what's your jig?

[wilp]

Hello, new here from NW PA.

Questions:

Getting back in pouring jigs again. Starting with the basic ballheads for bucktails:

What hook/size is everyone using?

I'm looking for a 570 equivalent for 1/8 and 1/4 oz. I'm thinking about the Mustad BLN's.

Should I consider modifying my mold for sizes larger than the standard 1,1/0?

The hooks I have now (EC's in 1,1/0) seem awfully flimsy, not sure if it's the brand, size, or style. I'm afraid they may starighten out if I switch to a "no-stretch line".

Do I need to consider a heavy hook like the 630 styles and new mold?

I'm also interested in pouring tube heads and footballs.
Any input?  i.e. size, style, hook, weedless, usefulness etc.

[Yakfish]

The 90 degree bend hook that I use for football heads is a Matzuo sickle hook.  I think it fits what a 570 fits.  I had to modify my 1/4 oz football head Do-It mold so that the eyelet would fit.  I dremeled an area large enough to fit it.  Most of my Do-It molds are dremeled in one way or another.  Recently though, I've been tying hair jigs onto walking weights, running a strip of iron on patch fabric (WalMart fabric section about a buck and a half for all you will need for 100 jigs) through the hole, and tying it in place.  I poke a small octopus hook through the fabric.  As soon as they grab it and turn with it, they are hooked.  Here's a photo of one of the larger ones I tied.  It's on a Gamakatsu size 1 drop shot hook, something I've downsized from quite a bit.  I'm using a lot of #6 octopus hooks recently.

[HookUp]

I'm not a fan of the heavier hooks, such as a EC630.

I'd prefer a black nickle hook; mostly because it's resistant to rust.

More so, I tend to like thinner hooks, like a Gamakatsu 114.

Although I throw allot of jigs made on 1/0 - 3/0 hooks, I tend to like to keep the hook size on the smaller end of the spectrum and the jig weight as light as I possibly can to get the drop rates I need.

Also, like Yakfish, I modify allot of my molds.


Here's an example of a smaller 1/0 hook, 1/8 oz rabbit hair jig I throw allot



And a 3/0, 1/4 oz jig



Tube's get put on jigs that the mold is modified to take a small single wire weedguard



As you see, I like the Matsuo hooks too.  I just started adding a little bucktail under the silicone skirts to flair it out a bit.

[wilp]

ok, I'm impressed. Nice jigs guys!

I ended up modifying my mold to accept up to a 4/0, 570 style mustad hook.
Don't know that I need to go that large but it's there if I need too.
The mod worked great.

Bucktails have been turning out great. Being a former fly tier it didn't take long to get in the groove and start turning out some decent jigs.

I really like the rabbit hair jigs but haven't tryed any yet because I haven't  exactly been able to figure out the recipe. Are you guys using zonker strips? And if so, I would assume a couple of pieces. Are you wrapping them around the jig or just tying them zonker style?

I just ordered a mold for tube jigs. Wasn't sure which one to get so I opted for the one that
takes the 60 deg. eye. I'll stick with  unless someone has a good reason not to.

Wire guards, do they make a difference? I take the mod was dremmeled in? What size wire?

[HookUp]

For rabbit hair jigs, I use a zonker strip for the tail and wrap crosscut for the body.

Here's two links that got me going ...

http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/may2006/176

http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/jighead/tyingrabbit.html

I loose less tubes with wire weed guards.  I think the wire I use is 68#.  I need to double check that number.

60d eye's work well too.

[wilp]

After playing around with the rabbit hair a bit, I found that the new strips I bought were not cross cut and that's why I wasn't getting the "look" I was expecting. I figured they would still catch fish and then found at the link posted above that some actually prefer them that way.
Thought that was interesting.

I now have rabbit jigs tied with both and they look good, real good . Can't wait to fish 'em and compare.

I don't know where every one's getting lead these days but I recently purchased some a Gander Mtn labeled  "pencil lead" and it was the softest, cleanest, best pouring lead I've ever used. A little pricey but probably came out even compared to the shipping charge from Jann's.

Thanks again all.

[HookUp]

I get lead from numerous different sources.

It is not clean.

I have an old rusted Lee's pot that the pouring spot rusted shut.  I've removed the pouring mechanism and use it to process lead.

First I melt the lead down, fish out any debree, such as metal hangers used in tire lead, then let cool.  Melt again, scraping away all the 'gunk' that floated to the top, then pour into smaller molds for use.

Then I transfer the clean lead into another Lee pot and pour.

Works out great and I avoide the higher costs of lead.

Some of the places I've gotten lead are:

.  construction sights
.  plumbing shops
.  tire dealerships
.  buddies
.  house demos