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[Hawnjigs]

Actually, tested & proven when I first moved to Nebraska years ago then forgotten as I moved on trying other stuff. First time tried on a hot sunny day with the usual crowd of bait dunkers forcing me to stand between them casting close in straight out. Within a few casts had 2 chunk wallys 21" & 27" which were apparently ignoring the baits laying out there. Could tell the crowd was aghast that a lure chucker caught exceptional fish for the spot while they weren't getting bit on bait, so I took my 2 fish and skedaddled. They likely weren't pleased I was a stranger at THEIR spot.

Since the only option to catch wallys from shoreline now is small fish in small water at night of course decided to give those 2" baits another shot. Results over the past 2 sessions have been notable 18 wallys most short with 6 keeper size including 2 big chunkies + a surprise 20# cat & other species bycatch. Bead collar 1/11 oz HU head #2 2x hook with JiggerJohn's Boolie style gold propeller on the hook shank behind the head pinned with a Berkley 2" green back pearl Ripple Shad. The bait head is trimmed off just behind the eye to provide a flat surface for mounting on the jig head. The vintage Power Bait is very durable 2 baits caught all the fish.

 

[hookup]

I still tip baits with 1" or 2" Powerbait grubs. They still catch fish

Got this walleye a couple days ago on a small Keitec swimbait and a ball head I pour on a Gami 114

 

[Hawnjigs]

Nice one ! Dinner for 2 ?

Most of the walleye jig masters here use Keitech swims. Can't dispute the baits catching ability but I don't like how fragile they are.

 

[hookup]

Keitechs are fragile, I'll agree. And they are starting to get expensive. Our local Dicks had a BOGO so I cleaned them out.

Did not keep. Caught at the boat ramp at the start of the trip. We usually catch smallies, c&r only and are not equip to keep fish. Our only cooler was full of drinks & sandwiches.

Biggest 'eye ever caught from that river. Also, got the fish less than five miles from my doorstep

 

[Hawnjigs]

What color did the wally bite ? 3" EZ Shiner squid scented ?

Being conveniently close you could investigate if there's a nite bite speshly if the ramp has a dock to stand on. If its lighted at nite that might attract baitfish and consequently predators including big catfish.

 

[hookup]

Not sure of color, but 4" with a white belly and some blue sparkle.

We have a great night bite but I'm usually watching the inside of my eye lids then. I'm more of a start-early-in-the-morning and get home for dinner angler

 

[Hawnjigs]

IMO 4" ain't a "small" bait. 3" is my biggest even for big fish. Blue sparkle & white pearl work for me too.

Aren't all day sessions exhausting? - 3 hours in the dark are productive enuf for me. Few casts before sunrise could bag you some nice wallys for dinner, & maybe a ferocious tussle with whiskers.

 

[hookup]

IMO 4" ain't a "small" bait. 3" is my biggest even for big fish. Blue sparkle & white pearl work for me too.

Aren't all day sessions exhausting? - 3 hours in the dark are productive enuf for me. Few casts before sunrise could bag you some nice wallys for dinner, & maybe a ferocious tussle with whiskers.

Depends what fish you're hunting. I'm more of the big meal big fish type. I've caught smallies with baits up to 8#.

Did an all day kayak float yesterday. At my age, I felt it. Caught fish but no monsters. Got up close and personal with a heron who was adamant not to leave its fishing hole. Pretty cool! Slept like a rock last night.

But I do agree. As I age, 6 hours on the water is enough. After that, my body reminds me of every ache and pain.

I did look into the color of that Keitech. It was a 4" Swing Impact in Electric Shad. I use to fish with a Zoom grub with similar ribbing along the bait, but it was discontinued. When I went looking for a similar bait, I found the Keitechs. Although they didn't have a grub tail, the fish seems to like them. I pour a 1/8th oz roundball on a 2/0 Game 114 hook that works for the bait. When I start loosing to many in the rocks, I'll switch to a jig I pour on a SWM jig mold.

I just recently got the Do It Midwest finesse jig mold. Did a few pours for yesterday's trip with a #1 Victory hook. Because of the large variety of light weights the mold offers, if you pick the right weight for current/water depth, the drop and snag resistant properties of the jig seem to be promising on my local rivers. The fish were not interested in any of the zman baits I got. They loved a 4" senko though. Guess the weight of the senko helped the bait drop better?

Dicks must be discontinuing their fishing section. Two new Dicks were built with no fishing section and the local Dicks seems to be depleting their bait stock. Lotsa deals to be had on their remaining baits.

 

[Hawnjigs]

8# smallie might be a record in some states. Having topped out at 4 or maybe 5# here can't imagine the tug of such a monster. Do they rip drag like big channel cats?

Before I seriously started to pursue wallys at night, I used 3" Berkley Twitchtail Minnows cuz they came 15 to a pack & daytime catches were mostly smaller fish. When I somewhat luckily discovered night jigging those 3" baits got bit by fish as big as they get here, so no need to to size up like the Swing Impact only 6 per pack.

At my current small water favored spot the minner forage is small so a 2" bait gets bit well by the mostly smaller fish + the occasional bigun 8# wally this AM. In your big water I'd opt for a higher vis size like you.

Indeed a mystery why your previously successful Zman baits were ignored & the Senko got bit. Salt maybe? Or do the fish remember what stuck them previously?

I just bought a bunch of 3" Keitech Shad Impact baits including the Electric Shad color. I like the full solid body which resists tearing pinned thru the center on a jig head better than the ribbed or hook slot Keitech paddle tails. Of course one needs to adjust retrieve tekneek for a straight tail bait vs. paddle.

Dunno, a #1 hook seems a bit small for your big baits? I think your 2/0 Gamis will fit the MW Finesse mold?

 

[hookup]

The walleye was eight pounts

Biggest smallie I got was seven pounds and some change. Up on Erie. It fought good and glad I landed it.

I need to start bringing a scale to Canada. Some of those fish are HEAVY!

Not sure why some baits on certain days are ignored and others are inhaled? I just iterate through the small collection of baits I bring with and hope for the best.

Victory 10777 #1 hooks are big. There's no such thing as standardization in the hook size industry. Or in the rod blank industry.

When the water is super low I downsize to a 1/16 oz jig on a 3" keitech. My buddy says "Sometimes they want a meal. Sometimes they only want a snack. It's just like you just ate and you walk by a bowl of potato chips and just grab a couple".

 

[Hawnjigs]

Yup, sometimes you get one on like "OMG I hope this one doesn't drop off or break the line" !

I thought your MW Finesse mold was the open hook wire keeper version. Now I understand why you mentioned "snag resistant".

What kind of line are you using? I can't feel 1/16 or get enuf casting distance on my 8# Sufix 832.

 

[hookup]

10# Sufix 832

I build rods and can cast light baits a country mile. Just gotta load them up before letting the lure fly

 

[Hawnjigs]

10# 832 will handle anything in fresh water, don't remember breaking off. Last year I switched to 20# Daiwa J-braid Grand to shorten the long fight wear & tear on big fish and it worked fine. That line is smoother than 832 and haven't had any break offs or wind knots and it casts my 1/11 oz jigs almost as far as the 10# 832. Got some 15# Grand which looks thinner than 10# 832 for long cast apps next year.

Yah the proper weight/action/tip of a rod needs optimizing for light weight jigs. My Fenwick HMG snapped in half when I carelessly snagged a bush on a backcast and my remaining light jig HMX is now 4'9" due to 2 tip break impacts. Both rods discontinued and latest versions had many complaints about breakage. Time to take a chance on eBay.

 

[Arne]

Hey Keith,
Do they have the gates open out there? The Platte is running full at Grand Island. Jim

 

[Hawnjigs]

Diversion canal gate below Lake Ogallala still closed so no water going into Sutherland Res. Too little too late trickle thru the outlet feeding Maloney inlet 10-20 cfps. North Platte River release below L. Og still running strong feeding the CNPPID canal east of North Platte which system eventually feeds into the Platte River, tho surprised at the volume of flow today 1,600 cfps at Grand Island.

Guessing the Johnson inlet might be worth a try? Out of options here until the Diversion canal flows again.

 

[Arne]

Figures was thinking about a trip out that way. Anyway knew better. You said they drained the canal so figured wouldn't be worth the trip. Arne.

 

[Arne]

Have a few tailspins heading your way. Hope there is someplace to try them out. Let me know if they get there. JIm

 

[hookup]

My Fenwick HMG snapped in half

I broke two Fenwick's and decided I'm done.

Shikari blanks had a habit of breaking, so they quickly lost business. Their blanks were pricy! When Shikari went out of business, I bought up five rods for a fraction of their retail price. Broke three of them and still fish with the other two.

Now I build most of my rods on St Croix blanks. I watch the sales and get the blanks when they are either discontinued or St Croix comes out with a newer version and wants to dump their older versions. I'm good with fishing with last year's models.

My point is these blanks load a light lure and you can cast them a country mile.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Lotta busted rods - under what circumstances did you break em?

 

[hookup]

Lotta busted rods - under what circumstances did you break em?

Lotsa reasons. Hit a Shikari blank with a lure or weight and next big fish will snap it apart (which is why they went out of business). Fenwick's broke due to use - big fish, big bend snap. St Croix break because of barney reasons - others not being careful and slamming in a door, drove over or stepped on, monster cat bending rod in half and snap. CTS - lure snagged in tree and me whipping the rod to hard