Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]I have been flattening jig heads for a long time. I use both a hammer and flat pliers to pound or squeeze rounded heads into a flattened shape. These flattened heads provide a bigger profile, more painted surface and an erratic wobble and flutter when retrieved or dropped to the bottom.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over the years, I have tried different methods of flattening jig heads LATERALLY...from side to side...to give them a gliding action. Hilts molds makes a "slider" jig mold, with the bottom wider and flatter. I have used these and they are especially good for vertical jigging, as in ice fishing or fishing suspended fish from a boat or float tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since I do not have one of the Hilts molds, and since a couple of BFTers have asked about how to create such heads recently, I went out into my garage with a collection of different types of jig heads and started pounding them flat...laterally. After a few bad ideas, I finally began having some success using a heavy pair of square nosed side-cutting pliers left over from my dad's toolbox. He was an electrician, who died a couple of years ago, and I ended up with most of his tools.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the attached pic, you can see that I grip the eye of the jig hook between the two sides of the end of the heavy pliers. The surface of the pliers is smooth, so I can simply lay the pliers on a sturdy surface and gently pound the head into the shape I want, on the pliers themselves. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That works okay, especially for smaller models. For the bigger heads, however, I found it better to turn the pliers (with jig head gripped firmly) and place the jig head onto a smooth metal surface...then pounding on the hammer to flatten the jighead. I have several pieces of heavy smooth metal, including the end of a set of chrome free weights. A bench vice or anvil would work even better, but I do not have mine mounted yet, from moving.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once I got the feel, I could pound out fairly uniform glider heads, with decent uniformity of shape. A slight change in the hammering stroke, or tilt of the pliers, can affect the final shape.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you can see in the pic, I experimented with several different jig heads. Strangely, the one that seems to be best for these glider heads is the "dart" style, with the wide angular face and the cone taper. I did get some good heads out both round and spear point heads. They take some practice, but you can create some special effects.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have a bunch of them on the paint rack right now, and I will tie some up into different colored jigs and bait bugs within the next few days. Just thought I would post the first part, for anyone trying to figure out how to make those things.[/#0000ff]
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Pat (great name),

ADDICTIONS are a wonderful thing my friend. Experimenting is what it is all about. You are a true craftsmen in the trade and I look forward to learning all your tried and true experiments. Just wish I had the time and money to make a room to do such things. It is now on number 16 on the to do list, up from 36.
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[cool][#0000ff]Well, at least you got out fishin' this weekend and I didn't. Now who is deprived (depraved)?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Those were some great pics of the youngun and his harvest.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will have to send you some pics of some of the new spearpoint heads I am making for macks. One is a rainbow trout color. BLFG got a nice big cutt on that color using one of my lead casting spoons, jigging for cisco the other day. Seems to be a good color for both species. (see the attached pics)[/#0000ff]
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SWEET!!! That is a cool looking spoon, nice colors!

I hate to tell you this Pat but... "Bearlakefishguy" can catch fish with ROCKS at bear lake. He is a master at fishing Bear lake as you are a master of creating the right jig for any body of water.

One day I too will create such fishing gear like you and catch fish at bear lake like BLFG.

You guys are starting to depress me!! LOL

Where are my cisco, I got to eat!!!!!
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dang-it Pat (td) how am i suposed to get anything done with you showing me new stuff?[]
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[cool][#0000ff]Sorry Jason. Didn't mean to mess up your schedules and stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will have some pics of the finished jigs in a day or two. And, we can pound on a few while I am up there on the 2nd, if you wanna learn the techniques.[/#0000ff]
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well hell ya i want to make some. ive just been tring to paint some this weekend and you show me something to distract me.[]
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey guys, check the original post. I added a pic of the completed heads. Turned out fairly decent.[/#0000ff]
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I like the first darthead it looks like a baby squid head with that tube body I am going to make some out of 1 & 2 oz heads for the white seabass bite this year, I knew that Dad's old Lineman plyers would come in handy some day.
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, I'm an old SoCal boy my own self. I have fished a lot of live "candy" for calicos, sandbass and whites...not to mention yellows. I was lookin' and thinkin' after I decorated that head with a tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The biggest spear point mold I have right now is 1 oz, but I am getting one that will make 2 oz. too. I do a lot of custom painting, using some great new clear metallic vinyl paints from Barlows. I also do quite a bit of custom coloring on plastics. And, you oughtta see my collection of glitters. After a session at the bench I look like I been hanging out at the "Pink Pussycat Lounge".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let us know how your stuff turns out. Send pics.[/#0000ff]
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I could handle sampling some of those as well. The inshore bite has been a little cold lately but it is gradually picking up.

1s and 2s with some candy would be the ideal ticket for the WSB, YT, Sandies and Calicoes. I bet I could even get a nice Butt on one of those as well.

White/red stripe, Blue/white stripe, Chartruese/red stripe would work best right now. All with glitter.[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]Don't have any of the larger sizes made up, and not sure when I will get around to it. But, I will do some. The smaller ones are fairly easy. Powermaker (NV Board) made me a tool that turns out nice uniform flats on small stuff. The larger ones need to be custom hammered and they are less uniform.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Remind me in a couple of weeks, along with your color preferences again. All are doable.[/#0000ff]
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dude, can you post a pic of that tool?
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[cool][#0000ff]Here are the pics Powermaker sent to me before sending the actual goody. It works by laying the regular jig head down, hook side up, and then fitting the top part down over it, with the hook eye riding in the slot. The actual hook remains outside, and fits into a notch on the side, to keep it from moving during the flattening process.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once the top part is fitted over the 4 stabilizing posts, you whack the raised center part with a hammer until you get the desired degree of flat.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have hammered a few heads up to about size 2, but the original model does not have a deep enough hook channel to allow using larger hooks, without damaging the hooks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry, I don't have pics of any of the machine made stuff yet, but I can tell you that they come out very uniform. The main thing is to flatten them just enough to get the gliding action, without making them so thin they will not hold the jig hook firmly. If you flatten them too much, the hook will rotate within the lead. Not good.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am waiting to get together with Coldfooter, to see his "StrikeBack" lures. Same principle...flattening laterally to achieve a fluttering and gliding fall. He is a tinkerer too, and has a mold for making them in larger sizes. He has already scored some decent macks on Flaming Gorge with them.[/#0000ff]
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That's odd. Powermaker was just out to visit a couple of weeks ago. I should have shaken his pockets for one of those contraptions.

That kind of looks like a small die from a puchpress. I need to figure one of those out for the 10 and 12 oz lead heads. I guess they would end up looking kind of funny. Kind of like a batray.
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[cool][#0000ff]Or a stealth bomber.[/#0000ff]
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[size 2][font "comic sans ms"]Hey there TubeDude, The next generation is ready for shipping. I wasn't sure if you were actually using that thing but I did fab a larger one. I can drop it in the mail anytime if you're interested.

Take care,
David
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[cool][#0000ff]I will make good use of the larger model. I have been doing mostly shallow fishing for walleyes and cats, but will start hitting the deeper water lakes soon, and the flatties should be a great innovation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Jordanelle offers a grab bag on small jigs. You can get anything from a bazillion perch to some decent smallmouths and also some good trout. In case you did not see the thread on the Utah board, they survey netted a 21# brown out of there last week, and several others up to 10#.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Wanna come up and give those slider heads a try?[/#0000ff]
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[size 2] [font "comic sans ms"] Come Monday morning it will be in the mail.

Jordenalle, couldn't be any worst than fishing with tubeN2. He doesn't let me catch anything. Everytime I've been out there (CA) to fish, it turns out he has convinced all to fish to disappear. lol

Let me do some work schedule crunching and get back with you. A road trip sounds like fun.

Take care,
David
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[cool][#0000ff]It will probably be another month or so before the cold water fishing "heats up". In June, we also have our best shot at whacking some walleyes from Deer Creek, which is not far from Jordanelle. In fact, I have done the two lakes in one day thing more than once.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can stay longer, we can probably get you into some wipers and walleyes up on Willard Bay (probably some skeeters too). I think you will find that I am a pretty good guide and I don't hog all the fishies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let me know a week or so in advance, and we can plan an assault. All we need now is for Noah to quit building his ark and for the rains to stop.[/#0000ff]
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