Black spotted Gill

Comment

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 5, 2012 at 6:46pm

Thanks Mark and Leo. Ill look out for some of that lead free fly wire.

SO far the lead wire is working - I got quite a few strikes from the little fish today, down at the Widow Maker. While I didnt hook up, I figure that's a good sign.

Comment by Leo Nguyen on April 5, 2012 at 5:44pm

David, I always see the lesser of the evil during selection. Copper has a higher tensile strength than lead, but indeed it's more toxic by twice the level. Since lead is more malleable, the loss of lead could be 4 to 5 times greater than copper, so, account for all the toxicity level due to the lost of lead materials, lead comes out to be more toxic overall. You're fine with your reasoning ;-) LOL

Comment by Mark Stine on April 5, 2012 at 3:45pm

Sounds like you are having a great time figuring out those home grown baits; its always a thrill to catch fish on something you put together! They make some lead wire for weighting hooks and a spool goes a long way I have several size diameters and use it a lot for sinking flies sounds like it might do the trick for you.  If you want to go green the fly tying outlets sell a lead free version.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 5, 2012 at 8:15am

Copper wire is on my mind, too. Tony. It is also not "toxic," in the same fashion as lead. While Leo might have reason to disagree, I like it as a "lesser of evils" sort of material. Ill give it a whirl soon.

Comment by Tony Livingston on April 5, 2012 at 7:39am

David, I've used a fine copper wire for wrapping on small jigs and poppers for years. It works great, and allows for a good deal more flexibility than pre-made weights.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 5, 2012 at 7:29am

I've tried the nutter idea; it works, although it is not ideal. One of the problems with nearly all jigs is they are designed for well... jigging. There is some flexibility in horizontal presentation, but overall they come up short in that regard. The Slider rig heads have an INLINE eye, as you know, at the front. It is little more than a down sized plastic worm hook, with the weight on the shank.

This is pretty snag proof, although it will pick up a bit of weed. But it mostly slides right through. I dont fish it right in the weeds, anyway, but across their tops. This is where the countdown comes in.

I'll try any kind of grub, too. Ive got some new Charlie Brewers and Kalins Scrubs I'm going to try this weekend. It is important to leave enough room for both the lead weight and the grubs nose behind it. This is why I use the cricket hooks for making these up - they have a long, light wire shank ideal for bending any way I want. Ive gotten some #6's now and I think they may be the ideal size for this.

I wrapped some solder on the hook shank last night, instead of using a split shot. This is much easier to do and lets me wrap a more bullet shaped head, which I can then smash flat into a winged shape, as you suggest. Once I get the solder into the shape I want, a dot of super glue and some paint finishes the job. Im also going to try copper wire, which will be larger for the same weight - making them more weed reistant.

These jig rigs aren't intended to be super durable, in my mind. I consider them "expendable" and so am looking for ways that facilitate production over durability. I think the wire wrapping technique holds promise.

By the way, thanks for all your input. I sincerely appreciate your thoughts.

PS as for weedless spoons, let me suggest the Johnson Minnow in the smallest size - 1/16th oz, I think. It is still a bit to big for most bluegill, IMHO, but it sure wobbles.

Comment by David Dillman on April 4, 2012 at 11:07pm

You could try the nutter heads, for weedless.  That is bending a regular jig down and making it weedless.  I was losing some bites, so I went to a regular jig.  I usually fish a 1/32 oz. jig.  I usually count down to two, when  the fish are shallow.  I will usually do a two or three count on my retrieve.  Meaning every rotation of the reel handle takes 2 or 3 seconds.  Some times they will hit it at a faster count.   That is using a 4:4 to 1 gear ratio reel.  I bet your trigger spin has a slower gear ratio, so that should work

I use curly tail grubs, charlie brewer 1 and1/2/ inch vibra tail grubs, and some 1 inch swim baits for bluegill and 2 inch for crappie.  I have found that even if i go weedless where I fish I will get scum or something on the jig.  So I just went to a regular jig.  Sense you do not like crappie nibbles, I would put a peice of nightcrawler on it for scent.  Now your in business.

Walmart used to sell some micro jigs like yours, but they were not that great, because they did not have enough space for the jig to hold on the front of the plastic behind the jig head.

You could use a larger weight on your jigs, but try to smash the weight down flatter so that the jig will fall a slower rate.  Charlie talked about that in his book.  

This way of fishing does work,  I went bank fishing Monday and caught some medium gills and redears, but nothing huge.  I have been tinkering with this spooning method, so we will see how that goes.  I hope something I said helps.

Dilly

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 4, 2012 at 3:46am

Thanks. Not really my idea, though, Dilly - I borrowed it from Charlie Brewer. I'm hoping he doesn't mind, myself. LOL

I'm still working out how I might add the weight to the hook. Crimping a split shot to the hook itself is actually an old idea. I first read about it in an old fishing book by Henry Shakespeare. And it works.

As an aside, it has to be a small amount of weight. Large weights kill the action and get the bait moving too fast on the cast-and-retrieve Slider technique.

My thinking is that the aquatic insects, crustaceans and invertebrates that make up the largest share of the sunfish diet are not fast moving. The SHAPE of the Lepmoii clan itself hints at this - pie plate shaped vs. sleek and speedy. Sunfish will hit fast baits - sometimes. And under the right conditions, you can do well at it. Just ask Bill Modica. But in general, this is specialty stuff.

So I'm still experimenting with a good way to add the small weight needed, and duplicate Charlie B's old Slider technique in micro form.

Maybe you will add that piece to the puzzle!

Comment by David Dillman on April 3, 2012 at 10:45pm

David   These jigs are ingenious.  I never thought of this.  Crimping a split shot to a hook was really a great idea.  I did take some 1/16 oz jigs bent them down to make them like the nutter head jigs, but I found I was missing to many fish, so I quit using them.   I think I might have to experiment with your idea if you don't mind.  I really think this is cool.   Way to think out of the box.  I am excited to try this out. 

Dilly

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 3, 2012 at 5:16pm

@ Tony - between us, it was surprise the first time it happened. I had been getting strikes and tugs from the fish, but had not gotten a hookup . When this one came I was in the midst of juggling my rod and tie off line

"Bam!" came the hit and the game was on.

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