I am looking for a mold I can use in more ways then one. Right now I'm torn between the banana head, arky 60 degree hook model, and the Trokar arky mold. The hooks I want to use are the Owner 5304 and 5317. Any advise would be appreciated. The 3 main weights I'd like the mold to have are 1/4, 3/8, 1/2.

I know this isn't the answer you want, but I would first try and match up the jig head/style to the type of cover/structure I most commonly fish in.

 

It appears you want a jig to do both horizontal and vertical presentations, which is fine, but again, match the head to the conditions. What type of conditions to encounter most?

Pitching banks (sparse grass being the main form of cover with a downed tree mixed in everynow and then) and dock skipping are the two main things I want this jig to do. Thats why I think an arky head would be best suited for this. If the mold I choose could also pull off being a chatterbait and swim jig it would be an added bonus.

You can pull it off if it has a vertical eye. I dont produce enough chatterbaits to even consider it. Ill just buy the heads ready to rock from fishingskirts. I priced it out yesterday and you should be able to make about 5 chatterbaits for around $13. Thats 2.60 each which isnt that great, of course if you do 10 it comes down in price as you buy the blades in packs of 10 I believe.

If it were me and I wanted to buy a another mold ( I already have a 150) of them , I would buy the Trokar Arky mold. Reason being is you can use Trokar hooks if you want to spend the money on hooks, but better yet you can use a whole bunch of the listed hooks if they actually fit. With that said, you can use your 5304, 5317 and then you can even use EWG hooks. Overall it is the best possible choice with a lot of options. Also an Arky jig is excellnt for skipping under docks, open water swimming and rocks. Its only drawback would be weeds. Not too good for weed with its broad head, however buy yourself a different mold for that, and you will be set for any and all conditions. As far as chatterbaits go, I would buy them from someone that makes them and call it a day. Not worth screwing around with opening up hook eyes. I know you will not open a 5304 hook eye as they are very hard and they will snap. Hope this helps. One other thing go to Tackle Warehouse they have the mold you're looking for and it is the cheapest price I've found anywhere on the i-net, and if you order over $50.00 free shipping. If you need any more detailed info PM me. No I don't work for Tackle Warehouse or am affiliated with them in any way.

The trokar arky was actually the one I was most interested in. As for the chatterbaits I was going to attach a split ring to the hook eye then attach the blade to the split ring. I've seen some people do it that way does bit not work?

The hook on the Trokar Arky is a vertical hook or regular eye not a flat eye. With that said, you will have to use double split rings on all these hooks. I'm not saying it won't work, but to me double split rings is a hokie way to make a quality chatterbait. JMPO. Also I don't know how big the eyelets are in all the hooks, so a split ring may or may not fit in all the hooks eyelets. I know the 5304 have smaller eyelets. All you can do is try it and see how it goes. If you have the mold you have nothing to lose.

My favorite is the Snootie for those types of applications and I have made chatterbaits with them. Yes, it isn't easy to get a split ring on the hook eye of a big hook but it isn't hard either with a good pair of split ring pliers. You do have to use a double split ring, it does work but depending on how you use a chatterbait you'll either love it or hate it. What the double split ring is good for is using the bait as a straight up sprinnerbait reeling steady with occasional rod sweeps, the double split ring causes a lot of side to side movement when you speed it up but it isn't good for dropping the bait and ripping it off the bottom like guys like to do. I found that making them with a spinnerbait head and bending the wire around the blade works well for an all purpose chatterbait. The Snootie is a jig that comes through grass better than even a bullet head, plus the design is such that it makes for a nice compact flipping jig in the 1/2oz and 5/8oz and even though the hook is a 60 degree bend it makes a great swim jig and the large eyes make it look fantastic in the water. The problem with that is you will need to get 2 molds as the 1/4oz cavity is on one mold and the 3/8oz and 1/2oz are on a seperate mold. The Arky jig is very versatile, but as Cadman mentioned, it isn't great in grass but does well in rock and wood but one mold hasn't been mentioned, the weedless round head, it uses flat eye hooks so the 5304 is out but you can use the 5326 Owner crosseye, you would get the 5/16oz, 3/8oz, and the 7/16oz mold, the round head works pretty good everywhere, it requires only 1 split ring for a chatterbait that works nice and with a sparse skit and trailer you can swim it.

I ended up buying the Trokar arky head mold. If anything it will hit on the two main reason I'm getting it pitching and skipping. Guess if it doesn't work out for the other things I'll have to buy more molds...    Thanks for letting me know the in's and outs. When the mold comes in and I get a chance I'll post a couple pictures of the finished product.