Stevie b

I pretty much do the same thing. I paint several hundred jigs at one time. So I load up the tray in the toaster oven, usually 100-150 1/4 or 3/8oz jigs. I turn it up to about 350º, and let them sit in there for a good solid 15-20 min. That way the lead is at 350º all the way through out the jig head. Then I grab the hook with a pair of needle nose pliers and swirl it around in the poweder paint. A couple quick taps to get the exccess off and your jig should look nice and glossy. Hang it on a rack and let it cool. That's it. If your baking to let them cure, make sure they are hanging, if you just let them sit on a flat surface the paint will re-liquify and your get bare spots on the jig heads. 20 min at 350º is the general rule.

In Southern Manitoba we have a general closer (all species included). Season closes April 1st and opens the second Saturday in May. We are however allowed to fish stocked trout lakes during the general closer...but only for trout. Fortunatley in Northwestern Ontario the season never closes for bass, so it's only a 2 hour drive to some awesome smallie waters. But for the most part we have ice on most of our lakes and rivers till mid-end of April.

One issue that I struggle with in my home waters is alot of species variety. In any given day we will target walleye, pike, smallies, perch, heck even sturgeon. However that being said I think I'm getting pretty good at bringing only what I need for the day. However I have a whole room in the basement...complete with a bed for my bait monkey!

What are some of the ways you guys have had success removing the blank from the handle? I have one or two broken rods that I would like to take the handle off and place on a new blank. I can see how it would be a 50/50 chance of success, it looks like to me that there is epoxy through out the hole in the handle.

I have poured/painted/sold probably over 10,000 jigs in the last 2 or 3 years. My buddy and I do it together as a hobby that pays for itself. Anyway, we get 90% of our lead from the local Walmart tire shop. Cheaper for them to "give" it to us then to have it picked up by the recycler. We melt the tire wieghts down in an old cast iron frying pan, we welded on a extra hanlde on the opposite side, so two guys can lift it and pour into our molds. We always, always, always wear respirators, thick gloves, saftey glasses, and old grubby clothes to do this work. And we always do it out in the open in a back yard or drive way. In my past experience DO NOT USE old batteries for lead. Just way to much mess and it can be very dangerous. On a couple occasions we have had the termials cause "explosions" in the lead pot. Probably due to an air pocket or maybe some sort of chemical reaction from left over residue of some sort. You better off sticking to pure lead or tire weights. Plus I prefer tire weights because the lead used for tire weights is harder than pure lead. Which is nice if your boucing jigs off rocks, gravel etc.

Can't say I'm really good at any one thing on the water. But I will say this. I haven't seen anybody that is a efficient as my buddy and I at getting in and out of the boat ramp. I mean we have it down to a science. At the most we tiy up a boat ramp for 20sec at the most. That includes backing the boat in starting the engine and getting the boat off the trailer. Between my buddy and I we can both back the truck and trailer into some pretty impossible spots. Pretty good thing to be REALLY GOOD at if there is 20-30 boats waiting at the launch.

I have gone through this debate with my fishing buddies as well. To me that makes perfect sense. Keep the rod in your strong and sensitive hand for casting and retrieving. The reason you see more lh retrieve spinners out there is because on 99.9% of spinning reals, the handles are reversible. Baitcasters not so much, but yet some manufactures don't even make lh retrieve baitcasters. My first couple bait casters where rh retrieve and I'm right handed...it felt downright wrong. I have since switched over all my baitcasters to lh retrieve. I think one huge overlooked item in this whole thing is how you learned how to fish. For example I learned how to fish by going after walleye. We where always in a tiller boat. So think about it, your left hand is always on the tiller handle, and your rod is in your right hand. How much sense would it make to switch hands when you get a bite? Hence keeping your spinning reel handle on the lh retrieve side.

I run the Cuda 128 in my little puddle jumper and my buddy uses the Cuda 168. The only difference between the 2 is screen resolution. Anyway, I love that little sonar. I can read bottom at 25mph, in 40+ fow. Not that, that matters on a Kayak..lol. But I am very happy with it. If I set it up right it can read a 1/16oz jig, in 20-30' fow. Or a 1oz jig in 75' going for lakers. Plus the temperature read out is a really nice feature. IMHO, not sure you can find a better sonar for under $75.

I'm a huge fan of the Yum Vibrax tubes in the 3.5" size, white mainly. Beginning to mid season I will rig them weightless with a 3/0 Mustad offset wide gap worm hook. Mid to late season I will change it up to a 1/8oz shaky head jig head or a 1/8 or 1/4oz tube jig.

Hello my name is Steve and I am a bassaholic... Been fishing since I was old enough to walk. But only been fishing for bass for about 5-6 years. My waters around home are somewhat limited for bass. Tons of smallies everywhere, but only a handful of largie spots. Get into the whitie's once in awhile in spring. Our season in Souther Manitoba closes the end of March and opens the second saturday in May. Right now we still have 3-4' (not a misprint that's feet) of ice on EVERYTHING. Now that's not to say I don't fish... I'm addicted. No matter what the season, conditions, or the species I'm there! Anyway, I found this site through the episode of Lunkerville with Low_Budget_Hooker. Been reading throughout the posts for about a week...and I really like what I see. Reminds me alot of the board I help run in Manitoba (albeit we're only 400 members) but the phyilosophy is the same. Great members, who are here to share about the sport we all love. Well done gents! ...now I've got something to do to kill the 2 months before I can chase some smallies around. ;D

Try Totem Lodge in Northwestern Ontario on Lake of the Woods. Fantastic smallie fishing. Fly-in quality pike and walleye fishing. Some lake trout too, if you want. I have a couple buddies that used to quide for Totem. Top notch people and facilites. Good luck on finding your trip.