Arky jig questions

[Lamar]

  I use a Arky to make my chatterbaits. I just took one of the pins and cut it so when I pour it there's no pin hole.

[bigjim5589]

I use the teflon pins cut in half to pour heads when I don't want to use a weed guard. That leaves a small bump of lead that I cut off with my gate cutters.

[LennynSquiggy]

Edit--Found my answer.

[LennynSquiggy]

  I use a Arky to make my chatterbaits. I just took one of the pins and cut it so when I pour it there's no pin hole.

That's an awesome idea my friend! I'll put an extra set of pins in my cart for my next order specifically for that purpose.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

  I use a Arky to make my chatterbaits. I just took one of the pins and cut it so when I pour it there's no pin hole.

I just make the chatter baits with the weed gaurd ......not sure what the benefit of not having it would be.

[21xdc]

I just make the chatter baits with the weed gaurd ......not sure what the benefit of not having it would be.

The weed guard prevents the blade from laying down and exposing the hook for a good bite on the fish. I will never use a weedguard on a bladed jig. Way too many missed and lost fish.

[Muskygary]

Why not make them with the weedguard hole and just leave it empty? That way if you have some left over; you could always put the guard in and use them as jigs.

[Lines]

Why not make them with the weedguard hole and just leave it empty? That way if you have some left over; you could always put the guard in and use them as jigs.

Can't see why that wouldn't work.

[bigjim5589]

Why not make them with the weedguard hole and just leave it empty? That way if you have some left over; you could always put the guard in and use them as jigs.

Well, on some of the heads the hook shank may be exposed down in the bottom of the hole, so water's going to get in there and potentially cause rusting inside the lead. Otherwise, I doubt it would make any difference. I have a customer who orders heads from me, that he uses to make bladed jigs, and he asks that the hole be included, because he also uses the heads for other jig types. I've told him that I can make some both ways for him, but he insists on having the hole.

Of course you can fill it with epoxy or some other sealer, or not, which would just be your preference to do.

If you're losing a good many jigs anyway, I guess it has no bearing as far as the possibility of the hook rusting.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

I just make chatter baits with the weed gaurd…I don’t think it hurts the action any/much. Is there a reason not to use the weed gaurd?

[21xdc]

I just make chatter baits with the weed gaurd…I don’t think it hurts the action any/much. Is there a reason not to use the weed gaurd?

Yes... 3 posts above... You must not read much LOL...

[Agronomist_at_ia]

The weed guard prevents the blade from laying down and exposing the hook for a good bite on the fish. I will never use a weedguard on a bladed jig. Way too many missed and lost fish.

Blade from laying down? You'll have to explain that one to me a bit better. I don't see how the weed guard would do that.

[Lamar]

Blade from laying down? You'll have to explain that one to me a bit better. I don't see how the weed guard would do that.

  I don't see how it would either but I think it does hurt the hook up.  When you set the hook on a jig you blow through the weed guard and with a chatter bait it's not as much force.

[smalljaw]

Blade from laying down? You'll have to explain that one to me a bit better. I don't see how the weed guard would do that.

A lot of times bigger bass will inhale the entire bait. When that happens and you set the hook, the blade can't collapse because it is propped up by the weed guard. Because the blade can't fully collapse it often forces the mouth of the fish open and you only skin hook the fish and lose or miss it altogether.

 I used a weed guard when I started making bladed jigs and I always seemed to lose good fish. I also would miss what seemed like solid strikes and I could not figure out why. I tried making a few without the weed guard and like magic the missed fish disappeared. Not only missed fish but the ones I lost went down to almost zero.

The only difference to those baits was the omission of the weed guard. I don't have the issue with regular jigs, only bladed ones. For me, I believe it is the weed guard not letting the blade collapse out of the way fully. That is only a guess but what other explanation could it be?

[bigjim5589]

I make some big Poisontail spinnerbaits 3/4 oz & heavier, with weed guards, that I either use a smaller diameter weed guard or I trim them down. Occasionally, that will cause a missed fish, but IMO, no more often than a spinnerbait without a weed guard.

I haven't tried it with a bladed jig, as the blade acts like a guard for the most part deflecting the lure away from many snags. I've had them get snagged, lost a few to stumps, but I don't think a weed guard will necessarily improve them.

Of course I'm also willing to try anything too, if someone else is having that work well for them.