Jig 'n' Zonk - Tutorial Link

[AtticaFish]

I recently made this up and finally got it posted...

Jig 'n' Zonk Tutorial

I mostly use this style for smallmouth both in my local river and reservoirs, they make up a large percentage of my bass jigs and have proven very productive. My river has just started to get to normal summer levels and i have been out fishing at lunch yesterday and today. Here is yesterdays result with the jig i tied in the tutorial. Today i wasn't so lucky and lost my jig on the 2nd cast.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Yessir, that sure looks like a crawbug. Do those leggy protrusions cut down casting distance?

 

[CrappieHappy]

nice going Russ!, great tutorial....

 

[AtticaFish]

Thanks Heath!

Hawn - On the lighter weight ones that i make, it does affect casting some but not terrible. One benefit i have noticed is that the lighter weight ones with short legs don't seem to hang in the rocks too bad, not sure if the legs help keep it out of some skinny cracks it would normaly easily slip in to. The sink/fall rate is also alot slower which is good and bad...... in lakes and still water it gives the fish more time to see it falling but in the river i have to bump the weight up a little to actually get it down to the bottom and keep it there.

I have scaled some of these down to bluegill/panfish size - 1/32 oz. w/ #8 hook - but haven't had a chance to give those much of a shot yet.

 

[CrappieHappy]

I am gonna have to order some rabbit zonkers soon. I have never tied with that stuff yet......

 

[crappiecripplerjigs]

Excellent tutorial Russ. Killer looking jig too. I would have had trouble not eating that cat for lunch!

 

[Jig Man]

Nice jig...And a great way to spend lunch...

 

[Lost Pole]

Love it! Crawdad treat. Would be a sac getter on river here. If I ever get the materials I'll give it a go. May just flip the hides n keep silicone short for the upward look. Thx for the tutorial. Keeps my mind boiling. I get bored easy but that's a kick in the butt.
Awesome work.

 

[Ron Don]

Wow what a jig! Great job on the easy to follow tutorial for a complex jig!

 

[Len]

Yes! I will have to try these out on my river for smallmouth.

 

[AtticaFish]

Hope to see some 'knock-offs' some time.

These are actually pretty simple to tie - thank goodness cause i lost 3 in the river today and not a darn bite! River came up over night. :dodgy: The hardest part is getting the silicone to spread around the head where you want it and making sure you don't trap any with your thread as you are working on the rest of the tie.

I have recycled the skirts from quite a few old spinners and jigs that the rubber bands gave out on.

 

[Len]

What number split shot would equal 1/8oz.

 

[Radtexan]

Very nice Russ !!

 

[AtticaFish]

What number split shot would equal 1/8oz.

The split shots are 375-3 Water Gremiln brand round shots. Think the #3 at the end is the size. :huh: Also don't know the weight for sure, am just estimating by how they compare in size to a 1/8th oz. jig head.

One correction, i actully used #2 plain shank hooks with the hook eye bent instead of the baitholder hooks i had originaly written. Used to use alot of aberdeen (#4 & #2) hooks with the shot heads but have lost a few fish in the river (mostly bigger catfish) from the aberdeens straightening on me. Pro/Con, the plain shanks have more strength when fighting a large fish but do not bend if you are trying to pull it out of a snag. I still use the aberdeens for crappie styles of shot heads.

 

[papaperch]

Judging by your second pix that " smallmouth " was so old he grew whiskers. MEOW.

 

[StumpHunter]

Very nice jig and tutorial

 

[Pup]

AF,

That is such a nice-looking jig. I bet it would work well in my local river.