dv616

I built a Sc5 7-6mlxf spinning rod (what you can get from rodgeeks) and of a more recent vintage than Spoonplugger1’s. I would say it has a much lighter tip than I would use for 5” senkos. It transitions quickly to backbone. The flex is very much in the tip. I can see why Big Hands can fish senkos with it, but not really the intended purpose of that blank. The NFC DS 76 mlxf carbon air, I have the blank but not built it. I would say that it transitions more gradually into the backbone/ lock up point of the blank. For BFS, I think it would be smoother for casting. The SCV 76mlxf has the most abrupt cut off to the light tip of any MLXF I have handled.

I listened to two different podcasts this week on Smallmouth tubes, specifically on “cracking a tube” for smallmouths. One said the weight needs to be forward since it is a bottom technique that shakes the tube on slack lone and you want it to rest nose down.” The other said you want the weight further back so the bait sinks horizontally. I guess there is a place for both. 60 vs 90 degree hook eye was up in the air.

It is a banana jig from 3rd Coast CNC (on eBay).

Is that the worm nose jig mold without putting in the screw keeper?

Hmm. That is the one I do not have. I have the more tear drop shaped mold. Also a 3rd coast one that is for 90 or 60 degree hooks, but it does not fit the smaller hook size. It does allow for a stupid tube hook though as well.

Going after this style: https://www.greatlakesfinesse.com/mini-pro-tube-jig-head Northland, Bite me, 2k jigs have similar styles. It might be a swing and a miss on my part.

It is a northern smallmouth thing for deep, clear lakes. Especially ones with gobies but I do not (yet) fish the lakes with gobies. I am going to try it on a secondary point which reaches 30’ deep that I usually fish a drop shot on.

I think I found a mold that will work for me 2.5-3” tubes for smallies. 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 (other sizes too). 60° size 1/0 or 2/0 hooks. What do you think?

They release a few more Carbon Air Swimbait blanks as well from NFC. I am going to order those up to check out too. I hope the power and actions are similar to the non-Carbon Air blanks, but I am guessing they will be different like the 807 was. Hopefully not. It makes it hard to know what to order when it changes between materials but has the same power ratings.

After all your posts about Point Blank, I finally decided to order the PB701MLF and the PB701LXF. Time to see how they compare to my favorites. I may need to switch up my preferred guides though. I have been using the MicroWave Nanolite guide train for spinning, love the simplicity and versatility in case I shuffle reels around or give them away to family or friends (I have more blanks to build on an try than I can possibly carry in a boat if I get them all built). At some point, I need to get everything built and then part with some of my finished products. With the microwave setup, I feel confident that who ever ends up with the rod will get good performance with a 2500 (plus or minus a size) reel and not have to worry about what reel they may end up using.

I do cast my drop shot rigs, more than fish vertical. So, I think it will work for a BFS rod. It does have a light, fast tip. My P700 X-ray BFS rod is more moderate and not as light of a tip. I do like the P700. Mainly using that for Ned rig type stuff.

I think the 3/16th oz sinker is the sweet spot for that rod, 1/4 is a little heavy for the light tip. It has held up fine so far. It was one of the first X-ray rods I built when they were first released and no problems yet. It seems keep fish pinned really well.

I have a hard time seeing a 400 gram power rod being BFS. That is a Senko or soft plastic jerkbait rod, 1/4 oz jighead weight territory for me (my main use of St. Croix 7’ med power spinning rods). I agree on the under 1/4 oz as the heaviest for BFS. I am shooting for 1/16th or 1/8 oz jig head weights for BFS.

I had been looking at the Manic Mullet. I also wanted as light of a jig head as I could get with the 1/8th oz (I would have also liked a 1/16th if possible). I tend to be a fan of the ribbed plastic keepers since I pour my own. If I did not make my own plastics and still used Zman, than the wire style all the way. Good idea on making one with mono. I was trying to think of a way to use stiff flouro pieces and wrap with thread in a way that made “barbs” out of the flouro to act as a keeper.

So, I saw some videos on the snootie jig and I added it to my pile of molds. I see some people added a wire bait keeper. With the design, adding a skirt would mean there is no room for the ball to act as a keeper. I see some people added a wire keeper. That looks tricky with how thin the lead is there. How hard is that to do? Was the snootie designed to not be used with a skirt? Do you guys use it mainly without a skirt? I plan on it being a swim jig for me (I ordered the mold that goes up to 1/4 oz). Let me know your tips and tricks for this one! Thanks!

I have not had that issue. I have been running pure, soft lead though. I have some lead with antimony in it, but I have not tried it yet.

I have had issues with the heads being a bit wobbly on the hook. I did put some UV cure glue when the hook enters the back of the jig head and that stopped the wobble, but I do not know if that will be a permanent cure (not fishing season yet for me to try). I try to take extra care when removing from the mold and use the Franklin Arsenal mold release to help with a more gentle removal.

I have the Do-it ones with an offset EWG hook (regular and magnum) size. I have only shot a few runs with it so far though. And, I am pretty new at this, so not sure I will be able to help but can try.

Thanks guys. I ordered some stuff from Barlow’s too. I will start with that and see where I go from there. At least those feathers were not expensive. I have been starting to watch some of Smalljaw’s videos and others. I have some ideas I want to try besides just marabou. Thinking of playing around with some of the Dragon Tail materials too.

I saw a couple feathers that to me looked decent. Is all of the longer portions of these feathers good for tying up a few jigs? I am not certain what to look for when buying marabou. This came from a hobby/craft store.

Found it as a topwater on AlieExpress too. Never heard of a catfish rattle before. Hook hanger placement matches topwater lures too. https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256805723232096.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

For me, I have had better luck in clear MI water with swimbaits with subtle tail action. I LOVE the look of the Fat Impacts, but subtle has always done better. My mind tells me the Fat Impacts should work best but my result tell my subtle works better. For me this has held for summer and fall (down to 50 degree water, give or take a couple degrees). BUT, I do not have near the experience of AJ. I am still waiting for an invite to join him up north sometime I pour my own lures, but have molds like the Fat Impact and ones more subtle than the Hazedong shad (and Hazedong and spark shad knock off that I have not had as much time with yet, 2024 goals).

I found this one walking around a pond today. There is no writing on it, so I suspect it is a Chinese knockoff of something, but maybe a sticker came off the lure after being in the pond at least since winter set in (ice went out this week). Any idea what lure it is?

For me, I like whatever style lets me hold the spinning reel foot between my ring and middle finger and also allows my pointer to contact the blanks.

It is the hook Munkin linked to above.