Jig Man

Lots of bait makers have gone away from Mustad since they outsourced to China. Eagle Claw has drastically improved in the last few years and have lots of quality hooks.

That depends on how long you consider the long run to be. You have to have plastisol, containers, a way to heat it, colorant, glitter, heat stabilizer, good gloves, maybe softener and hardener, and at least one mold. If you go on the cheap maybe you can start for less than $200. Figure the retail cost of your bait and see how many you need to make just to break even. When I added tube making I had $300 in the first one. With what I paid for them I think I broke even at 1,000. I don’t know if I have ever saved any money but I keep making baits because I love it.

I use a variety of blade configurations and colors, Colorado and willows in silver, chartreuse, red and orange. The baits are assorted sizes and colors of swim baits and flukes.

My mediums are too much for Neds. I use my medium lights.

Thanks Kirt that is the kind of info I am needing.

I’m thinking about getting one but have no experience with them. No one in my area has any that I can try on. Do any of you have any experience with them. I have no brand preference. I want to know about fit and functionality. Thanks for any feedback.

Forget Amazon. Just google powder paint and check out the sites that pop up.

Yes I have ordered from both. I have even been to Zeiner’s.

Nope. That is for epoxy. You can get powder paint in lots of places. The site censor won’t allow names so just google powder paint. Any most heat source will get a jig hot enough to dip in the powder and coat it. However, it needs to be baked on to be hard. An old toaster oven is good. I have been using mine for 20 years and paid $2 for it in a garage sale. It has cured thousands of jig heads.

I would opt for teflon tape over the blue Loctite.

When I use collars, I have these cheapies. https://www.harborfreight.com/snap-ring-pliers-with-interchangeable-heads-63845.html

If you want to practice casting and get the feel of what it is like at night, go out and cast with your eyes closed. You don’t even have to be in a boat. You could do it in the backyard.

I only put on a light when I need to retie or unhook a fish. Having a little moon helps.

I use this. https://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-safety-wire-twisting-pliers-45340.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12169518939&campaignid=12169518939&utm_content=114845724617&adsetid=114845724617&product=45340&store=93&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bvmFN_wSbMXjHv6y7YZwrOu5oe1poyFd-3uI3xkFC-qh7ba7I2eG1IaAt_ZEALw_wcB

I have switched to the weedless Ned with the Victory hooks. No keepers or glue needed.

I have 2 Leathermans and a Swiss army knife. If you give me an hour I might be able to find at least one of them.

If worse comes to worse you can heat a wire and melt a hole in them then they will push over the barb. You may have to glue them in place.

When the water is hard. The coldest day that I have ever been the temperature was -5°. I wouldn’t do it again.

If you want to try a variety look up wine insider. During the lock down my wife bought several cases of red, white, and mixed. They came from all over Europe and Australia.

I’ve caught lots of whites and a few walleye on them.

If you have good electronics or plan to get some then get the ones that pair with them. When I ran Lowrance I had Power poles. I have gone to Humminbirds so if I still used them I would have Talons. Since I got a spot lock trolling motor I find no use for them.

When fishing a Ned rig, I wait until I feel line pressure before I set the hook. If I feel a strike and set the hook I miss a lot of fish.

I’ve never seen one left outside for any length of time that didn’t show it. The sun is especially hard on the top of the cap.

That simple math might be accurate if the battery were new and fully charged, the trolling motor was in perfect running order with no worn brushes and there was no wind or current. Otherwise I see it as hypothetical. Which places me in A-Jays camp.

So $4-500 per missed rod.