Will Wetline

Congrats!

That's some extraordinary fishing you're doing up there, Steve.

A great day indeed, Smokinal! Thanks for the details on how you busted that big number.

I've gone to the Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hooks in size 1 & 1/0 for 4" & 5" Senkos. I have had good results with Owner hooks as well. I prefer to rig a wacky hook perpendicular to the length of the worm too. To avoid filing for bankruptcy due to replenishing my supply of Senkos, I do not hook through the Senko: I use a Wacky Saddle. If you're not familiar with this nifty double O ring device, Google Wacky Saddle Kit for details. The photo below shows the wacky rigging I was using a few seasons back: The Wacky saddle is on the left. The jig comes from the Do-It mold. For a weighted wacky presentation next year, I'll be trying the Eco Pro Tungsten setup, a clever, compact setup that permits hook alignment perpendicular to the length of the bait. Well, I think I've wandered off topic far enough . . .

I hadn't come across it either. Been doing really well with the Spinbait 80 on 6 lb. FC.

Fine fish, great video! It's clear to me that you appreciate the whole experience, know that a fishing trip is about more than just the fish.

Tim, I know it's not necessary to paint jigs to catch a fish and I've done so when I haven't had time to paint. And, getting into the time machine and going back to the '60s and '70s - and still today! - worms were more often rigged on unpainted ball jigs than painted. And let me mention too that I fish a tungsten bullet when Texas rigging and that bullet is plain tunsten. To my eye - not the fish's - paint looks prettier. Fish don't fuss about aesthetics. Rotometals says their 281 alloy (58% bismuth/42% tin) is about 75% the weight of lead. I do go up a cavity in a mold to approximate the weight I want and then fine tune with my gear on the water. The pewter alloy I'm going to weighs maybe a tad more than 60% of lead of the same volume and I'll certainly jump cavities for that.

No, no, no - I enjoy tackle crafting. It would be far easier and less expensive in the short run to buy tungsten or http://www.leadfreebassjigs.com/apps/webstore/ (bismuth/tin) or http://www.magslureco.com/(pewter) but I consider it time well spent when I'm not on the water to procure the tools and acquire the skills to make my own jigs. As any other bait maker will tell you, it adds to the overall pleasure of our sport to catch 'em on our own creations.

Scott F, I thank you for sharing your professional expertise. Smalljaw67 and S Hovanec - I always look forward to your posts. Before I get back to this finishing project, I have to tie flies for the annual steelhead trip to New York's Salmon River. I'll post results of power coated pewter jigs sometime during the hard water months.

6º F is all we've got between cured powder paint and small puddles of bismuth/tin alloy on the crumb tray of the toaster oven. Kurt Urban at CS Coatings informed me that "powder paint meeds a minimum of about 275º to achieve the chemical cross-linking for a complete cure." A rep at Rotometals agreed that when using their 281 alloy "that was cutting it pretty close." I had gone to casting bismuth/tin when Massachusetts enacted what I consider to be overly zealous lead regulations in 2012. And I continued to use CS vinyl paint to finish . . .drip . . .drip . . . drip . . . The result is fine but getting there is an extremely tedious process. So I decided to try Pro-Tec powder paint at 275º for 45 minutes. Hmmm . . . The alloy softened up enough to allow the wire weed guards to spread the head, the soft plastic bait keepers deformed and the amount of powder paint was too much. The paint was completely cured, however. I won't be whacking a jig head as hard on Quabbin's rocks as I did this one on a vise; the cured powder finish is more than adequate. But on what? I'm thinking pewter, specifically Rotometals R92, 92% tin/8% antimony. Melting temp is 466º which Lee Precision says "will melt in their Pro Pot IV." I knew that but had some concern about using it because Lee's instructions list pewter as a metal not to use in this melter. To make a full commitment to powder paint I'll need a fluid bed to fluff the stuff to apply a light coat http://www.barlowstackle.com/Powder-Paint-Fluid-Bed-P1009C134.aspx and a proper oven. http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-bench-top-powder-coating-oven.html?reltype=3 If any of the more experienced jig makers care to offer input on the observations and ideas I've described above, I'd welcome it. WW

6 lb. 14 oz. Quabbin Reservoir largemouth whupped May 6 on 8 lb. copolymer. She mistook a Super Fluke Jr., nose hooked, for a real meal.

The GYCB 5" Hula Grub has been among my top go-to baits for years. I mold football swing jigs and rig it with a Biffle Bug, the presentation developed by Tommy Biffle and Gene Larew. The smallies like it. Can't tell you exactly why, but the Hula Grub just doesn't look right on the swing football jighead. I have no doubt that it would work, however.

A couple years ago I read that few bass get hooked deep when using circle hooks so I tried them for wacky rigged Senkos. Results have been great. Try a Gamakatsu size 1 circle hook for the 4" Senko and a 1/0 for the 5". When you get a pick up, tighten the line to the fish then reel fast to set. You will likely find the hook secure in a corner of the bass's mouth. Remember, you do not want to sweep set or "cross the eyes" with a hookset using a circle hook. Just tighten the line and reel.

Made from components from Barlow's: 1/2 oz. body #3 & #4 blades Living Rubber chartreuse and white skirt with 1/2 tab of clear/gold silicone Like A-Jay, I burn it not far under the surface and keep a good grip on my rod so big smallies don't take it away from me. This presentation works best when the water temp is around 60º, give or take, in bright sun with wind 15 mph and stronger.

Nothing to add about coloration, but here's another dark one for you:

I had great success with a nose hooked Super Fluke Jr. for prespawn smallies this year. A walk the dog retrieve triggers the bass and it's great fun to see them come up and grab it. Once the water temp. hits the high 60s I think a deeper presentation is more effective.

Beautiful fish. Congrats!

CJ, your work is immaculate.

This smallie liked a Duo Realis Pencil 110 in Komochi Wakasagi:

We tie the hook directly to the line and fish it unweighted. Mike used a 6 1/2' spinning rod and 6 lb. line. I used a 7' spinning rod and 8 lb. copolymer line. I think the 6 1/2' spinning is preferable but will probably stick to 8 for line.

That's some real good catchin'.

That's what I call a good outing.

That's a bunch of good bass you figured out there!

Had the pleasure of fishing Quabbin with new friend Mike (Huskybass on fishing forums) and receiving instruction on working the Zoom Super Fluke Jr., a bait I've had in my box for quite a while but hardly ever used. Mike lip hooks this bait and works it with a snap that, if you've got the right amount of slack in your line, makes it walk the dog (think how you work a Zara Spook, say) and triggers smallies like nothing I've ever seen before. Mike has been fishing Quabbin regularly since '98 and I since '93. We both knew good early season spots and on this one, which showed me both LM & SM on my last trip, Mike produced this fine smallmouth specimen: It took me a few hours to get the hang of Mike's long-practiced Fluke technique but once I got the slack and snap right, I started to get bit too. The pic below was taken by a friend of Mike who landed a 7-1 smallmouth somewhere in this big, bountiful New England smallie water last year: Mike's fish is a solid 4 lber., mine better than 3lbs.. The smallies were thick at our last spot. The breeze was just right, the water temp about 60º and the fish were all over the Super Fluke Jr., including this bonus 6-14 largemouth: What a day! Thank you, Mike!