Something Different, Flats Jigs.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I recall a discussion awhile back that was about tying jigs. I've been tying a lot of them, more than flies, and recently added another style of jighead to my mold collection. I also asked Capt Bob some advice about this type of jig, due to his extensive experience with making jigs & fishing them, and of course, his always great insight. What he told me has been invaluable. So, I thank him very much! 👍 👍

This is just a couple of examples, as I've not settled on any specific dressing, and they're not much different than some popular fly types. Only pour these jigs in 1/8 and 1/4 oz, as they're intended to be a skinny water lure.  I even left room at the front of the head to enable adding a weed guard. The materials I used is primarily fox tail hair, with some saddle hackle. The last dressed jig, which is tied with orange dyed silver fox, has a collar of natural tan color hair from the back side of a deer tail. 

I'm going to see what I can come up with for a variety of colors. Capt Bob, was extremely helpful there too. Some of the colors may not be worth pursuing, but never know until it's tried. 

I just found out that Zman produces a similar jig, although they add a silicone or rubber style skirt, and some folks are using them here along the SC coast, so perhaps these will be viable for that purpose. Zman advertises them as a "better" choice to jigs tied with bucktail, and as a tyer, I'm, not buying that! 😉

I know this won't interest everyone here, but for those who are, please let me know your thoughts. Thank You! 

The dressed samples shown here are painted a wrinkle brown, and a tan color. I have a few other colors too which are not shown here. The bare heads are powder painted orange, black, pink, yellow, green pumpkin ( dark olive), tan, red, wrinkle brown, white, watermelon, blue, beige (bone white), and hot pink. The bone & hot pink are 1/8 oz. 

 

[fshng2 0]

👍 what mold are you using?

Do these swim much different than a 90 deg type jig (round head, hot lips or Popeye).

[tidewaterfly 0]

51 minutes ago, fshng2 said:

👍 what mold are you using?

Do these swim much different than a 90 deg type jig (round head, hot lips or Popeye).

I modified a buzzbait mold to make them. I had previously obtained the hooks, which have a small kink in the shank, which keep the hook from rotating in the head. The jigs seem to ride just fine. I took them over & tested them in the lake, but have not fished them. I have seen similar jigs, which is what gave me this idea. I tied the line to them with a loop, and they stayed upright, so no problem in that regard.  I had also posted these photo's on a bass fishing site and it was suggested they might work fine as a stream bass jig, where the bottom might be gravel, sand or mud. 

[vicrider 0]

Look good to me. I have a lot of jig molds but none for buzz baits. Basically a flattened version of my spinnerbait or bass jig molds. Used to pour a lot of those and many many bass have been caught on them. Still have a bunch and will have to get them to people who will use them one of these days. Good job and painting. Powder coat?

 

[Poopdeck 0]

I began tying jigs in the 70's but all but stopped with the advent of great rubber about 20 years ago except for bucktails for striper and flounder. I use to pour and tie all types of jig heads but anymore simply use your standard ball and ultra minnow heads for tying to. I still pour and fish a ton of bottom dragging jigheads and weights but not so much swimming jigheads. Why? Because IMHO I learned that a similar weight hunk of lead on a hook in any configuration except flat swims just like any other hunk of lead. I suppose the most expensive lab or camera equipment could ascertain subtle differences but I can't.  It's what the jig does on the bottom that's the biggest factor.  I only pour and make jigs for myself and my buddies but If I sold jigs than I would have to offer them all since jig fisherman have very strong convictions on what a hunk of lead on a hook does.  

Zman products seems to be all the rage right now with the gel coat crowd. Personally, I don't like their rubber. It's expensive, hard to put on a hook, I've had them turn into a gooey mess and they are no more effective than your standard issued worm rubber.  They do last forever though.

Your jig will fish great, the paint jobs are flawless, and the tying looks perfect. Well done. 

[tidewaterfly 0]

Thank you for the comments! Very much appreciated! 😊

Vicrider, yes, they're powder coated. That's all I use now. I paint eyes on some using enamels, but otherwise powder paints have been working as well as any and no nasty odors from solvents to deal with. 

Poopdeck, you're spot on! I now have over 360 molds, mostly jigs, and agree with you it's a hunk of lead on a hook. ( And hooks are just a sharpened piece of wire, but that's a entirely different discussion!)  

However, I am selling jigs and folks have some opinions that won't be swayed, which is why I have so many molds. I like being creative, even though I know it's not necessary to catch fish. So far it's been keeping me busy, because some of these folks are going back to using jigs tied with hairs and some even with feathers, for some of their fishing. There's a few, young guys, who actually believe this is "new"! 🙄

I tie a good number of large marabou jigs too, mostly for tournament anglers fishing for SM bass. 

Zman has a big following here in SC. I like their plastics, but only because they last longer. I've also never found them to be any more productive than other plastics I've used. I basically only use their grubs and some of their swimbaits. I'm not a fan of some of their other products, and particularly not their jigs. The one jig style they market, the Trout Eye, Redfish Eye & Striper Eye, isn't even theirs. They market it as their's but it's actually made for them by Eye Strike Fishing, another local SC brand. It's also got a real big following here, particularly with the saltwater folks. I like the bladed swim jig style of lures, but am not a big fan of the Chatterbait, which is a Zman lure. I have a few, and they're not very well made. I & others make much better versions, but I don't market what I make to keep away from patent issues with Zman since they own the rights. Only make them for my personal use. I still have several bags of Terminator & Strike King plastics made with that elaztech plastic. I guess that Zman was making those baits for these other companies since they own the patent to the plastic formula.  I'll use them as long as I have them, but also use plastics from several sources that have been as good as any. 

There's still plenty of folks who use flies & lures around, other than Zman, and I don't pour any plastics anyway, so I stay busy enough with my little business. 🙂

[richmce 0]

around the early nineties fishing facts writer rich zaleski started making a flat style jig   to be used pulling across weeds and lily pads     nice jigs

[Poopdeck 0]

I have a few flat ones that were marketed for walleye fishing. Not sure if they still produce them. Have never caught a thing on them but I attribute that to me not really fishing them. Confidence in your jig goes a long way which is why there's a butt ton of shapes and sizes to suit every bodies secret weapon. 

360 molds is quite the collection. I would think you should have everything covered. Most of all my pouring is with two molds now, tube jigheads and dropshot weights. Have you seen the price of dropshot weights lately?

[fshng2 0]

 The jig you show looks similar to a sparkie. 
Barlows description: The wide head shape will not let the jig tip to the side when it rests on the bottom. This enables the lure to be used with a slider method as well as regular jigging action. 
 

 

[tidewaterfly 0]

3 hours ago, fshng2 said:

 The jig you show looks similar to a sparkie. 
Barlows description: The wide head shape will not let the jig tip to the side when it rests on the bottom. This enables the lure to be used with a slider method as well as regular jigging action. 
 

 

The Sparkie is more like a Arky style. Maybe a cross between the Banana & Arky. I have a couple of those molds too and it's a good type of jig for various purposes. I used them a good bit in the lighter weights, 1/8 to 1/2 oz, when I still lived in MD, and it worked fine for tying bucktail jigs for Stripers, or with other hair as a small stream jig for targeting bass. There was one stream in particular that I fished for SM bass that I liked to use them as I didn't have to use a snag guard, and the bottom was mostly sand & gravel. I have it with a fiber weed guard too. Capt Bob has mentioned that he uses the Sparkie jigs, and has shown them in some of his photo's that he's posted. I've known some folks who use them as a Pompano jig too.

The other jig, what I'm calling a flats jig, the head are not as thick, and are flatter on the bottom, but as far as fishing them, either style can be used in similar fashion. I have made a few "Redfish" jigs for some guys here in SC with the Sparkie heads. I have a source that has that heavy wire Mustad jig hook in a tinned, saltwater finish, and I also have some stainless hooks in that style. 

As Poopdeck mentioned, they're just hooks with hunks of lead molded on them, but folks can be very particular about what they'll use, which is a good thing for a guy selling jigs. 😊

 

Poopdeck, I'm familiar with the slider jig that Charlie Brewer made famous, and am sure other folks have used something similar. As I mentioned, this has been done before. I keep adding molds to my collection as I find something that interests me. I can pour jigs in sizes from 1/100 oz, up to 20 ounces and I have a bunch of sinker molds. I know a few others who have as many or more molds than I do, and they stay busy. There's a guy who sells on Ebay in PA, whom I've talked with. I had seen his jigs & spoons many times, then found out who he is. He stays busy as he caters to the saltwater guys along both coast. I now know several folks who make nothing but Crappie jigs, with only a few head styles. One young fellow in the Pacific NW, he only sells lead, doesn't paint much and doesn't tie any finished jigs. He told me he sells 1000 pounds of lead products a week, mostly sinkers. He also sells a lot of shad darts. He doesn't have as many molds as i have but pours a lot more than I do. All in where a person may be located and how folks like to fish. 

And yes, I have seen the prices on drop shot sinkers. I have molds for them too, the round & the longer types. I used to pour more tube jigs, but not too much now. I have enough for my own use, but doesn't seem like many use them here. 

Even with all the molds, I haven't really pushed my business. I don't want it to become a "job". I like making things for other folks, but I keep it limited to how much I'm willing to do at one time. I have stayed busy enough. 

[Poopdeck 0]

drop shot weights sell Five for $4.something in my parts. Pretty crazy when they are made to slip off at every snag. I can make them for .8 cents a piece which is good when we can go through 20 to 40 a day so the minimal pouring equipment needed quickly pays for itself. I also use the long slender ones because they snag less. I think selling weights are where it's at since you don't have to mess around with hooks and painting. Most of my salt water fishing is on friends boat who really appreciate the free weights and bucktails I shower them with. 

im thinking of adding a Ned rig mold to my minor league collection because I've been experimenting with the Ned more and more and they sell for a buck each. I hate worrying about losing a dollar to every one of the dozens upon dozens of snags I come across on a typical day of fishing. 

[tidewaterfly 0]

I dislike fishing with the drop shot weights myself, because they are intended to fall off when snagged. When I use them I tie a knot in the tag line, so they don't come off easily, and I lose less of them that way. I also don't fish them that often either.

I have the Do It Midwest Finesse mold ( Ned Rig), and it's a good mold that pours some nice jigs. I certainly like them better than the Zman heads with the keeper spot welded on the hook. I bought one pack of them, and won't ever use them again. I had heard they break, and I broke 2 of them. 

It's a mold that is not difficult to pour, but needs some care taken to get a good result, since the heads are small, the hooks and wire keeper are easily loosened. They have to be removed from the mold with care, by the sprue, so you're not prying against the hook or wire. The sprue has to be cut off too, not broken off. Also, the wire keeper form they recommend, the WB400, does not mold in well, so get the WB800 instead and bend & or cut them to fit. It's a little more effort, but because that wire form is longer, and the bent hook in the wire is slightly larger, the resulting jig head is a better head to fish with. I feel it holds the plastics on better with the bigger hook. I discovered this and the fix after pouring a bunch that had loose hooks & wires. Powder coating them will stiffen up the hardware if they're loose, but it's not a good fix IMO, as the paint chips too easily because the hardware moves. many guys i know who use them don't paint them, but I prefer to paint everything. In the smallest cavity, the longer wire form has to be bent & cut as there's just not enough lead to cover the extra wire. I only buy the longer wires now.

I haven't fished too much with the ned rig heads, but I do like it. I've been cutting 6" & 7" senko type worms in half & using them with that head, and I really like how they fish. I have some of the Zman TRD's too, but so far have not used them much. I've been pouring my heads with a 2/0 light wire Gamakatsu hook, and the Owner hook that Do it recommends. Other guys are using various hooks, but that requires modifying the mold for some of them. 

I hope this helps you once you decide to get that mold. 

[tidewaterfly 0]

This was some ned rig jigs I poured for a fellow here in SC awhile back. You can see the larger wire keepers on most of them. 

[Poopdeck 0]

I also tie a little overhand knot in the end. Sometimes I squeeze the wire shut more but I've found the little overhand knot to be more effective.

great information on the Ned head. Thank you, it will come in handy. Zman is off the hook with their prices but that's what happens when you market to the gelcoat crowd.  Don't leave any of their baits in the boat they melt over everything. 

[tidewaterfly 0]

Quote

 Don't leave any of their baits in the boat they melt over everything. 

Yes, I'm aware and don't mix that plastic with regular types, as that results in a big mess too.