THINK PINK

[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]For some reason, a lot of Utah folks are "discovering" pink as a HOT color this year. There are more pink ice jigs being dropped to troutskis...and more pink plastics being dunked and dragged in Utah Lake for the different species there.[/size]

[size 1]I have been singing the praises of pink for a whole lotta years. Pink was one of the four basic food groups I always served to cold water fish...especially on Utah Lake. Oh yeah, the others are white, chartreuse and black. And, you can combine all of those with pinks for some interesting combos.[/size]

[size 1]Whenever things were tough on Yuba, Utah Lake, Willard or Pineview I included something pink in my two jig prospecting rig. In open water I would cast and retrieve or bottom bounce the double rig behind my tube...with or without "sweetener". Many times I would only catch fish on the pink offering...or at least score the most for the day. This happened a lot on Utah Lake white bass and walleye.[/size]

[size 1]For some reason, I never did as well with pink on Deer Creek. My perch patterns generally did better there...or small smoke sparkle plastics with a couple of bars made with a permanent marker.[/size]

[size 1]I have attached three pics. One is of several of the different kinds of plastics I have used over the years. They range in size from 1 1/2 inch twisters to a 4" model with a yellow body and pink tail. The little twin tail models can be particularly effective below a bobber when you are fishing without a lot of movement. The slightest ripple on the water moves the bobber...and the tails.[/size]

[size 1]The pink jigs are several combinations of pinks and whites. Sometimes fish will go for all pink. Other times the combo of white and pink works best.[/size]

[size 1]The pink metals are of two different kinds. The top ones are my hammered sinker jigs...which plummet to the bottom in deep water but don't have a lot of action. The bottom three are variations of "blade baits". These can be trolled, cast or jigged vertically. When moved laterally through the water they have a nice tight wiggle...good vibrations. A great lure for fast retrieves or higher speed trolling.[/size]

[size 1]Only in the last few years has the "secret" gotten out. Many of the midwest walleye and smallmouth chasers have found that blade baits are great for vertical jigging. They hang almost horizontal...unlike most spoons. When you give them just a little wiggle they "rock and roll". Some folks give them a lot of motion, but you don't have to.[/size]

[size 1]Anyway, here's something pink to chew on. Any pink success stories anyone would like to share?[/size]
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[Curtisfish]

Another great article sensai.

I have been using blade baits "Sonars" for about 10 years for White Bass on Utah lake. I have tried them elsewhere, but haven't had as much luck as I had with those over agressive whiteys. Many a five-gallon-bucket days using those.

The first time you verticaly lift a blade and notice the end of your pole vibrating, you have an idea of the action that thing is putting out.

Pink, on the other hand, I have only been using the last few years. Great post of use and effectiveness! Again, I await your next lesson, sensai.
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[MrLipripper]

I remember a girl at the Revolution club in Wichita back in the early 1970's that used to wear those top 2 pink jigs ... and not a whole lot else!!![shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked][shocked]
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[Shrimpboy]

How hard is it to make those blade baits? I love using them for white bass and I've convinced that I will be able to catch some wipers on them while trolling.
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[IceFishingGod]

Whicita.....Revolution Club.....Pink Sonars? Here name is Holli and now shes my wife! I figured I was the only one who knew, go figure?

[MrLipripper]

What happens in Wichita, stays in Wichita!![cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]Hey, SB, I was gonna start a thread on blade baits too, but might as well toss some stuff in here, since we're on the subject.[/size]

[size 1]You correctly guess that they might be good for wipers. The guys down in Texas and Oklahoma use them a lot for trolling for stripers, wipers and big white bass. That family likes a fast trolled lure, and speed brings out some killer vibrations in blade baits.[/size]

[size 1]In one of the attached pics, I have included a couple of the larger size (1/2 oz) that I have either added silver glitter and or blue prism tape. These have worked well in fresh water for anything that eats shad. They also work well for almost all predatory species in salt water.[/size]

[size 1]The other pic I attached is a scan of one side of the jig mold I have for making these lures...along with one of the silver "blanks" you insert before pouring. The lead fills in some holes and forms a bond, so that the lure is rock solid and durable. [/size]

[size 1]The other size cavity in the mold is for the smaller 1/4 oz. size. These are the most popular for fresh water. You can get molds and blanks for larger sizes. The blanks also are available in brass.[/size]

[size 1]If you want to alter the action on the lures, you can scrape or file the surface of the lead, after completing the cast of the lure. You can experiment with the degree of angle, to make the lure swing wider and make more vibration, etc. When you paint the lead part, a heavy coat of paint can decrease the action.[/size]

[size 1]These things are ideal for decorating with prism tape. In fact, most of the outlets that supply the molds and blanks also sell precut pieces of prism tape in several colors to fit the different sizes. I'm cheap. I cut my own. Looks like it, huh?[/size]

[size 1]To make any lead-head lures you need to have a melting pot and the right mold. Barlow's is the least expensive place to buy molds these days...about two bucks cheaper than Jann's Netcraft on the same molds. Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops have cut way back on the selection of jig making stuff they sell.[/size]

[size 1]After pouring the lead into the blade blanks, you need to remove the "sprue"...the lead slug from the pour spout on the mold. Then you need to do the painting and/or prism tape decorating. The last step, in my process, is to add the split rings and trebles. Sometimes I will stick on the rear set of trebles for hanging the lures while drying paint coats. Usually I use a piece of bent paper clip to make a single hook for that job. I don't get as many puntures in my tender flesh that way while handling the lure.[/size]

[size 1]Another thing about blade baits. While they are great lures...when running properly...they can drive you nuts. The design makes for lots of hook wrapups. The trebles tangle the line and you feel nothing but dead weight, instead of the characteristic vibrations.[/size]

[size 1]Some guys prefer to build them with single hooks rather than trebles. I have tried that, for spooning in deep water with a lot of structure. I found that I got fewer snags (and line tangleups) and the fish hooking ability did not seem to be much different. Also, for fishing a piece of bait, like in ice fishing, a single hook on the ring just opposite the line will hold the bait better and reduce the tangles on the drop.[/size]

[size 1]There ya go. Two epistles in one thread.[/size]

[size 1]Never tried these in Wichita though. Does she have a sister in Wickenburg (AZ)?[/size]
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[Hellsangler69]

Hey , I think I remember that place too . They had lots of pink in there .[]
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[FishFearMe]

I LOVE PINK..........( i am hearing a little areosmith in my head right now) [cool]

Those are some gourges jigs TD and I did not know you made blade bait or I would be bugging you more[]

No really one of my best and probley still funniest day fishing was with the allmighty PINK plastic tube jig with white skirt. I meet up with ol kent and we headed for the hot spot. I think we got the lines wet around 7:30 or so and left around 1 between the 2 of us we got over 250 fish on that color. And some good sized ones to boot. That day still puts a on my face.

Thanks again Kent
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[fishluvr]

Thanks once again for the info. After reading these posts and seeing comments on vertical and horizontal jigging I was wondering how important that is. Do some fish prefer the horizontal and if so which ones? Which jigs are best and where do I get some? Do you have to jig differently with a horizontal jig than with a vertical?

I know I'm loaded with questions so I'll end with these couple.
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[IceFishingGod]

TD,

I've seen these before, but have never used them. Some of the Charter guys over on the New York side of Lakes Erie and Ontario use them for Steelhead and Cohos. They troll them off a Dipsey, run off a side planner to get seperation. I know at least some of them do quite well on them. They use a treble up front with a single hook in the back tipped with a worm or shiner rigged "Erie Dearie" style with one or two spinner blades in front.

No, no sister in Az.

[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]Hey fishluvr, the horizontal is more in reference to how the lure "hangs" in the water. Most jigging spoons are tied at one end, with a hook at the other. At rest, they hang straight up and down. If a lure is balanced to rest from left to right, then it is horizontal.[/size]

[size 1]Most fish will respond better to a lure that looks more like a real fishy...sitting horizontal. This is especially true when they are slow...in a neutral or negative mode. They may move slowly in to the lure, and if it does not look or act natural they will move off without a sample bite. If they are active, and chasing food, then it does not seem to make as much difference.[/size]

[size 1]Walleyes are notorious for liking a horizontal jig. So are macks and other larger trout.[/size]

[size 1]Just to confuse you further, we are talking about vertical presentations, where you drop the lure straight down...like in ice fishing. [/size]

[size 1]Did that make it better or worser?[/size]
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[fishluvr]

I understood the part about the vertical presentation, ice fishing, and that is what I enjoy the most. I have only ice fished for a couple years and that is why I was wondering about the jig hanging horizontal in the water. It always made more sense to me to have the jig hanging horizontal so it would look more natural. Any ideas on which jigs you have used through the ice that hang better horizontally. I fish mostly for trout but do enjoy trying for a walleye and just about anything else out there that anybody is willing to teach me about.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]Probably the best example, and the easiest to use, is the tube jig. There are a lot of different styles of heads you can use with them. Some of them slip up inside the tube and the hook eye pushes through the plastic. Many of these come close to riding horizontally when dropped vertically (how's that?).[/size]

[size 1]There is a little trick that a lot of tube fanciers use to help level their lures. That is to use a double wrap around the hook eye with their line when tieing the knot. That makes a good tight cinch up and allows you to push the knot forward on the hook eye until you achieve just the right degree of horizontal.[/size]

[size 1]I have seen two guys fishing side by side, fishing the same size and color of tube jigs, with one outfishing the other by a wide margin. The guy using the cinch knot and horizontal jig is usually the one who scores more finicky fishes.[/size]

[size 1]I used to fish a lot more with marabou jigs, and often rigged them to fish "on the level" too. Crappies seem to appreciate them a lot more than those hanging vertically or at an angle. Same with trout.[/size]

[size 1]If you look in the ice fishing lure section of some of the tackletorium catalogs you will see quite a few special lures made for ice fishing. Many of them feature a hook eye in the top center, with wierdly shaped single hooks on each end, and a treble on the bottom. They look ugly and spooky, but they ride right and usually have a great circular swimming motion underwater when worked with pulsing action. That's often what it takes to stimulate a walleye.[/size]

[size 1]Once upon a time, on Willard Bay, I tried an experiment that worked, but I haven't brought it out much since. It was crude, but effective. I took one of my own origination flies...a "blue backed over and under", and tied the line around the middle of the fly. I then clamped a BB shot right next to the knot, added a waxie and sent it down. I had luckily drilled a hole over a school of hungry crappies and for the next two hours I couldn't keep them off. I lowered the fly about six feet below the ice, let it set for a couple of seconds and then quivvered the rod tip. Almost every time there was an answering "tick" and a crappie coming up through the hole. I even took a couple of 12" walleyes on a couple of drops where I let the sinker fly all the way to the bottom before stopping it.[/size]

[size 1]I hadn't remembered or thought about that in years, but it was one of numerous times when an improvised horizontal presentation worked well.[/size]

[size 1]If you like, I will tie up a few of the colors on those over and under flies and scan a pic of the sinker rig. I called them over and under (double barrelled deadly) because I ran a line of color both over the back and under the belly of a solid colored fly. I used lots of white bodies...with either red or blue metallic tinsel lines on top, and usually silver on the belly. I also made chartreuse bodies with black and hot red lines...with grey squirrel tail wings. [/size]

[size 1]Never did try pink though. Shoulda gone to Wichita.[/size]
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