Plastics vs. Ties ?

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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Ogallala, NE
Dunno if senior laziness was a factor, but nowadays I mostly use Power Bait & Gulp minnows on jig heads instead of formerly nearly all ties when I first hit NE 5 years ago.  Fishing mostly rock snaggy bottoms easier to spend a few bucks on softies than take the time to tie.

Altho I remember getting some nice fish back then with 1/8 oz ball head #2 hooks Boolies, gradually switching to "plastics" seemed just as or maybe even more effective on warm water species than ties, and lately I've only used softies for warm water species with satisfying success.

However, yesterday AM only got bout 5 short wallys but when that 3" PB Twitchtail broke off decided to try a vintage 1/8 #2 white rabbit Boolie and bam! first cast a 5# drum in the same small area I was flailing bit, tho that was it for the session.  Many/s the doll fly (plain white hair jigs) experts I've admired over the years getting as many or sometimes more wallys than my plastics, so wondering, hmm, maybe tied jigs are worth a revisit?
 

Bucho

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Mar 29, 2013
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You can tie very simplistic. I started out with nothing but a rabbit strip and a propeller. Great bait. Or focus on less snaggy heads like the tip-up. Still a quick tie. I found tied jigs to catch the better specimen in hard pressed waters while plastics often got my friends better frequency. That was regardless species or fresh/salt water.
 

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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I've had period when I went with just materials/hair/fur only , and other times with just soft plastics exclusively. Both worked very well at times. But seems if i combine both hair & plastic on one jig, this seems to produce better than either does individually! I think the colored material with flash arouses fish curiosity, while the plastic tail generates a total body action that even gets the "up front" hair moving. Generally the front "collar" is tied very sparsely, while the plastic tail is kept short ,but subtley "wiggly". Probably doesn't remind the fish much of anything in nature, yet I'm convinced that it's the UNUSUAL that coerces strikes. Plus it just feels good to tie a small bit of material onto a hook shank, just to say 'It's a jig I Created" !!
 

Kdog

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I was never a fan of Doll Flys, but I tied several options and would try them on occasion. Couple years ago I hit on a spring walleye combination that I still tie and keep on hand. Spring walleye is usually 1/32 or 1/16oz jigs tipped with a piece of nightcrawler. Pink head and Orange head work well. I made several Pink orange and a few brown heads all with brown Maribou or craft fur. amazingly all worked, So I started refining and hit on a color combo Brown head, Brown feather or fur with a pink collar. I also made some rose collars as well. All white and white with a red collar would catch fish but only for a short time. The brown variations could be fished all day and catch fish all day. I kept trying to find a thread that matches the worm clitellum color. pink is close and Ive probably bought 20 rolls of thread trying to get a perfect match havent gotten there yet. It has worked for a couple years so has become a staple for me. Often I outcatch the crawler guys and use a heavier jig. A 1/8oz is a lot easier to work than a 1/32 or 1/16. Its kinda fun to have a unique creation that works well, Ive tried the combo in other waters but not much luck. Of course I did pull a 6# walleye from a local reservoir that is known for having a special specie of lock jawed walleye. I got game warden checked that day and the warden told us that he rarely sees walleye lots of saugeye but his estimation was less than 10 a month on walleye. He said they are there because their shocking studies and test netting always yeild a good number to the point they rarely stock any because they balance in the lake would get out of whack. . Food for thought, if you know your waters, try to match what is working. you may get lucky I know I have
 

Hawnjigs

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Mar 23, 2010
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Ogallala, NE
Will brown jigs work at night? Learned this year that my best shoreline wally opportunity is in the dark of night.

Thanks to member comments after getting only 2 short wallys on my usual 3" pearl Ripple Shad in pre-dawn darkness today decided to swithch to a basic local doll fly pattern - 1/10 oz 2/0 hook head with simple white rabbit tie embellished with a few strands of pearl Flashabou undertie. Very skinny profile like the renowned "Slim Jim" . Bites picked up 5 wallys tho only 1 keeper size + bonus 3 fun size smallies till daylight apparently killed the bite, or maybe the few available fish mostly got stung at this popular meathead watering hole.

Early Winter slamming in tonite here in NE so warm water bite likely done till next Spring. Faith restored in the efficacy of ties for wallys, and looking forward to try both newly discovered chunk wally plastic and doll flys next season.
 

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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More than a few FLY tiers have also discovered the power of BROWN ; this one - https://darkwaterdubbing.wordpress.com/the-ddh-leech/ - was a winner right from the start, with its rich brownish blend material also tying into a great jig! Then the Canadian Mohair Leech pattern was best,by far, in brown ;some fly fishers won't use any other pattern. And, of course, the brownish muddler minnow hasn't done too bad!
 

Hawnjigs

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I will try some brown ties but likely daytime or maybe big moon. Forgot that the reason I prefer pearl plastics and white ties nightime is for visibility, to minimize smacking the leader swivel into the tip top.
 

AtticaFish

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It is a species difference for me. Bluegill and crappie...... 1/64 up to 1/16 kip tail or buck tail jigs are about all i use. Might switch up to a jigging rap or ultralight lipless crank through the ice for the bigger crappie. Yellow perch.... tiny homemade spoons have been doing me good. Did really good with them through the ice last year and some open water trips this summer also. Bass.... pretty much always tie on a big fluffy rabbit zonker jig that i add a tied silicone skirt. Walleye...... I have been leaning more towards plastics at the moment. In particular, Kietech swimbaits have been outstanding for walleye. The Fat Swing Impact swims in 3.8 and 4.8 are about all i use now. Not sure if i simply figured out the technique with them or what but i have sure put up the numbers with them. I do have some simple doll fly hair jigs that i know work great but i do tend to work those down in the rocks more than the swimbaits. Working the hair jigs down in the rocks leads to plenty of snags and frustration. The swimmers i try to keep moving just above the rocks and then let them drop on occasion. Lots of hits as they fall.
 

hookup

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Brown with an accent of orange - killer small mouth color and have picked up bonus pan fish, greenies and eyes from Canada down to the Carolinas
 

Jay Wirth

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Nov 27, 2013
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Vestal, NY
I prefer using hair though I do switch to plastics when I fish our local spill way. With the large rocks used on the river bottom / sides from the damn extending aprox 300yrds downstream even the best jiggers will loose a few each trip. Loosing plastics bothers me less than a nicely tied bucktail.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Mar 23, 2010
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Ogallala, NE
Yup, gotta jig close to rock bottom for walleye, so in moving water losing an unpainted head and sale price plastic stings less.

Never tried and was wondering if glow heads and/or plastics can improve night walleye bites ?

For trout however switched from mostly Gulp minnows & leeches to 100% ties and catches have never been better.
 

Hawnjigs

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Mar 23, 2010
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Ogallala, NE
Agreed, SS, tho I've always selected jigs of a size that will fit in target preys' mouths. Your posted catch pics certainly disproved that notion.
 
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