bmkole

Thanks Rockn, This past season was the first time I really tried using tubes and that was sparingly. Mostly out of the weeds on exposed hook jigs. i just thought a "flippin tube" was bigger than a regular tube. I just cracked open a bag of Powerbait flippin tubes that I just got in the bargain bin and they too have the solid plastic head.....i will make sure I look for that in the future.

I usually T-rig a flippin tube with a bullet sinker. I don't use this often and when I do the tube will eventually slide down the hook. I use toothpicks to peg my sinkers and so I started taking a toothpick and sticking it through the head of the tube and through the eye of the hook to hold the tube in place. Any other ideas out there?

Buzzbait, jitterbug, spinnerbait

I like the booyah brand better than the chatterbait. They just seem a little more rugged. The chatterbaits feel like they are cheaply made. Also, the Boogie Bait has a slightly bigger profile. I had a lot of success with them this year at night using a black/black trailer fishing it like a spinnerbait.

Thanks for the tips Harshman. It isn't really a matter of $$. I live in NY and I'm just looking for a Winter hobby. I figured it might as well feed my OTHER hobby. Plus it think it would cool to catch some fish or maybe even win a club touney on a lure that I made. I have been reading some of the other threads and visiting some other sites. I looks like I could get started for around $100-$200. The most $$$ going for the mold and the melting pot....a toaster oven when I am ready to add the paint. I have browsed the major sites for supplies (jann's, Do-it, and basspro)....I have also been checking out Ebay. Thanks again!

I am toying with the idea of pouring my own jigs. I am going to start simple, regular ball heads and see how it goes. I'll probably play around with some powder coat and see how that goes as well. Before I get started I have some concerns. I have young children, and we all know that high amounts of lead can be toxic. What precautions, if any, do you guys take when heating lead and then shaving the flash? I was thinking, at the bare minimum, of some type of exhaust hood over the work bench. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cavitron Buzzbait and the Zoom Horny Toad are my favorites. I also usually have a Spook at the ready. At night time, nothing beats a black Musky Jitterbug.....