Perfect pair....

[ctom]

The new Baby Boss ice plastic comes with a real sweet little arch in the finished bait. After looking at it a while I decided to try modding a couple 1/32 ballhead cavities to accept a #8 scud hook from some fly-tying stuff I had laying around. The scud hook has a sweet arch to it too. After casting a few of the heads and painting them I whipped up some corresponding Boss colors to slip on the jigs. They turned out pretty slick.



I'm not sure on the eye of the hook. It may need to be turned up a shade but they'll not be a issue. The hooks are fairly pliable as I found out when I had to give the barb end a slight inward nudge as seen in this next picture.



I was going to use a tungsten bead for the head but figured I have a ton of molds and the mod to three cavities doesn't affect casting a plain collarless head at all so why not just use the lead mold.

If I was going to suggest anything on the plastic it would be to make the legs longer and finer, about 1/3 as thick as they are now. But for now, these will get the fish test on the marina docks soon. I really like how they turned out. And 100% Do-It, except for the hooks.

[olsarge]

Hmm, it just so happens that I have a bunch of scud hooks at my fly tying bench.  Neat idea!

[Muskygary]

The only trouble I see is the jig will hang vertical. I like then hortizonal, but maybe it won't make a difference. Looking forward to hearing how you do with them.

[ctom]

I'm turning the eyes upward on future jigs. Might even look at octopus hooks. For sure though, the plastic lends itself to the curved hooks. I fished these under a float this morning and they caught crappies, but none of the fish we got today were super large. We had three 11" in the pail to come home but the window closed on the bite before we could muster any more decent ones. The purple/chartreuse bait in the picture got one of the 11"ers, so I know they work in open water.

[anyfish]

Man those look awesome!!  I picked up the Mr Munch, but may have to look this one over too.  I could see these working on trout as well. 

[Agronomist_at_ia]

Huh.....with all these plastic bodies.....but little to no jig molds to put them on...... . Makes a person believe some ice fishing lead jig molds would be ideal.

[anyfish]

With the original post being about the new Baby Boss, I'll bring it back there.  Again, excellent job Tom.  I really like the way they look on the scud hooks.  I would be curious to know how they work if you try them on an upturned hook eye.  What color is the blueish lead head?

[ctom]

anyfish....We'll be dealing with some serious cold here next week so my plans for the dock fishing may get put on hold until the cold passes and to see if the water inside the marina locks up. If ice covers it I won't be doing any more fishing this year. My plan was/is to take all three of these down to fish the vertical pilings. The Boss I planned to use on the same hook as pictured but with the eye up turned. The other will get fished on a 1/64 collar-less ballhead cast on a #10 Lil Nasty.

That bluish color is ProTec's Alewife. It's really a neat color. I use it most on heavy heads I use to jig on Lake Superior but will use it on small head occasionally too. It coats really heavy, so I cut it with 50% clear to help keep it thin in application. Just something to be aware of. It may just be a single jar thing, but what I have covers very heavy straight from the jug. I do not use an air bed.

[anyfish]

Thanks Tom.  I'll have to get a jar of the color.  I hadn't ever thought of thinning down paints that way,so that's helpful too.

[ctom]

Anyfish, I have the pot plugged in and the mold warming to try an Octopus hook with an upward eye. I lose a little of that nice arch but the hook's I am going to try are fine wire Gamakatsu hooks, again, in a size 8.

On the powder paint: I have a full pound of Rosie's clear powder paint that I have been using to reduce any color that wants to go on too thick. The fluorescent colors and white can be real sticklers for going on thick because they are pigment heavy and those I don't even bother to use until I have cut them with the clear at least 50-50. The current jug of the Alewife was one of those heavy colors, so it got the treatment too. Color coverage is not reduced a bit, just the application thickness. I also mix hi lite powder in clear and apply it as an interference color topcoat and I can get some amazing results doing that.

I'll be posting the new hooks with the baits in a few minutes.

[ctom]

Here you go anyfish. These jigs are done as mentioned with the #8 Gammi Octopus hooks. The wire is much finer and is a totally better fit for these plastics. Also note the turned up eye. This will certainly give the Boss a much better ride in the water. It'll give all of them a better ride. The head size is 1/32. Plenty adequate for getting these plastics down fast, yet light enough for winter fish who are given to just lightly sucking the bait in the ability to do so without having to suck in a heavy head as well.  Actually this #8 hook and a 1/64 head would be a sweet deal when the fish get super finicky.



On Friday I fished the Love Bug on a 1/24 head and did ok on smaller fish under a float using #4 mono. If we make it to the docks this week, I'll be dropping all of these 1/32 down on 2-pound Clam Frost braid, a very thin and limber line. If I get some time to mod a mold, I'll do a couple of 1/64 heads on the same hooks and try those as well.

So everyone can see the difference, the two Mr.Munch in the center of the picture are the two sizes the mold makes. The larger of the two is on the left. Check the body segment size and you'll see the difference. The angle the picture was taken accounts for the tentacles appearing to be the same size.

[anyfish]

Thanks Tom.   I appreciate the help.

[Bass Boys]

 Hey Tom , give us a picture of the baby boss with the bait spun around on the hook . With the legs/ spines pointing up or out on the hook .
 Thanks . Jeff

[ctom]

Here ya go Bass Boys.....



I don't care for this presentation. It reverses the natural curve of the bait so the tentacles don't look natural.

[Bass Boys]

 I see what your saying.