Bead heads

[AtticaFish]

Got started on these after loosing several small 1/80's the other day fishing for BG's and having no replacements. I started with the bead/pin idea but only have jig hooks down to #8. Tried crimping some shot on fly hooks - but that took ALOT of lead grinding to get them down to the size/wt i wanted. Ended up blending the bead/pin idea with the bouncer fly idea i guess???? haha! Small hooks with slow fall is what i wanted.

So... I attached small hematite beads to the hooks using 12lb. mono. The 4 on the left are on #12 mustad nymphs. I couldn't help myself and put some larger hema beads on #6 nymphs also.

The next pic is what i came up with. They are #12's except for the nymph in the center (#6 caddis hook with a small bead) and the 2 on the upper left (#10 caddis hooks) but i also did a few other odd sizes as well. The blank head is a 1/32 on a #8 for comparison. My favorite turned out to be the dubbed body #10's in the upper left, the peacock bodies should do well also....

These last ones are some of the bigger ones i messed around with. I am saving these for low/slow water river smallies.

The smallest ones might need a float to cast with spinning gear. All of these will cast on the fly rod but the larger beaded ones may require some ducking while chucking at my skill level.

 

[oldfox]

Great idea...they look great!

 

[jjsjigs]

A novel idea. I think I would have no problem huckin' them with my 8wgt.

 

[spotail]

They look great. I especially like the larger crayfish imitations.

 

[Len]

Another great outside the box idea Attica!! Killer looking BG baits!

 

[Hawnjigs]

Does it take much extra time tying on a bead compared to using a jig head?

Also, does a line tie point closer to the shank like on a fly hook work better than a jig hook with the eye substantially offset from the shank?

 

[Mack]

I seen one just like that in the tutorials but with a tiny nail gun nail goong thru the bead and tying the nail, are you the one that posted that too? Kool idea by the way.

 

[AtticaFish]

Thanks for the comments everyone! Plan is to try them out in the morning - got me a day off and the weather just might co-opperate.

Mack - I did not originally post the bead and pin jigs. The member that posted those was JoJoPro and he was using true jig hooks fishing for steelhead i believe. I tried the idea with the small fly hooks but thought it brought the bead/weight out too far in front of the hook eye.

HJ - Time involved in putting the bead on was pretty minimal. 1st one i did took me longer of course but by the end it took me around a minute to put the bead on the hook - i even timed it. First couple i superglued after tying them (the ones i pictured) but after pulling on the beads after completing them and having none of them slip even without glue, i did not glue the others.

As for the eye forward/nose tie style.... with most fishing tackle and techniques, i have no hard evidence that it works any better but it is more based on personal preference and how i fish. These tiny jigs will be cast out, allowed to sink, then VERY sowly retrieved. I am MOSTLY casting from shore but even when fishing from my kayak i am rarely just sitting still and vertical fishing. The majority of lakes i fish have very little individual structures (brush piles, stumps, reefs, etc.) and am always trying to key on contour lines or weed edges and control drifting or trolling down the line so am usually on the move. Traditional 90deg jig hooks i think 'dig' into the water too much when in motion and tilt the hook vertical instead of the hook staying horzontal. A nose tie jig can be fished slower and stay in the strike zone longer as i am passing by it. I also notice with under-spin lures (RR's espically with the extra weight in the nose) that the hook tends to really tilt upward rather than staying straight horizontal. An eye forward under spin just might be the cats a$$. One set back from the eye forward design is that it can become unstable if you use too much of a jerking/jigging action while retrieving it..... it tends to roll over and twist your line into a nightmare if you 'jig' it too hard. :beat-up: Slow and steady (usually) wins the race. :bigfish: Once again... this is just personal pref. in what i see my jigs doing in the water.

 

[ScottV]

Those are fantastic Russ. Very inovative.

 

[Hawnjigs]

"As for the eye forward/nose tie style.... with most fishing tackle and techniques, i have no hard evidence that it works any better but it is more based on personal preference and how i fish"
Yup, same here, since most of my technique is horizontal like yours.

"An eye forward under spin just might be the cats a$$"
I was thinking of forward eye modifying a Road Runner type mold, but think a Standup/Erie style would be superior with a more angled nose entry. But right now, JJ2s shank prop Boolie design and your & JJ1s tail spin seem good enuf for metal flash added jigs.

"One set back from the eye forward design is that it can become unstable if you use too much of a jerking/jigging action while retrieving it"
Agreed, the positioning and design of the weight needs to be adjusted to minimize this.

 

[LedHed]

Excellent tyes - like em all - very inspiring

 

[quivira kid]

Hey Russ, these look great! Have you thought also about bead chain eyes like a fly to get your slower fall? I use a ton of smaller bead chain for my bluegill flies in the size 8-10 range when I want SOME weight, but not a ton.

 

[AtticaFish]

Thanks Scott, LH and Zac. :jig:

Zac - The bead chain would work. I was kind of trying to keep these pretty thin profile and thought the bead chain might give them too much of a bulky look. If these beads had larger holes, i would have put them right on the shank but could not ream out the holes with-out shattering the beads..... i busted plenty before i started searching for a different way.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Very cool ties,those should do the job.Is there enough room to tie these to your tippet?The bead and hook eye look really close together. Russ,if you need some small 1/80's or 1/100 on a tiny hook let me know and I'll send you some. I got some #12 sickles.

 

[AtticaFish]

JJ1 - The bead and eye are butted up against each other, but the mono through the bead actually stretches enough that you can push the bead back and have access to the eye. It works but 3 hands would be helpful.

I am a little concerned that it could cause too much pressure on the line running through the eye though - causing it to weaken. I fished with them today and had no problems, but no big fish either. Time will tell. ..........& i may take you up on the micro jig offer. Wife gave me 'angry eyes' last time i mentioned making out a new order list and i have bit my tounge (and improvised) since then!!!! hahahaha

 

[Pup]

Neat-looking ties AF. Would be very tempting to trout I think. :icon14:

 

[AtticaFish]

Well...... I took these out yesterday with full intention of nailing some big bluegill, but they are all finally getting around to spawning on the lake i was at and couldn't let myself pull them off their beds.

I ended up on the opposite side of the lake from where the majority of spawing plays out - tied the one on the bottom right (of my first pic) on my line and casted in towards shore from my kayak hoping to find a few wandering gills. WHAM!!!! Fish on - catfish - on the stringer he goes. Next cast, another!?!?! Dang! Ended up only catching 3 bluegill that were 8 ins. and a TON of catfish. Turned out to be a very fun day all using UL gear with 4lb line. No huge cats - all were in the 14" and under range - which are perfect size for eaters in my opinion. Had my limit of 6 by 10:00 and spent the time till noon catching and culling out the smaller fish. Also saw an albino cat swim under my yak! Tried to get a jig down to it, but wasn't fast enough. haha

End result of the day and a very happy kitten.

Edit - almost forgot to mention - these cats (not the actual feline ) went on the smoker by them end of the day! Thought it was kind of neat to show the full cylce of the jig from conception to final result even if it wasn't for the planned species.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

I bet it tasted great and I'm not a big fan of eating cats.Are those cedar planks you used to smoke them on?

 

[AtticaFish]

Yes, they are cedar planks - picked them up at wally world (for pretty cheap) and 4 planks fit in my brinkman smoker perfect. I love catfish when i get it from a restaurant, but have NEVER been able to get it too tast very good at home frying it or baking it. BUT, the smoked cat is something totaly different!!!!!! Delicious! Either simple salt and pepper or creole seasoning on top with a drizzle of olive oil. No 'fishy' taste at all, just smokey goodness.

 

[StumpHunter]

Those are some nice looking baits. Great fishing report and pics of your catch. The final outcome looks very good!!