JUNGLE JIM 1

Sounds like the fishing and variety was fantastic, just love days like that. When I was a child we had a city park here that had little pumpkinseeds in it but they aren't there anymore. Little guys certainly are colorful.

Some lakes at Busch seem to always be windy and that's one of them. Add about 5-10 mph to whatever the weather forecast is and that's how it will be there, at least whenever I go.

Got after them again this afternoon with the little jigs and slammed them again. Mostly bass, some bluegill and over a dozen redear from 8-11 inches. Even had a big carp on that broke me off at the bank. Amazing how stupid these fish seem to be over these tiny jigs with a #12 hook. I lost some but these hooks hold the majority of the time. Interesting part was in one corner were several big goldfish, maybe koi that were rooting around along the bottom. Started casting behind them and started popping some nice redear. Think the Koi were stirring up some crayfish and other edibles and it seems the redear like to hang out with them. Another good day. I think spring is finally here.

Some of the small lakes in the STL area have decent populations of redear in them so did a little scouting Saturday. Spotted a few cruising but couldn't get them to bite but did find a few bass and bluegill that were more willing so had some fun catching those. Went out yesterday afternoon in the rain and had a great couple of hours fishing with a tiny jig less than an inch long. Bass, bluegill and redear were all over this little jig. A blast on ultralight tackle and 2lb test. Fish like this need to be released and they were.I hope others will release them as well.

Really nice looking smallie, thinking the river is starting to come around. Lower river has been dropping fast.

Not being able to fish due to bad weather has been driving me crazy and so I modified a few of my molds to take a weed guard. Not a fan of the bristle guards so have been on the single wire kick. I do want to go to a double wire guard but the pre made wire guards are expensive, especially if using two per jig.. Looking to start making my own but was looking for some ideas about wire diameter, type of wire, etc. before I start. Anyone have some ideas that they are willing to share with me? Here are a few of the jigs that I made in the last couple days. 1/8 and 3/16 teardrop and tip up head.

Really nice crappie, you got a honey hole there.

This is the time to get something, while the weather is crappy. I'll call you, have your number if it hasn't changed.

junglejimjigs

Nice fish, even the drum. I'm sure just about anyone who fishes rivers at one time or another has hooked what we thought was a monster bass and then up pops a drum. It certainly gets your blood pumping though. How is the river looking now ???

I've been selling jigs on ebay for almost 14 years now and try to keep over 50 listings on there with a variety for freshwater fish, not just bass even though I'm in bass mode right now. If you look at custom jigs or float n fly you should find some of my ties there and you can look at my other baits by clicking on seller's other items. I do custom orders and actually prefer that since ebay gets in my opinion to good of a percentage when they do sell. Have a look and if you see something you like I will make it for you. Send me a pm or something. I'm retired and check here frequently when not fishing or filling orders. I didn't join this site to sell jigs but felt that I found a site where I can directly relate to since we fish the same areas. I did get back out last Saturday and fished the same area without a bite, but moved around and found some shad and a few bass up to 15 inches, no big fish that day. Black hair jigs are still catching fish like they have been for the past year since I started fishing them regularly instead of a dozen casts and switch to something else. If the weather would cooperate I'd do more testing, maybe get a few guys here to test some for me. I don't have a site or page and don't want one either. Afraid I'd spend too much time tying and it would take away from my fishing days, not going to happen.

Here are a few 1/8 poison tails that I made this morning that measure about 3.5 inches long. Will be field testing today, hope I find a shad school again today.

I sell jigs on ebay but won't sell a jig unless they do what I want them to and that's catch me fish. Have to do some field testing first. When it comes to materials I probably have more than I'll use in a couple of lifetimes but they keep coming out with new stuff I have to try. Back when hair extensions were popular in 2011 the cost for making a jig like this would have been $40-$50, but that fad is over. These do take longer for me to make than most of the stuff I do. I hope these work, might be early for the blade baits but have a bag full of hair jigs that bass will munch on. Bass had me so pumped up I couldn't sleep that night, had to take a Melatonin. Tomorrow afternoon should be perfect.

Sorry, that's a real b!tch and from what I've heard it certainly isn't a picnic. I've been putting off getting a shot for years now but will certainly look into treatment soon because of your thread. Thanks!!

I was fishing Tuesday at an STL County park lake an observed a dark spot out in the lake. I cast into it and hooked a Gizzard Shad about 8" in the dorsal fin so started to fish on the down wind side of the school of shad and caught three nice bass in the 14-18 inch range. I decided to fish the upwind side of the school and on the first cast hooked up with what I thought was a carp since I caught a glimpse of the belly flash and it was fat. Played it and when I got it close saw that it was a bass and backed off on the drag and landed her. By myself so took one picture next to my rod for scale, measured her from tip of my middle finger up my arm and tail touched my shoulder. Then I released her. Figured between rod picture and unofficial measurement of finger to shoulder believe she was about 25 inches long and probably 9-10 lbs. since she was so fat. Since then I have been working on some gizzard shad baits and this is what I have come up with so far. These are 1/8-3/16 with 2/0-3/0 jig hooks and measure 4-6 inches in length. Last picture is the jig I caught it on, about 3 inches long. Going to get out there tomorrow and look for shad. Find shad and you find bass.

Nice ties, craft fur is fantastic for all species. Solid black with a couple strands of flash along each size has been working very well for me this year in local STL county park lakes. Several bass over 5 lbs. and a giant which is now my PB that I guessed at over 9. Was at least 25" and very fat. The second blue thread ring is 17.5 inches from the rod butt for reference. Wish I could have held it for a good picture but nobody was around then. I fish by myself a lot, no one wants to fish with me. I use a Herring head on a 1/0 Gamakatsu 114 jig hook.

I did release her but had second thoughts afterward. Maybe catch her in a couple months and she will weigh even more.

Still eating the hair jigs. Fished a different county lake today and caught a monster bass. For reference the second blue thread on rod is 17.5 inches from rod butt. No scale but this was literally as long as my arm plus some. Guessed it at 25 inches and believe it was over 9 lbs. Caught an 8.5 before and this was much fatter. Probably eating the large shad that are in the lake, maybe even a rainbow or two. Pictured also is the jig I caught it with, 3/32 black hair jig on a 1/0 Gamakatsu 114 jig hook. Man I love those hooks.

I didn't think we go that much rain either. River fishing is on hold for awhile but there are plenty of small lakes and ponds around here to keep me happy for now.

Yes, guy sent me two of each size. I think a regular worm hook would have been better, spinnerbait hook is a little too big I think. These should swim pretty good though.

Some of the craft hair jigs are more for crappie but catch bass too. Working on black/blue and black/ purple today. Going to hit the fly shops today and try and find some longer craft hair and bigger marabou. I think I might test a few tomorrow.

Here are some craft hair ties. Stocked up on black so should be good for a little while.

Stayed inside today and played at the tying desk. Looked at some videos on hair jigs and the biggest majority of them are marabou jigs which is a turkey feather, not hair. So I tied some with hair"hare". Here are a few that I threw together.

A guy sent me a few heads for jointed jigs to try and finally got around to tie a few.A worm hook would have probably been better but all I could find were ewg's and those are weird to tie for me. This is a poison tail head of some sort and I decided to tie two segments using some of my favorite materials on a 2/0 Owner spinnerbait hook. Craft hair on front of both and on the hook I used rabbit on one and craft hair on the other. Length on these 1/8 head baits are 4.5-5.5 inches long. Wonder if anyone has made something like this before. Going to try em and see if anything happens.

For other options I would give craft hair a try. I think the fibers get stuck in their teeth making it hard for them to spit out. I get most of mine from Punisher lures or Feathercraft. Usually tie a little flash down the sides for more attraction. Here's some of my bunny jigs as well.