Red Heads ?

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Never been much for colors as plain black & white jigs have been satisfactorily successful trouting here in NE and previously in CO & WY.  I THINK my skills, jigs, and presentation have improved, certainly my confidence, but it seems catches are going downhill.  In the past, red paint heads + white ties have worked OK, but not enuf to replace black or unpainted heads.  Recently tho as mentioned in previous post, painting some long mothballed unpainted head 1/16 pink tie jigs with Sally bright red NP has gotten noteworthy catches in a tuff bite.  Like yesterday, got ZERO bites over a few hours at many spots along my favored trout canal on a go-to search 1/10 HU with shiny unpainted head, nickel #1 prop, pearl 2" Ripple Shad on #2 Ultra Point hook.  Switching to the RED head 1/16 #6 Sickle pink jig got my only decent 17" of the day, + a few dinks 12" & under.

So, has anyone else had exceptional results with red heads, not only for trout ?
 

Bucho

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Fluorescent red tying thread collar is my signature feature. I strongly believe in such a dot of hot orange. I have just traded a pack of jig heads for a bunch of dropper flies wiht extra large fluo pink eyes - the only thing that worked trolling cranks in very cold februar waters couple years ago.

I find it hard to judge on this topic since I hardly ever fish anything without at least a dot of red, and be it only the eyes.

34866627uw.jpg
 

jiggerjohn

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In addition to the millions of highly successful early red headed(or collared) jig patterns of Upperman, Doll,Bassbuster, etc. , renowned jig tier Paul Jensen, with 60 years experience, matter-of-factly states this on his colorful website "Jensen's jigs" - "If I had to fish the rest of my life with one lure, it would have to be a red-white Bucky!"
 

AllenOK

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Last year, I did up a small batch of jigs, from 1/32nd down to 1/80th.  Painted the heads with Ruby Slipper.  Tied on a small sparse tail of White Arctic Fox and maybe some UV Midge Flash.  Tied on a collar of metallic red embroidery floss.  I caught a few different species, from 'Gills to Crappie, and even a few small LMB's.  Those were fished under a float, in shallow water over weeds.
 

Hawnjigs

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After losing my recently discovered successful 1/16 #6 red head pink rabbit fur jig on a snag, it being about quitting time decided to go big or go home and tied on a max trout size 1/10 #2 bright orange head (mfg. designated red I think?) with a bright borderline pink-red rabbit tie and surprisingly a 30# carp bit it. Man that was a long hard tussle following the fish upcurrent and having to keep it out of rebar infested rocik riprap wings on the opposite bank. Bout the same size as the previously mentioned chunkie on 8# Nanofil but this one was landed with trout gear 6# Nano.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Looked up ruby slipper PP mentioned twice by members, and the darker red tending towards burgundy (?) looks very close to my Sally red + clear diamonds NP job. Altho the red base coat is on the bright side, the top coat significantly darkens it, maybe because the Sally clear diamonds is old enuf to have an ocher hue.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Lost all my red head 1/16 #6 Sickle Lil' Pinkies to snag breaks & bend outs, so Thursday night tied up ONE red head 1/16 stronger #6 2x plain gray mink jig and pushed beyond my previous limit trekking 2+ miles of ruff country river bank yesterday Friday. Most previously productive holds were completely empty but the same jig lucked out with three bites all landed. Unusually large specimens at 7, 8, & pushing 10# made for an EPIC session, tho the trek back at age 70 was exhausting. The biggest may have been closer to 9# but gave it the honor of "10" due to an unusually spirited long duration fight.

Definitely something trout attractive about red heads.
 

Bucho

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You pull 10# trout out of an untouched stream on light tackle and consider expatriation? What`s the matter with you?

Just kidding, congrats to your epic session!
 

Jig Man

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Out here...
I'm gonna go back this week to a lake that I'm more familiar with... I'm gettin hangry for some crappie!
 

Hawnjigs

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One fish per mile is NOT untouched. Returned yesterday Sunday on the opposite bank and got zero bites on the 2 mile stretch, maybe cuz I gave away the magic red head Saturday to Kelly the first person I've met fishing the canal and had to resort to a black micro.

Yum, crappie - good luck !
 

Hawnjigs

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Last two sessions yesterday & today on SAME jig bright RED base with clear "diamonds" top coat Sally nail polish 1/16 ball head skinny skrat over RED Flashabou tail tie:
13 dinks. 16", 2x 20", 5#, 6#, 9#.

Skrat fur is dark gray with brown tips.

Perhaps other colors may work but ain't fixin what ain't broke. Need a replacement tho as the tie is shredded and the #6 2x hook bent yanking out of the big trout bony tuff lip. 2 coats of SH NP is really tuff only one small chip where it impacted a rocky bank.

Red heads? RED HEADS !
 

hookup

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One guide I was with chasing sea trout uses a red head and GULP

Just a thought
 

Hawnjigs

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Further RED HEAD rainbow adventures :

2 weeks ago: 1/16 skrat red flash tie = 15#

past Friday: 1/16 skrat red flash= 7#, 8#
                 1/16 pink rabbit pearl flash = 7#, 8#, 10#
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Ogallala, NE
"And the hits just keep on coming"  Tried some new spots yesterday not as productive but still lots of dinks + 3x 10#.

Also starting to notice that trout like red rabbit fur ties.  Previous short session single 10# trout + 20# carp both and one of yesterdays 10# bit the same 1/16 red head red rabbit base pearl flash overtie jig.  Other 2 yesterday bit an ol' reliable natural skrat over red flash under red head 1/11 jig.
 

MtnFisher

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Hawnjigs said:
"And the hits just keep on coming"  Tried some new spots yesterday not as productive but still lots of dinks + 3x 10#.

Also starting to notice that trout like red rabbit fur ties.  Previous short session single 10# trout + 20# carp both and one of yesterdays 10# bit the same 1/16 red head red rabbit base pearl flash overtie jig.  Other 2 yesterday bit an ol' reliable natural skrat over red flash under red head 1/11 jig.
Good info Hawn,

I'm going to tie up some red heads soon with some rabbit fur and and marabou then give them a try.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 

Bucho

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The lack of picture material of both fish and lure is inacceptable. This is torture. Hawn, it is not a crime to tastefully arrange a nice catch picture and introduce one or two double digit specimen to gravad lax valhalla if it the session has taken too long. You can use the footage on your homepage and encourage the use of lead free lures.

Its a good thing.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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Ogallala, NE
Bucho, sorry, travel light with just a small waist pack on my expeditions and have NEVER packed a cam or cell during a LONG lifetime of shoreline fishing. PM me your address and I can send you something to look at.

I NEVER keep anything from my trout Valhalla. In fact last short trip to an area accessible thru private roads by "paid good money" meatheads got only a single dink on a mile long stretch. Settled for dink jigging at the parking lot area where a guy power bait dunking had only a single fish in his bucket. Four casts later I contributed to fill his 5 limit. Gave him my spare jig and he got one on his second cast.

The key to catching big trout is THE FISH HAVE TO BE THERE and if so I suspect any color head-tie may get bit. Still, red-red is producing and I ain't fixing what ain't broke. Otherwise, can't squeeze water from a rock.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
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MtnFisher the guy I gave a jig to said he thought the flash tinsel added attraction. For that particular red-red jig I used a small piece of hide attached crosscut rabbit fur undertie with 2 strands doubled over on each side pearl Flashabou overtie.

Everything I've thrown gets bit but I've KISSed down to black head black fur and red head natural skrat fur as the only options I need in addition to red head light/bright fur ties. Even without flash accent they get bit, so go figger.
 

hookup

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jiggerjohn said:
 Paul Jensen, with 60 years experience, matter-of-factly states this on his colorful website "Jensen's jigs" 

Paul use to sell jig heads to Phil Shaeffer.  I was introduced to both through the website RiverSmallies and promptly got hooked on pouring and tying jigs to imitate their style.  I still tie and fish the black leech pattern Paul tutored on his website.  Phil was nice enough to spend over an hour on the phone to me offering some sound teaching into making jigs.

Throw Butch Neil from SW VA in there and you have all of my mentors
 
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