Spring Walleye bite is finally over,  No one has been doing much catching,  So a buddy that knows the lake well and is in a position to fish it daily jas been playing with vibes and jiggin raps,  Vibes are working a bit as are hopkins spoons but the venerable jigging rap is starting to work but only on shorts... he said the bigger fish are still laying low or coming up and grabbing a shad or two and foing back to sleep. Jis expeience twlls him that one area always holds bigger walleye and usually he begins to catch them weeks ahead of anywhere else. Yes its a secret spot location he will not share.  
Anyhow, I painted a chartruese orange and white jigging rap for him last spring.  He decided conditions were right for the color combo.. ties it on and on his second lift caught a fish,,,,  big fish.  After a long battle fish started to jump and imaginge his surprise... Fish was a Muskie.  He was able to get it along side the boat retrieve his lure and reelease for another day.  he estimated 48 - 50 inches.

Moral of the story always be prepared.  He needed a camera and tape measure xould have got some kinda state  pin or patch for that one.

My daughter had some candy that came in a heart box with fur around it. 

   

I saved the fur and cut into strips and then tied a jig. I’m rather happy with my results. 

   
   
   

It also caught my PB crappie on local lake maybe of all time. The crappie was 13.5” long. Don’t know weight though.
   

Sorry, still don't have an image capture device but its not hard to picture this jig in your mind.  1/16 ball head #4 2x hook with 5 BB size clear glass w/ luster surface glass seed beads(not round) + 1 same size fluoro salmon red plastic bead super glued onto hook shank from head to bend.  Designed specifically to mimic fresh shad spawn fry same size at 1" total length.  Worked last year for a few 2-3# wipers and early this morning (still dark) got 4 small wipers bout a pound to pound & a half + a keeper 19-1/2" wally while the brief bite lasted.  With ZERO inherent action not exactly inspiring confidence based on appearance nonetheless triggers bites with brisk twitch dart tekneek.

Had to buy a pack of 1,000 from Hobby Lobby so be glad to send some glass beads if anyone wants to try.

Well I finally decided to buy a new vise. After lots of thought I ended up getting a Peak Vise. I think I will be happy with it. I had been tying on an AA vise and it was working but seems lately the hooks are falling out more and more. I can’t wait to use it and see what rotary can do for me.

Had very little success lately chasing flatfish with my own boat so I was happy to follow the invitaiton of a friend who knows every single boulder in the outer kiel firth. We had 7 nice cod in the 60-70cm range which is a very satisfying size over here. Its been a while since I harvested so much filet from 3 fish alone. My friend used soft plastics, I went with a 1oz cav. shad spoon tin.








BTW I know which side my bread is buttered on but I like attitude of that cap. I talked to my insurance guy on the phone the other day who is (for my taste) an almost annoyingly kind and sensitive person. He said he had gotten into an argument with a left/green neighbour about Autobahn speed limit. He first tried to justify his freedom-loving standpoint with the milage of his brand new car, but then she went like "yeah but at only 110km/h, you would have...( even higher). You don`t have kids, right?", indicating selfishness and lack of responsibility for the future. She was unaware that he and his wife had given up after multiple miscarriages. This climate thing is getting nasty over here, the tone is becoming rougher.

Love the drop shot technique for all species. What I don't care for is the cost. While researching I came across this Thailand guy tying a great drop shot rig using any kind of straight shank hook. So easy I perfected it after several mishaps. 

Step One Run line thru eye of hook



Step Two Make a Single Loop and Let it lie



Step 3 Pick up hook so it is in between your two hands with the two top lines



Once in position twist the hook 6-8 times around the two top lines only. The bottom third line is used in final step. The knot should resemble the above pic after the 6-8 turns

Kind of nurse the knot slowly into position ensuring an equal amount on turns on each side of hook.

Final step pull the bottom line until knots are tight on each side of the eye of the hook see pic below




Tied these with yellow power pro to aid in visual. Real rigs that I use are tied with mono. I also plunge in pail of water to keep line from weakening itself the water acts as a lubricant. Below is one of my actual ties that I use



I use these rigs all year. Thru the ice I downsize the hooks weight and line. The open water rigs I use 10 and 12 # fluorocarbon with size 8 to size 1 hooks mostly light wire aberdeens. Winter rigs I tie with 7 lb fluorocarbon split shot as weight and  12 ,10 ,and size 8 hooks. I do prefer the Owner hooks for ice fishing. I tie so bottom hook would be 10 to 12 inches off bottom top hook is anywhere from 12 to 16 above bottom hook. 

I can't think of a species native to Ohio that I have not caught on a drop shot rig.

Over the years and many experiments later. This has proved to be the most tangle free set up for vertical jigging any blade bait. Simple wire closed loop one end and either spring or wire crimp over the other.  Walleyes don't seem to care much about the extra hardware. If anything it seems to help at end of day. More then likely due to tangle free operation. If lure worked correctly initial 12 inch lift to get attention. Then series of subtle 3 inch lifts. Set up will be trouble free.

Preparing for this year's summer camp with the kids (scouts), so I've been trying to come up with a dead simple, and dirt cheap bait for the kids.
I think I've managed, but it remains to see what the fish think.

Not sure if it's classified as a jig or not, anyway recipe in the picture below.
Using #6 hooks and a couple of lead pellets to add some weight.

Attached Files

Thumbnail(s)
   

I've just returned from a week on the Outer banks, NC for some Spring saltwater action. The winds and a strong current prevented much use of my usual lighter jigs, but the very compact ,heavy metal "Gotcha " plug saved the trip, as it easily handled wind & current. The bluefish ate these little "metal pencils" up, and the strikes were extremely explosive -almost like an electric shock running up your arms! I did best with a 2" home made version (not my design) that I acquired some years back, noting that many locals (everybody used this lure!) were constantly fouled on their lines with the multi trebled commercial versions. SOOO, since I know there are many very clever designers on this site, does anybody make (and sell) their own unique version of the Gotcha? I'm sure with better designed jigheads, more imaginative color schemes, and better hooking systems that this will be an even more productive saltwater jig!!

Been able to get out a bit back is messed p so gotta leave the prime spots to healthier folks. having said that, I have several easy access spots that are usually overlooked. Also have a very helpful friend to help me get around,.

been able to catch 4 or 5 each trip but the spring rains have really changed things.  Fast murky water has been the norm.  Been using a lot of 3" grubs, chartruse, black and white and silver and white, 1/8 to 1/4 ruby red slipper head with a yellow orange belly, olive drab green with yeloow belly and the venerable watermelon have been working well.

I fish on crutches which is a new challenge, they have only gone swimming twice quickly remedied with a grapple hook on a light rope, they do float which helps. I fish small holes that are overlooked by most invariably  someone will see me catching and move in and start fishing within a few feet but always between me and the hole Im working.  aggravating to say the least.  In a way its amusing, they have no clue whaere they are fishing and no idea where the boulders and log piles are. I usually just relax, watch them  turn the  water to froth, drink a mt dew and wait for them to leave.   Then when they leave, its back to business and usually have a fish on before they are very far away. A couple have turned back and go back at it but most just shake their heads and keep going to the more popular holes.

So spring count has me a 64 Saugeyes 17 - 20 inches and one whopper 25".  Walleye bite is picking up but not sure Im gonna be able to get in and out of the boat.  Gonna try it Saturday though.