03-21-2006, 01:37 PM
[cool][#0000ff]It's just about the end of ice fishing for this year, but I thought I would share pics and info on some new "depth chargers" I have successfully tried for deep perch. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Many perch fans use small Kastmasters or other shiny lures either above or below their lighter jigs. These serve both as added weight, to help get the jigs down faster in deep water, and to create flash and vibration to draw in fish from several feet away.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have been making and using hammered lead "perch urchins" for years, to use as baited lures for larger fish. They still work. However, there are times when the fish will come in to look but will not hit big stuff. That's when you can use lead lures as attractors and the smaller jigs to seal the deal. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I recently went through some of my lure making stuff and found some old lead spinner bodies. These have a hole down through the center, for the spinner wire, and weigh about a 1/4 oz. I bought them for making big salmon spinners when I lived in California and had some unpainted ones left. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I painted a few in my favorite lead jig colors and sent them down, behind a small split ring and several inches of leader with a tiny glow jig on it. It rocketed to the bottom in 40 feet. I bounced it a few times and then raised it high enough to put the baited tiny jig just above the bottom. WHAM. Lots of perch and several trout later, I decided they worked.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I then rummaged through the several pounds of torpedo sinkers I bought on sale at Smith and Eddies about 25 years ago. I have used most of the larger sizes for hammered Perch Urchins, but still have a lot of 1/4 oz. ones left. They have eyes on either end for tying line and leader, so I painted up and tried some of them too. They also work great.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the fish are active, you can hang a treble or single hook on these and bait them with worm or perch meat for larger fish. When the fish are picky, skip the hook on the lead attractor and just hang a small jig off it. You can also tie in a jig above the attractor, using a blood knot. When the fish come through above the bottom you will catch fish on the upper hook.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I painted some of the chartreuse and fire tiger models using a layer of glow powder over the chartreuse color coat, and finishing with clear vinyl jig paint and then clear epoxy. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There have been times while fishing small jigs under these things, without a hook on the lead goody, that I have had hard strikes I missed. I know that big trout sometimes smack them and I have missed some good fish by not always having a hook on them. But, the extra hook contributes to tangling the jig droppers. You gotta decide.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Many perch fans use small Kastmasters or other shiny lures either above or below their lighter jigs. These serve both as added weight, to help get the jigs down faster in deep water, and to create flash and vibration to draw in fish from several feet away.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have been making and using hammered lead "perch urchins" for years, to use as baited lures for larger fish. They still work. However, there are times when the fish will come in to look but will not hit big stuff. That's when you can use lead lures as attractors and the smaller jigs to seal the deal. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I recently went through some of my lure making stuff and found some old lead spinner bodies. These have a hole down through the center, for the spinner wire, and weigh about a 1/4 oz. I bought them for making big salmon spinners when I lived in California and had some unpainted ones left. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I painted a few in my favorite lead jig colors and sent them down, behind a small split ring and several inches of leader with a tiny glow jig on it. It rocketed to the bottom in 40 feet. I bounced it a few times and then raised it high enough to put the baited tiny jig just above the bottom. WHAM. Lots of perch and several trout later, I decided they worked.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I then rummaged through the several pounds of torpedo sinkers I bought on sale at Smith and Eddies about 25 years ago. I have used most of the larger sizes for hammered Perch Urchins, but still have a lot of 1/4 oz. ones left. They have eyes on either end for tying line and leader, so I painted up and tried some of them too. They also work great.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the fish are active, you can hang a treble or single hook on these and bait them with worm or perch meat for larger fish. When the fish are picky, skip the hook on the lead attractor and just hang a small jig off it. You can also tie in a jig above the attractor, using a blood knot. When the fish come through above the bottom you will catch fish on the upper hook.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I painted some of the chartreuse and fire tiger models using a layer of glow powder over the chartreuse color coat, and finishing with clear vinyl jig paint and then clear epoxy. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There have been times while fishing small jigs under these things, without a hook on the lead goody, that I have had hard strikes I missed. I know that big trout sometimes smack them and I have missed some good fish by not always having a hook on them. But, the extra hook contributes to tangling the jig droppers. You gotta decide.[/#0000ff]
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