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[cool][#0000ff]As some of you know, I have been somewhat limited in my creativity the past few months, due to a small catatact forming in my left eye. Two weeks ago I got a lens replacement and I can see better than ever. Don't even need glasses for reading or fine detail work on lure making. It's great.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So, out comes the fly tying bench again and I get to start making some of the more refined stuff. I have been making larger jigs and bait bugs okay, although not as clean as I would like. But, now I can do some of the little jig flies. Here's a pic of some of the colors I have had the best success with.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I make most of my jig flies on 1/32 oz. heads, with size 8 or 6 hooks. I can make them smaller, but there is no good reason for doing so. As you can see in the pic, you can make many traditional patterns (like the Renegade) on small jig heads. You can also make small buggers and a variety of feather concoctions with marabou. The marabou is great for ice jigging. It moves with the slightest wiggle on your end and "breathes" as the feather fibres compress and expand as they are moved in the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In waters like Mantua, where bait is prohibited, jig flies can be more effective than plastics. Once the bait restriction is lifted, they work even better with a waxie or mealworm pinned on the hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The 43 pound record brown trout was taken in Arkansas on a small jig fly, under a bobber. That is a deadly way to fish these, both in lakes and in moving water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can cast them on light spinning gear, or you can even fish them on flyrods. They work great for getting down deeper in holes and deep runs in the creeks and rivers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I did not tie any up for this pic, but a very effective jig fly is tied as a Royal Coachman. Another version, the California Coachman, is tied with orange floss rather than the red of the former. The orange is a killer for cutts and brookies...and browns. The red is favored by rainbows, but many species will hit it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the best body materials is peacock. There are quite a few patterns you can make with a peacock body. I like to use either a gold or bronze metallic head with the peacock herl bodies, but black or green are fine too...with or without eyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the spring and summer, jig flies are killers for crappies and bluegills. In Pelican Lake those little black patterns are bluegill candy. Under the ice they like the black with gold and a chartreuse eye. They will hit them even without bait, but a single waxworm closes the deal more quickly.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I know a few other tiers out there make similar goodies. Anybody else got any pics to share, and suggestions for their favorite colors and applications?[/#0000ff]
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[cool]Those jig flies look killer, Pat. I'll bet they would knock the Perchies dead too! While in Nevada for T-Day festivities, I found my old fly tying kit from the elective class I took at Ricks College about 12 years ago. I forgot that I actually used to know how to tie royal wolfs, elk hair caddis's, etc., etc. Now that I'm getting a melting pot and two jig molds for Christmas, I'm gonna have to get serious about this jig and fly making!!
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Dude,
Ok, when are we going out to some real time testing????[sly] When we find the right ones that will work at Jordanelle and Mantua I'll buy a kajillion! [crazy]
Leaky [  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]I have a bunch more tying to do, but I will make up some more different patterns that will smack the Weber browns and whities. Almost a nobrainer for perch. They eat anything that doesn't eat them first. Of course, there are some that work better than others.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You can't buy any, but I might trade you some for a day with you and Sparky on the holy river.[/#0000ff]
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[green][size 2]Dr Frankenstein I presume?[angelic][/size][/green]
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here are some of the ice fly jig's i made up 2 years ago.. they work great on huntington and E-lake.. and if you like useing that stinky stuff on you baits these will realy soak it up and hold it for a long time..i use powerbait on my'n but i did just get some smelly jelly. i geuss i will have to try it out now..
dude on fish?
Ron
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DKSRenagade gave me some jigs tied like renagades last year they look killer. ill have to see if i can get somemore from him
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I thought I would chime in on the subject, as my namesake was derived from these fish catching machines.
I started tying little jigs to use on creeks and high mountain brookie lakes 14 years ago. My first were tied up with squirrel hair, rabbit hair, some hair off my dog's tail or an occasional magpie tail feather. Basically they were made with whatever I could shoot with my .22 (no I didn't shoot my dog). The jigs were a plain old eagle claw hook that I took out of my grandpa's tackle box and a split shot sinker.
Those jigs have evolved into some patterns that are very similar to those that TD has included. I will attempt to attach a photo sometime later.
My favorite colors have changed over the years but the patterns are still the same. I currently am in love with a mustard/tan colored jig and body.
This year I decided that a completely artificial presentation was a hindrance to the quantity of fish that I could catch. I started to "sweeten" my jigs with a half inch piece of worm and I will continue to do so until I find a better way to catch more fish.
4 lb test line and a 1/32 oz jig is my standard, although this summer I went even smaller to 3 lb test line and a 1/64 oz jig and was pleased with this setup.
They are a very simple to make yourself and effective method to catch fish from those that are willing to those that are highly selective.
Mjigs
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Dude,
That sounds like a deal to me![ ]
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Hi TD.
What do you use for your white tails, marabou? I can't tell from the pictures. I want to tie some of your patterns to use at the lakes that are artificial only, here and in Idaho. Can I buy the jig heads in the sizes you use or do I have to make them? Thanks for the help, DKS.
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey my friend, you need to come down to my tackletorium for a looksee. I have quite a few little jigheads made up, and I can pour them on my existing molds to 1/32 oz. (I quit making smaller ones). I have jig hooks down to size 12 I believe. Hard to tie flies on the teeny ones, and I am not sure you gain much by using smaller ones.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I use several materials for the white tails. In the pic I probably used white marabou. It has some unique breathing properties that make it a good tail material for ice jigs. I also use some of the fine synthetic fibres from "fake fur". I recently began using CCT Fibre Hair, from Barlows, for several jigs and flies. Got it in several colors and it is working great. For larger jigs and flies, designed to be fished with bait, I use stiffer feathers, hair and synthetic fibres. FishHair is one, but there are several available.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those little jig flies are ideal for the artificial only applications, like Mantua has been. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I plan to tie up several more patterns in the next few days. I will post the pics when I get them done. You can tie in wings and everything. You just need to remember to tie wings on the hook side of the jighead, since they ride with the hook up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Petty said that you already make some in the Renegade pattern. Don't know why, but that color combo is deadly all over. Great for trout and panfish too. I make a peacock body variation of the Rio Grande King, with a white hair wing over peacock. It has the golden pheasant tail and ginger hackle in front. They are great in all sizes...especially the larger ones in bigger waters for big browns.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I also do some "Silver Hilton", with grizzly feather wings and hackle. Again, deadly on multiple species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think I mentioned the Royal Coachman on jigs. I have a hybrid pattern I call the "Coachagade". It includes a short section of hot red in the middle of the standard peacock body on a renegade. Veddy intermesting. At least the fishies think so.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Are we having fun yet?[/#0000ff]
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hey TD i was just playing i my lab today and came up with a fuzzy grub of my own..
dude on fish?
Ron
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[cool][#0000ff]Hope you mean "laboratory" and not your dog. After the comments about the puppies chewing the transducer on your Vex, we need to be clear.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Looks like you're doing some hybrids of rubber and feathers, like the Foxees. Goody. They look good to me. Hope the fish vote for them too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I just dug out some of the rubber leg material I got last year, and will be making up some more "ice spiders". I have white, black, chartreuse and hot pink. The attached pic shows some of my early experiments. Got some new ideas in mind.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks for that information Pat. I will tie some of those in white and chartreuse. I hope to get to Dannials after the first of the year and they will be great to try there. I hope to see you at Rockport for the party in January, if not before, Dale.
[ ]Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Bite ]
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Long time ago, my fly-tying instructor (Rainy Riding) showed us how to make a chenille out of peacock herl to make it more durable. She would tie in 3-4 strands of herl and twist them together along with the thread. Then she would lightly stroke the herl against the grain to make it more bushy. Then she would wrap it around the fly. It looked good, quicker than putting a rib around it, and most importantly, it lasted for several fish.
I've tied a couple of black wolley buggers on jigs that I have been dying to use on the Provo as droppers. I'll let you know how the experiment goes. Maybe I'll have to throw a couple of renegades together as well.
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[cool][#0000ff]That's good info on twisting the herl. I have been using a variation of that, using both the tying thread and/or fine gold wire. Either way, as you point out, it makes for more durable peacock bodies. When you hook toothy fishies, regular wrapped herl does not hold up long.[/#0000ff]
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heres some i worked on today i call them purple petty pullovers
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[cool]T[#0000ff]hat is a good design. Depending on how supple and flexible the fibres are, you can get some good breathing action when you jig them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That's how a lot of guys tie their marabou jigs, by wrapping them around the front, like a hackle feather.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Are you doing them in other colors too? All white and basic black should be good colors to have in the arsenal.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, what sizes are you making? I used a larger version in white and silver last Saturday to hook a nice cutt on Bear Lake.[/#0000ff]
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1/32 oz head i think. with a #6 hook. i place the flash on to do the tail and wrap the rest in the body with some left at the head then pull the flash back from the head and wrap it to stay pointed to the back
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