skimmers and other diversions

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

The skills you learn fly tying readily translate to lure making. Here's a pic or two of some of the jigs I make when I'm not knee deep in hair and feathers. You might note the double wire weedguard on one of them since you can tie a fly with one and make if almost completely weedless (until it gets bit). The skimmers are nothing but bonefish jigs although they also work very well on reds and snook when you find them in really skinny waters. The little brown jigs (some locally call them LBJ's...)are a staple in the backcountry during winter. The un-painted heads with them in 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8oz are for perspective...

 

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Redfish down here would eat those up! Do you pour them yourself? I'm surprised they aren't used over in in Louisiana, never seen one of those heads in a local sporting goods store. Do you have a source that a LA boy could tap in to and try tying his own for over here?

 

Thanks,

Kirk

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

These kind of jigheads are very common in places with lots of bonefish and permit - in short anywhere you're operating in really shallow waters in the tropics. Local south Florida anglers use them as well for reds and snook and other critters in the shallows since by design they're pretty weedless. The smallest size that I use comes from an outfit called Angler's Ammo, http://www.anglers-ammo.com/

and they're available in both finished jigs and jigheads (plain or painted) for the DIY type. Larger sizes are produced locally (I'll be picking up 100 1/4oz heads later today.... Just about every style I produce is also available as either painted heads or finished lures. A request to [email protected] gets you an info sheet and price list. At present it's just one more thing I do. By the way, I long ago quit doing my own molding work. I much prefer to have them done for me to reduce my overall exposure to lead...

[Peterjay 0]

Kirk, I make custom saltwater tins, and I've done a lot of mold-making - if you really wanted to, you could make a mold pretty easily and pour your own, but I doubt it's worth the trouble. Unfinished lead heads are dirt cheap, and like the Captain says, lead exposure is best to be avoided. Nasty stuff.

[ditz2 0]

Capt Bob, those flat jig heads may be common in your neck of the woods but they are not available in any tackle shop I have ever been in. I did buy a few many years ago in a mom and pop tackle shop in Palm Beach. I believe that they are 1/4oz and I would have loved to gotten hold of some 1/8oz. I have known them only as Wiggle jigs. I did run into some flat headed jigs that were made by a fella named Charlie Brewer in Larwamce TN (sic). I believe his son still markets them. but they are not widely available either. They are designed to be used with plastic tails and 4" worms and used with and without small spinner blades like a beatle spin. I still have a good supply of the Charlie Brewer jigs. He sold them for smallmouth fishing with his 'do nothing' method which he wrote a book about and I still have one of the original copies. I would be interested in some the jig heads too. PM sent

[nyFLYguy05 0]

I pour all my own jig heads and soft plastics as well. Excellent patterns capt, awesome jigs!

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Thanks for the link Capt. I had only seen plain heads on bronze hooks, thanks for pointing me in the right direction should I decide to try them out I know where to go to.

 

Kirk

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Glad to help. Ditz the "Wiggle Jig" was made by Phillips for many years - they were first rate and probably the best commercial jig for bonefish that I know of.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Capt Bob, nice looking jigs. I have a couple of the Phillips Wobble jigs still. I'm very fond of hair jigs too!

 

I tie a lot with bucktail, but also like to tie with other hairs as well.

 

These are bass jigs I've tied.

 

Coyote tail, natural color over dyed.

 

Top hair is black bear, don't recall what the bottom hair was! Plus bar dyed rabbit strip.

 

Silver fox tail & rabbit strip.

 

Coyote tail, over Arctic fox, bar dyed rabbit strip.

 

Coyote tail over the white tip from a silver fox tail, and rabbit strip.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Those are first rate. The hardest part of tying up jigs for me has always been finding the size needed with the right strength hook... Lots and lots of stuff in stores with weak hooks that will just let you down. That was the push that got me doing my own all those years ago (and hooking a few big fish, every now and then). Here's a pic of the stuff I do the most these days when it lure making instead of fly tying....

[tidewaterfly 0]

I like that sparkie/arky style of head as well. Makes a nice looking jig and has good balance. Plus if it's sitting on the bottom, doesn't tend to roll over. I use it a bit for Smallmouth jigs as well, just don't have any pictures of jigs I've tied on them.

 

I know what you mean about strong hooks. I tie jigs for saltwater as well. The hooks on the jigs I posted are Mustad Ultra Points, except the one with the eyes, which is a Gamakatsu. Both are fine hooks for Smallmouths, and strong enough for some tidal fish I catch, but I prefer a heavier & stronger hook for Striper jigs. Never know when I might hook into a bigger one. I use Mustad O'Shaughnessy hooks for most of my bigger jigs, but also use some of the Mustad black nickel jig hooks. I also use some Gamakatsu & Owner jig hooks. At this point, I still mold most of the jigs I tie on, but did take note of that link you posted.

 

I have a good stock of various jigs I've molded, but never know when I might find a need to buy some! Thanks for that!

 

Seems like the older I get, the less time I have to do anything!