What to do when it's too cold to fish...

[Mark]

A week ago Terry (Raptor) and I enjoyed 70 degree temperatures and a good day at Greenbury Point.

Since then I haven't been on the water largely because it has been too cold for my taste.

But I have been busy.

I decided to make a knock-off of Terry's favorite 1/2 oz. bucktail jig.

I started with a Do-It Mold.

Hot LipsB.jpg P1000079.jpg

Next stop was paint.

B.jpg

Tonight I tied in the bucktail.

A.jpg

I'll probably never match Terry's catch totals but these may help me to close the gap.

[KDT88]

Looks great!!


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[sparky1423]

They look great Mark! Did you purchase the lead in bulk or find some type of scrap?

I have been tossing the idea around of pouring some pony head (blakemore roadrunner) heads...but 1: not sure if I want to bother dealing with lead and 2: I am looking for a 1oz and 2oz mold which is hard to come by. I really started enjoying tying with hackle and bucktail.

[YaknBass]

Nice work!!! good lookin jigs!!! those refective strips are kinda kool add a little flash. best of luck with them hope they put some fish in the yak!!

[Goody]

Nice!

Mobile

[J.A. Veil]

Nice ruby lips bucktails. They will catch fish next year.

[Raptor]

Mark,

Man they look just like the "store bought" jig heads. You should be very proud of those guys. You are going to catch a lot of fish with them. I think most of the time catching is at least 50% luck - being at the right place at the right time. The last couple of months I've have been pretty lucky (not sure why). I'm sure things are going to even out in the future. Hopefully, it will warm a bit so you can wet them down. A very unscientific sampling . . . (rock fish caught) showed that the buck tailed jug with a Fat Sam versus a plain jig head with a Fat Sam was a 3:1 ratio. I trolled 2 rods fit up one way, and two rods fit up the other at the same time over multiple outings. But as the money people say "Past performance is no guarantee of future success."

T.

[daolai]

I started doing some research on pouring my own heads too. They look great.

[Mark]

Thanks all for the kind words.

Sparky -- I purchased lead on-line from RotoMetals last spring but I’ve learned that it’s cheaper to buy sinkers at Bass Pro than it is to buy lead on-line due to the high cost of shipping. A 16 ounce bank sinker at Bass Pro is $7.29 and that will make a lot of jigs. The lead I purchased on-line cost me about $10 per pound due to shipping.

I was also helped by my fishing buddies who gave me some old sinkers. The sinkers melted and poured nicely.

Finding scrap lead has been difficult. I visited a recycling yard in Glen Burnie last week and they would not sell lead to “consumers.” I assume their customers are industrial. I noted from a sign on the wall that they paid 40 cents a pound for scrap lead – a lesson in supply and demand and wholesale and retail for me.

Used tire weights are plentiful but I’ve read they are not good for pouring jigs because their actual lead content is low. I have never tried them.

So if anyone knows a source of reasonably priced soft lead, I'd appreciate it.

The Do-It molds are excellent, by the way. I have four different molds.

[daolai]

Mark - do you use the pro-tec powder paint?

[Mark]

daolai,

Yes, Pro Tec Powder Paint for the base color. Very easy to apply.

I used a black Sharpie for the eyes and I hand-painted the lips with red exterior latex paint.

[Memory Maker]

Mark ......first great job ....... Second ........ $10 per pound for lead is outrageous guy ......... Most goes for around $2/lb shipped I think ........ Check out ebay

[scorpioreno]

Those look great Mark. I too am going to start tying again. I'm going to get my fly station out of storage. I went to BPS and bought some tying supplies. I wish I could pour my own lead, but don't have the ventilation. I have some smiling bills that I ordered from ebay and i'm going to copy your details on your jigs. again good job.

[Memory Maker]

Oops

[bignose]

I pour a lot of jigs, and assorted lures, ranging from 1/16 oz. shad darts up to 6 oz. buck tail and parachute jigs for the charter boat.
I use linotype metal that I buy on ebay. I got some shipped to me using USPS bulk packaging. Very reasonable. I think that I got 25 lbs. for about $1.00 per pound, but that was a while ago.
It is a lead/tin/antimony alloy, that holds details well.
I don't like to use tire weights or scrap lead from unknown sources. Too many impurities and and stuff that can cause some pretty nasty fumes when melted.
I picked up a Lee Production melter via ebay.
Also used molds from ebay or local flea markets are reasonable.
Or Tochterman's in Baltimore, or Barlows are very good sources for molds.

I started out using a ladle and propane torch, but I wouldn't recommend this. You need lots of ventilation and one spill and you know why I bought a melter.

Pouring into a mold isn't too difficult. Safety requirements: long sleeves, rubber gloves, safety glasses, and keep any water away from where you are melting and pouring. Water contacting molten lead causes a mini eruption of molten lead. Painful and dangerous.
Keep lead away from any place where food is prepared, and never use utensils that had lead in them for food storage, cooking preparation.

I use vinyl paint , tried the powder paint and didn't like it. Nail polish for eyes and Sally Hansen hard as Nails to seal the thread.
Along with a tying vise, the most useful tool is a line bobbin to hold the thread spools. The really big jigs, 5-6 oz., require a vise grip pliers or a small table top vise to hold the 9/0 hooks.

I'll be selling some jigs, spinners, bucktails, and shad darts at the flea market in January.