Pitchin' plastics...

[Tony Livingston]

It probably comes as no surprise to any of the BBG faithful to learn that soft plastics are one of my favorite go-to lures for taking big gills'. Sure, I'll fling a spoon, or throw a micro crankbait when the occasion calls for it, but a plastic equipped jighead always occupies a prominent position in my tackle box.

Many of the plastics I use to try and entice summertime Bluegills come straight from my ice fishing paraphenalia, where tiny, whisper thin plastics can sometimes make the difference between going home cold and empty-handed, or grinning from ear to ear with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside..... okay, I'm usually still cold, but you get the point.

In the heat of summertime, I like to use jigheads from 1/100 to 1/32 oz, and will usually try a larger plastic than I would normally use during the cold water season. I prefer a plastic with a long, slender, whiplike tail, as those respond well to just the slightest movement of the jig, and I think the undulating motion encourages strikes.

Two of my favorites are the "Slug Bug Buggy Tails" from Northland Tackle, and the "Finesse" plastic series from Custom Jigs and Spins. Both offerings are available in a dazzling array of colors, but I tend to have my best luck with red, although I will substitute pink, or orange with good results. Tip em' with a waxworm, or fish them naked..... cast and retrieve, or suspend under a slip float....

If the fish are aggressive, I've also had success using the 1" Berkley Gulp Minnow on a larger jighead, usually a 1/32 oz in my case. Again, cast and retrieve, drift under a float, or, if the water is deep enough where you're fishing, simple vertical jigging can be dynamite. I look for a weededge, or a dropoff where it transitions into deeper water.

Top:  Slug Bug Buggy Tails, from Northland Tackle. Bottom: Finesse, by Custom Jigs and Spins.

Left: Nuclear Ant Legs, by Custom jigs and Spins. They have a hole in the center, allowing them to be slid up next to the jighead, mimicking a "hackle" of sorts.

 

[Vince Fusco]

These all look good ,Tony. I have some 1/80th oz. jigs that I have used a small black twister style tail on with good results. I will have to try the ones you have pictured. Thanks for the post and pics. 

[Allen Morgan]

I've got some 1/64 oz jigheads, that pair up perfectly with the 1" "teeny" size twister tail grub from Mr. Twister.  The only problem I have with those bodies is that the tail is a little to thick in relation to it's length, and as a result, doesn't writhe very well during the retrieve.

That said, I have caught lots of fish on these.

I'm to far south for the microscopic plastics you guys use up north for ice fishing.  One of these days, I'm going to get online and order some, and see how they work.

[Nick Holt]

Hey Allen,  I'm here in Georgia and I've been making my own plastic 1" and 1 1/2" curly tails for 14 years.  I can hand inject any color and the plastic I use gives the grub a great tail action.  If you would like to try some, send me your mailing address via e-mail.  Let me know what your favorite color is.  This offer goes out to anyone else in BBG.com.  Nick

[Tony Livingston]

Awesome generosity on your part Nick! BBG members are the best!

[dick tabbert]

Allen when I have that problem I'll bite off the plastic down to where I have the diameter that I want. If this make your tail to short you can always go up to the next size in length, sometimes we have to make them little changes to make our system work for us.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Tony,

I've run rubber bands through the soft plastic jig bodies. I get the rubber from buzz bait skirts, or from the inner strands of bungee cords. I thread them through a needle and just run them ibnto and out of the soft plastic grub body.

Like you, I love the soft plastic grub, usually on small 1/64 or 1/100th jig heads. My favorite commonly available grubs are made by Kalin as 2" twister tails. They are often found at WalMart, although the color selection is sometimes slim. I also have a nearby mom-and pop that carries them. I just cut them back from the nose to fit the size jig head I'm using - in the end they are more tail than body! But the brim like them and I get lots of takes. 

My other favorite thing for these small grubs bodies are my own home made "Slider" jig heads, which we've discussed in the past. They will take bass and  other fish pretty handily, too. Also, I make my own small spinners jig heads, a la the "Roadrunner" or "Charlie B" style. It is a bit of a  challenge to make these little 1/64 spinner jigs, but they are just right for bluegill. I typically use nail head jigs for them.

[Tony Livingston]

David, good to hear from you! I've been kicking around the idea of a "Roadrunner" style for the micro jigs also... I need to look back over your posts and check em' out!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I have a couple of tips, Tony, should you consider making these.

- Use #14 swivels. Eagle Claw makes them and you can find them them in bulk on ebay. Ive also used #14 snap/swivels and just removed the snap for later use.

- Use #00 or #0 spinner blades. I've got Colorado and Willow Leaf blades in these sizes for this. Ebay, again.

- Use 3 mm snap swivel rings.  And yes, eBay. Look for them in the jewelry making supplies.

- Get an assortment of micro tools: pin vise, small wire size drill bits, round nose and needle nose pliers and a magnifier. A fly tying vise couldnt hurt.

For round head jigs, I just cut off one side of the swivels loop and straighten the remaining side into a wire insert. I then drill a nathing hole in the bottom of the head and insert one arm of the swivel. Add a dot of super glue (or epoxy) to hold it in. A tight fitting hole is a must and be careful not to get adhesive into the swivel!

For nail head jigs, I cut the swivel loop as before, but just spread it to fit around the shank of the jig. A little glue and its good to go. This spreaing method also works on the round head jigs.

P.S. I've moved "to the country," and have no internet access. I hope to remedy that soon.

[Tony Livingston]

Thanks for the tips David! It sounds like your ideas would incorporate well into what I'm trying to do.

I trust the move went well, or at least as well as moves usually go, and hope to see you back here full time real soon.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

The move went as well as they can - obviously you've made a few by your comments. :-)

I've never had much good come of the little mouse tail grubs you show here. I like them in the 1.5" range with some sort of action in the tail, and it seems the fish do, too.  That size range seems to appeal to the larger  fish, although the the small ones *will* hit them with abandon.

[rob scott]

have you ever tried maki plastics. Spent the weekend in thousand islands . Never leaving the dock . With a maki palm rod and little pink makis. The gills sunfish and rock bass loved them

[Tony Livingston]

I've never used anything from Maki, but I know other ice anglers who swear by them. I will definitely try some out!