everything was released. Going back tomorrow for round 3, taking my son this time with more of the same baits since I tied more when I got home this afternoon. I have a lot more pictures but they must be too big to download, sorry.

Went crappie fishing again today, very windy but the sun was shining. I had the whole lake to myself again. Started slow because I couldn't get the feel of the 1/16 blade bait I was throwing. Tied on a 1/8 oz. propeller bait and started fishing deeper water letting it hit bottom before starting my retrieve. Couple of turns of the handle and thump,fish on. First fish was a slab crappie, 15 1/4 inches. Took a picture or three and after a quick measurement let her go. From there the action was non stop until about 10. Tried another spot, one fish in an hour. Tied on my last 1/8 since I lost the other three. Caught 7 more with 8 casts. Total for the morning was 40-50 crappie, at least a dozen were over 14 inches with three topping the 15. Only three crappie were under 10 inches, caught some nice bass and a few white bass as well. My best day size wise ever at this lake.Not a single male, all girls and all caught in deeper water. Everything was released. Going back tomorrow for round 3, taking my son this time with more of the same baits since I tied more when I got home this afternoon.

With the re-opening of many of the county parks including my favorite crappie lake I went out yesterday morning to give it a try despite the rainy, windy conditions. Lake is way up but still managed to find a few fish. First one was the biggest. Thought I had my first 15 incher but she was only 14.75 inches so I'm going back today and try again. I release all crappie over 13 inches hoping to catch a giant here one day. They aren't spawning yet so might find some even bigger in the next week or two.

I love hybrids, they fight so hard. Did you weigh any of the bigger ones?

Only have the wife at home with me. Only complaint from her is how much she wants a fountain soda, just won't stop talking about it. Have a couple granddaughters who would fit right in with the music gig.

I got out yesterday and had a 5 acre county park lake to myself. Fishing was slow, water was murky from the rain but did catch four bass on a suspending jerk bait and a couple gills on jigs. About 11 am a guy with a dog shows up walks up and informs me that he talked to a cop and there is no fishing allowed, only dog walking. I told him he's breaking the rules of social distancing and he's full of s**t since the golf course down the street is open and allowing foursomes. Four people can golf in a group but I'm not allowed to fish by myself. He walked back to his car and left. Didn't see another person the whole time I was there.

Amazing how those little jig heads will stick and hold bigger fish.

The crappie must be hungry to take a bigger bait like that. I noticed you use a chartreuse body jig quite a bit. Looks like Trilobal antron chenille, my favorite color as well and have tied thousands of jigs with it. Got tired of buying a couple packs at a time and purchased a 300 yard spool of the stuff twice. Finished one and started the second, still have about 250 yards of it left. When you need more I have some you can have free.