T-Drops

I'm still working on the eyelet plates!!!LOL Lets just say I've scraped more than a few off!!

Haven't been doing much other than these big T-Drop jigs lately and only one or two every few nights. BUUUUUUUTTTTTTTT - I did score a ride out to the Erie reefs this spring in trade for some jigs. The guy spotted my jigs posted on a different forum and asked to buy some.... Told him i wasn't selling, but would barter for an open seat. Turns out he lives only 30 mins. South of me and hauls his boat practically right past my house on his way to the lake. Now just hoping to get a free day once the harbors are all clear of ice and pick off some 'eyes.

This time, everything tied with craft fur.

BB green glitz/pearl
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Bright green/yellow chart.
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Purple/pearl ( lots of baitfish emulator under the fur )
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Purple/chart
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Purple/pearl red flash
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Rootbeer/yellow chart head - orange/yellow. chart tail
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Trans gold glits/yellow mica
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Au naturale
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So far none of these have clear coat over the thread, they will get double coated with nail polish. Also need to get some stinger hooks to attach on them - pretty much everyone out on the reefs uses the treble stingers with hair jigs in the spring.

Sweet ties!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fish should nail those big time!!! And score for trading jigs for a fishing ride!!

very nice work Russ!

these are all so sweet! Awesome ties! Do you cure the heads before or after you do the eyes?

Stingers? Are the walleye tail nippers?

Those are great AF. I'd say those ties are worth at least a fishing trip. :t-up:

Thanks all - these are one of the few types of jigs where my BRIGHT colors actually get some use.

Tail nippers/short strikers..... yep. Spose to be anyway. I am just going with the herd on these and doing the same as everyone else does during the spring. Some people also tip these with large minnows (by the lip) and the stinger then goes in around the dorsal of the bait. On the flip side..... when they move off the reef post spawn, a favorite tactic is to drift/drag weight forward spinners with a full size nightcrawler trailing several inches off the back using only a single hook. Erie Dearie spinners and the Gold Nuggets from the other recent post. When you find the fish, they have no trouble getting hooked. Like i said - i'm just going with the flock on these 'reef jigs'

I paint everything, head and eyes, and then cure all at one time. Curing with the eyes takes some care, i have had the built up powder slip on me in the past if i get too much paint. Did come up with a cure method that totally eliminates the powder from 'slipping' once it gets hot tho. Can read it here on this thread: No Drip, Slip or Sag Cure Some might think i'm crazy for going through the trouble but it works for my slow laid back painting schedule. Either that, or i am just a bit eccentric and actually plain crazy.

AWESOME ties, Russ! I really like that emulator flash under the bucktail. That subtle but very much visible flash...... I may have to give that a shot.

The last one pictured would be my first tie for reef fishing. That one just reminds me of an emerald shiner.

Walleye can be notorious short strikers. I used stinger hooks in size 8 on the back of the erie dearies and nuggets. Walleye can hit like a ton of bricks or tippy -tap like a baby perch. I have never fished for another species that can be so different one day to next as old marble eyes.

Good luck on the bartered trip AF.

Almost bought a teardrop mold today, but bought two other one's instead. After seeing these I might call tommorrow and add the teardrop with keeper and recessed eye. Those look great,walleye will eat those up.

Those take the cake. Great work!!!!! Yellow head/green eye is my fav but all are nice ties.

Exceptional work!!!!!!! Your paint jobs are some of the best I've seen, awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those are OUTSTANDING!! I LOVE the one on the far right in pic #1!

Thanks all - these are fun to tie. Have a few more colors i want to play with...... my Dad took a couple tonight so sure hope to hear positive feedback once we all get out on Erie.

Going to dig up this thread one last time. Should be done with these for the early spring season.... just gave my Dad a dozen of basic craftfur ties and 4 t-drop props. Got creative on a few and painted 'lectric chicken eyes. You all have seen most of my color patterns i gave him but pretty sure you haven't seen these yet.....

3/8oz. purple with 'lectric chicken eyes.
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The two up front are 1/2oz and the one in the back is a 3/8oz.
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Dad is going to get on a 'walk-on' charter Monday morning and no way i can get off work. Hopefully he will have some fish pics to post - they have been killing the walleye over the reefs.

Radtexan said:

Beatuuuuutiful !!!! Tie me up a bunch of those in 1/16 and my crappie will tear em up !

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+1 I bet those would've worked yesterday on Palestine! :icon14::icon14:

What size beads are on the prop baits as well as the props themselves? I'm going to order one of these molds from Zeiner's or LUREPARTSONLINE. The one I'm getting is the recessed eye wire keeper model #JT-7-WBA. You can pour with or without the keepers,maybe trim a little at the collar. It's going to be a fun mold to play with.Those boolies look killer.

The beads and props were both purchased from Jann's. Props are listed as #2's and the beads are Nickel Cyclops Eyes in size 3/16"..... the beads have one side that is recessed so you can put them on that the recessed end slides up over the thread a little giving xtra wiggle room for the blades.

I am going to end up getting some of these t-drops in smaller weights for crappie size baits. Love the shape of the head and it tracks/falls perfectly straight where some of the other chub/minnow shapes tend to swim a little off to one side or the other.

Forgot to mention, pretty sure they are 2/0 and 3/0 hooks on the tear drop whistlers/boolies. Hmmm, tw-hislers... prop drops...