Christmas already?

[ctom]

Yup.

I just made these little samplers up for a couple fishin buddies.



The jigs on the left are 1/80 heads and those on the right are 1/64. Both head sizes come from Do-Its semi-custom molds and all are ladle-poured heads. Both head sizes are cast on Eagle Claw's Black Platinum hooks. The black and purple heads are single dipped in Pro-Tec powder paint while the bright colors get the traditional Pro-Tec dip followed by a dip in the corresponding Pro-Tec candy color.

The handy little boxes are compliments of my Grandson who is in charge of a surgical tool/sterilization unit with Mayo Clinic and saves these gems as replacement tools are put into service. A razor blade makes a nice, clean slit in the foam so the hooks fit in snugly and the jigs stay in place. It won't be long before the stores start to market the holiday so why not start getting things in holiday order? 

[smalljaw]

That is simply genius!!!!!!!! The jigs you made in that little container would sell for about $12-$15 at a shop on sale, your friends are very lucky!!!!!

[ctom]

The more I work with these small head molds the more I like them.

I'm probably the only one on the site here that likes to take care of my jigheads. All of the heads from 1/16 on down to the 1/80 is carried in a fly box or a custom made jig box that's padded with the foam. They stay dry, they stay orderly and I know exactly where each size is. I clean the eyes as needed.

I put a few of similar boxes in a local bait shop with 1/32 heads and they sold at $13.00 each with 25 heads in each box. The boxes make the assortment look nice and people can see immediately what they are getting and being free the box just brings the whole package together. I put a label on the back with maker info on it.

I'm getting ready to tie up some flu-flu style jigs on these small heads now. In the fall the sunfish eat flu-flus like candy in this region. And I am talking about SUNFISH, not 7" dinks.

[Muskygary]

Ctom, If you clean out the hook eye as you use them; you must not bake them in the oven, right? Do you bake the larger size jigs that you use for the river?

[ctom]

I don't waste time baking jigs. I find the powder coat plenty hard enough for what I do. On a rare occasion I will bake jigs but I don't bother picking eyes then until I need the jig. I have tool that defeats the meanest of plugged eyes.

[ctom]

Here's my eye opener.



You're seeing just the jaws here. The rest of this tool looks like a forceps. I have yet to find a paint plugged eye that has been cured in an oven that this won't open up. The jig shown with this machine is a 1/32 head with Candy raspberry BAKED on. No sweat, no plug.

[Fatman]

Nice set of jigs!!!!!!!!!  Where did you get your eye tool???

Thanks

[andrewlamberson]

After a LOT of searching....I found them at:

http://lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Fishing-Accessories/Jig-Eye-Cleaner-Tool.html

Just ordered one...

Andy

[ctom]

Where did you get your eye tool???

I was working a distributor show in St. Cloud Minnesota a couple years ago and a friend from another tackle company showed me a tool like this and asked if I wanted a couple. Not being totally stupid I said sure. At the end of that day he stopped by the booth I was working and handed me six of these so I have a tool in every bucket I take to the water. I've used what seems to be a million different tools over the years designed to clean jig eyes and these puppies are the ticket.

[Fatman]

Thanks guys!!!  I have this one  http://www.fishusa.com/Product/Northland-Jig-EyeBuster  I know some just take a hot needle and push through the eye to use the jig but as hard as powder paint gets when cured I feel it can fray the line that's why I always want all of it out. 

[WALLEYE WACKER]

It's nice to have a box just the right size for the job. Don't really want to say it yet but ice time is just around the corner.

[Jerry V]

ice time is just around the corner.

I've half a mind to kick you in the crotch the next time I see ya...   

[Denny Welch]

I've half a mind to kick you in the crotch the next time I see ya...   

Better watch out, Jerry.  He's bigger than you.

[Kasilofchrisn]

Not to nitpick Ctom but I can't stand using a jig with paint in the eye.A pet peeve of mine I guess.
I feel for my personal use keeping the paint out of the jig eye is easy enough that I make sure that I do it.
I never have to carry or worry about cleaning a jig eye ever. I don't worry about carrying an extra tool in any of my boats or tackle boxes.
And I feel the extra couple of seconds it takes me to ensure the jig eye is clean while powder painting them is about the same amount of time as you take using your eye cleaning tool.
I mostly make bigger saltwater jigs that are sold but make some smaller stuff for myself. The saltwater jig eyes are easy to clean before curing(mostly #2 and #3 ss eyes) and I couldn't sell a saltwater jig with the paint in the eyes.
But on the smaller stuff if I take the extra few seconds to keep the eye clean to begin with things just work better for me and i don't risk chipping the paint.
I cure them in jig racks from TJ's tackle and any excess paint(if there is any) runs down the hook shank where it is easily cleaned. And no worry about nipple jigs.
I like the idea of the jig kits. I have customers that have requested a kit of sorts from me. usually they just send me $100 or so and I pick out some stuff based on where they are fishing and they are always happy with it. But I should come up with some area and species specific kits of sorts.

[ctom]

To each is own. That's the beauty of being old....I can do things my way not give a rip how others do it.