Need more advice on weed guards

[Bucho]

Hi,

I got myself the FB-4H-AFM weedless football mixed hooked mold the other day which generally speaking I am very happy with. I get along well with the teflon pins and the painting and everything. Problem ist that I find the FG 30 weedguards I bought with it to be a bit heavy for targeting yellow perch. While european perch seems to be a bit bigger and more aggressive than north american ones and readyly take large crawfish patterns, they are not exactly green carp. Totally unfamiliar with FG-calibration, I wonder what weed guard to use and wether or not they will fit my mold. My first idea is to use FG 12. Those should be a bit weaker?  :huh:  will they somehow fit into the 1/8th hole? I found the FG30 a bit thick for glueing in anyhow. They barely fitted without pulling some strands. I need a fool-proof production solution though but don`t know weed guard basics. BTW I have an engraving machine and could modify a regular mold into a light weedguard one, but that would be a day worth of work with uncertain outcome which I would rather get around somehow - not to mention the problem of getting my hands on matching base holder pins.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

The FG 12 will fit the 1/8 hole. I don't care for the FG3O myself and instead use y guards size 3 model 2155 for the 1/8 and yg-1s guard size 1992 for the larger sizes. These work great but are getting hard to find. I bought most of my local bait shops stock and did find a site that carries them as well. I should have written it down but will try and find it. You should look into these, very flexible.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Here is a couple pictures of the football jigs with the y-guards.  View attachment 1View attachment 2View attachment 3

 

[Hawnjigs]

I used to make a few WG heads, but quit when learning they don't ship well, tending to get bent out of shape. The FGs needed to be neatly stacked in small heavy zips, & the Ys were impossible to bag & needed crush proof box packing.

 

[Bucho]

hmmm good point haven´t thought of that. Crush proof has become a necessity anyhow since every second order includes flounder heads (USD wobble) and/or triples (Shad bait lure). Then again, others do it too so what the heck. If everything else fails I`ll offer glue-it-yourself heads that provide just a hole.

Like the Ys better, too, but barlow`s are just as thick. Thanks for the info junglejim, would be nice to learn about that supplier if you can find it. They look neat and somewhat more appropiate.

 

[Fatman]

Lure Craft http://www.lurecraft.com/searchprods.asp has YG-1's at either $6.50 per 100 or $57 per 1000.  They also have YG-4's but didn't see YG-3's

 

[Bucho]

That source looks fine to me, thanks! I assume Y-1 is softer than Y-4? Would you recommend it? Will they fit into a 1/8" hole?

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

That's the site I was referring too. I haven't bought guards there yet since the shop near home has them for $3.99 per 100. The white guards in the above picture measures 1 inch long and is the softest guard. Black guards are 1.25 inches long and are pretty soft. Not sure if the Lurecraft guards are the same as the ones I have.

 

[Hawnjigs]

I have the same mold, and the heads are popular even without WGs. Base pins can be trimmed somewhat flush with the head surface eliminating the holes for a bit more weight. Heads with WG holes are available for glue-it-yourself.

 

[hookup]

My 'weed guards' are mostly guards to prevent snagging in rocky ledgy rivers

I cut a slot with a dremel in a do it mold & use 68# (0.18) diameter stainless steal leader wire or insultated 7 strand leader wire

 

[Fatman]

Have no idea if they'll fit right or not, but having looked at the site I knew they carried them.