LOW7681

VMC 7316 EWG hook. Why? Because per gape distance the hook is shorter than Gamakatsu hooks.

cadman

Update regarding line diameter affecting spool weight. I put 10# test Trilene Sensation which if I recall is a copolymer monofilament on the 50 MG spool. Weight was 18.9 grams. Summary so far for 50 MG spool weights with line: 40# Stren Super Braid 16.6 grams 14# Original Stren 17.7 10# Trilene Sensation 18.9 10# Seuguar Invis X 21.8 I miked the sensation and seuguar and they both mike around 0.011 As a side note 14# Stren miked a little over 0.015. The spool states 0.014 diameter. It appears that line diameter does make a difference in spool weight with the smaller diameters increasing spool weight slightly. This is assuming that Stren and Sensation are equal in density.

I forgot that I had a spool of 10# test Seaguar Inviz X fluorocarbon line so loaded it on the 50 MG spool. Weight was 21.8 grams. Whereas 14# Stren was 17.7 g. Don't know if a smaller diameter line would pack more tightly than 14# Stren or not as tight. But, certainly fluorocarbon line is denser than mono. Also was curious what the empty spool weight was for a Citica 200 reel. Empty spool weight was 20.4 g and with 14# stren 32.8 g. The difference in spool weight would also apply to the Curado Bantam 200 reels as they use the same spool except that the Citica spool has a "plastic type" bushing on the handle side of the spool whereas the Bantam has a ball bearing. This is been a welcome and interesting endeavor for me as I live in Iowa, don't ice fish, am tired of tying skirts on jigs and also rearranging my tackle box. Bob

The 50 MG spool with 40# Stren Super Braid weighed in at 16.6 g. Not that much different from mono which was 17.7 g. Only use fluorocarbon as leader material so don't have enough to fill a spool.

Before weighing the spools with and without line I did not suspect that monofilament line would effect total spool weight as much as it did. I wonder if polyethylene lines like fire line or power pro in equal diameter to 14# Stren or Fluorocarbon lines of equal diameter would weigh. Would suspect that the polyethylene lines would be lighter than mono. It was interesting that when I compared the 50 mg to the 200 E7 in pitching a 3/16oz sinker with a small grub that I found them similar. At that time I knew that there was only 1.5 g difference in empty spool weight. Did I fool myself or perhaps the weight was sufficient so it would be hard to tell a difference--but I think not as my 50 mg is significantly better than my 100b when pitching and I've used both for thousands of casts with that lure weight.

First figure is no line and the second is with line. Line is 14# test Original Stren monofilament. Wt. is in grams. Chronarch 50 MG 12.3 g; 17.7 g Curado 200 E7 13.8; 24.2 Curado 100 B 18.9 29.4

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I'm aware of the Lure Craft Poor Boy jigs. My reason for wanting the jig as pictured, which is from Barlow's tackle (mold only), is that the eye of the hook is perpendicular and there is a barb to help hold on the trailer. Both are not present in the Poor Boy jig. My experience is that a perpendicular eye catches less vegetation. Thanks to a board member I will be able to get that type of jig (sans skirt) and for a very reasonable price.

A member of this board has purchased the mold to make the "Grass Jig" and will sell them to me. The advantage I see for the Grass Jig is the position of the eye as it is perpendicular to the ground and my experience with other jigs with the eye in that position is that it comes through vegetation cleaner. Also it has a nice barb to hold the trailer. In addition to using the jig to fish in vegetation will also try it with or without the fiber guard for swimming soft plastics.

In addition of Tackle Tour's test on monofilament and fluocarbon lines mentioned above Salt Water Angler did a comparison on those types of lines in 2003. The results are similar to Tackle Tours and can be found at this link: http://www.shallowwaterangler.com/features/line_stretch_test/index.html

I've searched a lot to try to find a place to purchase a jig (sans skirt) like the one pictured. No luck. Barlow's Tackle lists a Grass Jig Mold and that is where this image was captured from. If anyone happens to have grass jigs like the one picture I would like to purchase some. Thanks

Thanks for the replies! Will go for a 6/0 hook.

My primary soft stick bait is Wave Worm's Tiki Bamboo Stick. Also fish 5" Senko's when a smaller bait works better and Zoom Super Flukes. I'm interested in the 7" mag fluke as a different look to the Tiki Bamboo stick but would also be heavy enough so it would cast well in the wind. If anyone has used the Mag fluke I would appreciate their comments. Also, would a 5/0 EWG hook be large enough for this bait?

I started baitcasting when only braided dracon was available. First monofilament I used I believe was Original Stren. Since then used most all of Berkley's monos, but primarily XT, XL, Big Game and Sensation. Bass Pro Exell also used for a number of years. Supple line, stretchy (like Big Game) and mediocre strength to diameter. Excellent price. Several years ago switched back to Orginal Stren. Excellent abrasion resistance, nice compromise in stiffness vs. flexibility and good strength to diameter ratio.

Full size tube (4-4.5"). I fish smallies mainly on Lake of the Woods and full sized tubes, because of the diameter, become snagged much less in the rocks. Used to use grubs on jig heads. Too many snags. Fish them with an open tube hook or if pulling tubes a lot from over the back side of big boulders texas rig them with an internal weight. Fish the tube both as a swim bait and a drop bait. Deadly from a foot of water down to 10 plus feet.

I've used stainless steel to secure skirts on jigs for over 200 jigs and no problem. Google stainless steel trolling wire.

Yes, Goolged "bullet jigs" and the only hit it got was for Barlows. Hoping that there is jig maker or distributor that can provide them but does not show up on an internet search. When working lily pads and reeds/rushes I've used bullet head jigs purchased from M&N Tackle out of Minnesota, but they are no longer in business. So I switched to banana head jigs from Oldham as they are available and I like their trailer hitch jig. But, an acquaintance is adamant about using bullet head jigs so trying to track some down for him.

Looking for bullet head bass jigs with or without fiber guard. Barlow's has them but they are not designed to hold a soft bait well. Thanks for any leads.

I would prefer to fish a 1/2 oz. jig on a medium heavy or heavy action casting rod made by Shimano or St. Croix (or other similar action rods) as their bass casting rods have a stiff action. I would not fish a 1/2 oz jig with a G Loomis medium action mag bass casting rod as its action is much less stiff in action than the above rods. . But, my opinion only. Just prefer to work jigs which are bulky and usually have large hooks with a stiffer rod than a working a similar weight lure like a worm with a 1/2 oz weight. .

I'm in my seventies and bass fish 50-75 days a year. This includes three one week sessions fishing for bass which means there are no days to rest to recuperate. Had (and still have minor) muscle and tendon problems. About a half a dozen years ago switched to lighter reels (Shimano 50 mg's) and shorter rods. Sold all my 7' mag bass rods and although I have a couple of 6'6" rods in my rod locker, on my casting deck are six 6' rods. The shorter rods made a major difference in reducing arm pain. When you think about the leverage difference when casting/pitching 3/8 to 3/4 oz lures the shorter rods definitely make difference. This is especially true when roll casting. Most 6' rods have a shorter handle so you typically give up 3 or 4 inches in rod length, not six inches, from the reel seat to the tip.

I use black or brown inexpensive fingernail polish. Overcoat the nail polish with Devcon 2 ton epoxy.

A candle works well for most tears.

Use Stren Clear Blue (Flo) most of the time so I can see it. Particularly valuable on cloudy days when pitching over wood, throwing a frog into cover and especially when throwing soft stick baits into Minnesota reeds. In those situations it is often hard to see clear line on cloudy days even wearing polaroids.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. My local sporting goods stores only stock Scum Frogs and it is good to get acquainted with other floating "frogs" I'm looking seriously at the Spro Bronzeye frog in the 1/2 oz size or 5/8 oz. I started fishing floating "frogs" with the "rat" which must have been more than twenty years ago. Good to expand my horizon with your suggestions.

For a long time I've used Scum Frogs however recently I've been fishing cover that requires me to pitch the Scum Frog sometimes up to 50 feet. I've threaded a small section of a Yamamto grub onto the link between the hook tie and the double hook and it helps a little. By the way I'm pitching with a Shimano 50 mg and 14# mono. I'm seeking a floating frog type lure that is similar in size to the Scum Frog but is heavier. Perhaps any frog that is heavier is going to be bigger or have thicker plastic that hinders hook-ups. Thanks for any help.