84 injections.....

[ctom]

....to get these 420 tail pieces. Gotta have them on hand "just in case". 1.5" Thump-Its. The trim is in the quart bag. When I do the next big tail shooting session I'll save that trim and together the two bags make enough to get the 420 tails again later on as re-melts.



In the average year I'll go thru about this many tails 4 times. Sure could use a 20 cavity tail mold for this guppy. Hands down this is my most used bait and the two best colors are at the bottom of the pile of tails: junebug on the left, purple on the right. My shadow sort of stops the light on them so they're sort of dark but that's what the colors are.

[anyfish]

That's A LOT of tails.  Out of curiosity,  for the little thump grub do you usually cast and reel or fish them under a float?

[ctom]

99% of the time I fish them under a float. I make a float that can be either a slip float or a fixed float that is easily slipped up or down the line to adjust the depth. As a fixed float it is great down to about 5 feet and after that a slip float mode is better. This float will lay right over on it's side on any kind of upward hit. The lay-down is immediate. Its by far the most sensitive float I have used. These were available commercially however they've been unavailable for two years not so I just make my own. I hang these baits on the Do-It ball-head jig with the wire keeper in 1/32, 1/24, or 1/16....all cast on #6 sickle hooks. A plain hook like the victory 10575 #6 works as well. I nip the wire barb down about half way for use on narrower bodies such as the 1.5" Thump-It.

Here's a picture of the floats I make. These are shown with the latex tubing used as a fixed float pushed up out of the way of the hole in the lower stem used for the slip function.



Here's a picture of a couple of the commercial floats showing how to rig them as a fixed float. The float on the right shows. The latex band loose on the line gets pushed up on the stem like to other to fish.

[DF]

 While you're at it I could use a few dozen ring-it tails in that color.  

[anyfish]

Thanks for the information Tom.  I like the homemade floats.  I've tried jigging the thump it back to me but not under a float.  I'll have to give it a shot.

[ctom]

Anyfish...that 1/16 Wacky Head that Do-It offers  using the #6 wacky hook is a super nice head for casting and swimming a bait back if you nose hook the plastic and stick the point of the hook thru the plastic just in front of the tail web. The tail can still thump like crazy yet the head lets the bait swim very nicely, not the sharp hop that a 90 degree hook creates.

[anyfish]

Thanks for the tip..  I've looked at that head for a while but haven't picked it up yet.  I will have to see if I can find one or get one once they are available again. 

[Muskygary]

When you say "wacky head" do you mean the bat jig?

[ctom]

No Gary. Search a WCK-5-AWG in the Do-It search function and you'll see it. You need to be sure to use the caps or it won't show.

[Muskygary]

Thanks Tom, I missed that one, never thought about using a crappie plastic on it. It's on my wish list now!

[ctom]

 I actually opened up the eye pocket of the mold a bit and bend plain old thin wire aberdeen hooks to fit and use them in lieu of the wide gap. Right now I have Gammi aberdeen hooks in size 8 that work real well when the gap is opened up slightly after casting. Open the gap about 6 degrees and about the same to the side.    The forward line tie allows these heads to swim real nice on a straighter, flatter plane than 90 heads while the straight hook is much lighter and penetrates a crappies chops much easier.

I was going to get a picture of the mold, the hooks and a finished jig, but I guess I used the last of the finished heads and hooks. We need to run errands so I'll grab more hooks and cast some up for pictures if time allows.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

That’s sweet when you can get things done in a hurry..