Custom Baits - Forum
Jigs, Spinnerbaits and Sinkers => Crappie / Pan Fish Jigs => Topic started by: efishnc on 01/14/21 17:05 UTC
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Although one of my projects from last year was to modify the Do-it Darter head mold and make a pseudo mooska jig for ice fishing, I didn't finally get to it until today. The mod was quite simple, just dremel out a few spots for a hook facing the opposite direction... the red hooks are #12s in 1/64oz, and the gold hooks are #10s in 1/32oz... now I gotta charge the camera battery and head to the backwaters for a test drive.
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That's a nifty flip-flop.
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Definitely want to hear the results of that test run Efishnc. Nice work man!
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Thanks fellas-
If all goes well, I think I will be with a buddy on the ice tomorrow... I'll keep you posted as to how these perform.
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👍
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So E, have you fished this jig yet? How did it do?
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Generally speaking, I consider fishing to be a camaraderie sport and I'm really not one to fish by myself (other than fly fishing smallmouth). My buddy had something come up last weekend, so I did not make it out, but we are planning on a new date this coming week.
Truth be told, I think this design will be better in the open water because having the head angle down will likely give this a little wobble on the retrieve, something like the old grave digger jig... I'm probably more excited to try this in open water now since I have thought about it a little.
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Let us know how you do. Looks cool
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Thanks Skimpy... I'm expecting good things with this modified design and I'll definitely update the forum on what I find while experimenting with it.
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I thought maybe on a freefall it would glide down in a circular fashion. Was curious is all. I might do the mod on a couple cavities in 1/32 and jig it a go thru the ice here in the next couple days. Carole will be at the daughters for four or five days so I'll have free range to fish a little. I've been using Clam's "Frost" line thru the ice and its about as thin as a blonde hair. There's zero resistance with the line and that jig I think should sail with the head angle reversed like that.
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The most notable change over the original design is the jig balance, and this one has a neutral position that is dead level... certainly the angle of presentation can be changed on any jig by positioning a tight knot at different locations on the eye, but those I made hang perfectly horizontal when a line is run straight through (without tying), whereas an actual mooska hangs with a little bit of an angle. All in all, it should be a good little jig for the pannies, hard water or soft.
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Although one of my projects from last year was to modify the Do-it Darter head mold and make a pseudo mooska jig for ice fishing, I didn't finally get to it until today. The mod was quite simple, just dremel out a few spots for a hook facing the opposite direction... the red hooks are #12s in 1/64oz, and the gold hooks are #10s in 1/32oz... now I gotta charge the camera battery and head to the backwaters for a test drive.
So what did you do exactly to the darter jig?
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So what did you do exactly to the darter jig?
This is what it looks like with no modification.
(https://store.do-itmolds.com/assets/images/tackle/3031B_thumbnail.jpg)
I made it so the majority of the weight is on the bottom (similar to the mooska) rather than the top.
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Nice Mod!!
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Thanks brother!
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Very nice mod....looks like it make a great Ice jig.....how was the action?
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Very nice mod....looks like it make a great I've jig.....how was the action?
To be honest, I think my plastic (even though small) had too much resistance to make the head wobble side to side as I hoped for (or suspected it could/should)... maybe this might be more of a possibility with a tied (kip tail) jig and/or if it was retrieved through the water, but it is not evident when lightly jigged for ice fishing.
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To be honest, I think my plastic (even though small) had too much resistance to make the head wobble side to side as I hoped for (or suspected it could/should)... maybe this might be more of a possibility with a tied (kip tail) jig and/or if it was retrieved through the water, but it is not evident when lightly jigged for ice fishing.
Did you try just tipping it with 2-3 spikes? Typically when using a jig like the mooska or like you made I just usually do spikes or a wax worm. If I do put a plastic tail on it, I usually just pull the tail section off and thread it or use the tiny ice tickler one.
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I can't say much about spikes/waxies because just don't use them... (I can't remember the last time I bought waxies other than it's been a couple of decades). Before I started injecting my own ice plastics, I was using Berkeley power wigglers (which stemmed from my early success using power worms for bass); the action, longevity, price point, etc. of using plastics simply outweighs the benefits of live bait with me.
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My fishing pal did the flip-flop with the hooks in this darter mold and does very well in open water with the 1/16 ones tipped with a 1.5" Thump-It, under a slip float.
I'm in efishnc's camp on the baits for smaller ice type jigs except I lean towards the Gulp products. It's been almost 30 years since I bought waxies or spikes, longer for minnows. As I have mentioned in previous posts I save the jars and juice from Gulp baits and add my plastics to the jars/juice. I carry a Gulp bottle of the longer Wax Wigglers in assorted colors as well as another couple full of 1.5" Thump-Its in a half-dozen colors. In their own right the two baits are dynamite for panfish and crappies but soaked in the Gulp juice seems to energize them even more. I know there are arguments that plastics don't absorb scents that are other than oil based, but I'll argue for a long time that the soaked baits I use do in fact take on the scent after being continually immersed in the juice for two years or more. I like the Kietech Swing Impact in the 2" size for a crappie/panfish bait and have a couple Gulp jars for those too.
Everyone starts their fishing careers using live bait of some sort so I won't knock it. I just find my bait confidence totally tied up in plastic or occasionally hair.
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I’m not sure how much difference the action of the jig hook position you may get more wobble wit the eye in the #1 bottom left of Penney is the standard hook I would think you would get a rocking motion #2 Top right of Penney position might give a wobble
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Oh I use plastics a lot. But some days the fish will not bite on plastics no mater what u do. So I always have some spikes/wax worms/mummy worms
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When the bite is tough on plastics I go to ice flies. I tie them on a #14 hook. A scud pattern with a tungsten bead head and the addition of a few deer hairs works incredibly well on neutral to negative bite days. And of coarse the best part is no live bait needed.
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Oh I use plastics a lot. But some days the fish will not bite on plastics no mater what u do. So I always have some spikes/wax worms/mummy worms
I agree there are days the fish will definitely hit live bait more than plastics, but on those tougher days, I'll either shrink my offerings or use a fly like MikeJ, and simply choose to be content with those I get on my artificials... I tend to hold to the understanding that fish are there to feed me, not for me to feed them. ;D
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Mike J
Would you please post a picture of your #14 scud fly, very interested in a pattern like that. thanks
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Mike J
Would you please post a picture of your #14 scud fly, very interested in a pattern like that. thanks
Sure thing.
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Here's another
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This pattern works equally well.
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thanks for the pictures, great looking flies. What hook is that, those are beyond my skill level. thanks
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I like a gamakatsu C12-BM but a regular dry fly hook works ok too.
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Mike, are you using acetate floss to create the hard bodies? Nice looking jigs.
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Nice work as usual MikeJ. Those are awesome. I need to try those patterns.
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I need to try those patterns.
Where do you ice fish down there? lol
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Where do you ice fish down there? lol
Lol...use similar patterns for trout and to catch bait for catfishing. Bluegill and other panfish.
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Thanks guys. Tom, it's UV cured epoxy.