Jig Man

I have tried all of the above and have settled on a Power Zap from Bass Pro. I carry it in the boat and can make repairs on the spot as well as cut braid with it.

I have used "Free wire" from 2 sources: the electric company went to meter locks made from plastic and I got the old copper ones with the little lead piece on the end (these are the best) and I took an old table saw motor apart and have been using the copper windings out of it for several years (they cut to the perfect length for jig wrapping). Personally, I prefer thread. I use all of my old Power Pro braid for jig tying.

The reasoning behind changing the lower unit fluid is to make sure that there are no seal leaks which have let water in and can freeze and break the housing. I do mine every 6 months just to be on the safe side. It is a lot cheaper than a $4000 lower unit.

My advice to you is sit tight for a while. Lowrance and HB will be coming out with new stuff in a couple of months, then there will be a lot of really good deals on near new units as guys have to have the newest toys. Check the for sale sits here and at BassResource in the mid winter. I for one may be selling at least one of my 520c units if the new stuff is less than $1000 and as good as predicted.

If that is a concern for you, loosen up your drag for a while so it slips a bit on the hookset until you get comfortable.

Mine has been bent for years but still works. Sometimes I reshape it with pliers but it gets bent again.

so I don't seperate the rubber first, I tie it on while it is un seperated? (That is correct. You grab on to it and stretch it out while you cut it. As you cut it the bands will peel off the 1" piece and pop back. When you are done you will have a 1/4" strip in your hand to throw away. Have you guys ordered from net craft before? Yes If so did your order come quickly? I don't remember. I order from several places like Jann's Netcraft, Stamina Inc., and Barlow's, Do-It, and Shorty's Hook Sales.

Tie it any way you want it then put some glue or clear nail polish on the thread. Allow it to dry before you cut the rubber. In case you haven't cut rubber before I'll post a few pics.

I normally use 4" pieces so 15 or 16 jigs. They will be a pain to tie with the weed guard already in place. Wire will be much easier than thread. You can heat the jig heads for painting in an oven or toaster oven or even with the flame of a candle. I have even dipped them in liquid paint when I didn't have powder paint. Work on him for the next time and get some without the weed guard.

Have you tried super glue gel instead of epoxy?

I never turn it on. It will show anything as fish (air bubbles, leaves, etc.)

I found a prop and am driving 340 miles round trip to get it this week end. It is exactly like what I have on my Opti. I have seen pics and am looking forward to getting it.

X2

You need a few months lead time to see what is out there in your price range. Start now. You need a lot of time to get some good ideas in your head. Go to dealerships and see what they have to offer. Read the newspaper and go look at boats. Check Craig's list for local boats. Go to boat shows. When you find something you need to really look it over because it is going to be several years old. Get in it and look inside all of the boxes. Check all of the switches and pumps. Get under it and look for damage. Check the transome for cracks. Look the trailer over from front to back on both sides for signs of weakness or bad rust. Check the insides of the wheels for grease indicating bad seals. Look at the tires for uneven wear. You will also need to take a test ride and have a qualified mechanic look over the boat and motor for you before you buy it. Don't be in a hurry because we are in a buyer's market and seem to be that way for quite a while.

4" tubes produce well for me in the winter. I only need 4 colors to cover the spectrum (smoke, green, brown, black).

I only have Shimano spinning reels and none of them are quick fire. The Sahara is a decent reel but the Symmetry is better.

I fish Jig Man jigs in many sizes colors and styles. I fish them because I have 100% control over all phases of production.

One of my buds quit bass fishing and gave me several hundred tubes and Yamamoto grubs as well as 25 packs of brush hogs. I won't need to make any baits for a year or more. Is turning the plastisol bottles upside down and right side up every once in a while enough to keep it ready for use or is there something else I need to do? I'd hate to have a couple of gallons go bad while I don't use it.

yes this is also a very very strong hook but tends to rust and get dull easy, thats the only reason i dont use this hook. jmo tho. I don't know how you are storing them for them to rust. I have some in one of my jig boxes that were made over 5 years ago and don't have any rust on them. Are you leaving a salty trailer on them?

I'v never used it in a boat but pour it down the traps in my RV. We don't even wipe it off the sinks or shower floor until next spring.

My Arke mold uses the Eagle Claw 730. It is a very strong hook.

I had some and they gave me headaches where they pushed against my regular glasses. I sold them Thursday to the guy in the back of my boat.

I don't worry about creeks and other feeder streams. I concentrate on the main body of water and the lower parts of reservoirs. The fish will be shallow especially on windy days. Sometimes they will be on points and sometimes in the backs of coves. My partner and I caught 42 bass Monday on main lake windy points in less than 5 fow.

I'd say spots but the first one looks somewhat like a meanmouth.