How short is 2cm (0.78")?

Well, its bloody short, I can tell you. Like many other fishing authorities here, the state of Berlin has imposed a general late winter-early spring off-season for predatory fish and lure fishing all together.

Perch lures of less than 2cm however don´t qualify as lures as such and are tolerated. I asked them if a jig is measured over all or just the head and the material on the hook, and they told me that it depends if the hook dangles free. If so, its only the lure itself. With a fixed hook however, its the whole hookbend that counts. Believe it or not, even a1/16th chub jig on a size 8 sickle is 1mm too long!

So I went into the shop and fumbled something together. Most anglers here are used to rather substantial plastics, encounter a lot of wind, deal with deep standing fish and would consider 1/8 to 1/12 oz as the minimum mass of a casting lure. So I took a 1/8th hotlips cavity, a cheap hook, tied in aonther small hook in a 20lbs mono loop, covered that with mylar, wrapped it up with palmer chenille, clipped of the original large hook bend and there you go!

If anybody has a better idea, please don´t hesitate to suggest it. We are speaking of the only available lure for a city of 3 million, holding a good deal of hard working hard spending tackle monkeys. Again, 0.78 inch is the limit in length, and, say, 1/12th is the minimum weight. Maybe 1/16th. I guess I could gett away with a 1/16th ball jig and a sickle but I was so eager to distinguish myself from the stuff in the shops that I haven´t yet bought a pill- or ball head mold of that size.

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I bet it will catch a fish.... Is the limits because there are a bunch of fishermen, or not many fish?

Both. Fishing here is highly regulated and for the most part, thats a good thing. Its spawning time for pike and zander, trout are done with that but depleted and need to recover etc they don´t want people goofing around with lures when they can´t keep the fish anyway. Its the same with bait, you can use invertebrates but no fish or cut bait.

Its not that they wouldn´t have a point. The only unique thing about Berlin is the 2cm exception. BTW I just found and ordered magnum sized slotted tungsten beads for use with jig hooks. They should get the job done so I can use a size 8 jig hook, maybe even for a boolie.

Roughly 25/32 sounds like an ice jig. Never tried this but have you considered short shank hooks. Have used them for some live bait jigs but think tying would present quite a challenge.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/eagleclaw-aberdeen-jig-hooks/820114.aspx

Roughly 25/32 sounds like an ice jig. Never tried this but have you considered short shank hooks. Have used them for some live bait jigs but think tying would present quite a challenge.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/eagleclaw-aberdeen-jig-hooks/820114.aspx

Probably need to perform minor modification on your mold

or you could possibly buy or trade for some samples
http://www.doalures.com/store/index.cfm/category/105/doa-short-shank-jig-heads.cfm

I struggle with why does this need to be a law?

I like that. You did a great job coming up with a jig that would work.

Kdog, thanks for the idea with the short shank hook.:icon14: Didn´t occur to me, I thought sickles were the end of the line. gonna order some asap and see how they go with the compact tungsten beads. Might get me a combination that leaves some space for tying and/or even a propeller.

Bucho said:

Kdog, thanks for the idea with the short shank hook.:icon14: Didn´t occur to me, I thought sickles were the end of the line. gonna order some asap and see how they go with the compact tungsten beads. Might get me a combination that leaves some space for tying and/or even a propeller.

Click to expand...

Good luck and lets know how it turns out. I did a small run using the short shank hooks for a buddy and used his mold but modifcation was a bit more than I originally planned.

Didn´t want to wait 4 weeks for the short shanks and tried the 6mm tungsten beads that arrived today, on a size 8 sickle. Looks like a simple arrangement of beads will get the job done. People here love the props, and the fish don´t argue either. It hurts to cut off the best part of the mini marabou, but if its the law...

How much does the tungsten bead weigh?

Here's a pic of a slightly hook eye forward 1/16 Do-it Ball with a #8 32833. Looks maybe a hair over but the head could be shaved up front to compensate if necessary

The tungsten bead is a little more than 1/16th. With a second one as a bearing I can get the jig up to 2gr, which is what most people here consider castable.

That 1/16th lead ball will probably do, thanks! I´ll add both - mold and hooks - to my next order at barlow´s. I must admitt I´ve learned to like the idea of tying in a bead instead of going through the process of pouring, painting etc. At least in these micro sizes which people are reluctant to pay reasonable money for. At the same time I can promote the recepy in forums that I have no sponsorship with in order to foster the whole jig tying idea in the first place.

Tungsten beads are expensive?

I noticed the goop on the shank limits the tying area of an already short hook. The 32833 as you know is an ideal longer shank Boolie hook, so dug into my stash to measure.

I see your point with the 32833, it is a long shank to tie stuff onto. But I also like as much tail action as I can get out of my 2cm, and I don´t want it to foul so I´m fine with the sickle.

With the tungsten - its pricey stuff, no doubt about it, but not as pricey as labor. I´m thinking ahead here and I like the idea of a product that I can train a person to produce from just a few parts without any jighead crafting involved. I don´t do simple jigs, there would always be a pair of eyes and so. With tungsten, at least everyone knows its not cheap. At the same time, I´m sure I can cut a decent deal with that tungsten guy on a B2B basis same as I managed with my fly tying material dealer.

That all won´t stop me from getting smaller 32833´s an that roundhead mold, might try some duck jigs or something, that goes well with a longer hook.