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tidewaterfly

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Posts posted by tidewaterfly

  1. On 5/3/2019 at 9:57 PM, Mack26 said:

    One common misconception in jig fishing is that you need to fish them really slow. Although its true that jigs imitate a crawfish, and that they should be crawled to entice a strike.There are times when fishing such things as heavy vegetation, like hydrilla or coontail, where you are trying to invoke a REACTION strike from bass. These can be very lethargic fish, not in a feeding mode, but instictively strike a quickly falling bait due to its predatory nature. These bass can stack up on edges or pockets, and a carefully placed pitch or flip can produce several quick bites. It can also take dozens of pitches, before you’ll get a strike, especially in the heat of summer. This is where moving quickly, with maybe a couple of quick pumps, and pulling the jig out for your next pitch, can invoke bass to react to the bait. There can be long stretches of boredom with no action, followed by every other cast action if you find the right area holding bass. I tend to fish quicker, rather than slower, in pursuit of aggressive fish. Unless im targeting post front fish, in which you have no choice but to slow down.

    Excellent post! I agree, however, "slow" is always a matter of comparison & perspective. I know that I had to learn to slow down when fishing jigs, compared to tossing spinnerbaits or spinners, crankbaits or a buzzbait. 

     

    Also had to let the jig fall, instead of trying to make it do something until it hit the bottom, or a bass grabbed it. I've seen a few folks pitch a jig & pull it out so fast, there's no way a bass had time to grab it. So, IMO, the best approach is to vary the "speed" and slow down compared to these other reaction type lures. 

     

    I've crawled them too, painstaking slow, and not my favorite way to fish a jig, but as you say, when a cold front, or colder water temps put the bite off, sometimes that's what has to be done.

     

    One other note, although Ebbtide231 touched on it, is accurate casting/pitching or flipping. In some conditions, bass will hold very tight to structures or cover. I know I've had times when a jig placed in tight would get bit, but even 6" out wouldn't get touched. So, it's not just a matter of getting it close sometimes, it sometimes has to be pinpoint accurate. 

     

    ccb, for me, it's always going to depend on the situation, and conditions that will dictate what to try next. I'm not a tournament angler so have no pressure to be catching, so sometimes my mood tells me what to try, and that's often something that I enjoy fishing with, like a popper or spook, but otherwise, I try to let whatever else is going on tell me what to use next. That too can still be a jig, maybe a different type, like a swim jig. I'm not opposed to trying anything at any time. 

     

    One time I was fishing from shore at a bridge that crossed a small river that I had fished often by boat. I had a few rods with me, and was tossing different lures. I caught a few small bass and some panfish, on one side of the bridge, on spinnerbaits, then gave the other side a try. I noticed some movement & commotion along a grass edge about 40 ft from me, so choose to try an ultra light rod, and toss a 3" Pin's Minnow past that grass line and see what happened. I caught several decent bass on that tiny lure, all by casting along that shallow grass line. Not something that I would have probably thought to do, and probably a more normal size bass lure would have been too heavy. 

     

    That day I learned something by just going with a gut feeling. The best bass that day was around 3 1/2 lbs, and over the years, there was times that in that river, ultra light was a better choice than typical bass gear. My theory is that the river was small and fairly shallow, average 4' to 5' at the deepest, and got pounded hard at times by local bass clubs, and the ultra light stuff didn't alarm them like the bigger, heaver lures. 

     

    I could be wrong, but it certainly worked well sometimes. 

  2. 1 hour ago, Local66 said:

    Not a flatwing, getting ready for summer. 5/0 trokar tk12.

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    Beautiful fly! :theman:

     

    How do you like those Trokar hooks? How are they holding up in the salt? Don't see Trokar hooks mentioned much for tying flies. I had bought some spinnerbait hooks for making spinnerbaits, and they are similar to that TK12. I've tied a few flies on them, but not being near the salt, had me wondering how well they might hold up. They do a fine job in the lake! :)

  3. I've caught all manner of fish species on surface lures of various colors, regardless of the light, and as has been said, other factors are more important than color. If you go with white or black, it won't usually matter. 

     

    As for poppers, consider the wave action, chop, wind conditions more so than the clouds unless you're throwing to visible fish.  I also like to have a spook or "Sammy" type lure for a walk the dog type action. They sometimes get more attention than a popper. 

  4. I lived across the bay in AA Co most of my life & never went to Terrapin Park. The post title says State park, but it's in fact a Queen

    Anne County Park, not state. Most fishing that I did was on the Eastern Shore side of the bay, and I had fished & launched my boat at some Q A Co. parks in the past, and those required parking permits. There are fines if you get caught not having the permit. I would suspect, fines might apply if you get caught fishing where they have no fishing signs too. 

  5. Regs vary from state to state & may even in specific bodies of water. If you buy a fishing license in NJ, you should get a booklet that has the regs in it, or at least a condensed version. They may also have it posted on a website. When in doubt, contact the DNR or whatever agency handles fishery reg enforcement and ask them. 

     

    C & R may be required in some places, but probably there's plenty of waters that don't. Just be sure you also know the creel limits & possession limits. 

     

    There are some bodies of water here in SC that have consumption advisories too. Some fish can have various chemicals and other harmful substances in their bodies, so take heed of any that may be mentioned for your waters. 

  6. About 99% of any trout fishing that I've done has been with fly gear, and have used mono type leader & tippet materials. Otherwise, have used Ande or Silver Thread on some ultra light spin gear and see no need for braid on such a set up. However, I have used 15 lb braid on a float n fly outfit for bass & panfishing, (8'6" spin rod) and although it worked well, saw no advantage to it over using the mono type lines, so gave up using the braid for that purpose. Braid on heavier tackle makes a lot more sense to me. 

     

    Now, on my fly gear and some other tackle, I use Yozuri Hybrid and it's worked well, especially for bass or targeting other larger fish. I use 4 lb on some fly gear as tippet material for panfishing & trout, and prefer it over the other mono lines I've used, but I still like the Ande & Silver Thread on a spinning reel.

     

    BTW, trout are not all that smart either. :howdy:

  7. I also never use a trailer hook for jigs. Have not ever seen it to be necessary. I see a trailer hook as a potential problem with snagging, as most places I have fished for bass have plenty of things that can be snagged. I've had bass grab a jig & not get the hook in their mouth solidly, but most of the time that's not an issue.

     

    I rarely have used trailer hooks on spinnerbaits either, even though I do have them in my tackle bag.  Again, never saw it as necessary. Occasionally, I have used them on buzzbaits. 

     

    On fly fishing forums that I frequent, a lot of folks are big on articulated flies now for bass with two hooks in the fly. I've tied articulated flies too for them, but only use a single hook, and don't feel it's a problem when targeting bass. I very much think that a lot of fly flingers use flies that may be too small, not that bass can't be caught on them, but when I set the hook, with large flies tied on 1/0 to 5/0 size hooks, I don't miss a lot of them and usually it's a solid hook up, even when the fly may be 6" long or longer. I think that the smaller fly is often pulled out of their mouth too easily without the point of the hook contacting anything solid. 

  8. Thanks for the comments! 

     

    On 4/23/2019 at 11:12 PM, fshng2 said:

    Tidewaterfly nice colors on the tails. I was so impressed I just ordered a 12 pack of tails from my favorite web site...very reasonable too.

    Do you follow Dharma's recommendation to use 1/4 cup of vinegar to a pound of material?

    What happens if you add more than 1/4 cup?

     

    I've never found that the exact amount of vinegar used was critical, as long as you use enough. For example, only using a teaspoon full might not do it. What is important is that it's mixed completely so that all the dye is set in the material. If my dye bath is 1 1/2 to 2 gallons, then using approximately 1/4 cup of the vinegar has worked fine. Likely someone more familiar with the chemistry & dyes could tell you what amount is best. I use what I've read works, or what others have told me has worked well for them.

     

    I have recently contacted Dharma about some other dyes and they have been great at responding and answering questions. So, as far as their recommendations, if you follow them, you won't go wrong. 

     

    Just note that the vinegar can start to break down some of the hide if you use too much and leave the material in the bath for extended time, particularly on materials such as fox or coyote that have thin hides anyway, so you want to use enough to set the dye, but not a lot more than you need. Too much extra won't improve the result.  These fox & coyote tails that I had shown, were in the bath 20 to 30 minutes at most. I have kept deertails and other materials in a bath longer, but probably not longer than about 45 minutes. As has been said, the hair will only absorb a certain amount of dye & keeping it in the bath longer won't improve it and may damage the hide to the point the hair will slip. It's a judgement call, and the more you dye, the more feel you get for how long a time period works well. 

     

    One fox tail that I had dyed, the color turned out great with it being it the batch around 20 minutes, but the hide fell apart. I will still be able to use most of the hair. So, even at around 20 minutes in the bath, for that specific tail, it was too long to keep the hide intact. Every material will be different. I've not had this issue with deer tails however, as the hides are much thicker, but have had losses of hair in some. That's with a dye bath temperature in the 160 to 185 degree range.  As I said previous, I've gotten the best results at 170 to 180 degrees, but that too depends on the exact material being dyed. 

     

    Ideally, you want the dye bath to be almost clear once the process is complete, meaning that most of the dye has been absorbed, but I've rarely had that happen. As bbuzzi said, different colors are easier to dye than others too. I've found that chartreuse dyes real good, as does pinks. Some of the green colors, such as a dark, green pumpkin are a bit more tricky. Black is a pain in the back side, and I've gotten some real nice grey shades over the years trying to dye black.  :banghd:

     

    Dharma & I'm sure other places that sell acid dyes, also sell materials that are intended to be used to set dyes. They're more concentrated than using vinegar, so if you dye a lot of materials, may be worth obtaining. I haven't used them, have just stuck with using the white vinegar. 

     

    I've also found some of the things that Jim & BLT & Brad have mentioned. Different types of hair will absorb dyes differently and, yes, even the same materials, such as the tails that I dyed, will not all come out of the dye bath looking exactly the same. This is no different from trying to select such materials as deer tails. They will not all be the same anyway, as each animal is an individual. Frankly, even though we all may try to get consistent results, and I also weigh & measure in that attempt, I've sometimes gotten color shades that I liked a lot more, compared to what I was attempting. NOTHING, in nature is monotone in color. If you believe that you want "natural" appearance to what you tie, then getting some "odd" or mottled affect to colors that you dye may not be a bad thing. Of course some of these colors we use aren't exactly what you would find in nature anyway. :laugh:

     

     

     

     

  9. You're welcome! If you can find one, as I think they've been discontinued, Griffin Enterprises, who makes a variety of tying tools and vises, made a ceramic insert bobbin that they called a Rod Wrapping Bobbin. I have several of them that I tie with. They hold those spools without having to re-spool onto the typical size thread spool. I buy some Danville unwaxed Flat Nylon threads too on 1 ounce spools, and that's why I initially bought the Rod Wrapping Bobbin, as they hold those spools perfectly. 

     

    It may be a good idea to contact Griffin & ask them.  Well worth having if you tie a lot with that fine mono thread! :)

  10. Aside from the angler and actual use, if I was walking into a shop, and selecting a new lure, one I had not used, I would look at it's construction & components first & foremost. After all, a lure that's going to fall apart easily isn't of much use in my opinion.

     

    This would include the finish, but that's not a high priority. The hooks, split rings, and other hardware are important. I have bought lures and changed out the hardware too, as some very good lures as far as catching fish have been sold with crap hardware. For us older folks, even a hook that's not very sharp but is still strong may not be a problem. I've sharpened plenty of hooks, but now prefer those that are sticky sharp & strong right out of the package. A finish on the hooks that doesn't rust easily is a plus, but hooks are expendable, and replaceable. 

     

    Action certainly is important, but you don't know what that's going to be until you use it. So, size would be my second priority. Last might be the color pattern, but a basic color is fine with me. Most of the fine detail in lures is for selling them anyway.

     

    How a lure dives, and the depth it can attain, are part of it's action, and you're not going to know until you fish it. What's on the label, will give an indication, but various factors affect it. Besides, there are ways to change how deep or shallow a lure can get. 

     

    I think jigs & lures have to be separated too as they're not the same animal. I pour most that I use, so again the components first, and how well it's constructed are second. Strong hooks are very important, within reason for what I'm targeting and where. I'll make jigs with light wire hooks, but the trick there is knowing the limits and using them appropriately. I'm a bit anal about making my jigs as durable as I can, within the limits of the materials I'm using. Bucktail is great stuff if that's the type of jig I'm making, but it's not going to last forever. 

     

    Here again, size is of next importance, and how sparse or full it's dressed because that affects sink rates & the action. By making them yourself, these are easy to make with some variety, where store bought, you get what is on the shelf or wall. Some brands are going to be better than others, but the store has to carry enough variety to be able to make good choices.

     

    Color is the first consideration that many folks have, because humans are visually oriented. Color only matters when it does, so only a few are needed. Any additional colors are just play things. For bucktails, if you have white, chartreuse, black, and perhaps yellow or wine/maroon you have it covered, but everyone who fishes a bucktail has their favorites.

     

    I like to have a good paint on my jigs, so powder coat them, but still, it's not extremely important as plenty of fish have been caught on bare lead jigs. I like the paint to slow the oxidation process of the lead, and primarily paint them for that reason. :howdy:

  11. 2 hours ago, stormy monday said:

    I always hit the craft stores first, but lately I can't finda good source for long craft fur; it's all that 2-3" stuff. Anyone have any luck on that stuff?

    Look online at some of the fake sheep skins. I made the mistake of buying some, that I thought was the real thing, and were fairly cheap, but they turned out to be the fake fur. Some of it was very nice, and over 3" in length. I bought a couple of them in various colors, and they all had at least 3" fur. Of course, it's a made in China product, and I purchased off the Wish site, but probably all of the fake fur is made in China. 

     

    52 mins ago, Ftyer said:

    I’ll throw my hat in the ring for a question if you don’t mind...any chance you’d know the diameter of the thread you’re using? I rip through mono thread and would never scoff at saving a few bucks. 

     

    Well done on the fly too.  

    I have purchased large spools of mono thread a few times from sewing shops, and not all of it was the same diameter. Most are 1500 yard spools and .004 mm diameter which is marked on the spool. I think some was .005 or .006 mm. Not much difference as far as tying goes. 

  12. 1 hour ago, Matt7082 said:

    We all are, or have been guilty of that. The first year or two I started bass fishing, I was buying all kinds of crap. It didn’t often didn’t take long to realize that the bait monkey got me. I’ve go a garbage bag full of bass baits that I’ll likely never use again. Lessons learned. Lol 

    Yeah, well, I didn't say that I haven't fallen into the same trap! :banghd:  I've got more tackle than some tackle shops I've been in, and more fly tying & lure making supplies than some supply shops. I'll fish with fly, baitcasting, spinning and trolling gear and have rods, reels and lures for them all, and in various sizes too. I use what I have, really enjoy all the experimenting with new stuff, but there's only so many hour's in a day. I have much more than I need, but have what I need, when I need it, or want to try it. I could have saved some money over the years by not buying all this stuff, but I can't take it with me when I leave this world, so might as well enjoy it while I'm here. However, it took many years to accumulate it all, and most was obtained in my later years, when my income was better, and paying the bills wasn't as much of a struggle. That's where a lot of folks get into trouble! These "addictions" are real, and not as damaging as other addictions, but they can be if you let them! If you do get into pouring your own, as Cadman T has advised, take it slow! :laugh:

  13. More awesome advice from Cadman T! I've been pouring for about 47 years now. It's another addiction of mine. I started with a single Hilts round head mold, and now have close to 300 molds and keep adding. Pouring is pretty basic, but as Cadman T has said, there are intricacies to it, depending on exactly what it is you're pouring. I currently have molds for jigs from 1/100 oz, up to 20 oz, and they don't all pour the same. Also have sinker molds in various styles and weights, and some of them can be a pain to pour.

     

    I follow a couple of facebook groups for pouring & lure making, and see some of those guys buying up molds, and shortly selling them off, because they either get overwhelmed and frustrated with it, or turns out it's not what they actually needed. Some will buy a mold, pour what they want, then sell the mold, and that's probably costing them more than if they just bought the lures or sinkers. Learning curves can be a funny thing. :laugh:

  14. 2 hours ago, theshadow said:

    Having confidence in in something makes you work[fish] it better.I'll carry a box of 50+ flies in a box and maybe use the same 5-6 most of the time even if I don't catch.Then, out of the blue I'll "try" something that's been in the box for months/years and never got wet.

    Agreed! When I'm fishing from a boat, I carry two large boxes of flies, topwater & subsurface in various sizes & types, that I'm sure is well over 50 flies. It's highly probable that many folks do this, especially those of us who tie our own! When I tie something "new", I may tie it on first, to see if it will perform as I want, but if I'm not catching with them, then often revert to what has worked well in the past. I've been using some of the same style flies for over 50 years, because they work. I have flies in my boxes that I may have tied years ago too, experiments & odd patterns, or flies not typically used for the fishing I'm doing but I thought might work well, that eventually will get wet I'm sure. Often, I simply need the right motivation to give them a try. :)

  15. Thank you! I dyed a couple more today and got closer to the color that I wanted. I'll post them too once they dry some. 

     

    I started dyeing materials about 1980 or around there. I wanted colors that were not being sold by the supply houses. That fox tail color works great for flies & jigs. I really like such colors on Bonefish, Redfish, Bass and Carp flies, because it looks more natural than typical colors many of them are tied in. 

     

    I've experimented ( played really) with mixing dyes and have gotten some real nice colors ( my opinion of course) that I have not seen from commercially dyed sources. 

     

    I'm not convinced that color is always a big factor, but like many things with fishing, something different often produces when the typical doesn't. :)

  16. In other discussions, it has been mentioned that Owner hooks seem to rust faster than other brands. Some of those discussions were for saltwater use, and others for freshwater, so apparently it is a real issue. I've not really noticed them rusting any faster than other brands that I use, as they all will rust eventually. I have mentioned this too in various discussions, I place packs of silica desiccant in all my hooks, various tying or lure making materials, and in my fly & lure boxes. Any place where moisture will cause damage, and since I've been doing so, which now has been many years, I don't have much issue with rusting. I also don't stick a wet lure back in a box. 

     

    The fact is all hooks will eventually rust and dull over time with use. Some brands are fairly costly, but relatively, compared to the price of other products we use for fishing, hooks are one of the least costly items we use. Replace them as needed. 

     

    I have not used the skirts from bob4bass but have purchased some other items from him. Seems like a decent source for a variety of products, so would expect his skirts are OK.

     

    I again very much agree with Cadman T about skirt collars. They simply don't last, and  don't keep the skirt in place. I mentioned that I tie my jigs too, but use nylon tying thread. They don't slide down either and I've never had the thread fail or deteriorate. It might eventually, in 50 years or so, but the hook is usually shot before I expect any issue with the thread collars. I see no reason to use wire, have tried it, and many others use it, but what I do works, so I stick with it. That's what is important, that however you construct your jig if you make them yourself, that they aren't falling apart when you use them. 

     

    Having a variety of colors for your jigs is fine, particularly for those of us who sell them, but most of it is for us, not necessarily for the fish. For an angler who is just starting to use jigs, I advise to stick to basic colors, then go from there once some proficiency with jigs is acquired. Otherwise, it becomes a detail that gets worried over, and as Cadman T also said, the point is to have fun & catch fish. 

     

    I listened to and watched a video that pro angler and guide, Denny Brauer did about fishing a jig about 10 years ago I think it was. He is one of the best ever at it, and certainly an accomplished angler otherwise too. When he was asked what color, he said anything brown is fine, that color didn't matter. I agree, but anyone who fishes has a favorite that instills some extra confidence when using it, and most folks will concentrate a bit harder when they have confidence. So, don't get too carried away with colors, learn how to use the jig first, then play with colors as you want.

     

    Last thing, have confidence in yourself. Don't overthink it. Anglers catch the fish, not the gear used. All the gear in the world won't make you better. Some may help you get better, but all they are are tools. You have the potential and desire, so all you need is to get out & fish, again as Cadman T has said. That is the only thing that makes anyone a better angler.  The term "practice makes perfect" fits fishing as well as it fits anything else worth doing. :howdy:

  17. I also use either a no slip loop or the Palomar for jigs. The pegs I've been using are sold as Evolution Tungsten T Pegs and there are 15 in a pack. $1.99 from TW, so fairly inexpensive. I've been able to reuse them too. 

     

    I had not given thought to using float pegs, the dacron type. I have several packs of them, use them for slip floats when fishing the Float N Fly technique for bass or panfishing. Great idea! 

  18. Acid dyes are generally used for protein based substrates, so should work fine for hair, fur or feathers. May also work fine for nylon materials. 

     

    I've never used that brand, but I'm sure there are many brands. I use acid dyes from Dharma Trading Co., their own brand, and Jacquard brand. Just depends on the colors that I want.

     

    I've just dyed some fox & coyote tails. Needed an olive color, but only had avocado green dye. I mixed in a little brown and got closer to what I wanted. Turned out a little more green than I wanted, but will be fine for what I'm tying. Also dyed some brown, and some straw color. The "straw" color was obtained with the same avocado dye, by using less dye & not keeping it in the dye batch very long. Dyeing over materials that have some natural pigments in the material can make some cool colors. If you want the color of the dye, then over white will get the best result when that's possible.

     

    Acid dyes need two things to dye properly, heat and an acid to set the dye. Heat your water to 160 to 200 degrees F. I seem to get the best results around 170-180 degrees. Distilled water is desirable, but  not necessary as long as the water doesn't have a lot of lime or chlorine in it. These can affect the dye.

     

    I use white vinegar to set the dye. but there are acid alternatives available. 

     

    The biggest issue with dyeing your own will be getting repeat results. What I just dyed I winged it for the most part. Otherwise, I've gone to great lengths to weigh, measure and document how much water, dye, temperature & vinegar was used in order to get repeat results and still there's no guarantee's. For most do it yourself dyeing, it's not going to be critical.

     

    Some dyes are easier to get good results than others. Chartreuse and pinks seem to dye easily. Black is tough, but I was told to dye blue first, then black over it, and that seems to work well. Otherwise, I got some nice gray colors. 

     

    Green's are not particularly difficult, but olive shades can be. 

     

    I very much enjoy dyeing as I have gotten some unique colors for flies & jigs that are not generally available from the tying materials suppliers. That's where learning to dye your own really shines and of course the possibilities are endless. 

     

    The tails I just dyed will be used to tie some hair jigs for a friend on mine who live & fishes in WV. They won't be typical of what most folks might use. :)

     

     

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  19. I very much agree with Cadman T. The designs of jigs are intended for specific applications, but doesn't mean they can't be used "outside the box". Use what works for you is the best advice you can get. Of course, unless you try different types, you really don't know what works best, and many folks start with one type & stick to it. Nothing wrong with that either if they catch fish on them. As much as using the right tool is talked about, we have the ability to adapt too. That's what allows the pro's to catch fish when the average angler won't. The better pro's learn to use as many techniques as they can, which allows them to adapt to any conditions or situations, and have success. Of course nothing is guaranteed. 

     

    As far as T rigged or Carolina rigged plastics, to me that's another technique and I will use them both. Similar enough to using a jig, but different. The possible combinations of plastic baits that can be used with either technique is many, which makes them both extremely versatile. But, again, as Hook I has indicated, folks go with what they prefer and some don't or won't take the time to experiment and try other baits. Fish with what works for you, but also don't be afraid to try different things.

     

    Ccb, I understand what you're saying, but IMO any time you add a loop in your line like that you create the potential for a weak spot or wear point. I don't use split shot at all because of this, as to me, crimping it on the line can damage the line. Same with extra knots and leaders. I mentioned that I don't use leaders with jigs, so one knot and less potential weak points. Sometimes you may want a weak point, but not so weak it might break at any time. Of course, if it works for you, it can't be wrong. If you're using heavy enough line, then chances are, you won't see a failure. I think if you understand the potential for a failure, and use that configuration where you have little or no problems with it, then again it can't be wrong. It doesn't sound like a method that should be used in a different environment, like a rock bottom where that loop would get dragged over the rocks, but again if it works for you where you fish, then that's what matters. 

     

    I've tried various ways to peg a worm weight. Much of the time I don't peg them at all, but when I do, I use a rubber, tapered peg that I had purchased, or round rubber strands. The round rubber is the same as used for skirts, and I use it for fly tying, so always have some available. It needs to be carefully threaded with a needle, which is why it's my second choice. The tapered pegs are inserted just like the toothpick, but being a softer material are less likely to damage the line. Unfortunately, they also require a little more checking & maintenance to keep them in place, but for me, I would rather check them often, than have damage to my line.

     

    On that note, it is important to check your line and knots often when fishing a jig or any other type of lure that is dragged thru debris or over the bottom. The line can get nicked, which weakens it, and potentially will break at some point. Usually that happens on the hook set when the best fish of the day grabs the lure, or at some point while attempting to land it. 

     

    I don't get upset over losing fish when it happens. However, there is always a reason for it. Sometimes, there's nothing you can do or could have done to prevent it, but if your line breaks because you failed to check it, and the line was frayed or nicked, then the cause of the failure and lost fish is you! That can always be prevented. 

  20. 45 mins ago, Matt7082 said:

    I can’t nail down a noticeable difference between vertical or horizontal line tie. However, I have recently started using a different head with a horizontal line tie,  which seems to work very well in just about all conditions. I don’t know what this head shape is called. I’ve been getting them from Northstar Custom Baits. He calls them the South Paw jig. It almost like a hybrid between an arky, grass, and brush head. I’ve been using it around very heavy pond weed and hydrilla, as well as standing and fallen timber. It comes through everything so well. Give this style jig a try! 

     

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    I feel that the hook eye placement can make a difference in how a jig comes thru snags, as Cadman T mentioned, but also how a person likes to fish will have some bearing on how much difference that placement makes. For example, a jig with a 60 degree bend hook will often work better thru snags at longer casting distance than a jig with a 90 degree bend hook. That 90 degree bend hook will be better for straight down, vertical jigging than the jig with 60 degree hook or in open water. Either jig can be fished close in, as the jigs often stays moving or is dropped to the bottom on very short casts so the line of travel is still closer to vertical than horizontal. As the casting distance lengthens, that's where the differences might become more apparent, but unless an angler fishes both ways, short & long, it's doubtful they'll see it. I used to never fish at any distance with a bass jig. Rarely had to cast, was just drifting along flipping or pitching to spots in the tree line or around the Spadderdock pads. I might occasionally cast up or down river with a jig, parallel to the shore if there was pads or some other cover or structure, but wasn't how I fished most. I also might lay down the jig rod & pic up a rod with a crankbait, spinnerbait, buzzbait or swimjig with a eye even more forward for that longer cast.  I prefer a jig with a 60 degree bend for flipping & pitching, but have caught many bass on a jig with a 90 degree bend doing exactly the same thing. Heck, most panfish jigs have a 90 degree bend and many folks fish them the same as they do a bass jig, except for panfish. 

  21. Quote
    1 hour ago, Mastatwista said:

    They’ll get the most pitiful slap on the wrist and nothing will change.

    When I lived in MD, this was often the case for a very long time, and I'm sure you're correct that it happens all too often in other places. However, in MD the public outcry over poaching Striped Bass got a lot of local and national media attention, and judges started to consider it a more serious offense, and give harsher rulings & penalties. There was a lot of poaching going on in MD, not just of Striped Bass, and many repeat offenders. It took a high profile state & federal case to bring it to the forefront, but even the non-angling community expressed concerns and displeasure. Of course it all had the potential to affect the local politics, so action was beginning to happen as a result. It all started with someone reporting it. 

     

    Do nothing and it will certainly never change. Make the small effort to report the offense and let the system work. May not get the outcome you want, but at least someone is trying to make a positive difference against poaching.  

     

  22. Exactly what you did. Call the proper authorities and let them deal with them. Whether they respond fast enough to encounter the poacher(s) is on them. Over the years I've done it several times. Only saw a response in two of those situations. 

     

    Unfortunately, many of these departments who bear the responsibility for enforcement are under funded and under staffed. But, if they take the job serious, they often note these calls even when they can't respond right away and will eventually catch up with those poachers. Once a poacher, always a poacher and they'll get theirs! 

     

    You did the right thing! 

  23. Excellent post Cadman T! 

     

    If you look at the various jigs being sold now, many have a lot of detail in the head design. This looks good and is certainly great for marketing, but doubtful it makes much difference as far as catching fish, and possible it could create problems with how the jig gets thru different types of snags. Still folks are attracted to what they deem pretty! All the head designs that Cadman T mentioned serve a purpose, and as he mentioned there's overlap in the designs so that they might serve double duty. 

     

    I like the Arky style heads for flipping into timber where it's larger trunks and large branches, not a lot of small, dense branches or around some wood structures such as bulkheads. They don't hang up a lot and tend to bounce off. However, add denser snags into the mix and they do hang more. The Brush Jig is another that I like, works well in the heavier wood, but also comes thru grass and denser branches pretty good, thus the name. 

     

    The fact is none of these designs are perfect, but some are going to be better than others in specific situations. As easy as it is to say keep things simple, it's much harder to accomplish since there can be many variables that might cause you to get hung up with a jig. That's never fun and takes away from productive fishing time. 

     

    The skirts on jigs has not really been discussed with any detail. Rubber & silicone have been mentioned. The density of the skirts has not. There can be very good reasons to vary the density ( amount of strands in a skirt) but it's not an aspect that a lot of folks talk about. The actual number of strands isn't critical, but sometimes a denser or sparser skirt can affect the fall rate, and the profile, and push water so that the fish can locate the jig with it's lateral line before they see it. In some water clarity this can make a big difference. 

     

    Below are two jigs with very dense skirts. The one on the bottom is a brush jig, the one on the top is a grass or swimjig, depending on how you use it. As you can see, the dense skirt can make a lighter weight jig look much larger than it is. 

     

     

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