A Great New Jig Idea

[Mitch f]

I've become good friends with Fred over the years, and we still stay in touch. Due to health reasons, he retired from guiding about four or five years ago. The last time I fished with him, really just for the fun of it, we used suspended jerkbaits during January.

He doesn't even fish these day, and we stay in touch mostly through Face Book. Of course, Billy died quite a few years ago.

I never liked the float 'n fly either, not because it wasn't effective, but because it was as boring as trolling to me.

Only fished with Fred twice and remember he had a disdain for expensive Japanese jerkbaits, he only used a Rogue and always hesitated a couple of seconds longer than everyone else.... He said the really big ones (above 5 pounds) like the slower presentation.

Interesting that in the picture he is using a yellow eye rogue instead of a red eye rogue. Usually yellow eyes are floaters not suspenders.

[RSBreth]

I like the single and double strand wire weedguards - but you can alway trim down a thick plastic "flippin" type weedguard as thin as you want it - but you can't make a single wire one harder to snag as easily. It's also all about what kind of tackle you use to fish the jigs with, too. A light power rod with 6-pound mono doesn't have the hook-setting power that a slighlty heavier power rod does, and the same rod with super line has an even better chance of "sticking" them.

There's really a lot of variables at work here, more than just the type of weedguard used on a jig - we aren't even considering that the barely moderate quality hook like the Arkie stand up has. Good hooks equal more hook ups, and the Arkie is O.K. - but just that.

EDIT after watching the video again a couple of times I realize it's easy to get the jig to hook the wood "jaws" easier than the other jigs if you cut the double strand weedguard really short. And - I don't fish for wood Bass with perfectly parallel wood dowel jaws. I guess I'm the resident cynic for today.

[dtrs5kprs]

Ron,

It's interesting that as of a couple of years ago, Fred McClintock never was a big advocate of the float n fly. Anyway, I agree, Iove this discussion. I also love the fact that the deer hair you use holds the scent and doesnt affect the action. It also may add a little "crunch" when the fish grabs it. That extra 2 seconds of holding on will get him hooked!

Ps. I have a crawfish trailer about the same size as the picture........

Gavin, I heard of 2 people who almost got busted for plastics there last week!! The agents were tipped off

A thought on the trailers...that is one of the reasons I have marabou behind the rubber on my jigs. Fishes ok without anything behind it.

Actually tie them for fishing during the spawn at TR, when fish are pulled up shallow in clear water. At times those are even too big, and I will go to them with just the flare of rubber, can basically see the hook stick out the back.

A few other small ones for f&f or light line swimming.

[dtrs5kprs]

I like the single and double strand wire weedguards - but you can alway trim down a thick plastic "flippin" type weedguard as thin as you want it - but you can't make a single wire one harder to snag as easily. It's also all about what kind of tackle you use to fish the jigs with, too. A light power rod with 6-pound mono doesn't have the hook-setting power that a slighlty heavier power rod does, and the same rod with super line has an even better chance of "sticking" them.

There's really a lot of variables at work here, more than just the type of weedguard used on a jig - we aren't even considering that the barely moderate quality hook like the Arkie stand up has. Good hooks equal more hook ups, and the Arkie is O.K. - but just that.

EDIT after watching the video again a couple of times I realize it's easy to get the jig to hook the wood "jaws" easier than the other jigs if you cut the double strand weedguard really short. And - I don't fish for wood Bass with perfectly parallel wood dowel jaws. I guess I'm the resident cynic for today.

That is why the untied dbl guard heads in the right of my pic are Gamakatsu 291's in #2 and #1. Others are small Mustad Ultrapoints, and eagle claw 410's. Actually prefer the 410 to the Mustad b/c it will sharpen if need be.

I'll join with you in cynicism on this jig. We can refuse to hold hands and then sing "Kum-Bay-Ah" backwards or something.

Might be ok around isolated large hardwood cover like a laydown, but think it would be a wreck if you put it straight down a cedar trunk. or flipped a lot of dense brush like we get in high water.

[Mitch f]

A thought on the trailers...that is one of the reasons I have marabou behind the rubber on my jigs. Fishes ok without anything behind it.

Actually tie them for fishing during the spawn at TR, when fish are pulled up shallow in clear water. At times those are even too big, and I will go to them with just the flare of rubber, can basically see the hook stick out the back.

A few other small ones for f&f or light line swimming.

Around April at TR when everyone else is throwing a smoke colored grub, those beautiful jigs of yours will outproduce!

[dtrs5kprs]

Around April at TR when everyone else is throwing a smoke colored grub, those beautiful jigs of yours will outproduce!

Shhh...the brown fish might hear you.

[Gavin]

Ron, I use the hair jigs in the trout areas were some good smallmouth reside and bait & plastic is a no, no....NFoW, Current Blue Ribbons, and Meramec most often. A good bass jig will produce a bonus trout occasionally;>)!

dtrs5 you have some killer looking jigs there!

Think Billy W. favored a black bear hair jig....1/8oz aspirin head from what I've been able to research.......Absolutely worthless IMO:>)!

[dtrs5kprs]

Thanks all. Those are easy "patterns", if they deserve that tag. A few basic dressings and a pull thru knotless tie with finihsed with epoxy. I try to make them look like grub or stickbait colors, and some of the basic float and fly colors. If you can live with the line bow they can be awesome on plain banks with wind.

Just a few touches of a file will make a lower end fine wire hook plenty deadly. Not so with some of the needle points (ahem, Mustad). Best two I have played with this spring are Matzuo's Sickle series and some lite wire Owner hooks. From a dollars and cents view, the Matzuo wins hands down.

Anymore I run a lot of 6# fluoro at TR and have settled in on rods that most companies label as ML, sort of a drop-shot/walleye type blank. Can consistently get a good hook into a fish with a pressure set. That is running a lot of wire guards...everything from tied jigs, to most of my grub heads.

[Gavin]

Pork trailers would fall into the bait category.....therefore a no, no on the Blue, and some of the Red Ribbon Trout Waters...Been tying lately...maybe someone needs to start a "Show off your jigs" thread....I'd like to see a Mitch F....better yet a couple dozen Mitch jig heads in my mail box...:>)! Will tie half too your specs and send back, I'll keep the rest to tie to mine.

[Mitch f]

Pork trailers would fall into the bait category.....therefore a no, no on the Blue, and some of the Red Ribbon Trout Waters...Been tying lately...maybe someone needs to start a "Show off your jigs" thread....I'd like to see a Mitch F....better yet a couple dozen Mitch jig heads in my mail box...:>)! Will tie half too your specs and send back, I'll keep the rest to tie to mine.

Let's do it!