Do you believe pouring your own Ned heads saves you enough money to make it worth the hassle?

[Ohioguy25]

I am looking into getting the kit including the mold and 50 hooks for around $56.  I’d still need a small melting pot and my buddy who makes lures says he has plenty of lead, I’m just wondering how much exactly I’ll save and if it’ll be worth it.

 

I’m currently spending around $5.50 for 4 packs of these Owner EWG blockheads.  
 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Block_Head_Offset_Jig_Head_4pk/descpage-BLO.html

 

Love the quality but they are expensive, and I generally lose at least 2-3 a trip.  I’m sort of unsure of what hooks cost once the 50 from the kit run out, or if I ever end up needing to buy lead how much I’d really end up saving to make it worth my time or if it’s safe to do in a small apartment with no garage.  Thanks!

[TnRiver46]

I don’t bother with ned heads, don’t seem any better than regular jig heads 

 

I most certainly could not afford fishing store bought neds on a regular basis, they stay stuck 

[Jig Man]

A small apartment is not a good place to melt lead.  You might find some bait makers like cadman or smalljaw and see what they would charge for pouring and not painting.  If it were me I would ask about them by the 100 count.

 

 I just saw some Neds with Victory hooks for good prices on Ebay.  You might want to try some of them before you buy hooks and a mold.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've got them for $3 for 3. And if you use code freedom right now and save 10%.

 

https://siebertoutdoors.com/products/ols/search?keywords=morel&sortOption=descend_by_match

[WRB]

Looking at TW there are nearly 100 different Ned jigs offered.

4 packs with Gamakatsu jig hooks for $4.50, you can’t make a jig with Owner or Gamakatsu hooks for much less.

Any jig is only as good as the hook used.

Also check with site sponsor Siebert Outdoors for bulk purchase.

Tom 

[Bluebasser86]

My Ned heads cost less than $.20 a piece to pour while they're over $1 each to buy in store. I go through dozens a season, it really doesn't take long for them to pay for themselves. They aren't hard to pour either, one of the easier heads I make. 

[ChrisD46]

Replies make me want to think more about minimizing Ned Head losses - in my area waters rock followed by wood account for many a watery grave for Ned Head jigs . I don't have the complete answer but staying as light as possible with the Ned jig head weight (1/16th oz. or slightly below)  and using a #1 or smaller hook size helps with rock and wood hang ups.

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Looking at TW there are nearly 100 different Ned jigs offered.

4 packs with Gamakatsu jig hooks for $4.50, you can’t make a jig with Owner or Gamakatsu hooks for much less.

Any jig is only as good as the hook used.

Also check with site sponsor Siebert Outdoors for bulk purchase.

Tom 

Good point. Do Ned hooks need to be sharper than the hooks on swim baits? I catch tons of fish on the .20 cent ball jigs I buy from my local bait shop that I use with my soft paddle tails.

[Munkin]

 

Not even sure how many Ned heads I have made in the past two years? Do not pour lead indoors for safety.  The mold will pay for itself in no time and the hooks are inexpensive. 

 

Allen 

 

[WRB]

Mustad 32746 light wire size 1 jig hook $15 per 100.

Owner 5318 light wire size 1 jig hook $24 per 100.

Gamaktsu 114 light wire size 1 jig hook $33 per 100.

lead isn’t free

Molds are not free

Lead melting equipment isn’t free

Paint isn’t free

If you make jigs in the 1,000’s your cost goes down significantly. In the 100 quantity, more then few years worth is 

$100 with premium hook, trailer keeper and painted from Siebert is the way to go imo.

Tom

 

[TnRiver46]

12 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I catch tons of fish on the .20 cent ball jigs.

[Jig Man]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

Mustad 32746 light wire size 1 jig hook $15 per 100.

Owner 5318 light wire size 1 jig hook $24 per 100.

Gamaktsu 114 light wire size 1 jig hook $33 per 100.

lead isn’t free

Molds are not free

Lead melting equipment isn’t free

Paint isn’t free

If you make jigs in the 1,000’s your cost goes down significantly. In the 100 quantity, more then few years worth is 

$100 with premium hook, trailer keeper and painted from Siebert is the way to go imo.

Tom

 

Tom he is referencing the new EWG Midwest Finesse mold.  It only tales Victory hooks.

[Jig Man]

Ohioguy25 in addition to the mold hooks and pot you are going to need a good pair of leather gloves and safety glasses.  Pouring lead is a bit dangerous as it melts at 621° and you will get burned.  When you order the kit pick up a pair of gate cutters.  They are cheap and invaluable especially on the 1/16 and 3/32 heads as there is very little lead covering the hook.  You might as well get an extra 100 hooks and save on later shipping because 50 hooks won’t go very far. 
 

I hope your friend has good lead.  Don’t use wheel weights.  Some contain zinc which can ruin your melting pot.
 

I have been using the EWG for several months.  I loose a lot less of them than the regular ones.

[Cgolf]

14 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

Replies make me want to think more about minimizing Ned Head losses - in my area waters rock followed by wood account for many a watery grave for Ned Head jigs . I don't have the complete answer but staying as light as possible with the Ned jig head weight (1/16th oz. or slightly below)  and using a #1 or smaller hook size helps with rock and wood hang ups.

 

It is a balancing act for sure. River fishing for smallies, I have caught a ton of smallies popping them loose off a rock. You need to dial in the weight to still bump cover but not snag up hard every time. I figure a few lost baits is part of doing business there. Dialing in the weight is not an exact science though. I also use size 1 and 2 hooks, nothing larger and they are all light wire to bend out on snags.

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, Cgolf said:

 

It is a balancing act for sure. River fishing for smallies, I have caught a ton of smallies popping them loose off a rock. You need to dial in the weight to still bump cover but not snag up hard every time. I figure a few lost baits is part of doing business there. Dialing in the weight is not an exact science though. I also use size 1 and 2 hooks, nothing larger and they are all light wire to bend out on snags.

What weight do you use?

[Cgolf]

21 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What weight do you use?

For Ned heads it is a 1/16 th sized from Jades that is 20% lighter because of the tin/bismuth alloy, but 1/16 oz in other brands worked too but might have snagged up a bit more. 3/16 slider heads mostly with the small yum crawbug have served me well over the years on my flow. Different flows will determine lighter or heavier weights. For Ned I use non Zman baits so get away with lighter jig head.  

[Ohioguy25]

3 hours ago, Cgolf said:

For Ned heads it is a 1/16 th sized from Jades that is 20% lighter because of the tin/bismuth alloy, but 1/16 oz in other brands worked too but might have snagged up a bit more. 3/16 slider heads mostly with the small yum crawbug have served me well over the years on my flow. Different flows will determine lighter or heavier weights. For Ned I use non Zman baits so get away with lighter jig head.  

So 3/16 EWG isn’t too heavy?

[Cgolf]

39 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So 3/16 EWG isn’t too heavy?

 For whatever reason the slider spider head 2/0 light wire hook not EWG, comes through rocks pretty good.I do use a snap which probably helps the bait pivot on the rocks maybe even standing the crawbug up, I can dream lol. I do think the snap does protect the knot though as they have gotten out of a lot of rock snags with no damage to the line. It did take a lot of trial and error to figure this out along with donations to the river gods. I have used 1/8 ounce jigs as well with some success depending on the shape of the head. I just really settled on the 1/16 to fall inline with the traditional Ned definition and that it gives me enough bottom contact to trigger bites.

[WRB]

8 hours ago, Jig Man said:

Tom he is referencing the new EWG Midwest Finesse mold.  It only tales Victory hooks.

Siebert offers the off set block head design with victory hook. 25 bulk packs w/10% discount for BR members.

I make my own jigs because it’s my custom design are not available anywhere. 

Tom

 

[soflabasser]

I rather buy Ned rig jigs than make them. Making jigs with lead weights is not good for your health and you will save time by buying them. Time is far more valuable than money.

[Mbirdsley]

Yes I believe pouring/ making your own stuff is worth the hassle.  It’s kinda like they say in the reloading/boolit world “ you don’t save money doing it.  However, your money goes farther”  you get way more jigs for your money rather than buying them.

 

apartment may not be the best place to do it unless you have acess to outside balcony or outside space 

[Chris Catignani]

On 5/24/2022 at 1:48 PM, Ohioguy25 said:

I’m currently spending around $5.50 for 4 packs of these Owner EWG blockheads.  

I can make em for about  .34¢ each. (Owner 5313)

 

[schplurg]

Making your own plastics is cheaper too, but you still have to actually make them.

 

I started doing my own worms and lost interest. "Oh I need a bigger mold, ooh and one for flukes, and maybe I need more colors"

 

Saving money isn't everything, you gotta be into it a little bit too. Guess I'm not, though I will probably make more one day. Maybe.

[Jig Man]

Ohioguy25 check your pm.