Bladed Jigs

[Bass Junke]

Who makes their own bladed jigs? Anyone come up with a way to make them without the split ring and without a custom cast? I have no interest in casting my own heads. (too late to the party). I saw one method on you tube but that required not only a mold but a modified mold. D&M custom baits makes a piranha swim jig with an open line tie. A blade can be added to this and is an option. 

 

So who thinks the split ring doesn't matter? Most comments I read about bladed jigs with split rigs are that the blade does not start up fast enough or at all. How true is this? 

 

What about blade styles? Rounded, flat, bent, squared off, pentagon shaped, does it matter? Time and a place for all?

[Munkin]

You can make your own without the split ring. 

 

Allen 

[Bass Junke]

That's awesome. Please expand. Big fan BTW, your work is inspiring.

[Jig Man]

You can but it may be a patent infringement.

[AmmoGuy]

1 hour ago, Jig Man said:

You can but it may be a patent infringement.

 

He didn't mention anything about selling them, so why would he care about patents? 

[Bass Junke]

No. Not going to sell them. Just would like to make my own. 

[Jig Man]

It really doesn’t matter if he is selling or not.  Zman has the patent and get very picky about people making baits like theirs.

[Choporoz]

26 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

It really doesn’t matter if he is selling or not.  Zman has the patent and get very picky about people making baits like theirs.

I suspect that I does matter ...to him.  Probably to zman, also.  Any examples of zman going after anyone for patent infringement when only for personal use?....might be, but that seems it would be an extraordinary waste of time and money 

[AmmoGuy]

1 hour ago, Jig Man said:

It really doesn’t matter if he is selling or not.  Zman has the patent and get very picky about people making baits like theirs.

 

I'd love to see Zman go after a hobbyist fisherman making a similar lure to theirs for his own personal use. That would laughable, and most likely end up costing them a pretty penny. 

[Jig Man]

All it take is on Cease and Desist order then things look different.  I’ve been down that rocky road.

[Happybeerbuzz]

When I was young, I use to tape songs off the radio on blank cassette tapes.  If anybody is making their own bladed jigs for themselves, I think it is about that serious.  

[AmmoGuy]

21 minutes ago, Happybeerbuzz said:

When I was young, I use to tape songs off the radio on blank cassette tapes.  If anybody is making their own bladed jigs for themselves, I think it is about that serious.  

 

Lars Ulrich may send him a cease and desist. LOL. 

[Bass Junke]

Wow! All I wanted was to start a discussion about making bladed jigs. Why, because I am interested in building them and they aren't talked about much in the tackle making forum (maybe I just learned why). 

Notice I used the generic term bladed jig. Never once mentioned chatter bait or thunder crickets, nor did I say I want to create an exact duplicate of either. I am not creating anything, I want to use other manufacturers existing products to create a bladed jig. However if we are going to get caught up in some legal jargon which I am not proficient in or the technicalities of patent laws. I believe patent is the correct term. Copyright laws protect things like Art, movies, books, ect. Patents protect designs, which is what we are talking about here. 

 

Well I did ask several other questions that should be legally okay to answer but everyone wants to focus on the first one. Or we could just move on. I'm a resourceful guy I'll figure it out on my own. 

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

On 5/5/2021 at 10:11 AM, Bass Junke said:

Anyone come up with a way to make them without the split ring and without a custom cast?

Could try this or similar, https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Queen_Tackle_Switch_Blades_3pk/descpage-QSB.html

[Bass Junke]

9 hours ago, Hewhospeaksmuchbull said:

Could try this or similar, https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Queen_Tackle_Switch_Blades_3pk/descpage-QSB.html

Now that is what I am talking about. I mentioned this earlier here is the link. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/DM_Custom_Baits_Piranha_Swim_Jig/descpage-DMPR.html

 

What has been mentioned above is not nonsense, D&M Custom had their Piranha bladed jig with an open line tie, this violated the patent with Z Man so if you look now there is a split ring. I guess D&M's work around was to offer a "swim jig" with an open line tie and left it up to the anglers to figure out the rest. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/DM_Custom_Baits_Piranha_II_Swim_Jig/descpage-DMP2.html

[Bass Junke]

On 5/5/2021 at 5:44 PM, Munkin said:

You can make your own without the split ring. 

 

Allen 

I'm guessing the reason for your silence is either fear or it is a no brainer answer such as just dremmel the line tie, pry it open, insert blade, and close. 

[Munkin]

4 hours ago, Bass Junke said:

I'm guessing the reason for your silence is either fear or it is a no brainer answer such as just dremmel the line tie, pry it open, insert blade, and close. 

 

Just haven't looked at this thread again until now.Green punch tool from Harbor Freight to open up the hook eye.  Put on the blade and then close with vise grips. 

 

Allen 

[Bluebasser86]

I used a swinging poison head mold. Dremel cutting blade down to the eye of the jighead, cut a gap large enough to fit the blade. I use a line tie connector like what would normally go on the blade to tie the line to, one end goes on the blade, the other goes on the hook inside the cavity of the head. I add a wire trailer keeper, pour it all, and it's a single piece. Painting is a pain, unless you use a gun, or put the open end of the line tie up so you can pour without the blade and just add it and close the line tie as tight as possible after it's painted and baked. I usually opt for the latter, never had one open with a fish on but straight braid will open them if you get snagged an pull hard enough. 

[fishballer06]

On 5/6/2021 at 11:29 AM, Jig Man said:

It really doesn’t matter if he is selling or not.  Zman has the patent and get very picky about people making baits like theirs.

 

I'm sure Zman is going around to every lake in the country, jumping into every boat they come across, and making sure that every home made vibrating jig has a split ring on it... 

[MIbassyaker]

I don't see how patent law gives z-man any authority to cease-and-desist a true DIY reproduction of their design if it is solely for personal use. They could threaten, and they could try to sue. But they would lose that case.

 

It's even less-serious than taping songs from the radio - it would be more like recording yourself playing a cover of a song on the radio.

[Bass Junke]

On 5/7/2021 at 2:48 PM, Munkin said:

 

Just haven't looked at this thread again until now.Green punch tool from Harbor Freight to open up the hook eye.  Put on the blade and then close with vise grips. 

 

Allen 

Sorry Allen, I saw where this thread was going and I thought guys were avoiding it like the plague. Of course, most line ties aren't welded and a punch tool is an awesome idea. Thank you.

[Munkin]

So I know a few people that have received the Zman cease and desist letter. Zman is not going to send agents out to check your boat for baits. What they are looking for is people profiting from a patent they paid for. A portion of the profits goes to the man who invented the chatterbait and his family.  I know people like to bash Zman for defending their patent but personally I like it.  Too many knock offs in this industry. Yes I know how to copy a chatterbait and I have made my own because I like to tinker with all fishing lures. That said I respect other people's work so I don't sell or post much about how to make them. 

 

Allen 

 

[Bass Junke]

19 minutes ago, Munkin said:

So I know a few people that have received the Zman cease and desist letter. Zman is not going to send agents out to check your boat for baits. What they are looking for is people profiting from a patent they paid for. A portion of the profits goes to the man who invented the chatterbait and his family.  I know people like to bash Zman for defending their patent but personally I like it.  Too many knock offs in this industry. Yes I know how to copy a chatterbait and I have made my own because I like to tinker with all fishing lures. That said I respect other people's work so I don't sell or post much about how to make them. 

 

Allen 

 

Thanks again. I, like you love to tinker and be creative. Again, I doubt I will ever pour my own lead but I have been tying my own jigs, building and tying spinner baits and buzz baits. This seems to be the next logical step. I will probably build them with and without split rings. 

Patents are important, they protect peoples design ideas. Not sure what Z Man's patent is on, the entire design or just the blade directly on the line tie. If it is on the former, no worries, don't like their hooks or skirts and not to fond of head itself. If it's the latter then lots of resourceful guys are probably violating a patent. No worries though, won't be selling any of them, just fishing.  

[Tennessee Boy]

People are issued stupid patents all the time.  Someone successfully patented a sealed crustless peanut butter a jelly sandwich.   My mother was cutting the crust off the bread 30 years before the patent was issued.  Your mother probably was too.  You are not doing something wrong if you cut the crust off a peanut butter sandwich before eating it.  The patent owner could sue you but they won't.  My mother could easily challenge their patent but she won't.

 

Zman has a right to prevent you from violating their patent.  You have a right to challenge their patent.   They will not spend the money required to take legal action against someone making their own lures in their garage.  You will not spend the $100K+ to challenge their patent.  It's a win win.  That how our crazy legal system works.

 

Zman does not have a patent on the lure. They have a patent on the way the blade is attached.  If you think this is truly a new invention worthy of a patent then you should respect the patent.  I don't think it would survive a challenge.  I don't respect their patent. 

 

It's lunch time,  I'm gonna make me a crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

[Bass Junke]

13 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

People are issued stupid patents all the time.  Someone successfully patented a sealed crustless peanut butter a jelly sandwich.   My mother was cutting the crust off the bread 30 years before the patent was issued.  Your mother probably was too.  You are not doing something wrong if you cut the crust of a peanut butter sandwich before eating it.  The patent owner could sue you but they won't.  My mother could easily challenge their patent but she won't.

 

Zman has a right to prevent you from violating their patent.  You have a right to challenge their patent.   They will not spend the money required to take legal action against someone making their own lures in their garage.  You will not spend the $100K+ to challenge their patent.  It's a win win.  That how our crazy legal system works.

 

Zman does not have a patent on the lure. They have a patent on the way the blade is attached.  If you think this is truly a new invention worthy of a patent then you should respect the patent.  I don't think it would survive a challenge.  I don't respect their patent. 

 

It's lunch time,  I'm gonna make me a crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I sure hope some palms were greased to get that peanut butter sandwich through the patent office, maybe the same should be said about the chatter bait. I was an abused child BTW, I was forced to eat PB&J's with the crust on. So sad. 

This all started with Mike from Seibert's mentioning he had jackhammers on sale. I was going to jump on his site and order a few. I went home and was looking at the one jackhammer I have, this thing isn't worth 12 dollars much less 17 dollars. I'm okay with spending 4 or 5 dollars for an original chatter bait. Besides the weed guard and the gold blade, I don't see much of a difference to justify 10+ dollars to the price. Maybe if they were appropriately priced Z Man would not need to defend their patent so often. 

Anyways, thanks everyone, I guess I don't feel like I will be doing something wrong anymore.