jiggerjohn
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2010
- Messages
- 547
Not particularly mindful of the dark clouds approaching, I must have appeared as a rather pathetic ,lone figure out on the Lake Erie pier. So much so, that a nice young man headed the long way out to check my well being (or sanity!) despite others on the beach fleeing for their cars. When he arrived and asked about my old knees' ability to endure the upcoming necessary run, he noticed I was fast to a hard fighting fish! I explained that with nice sized lunkers striking like this, I'd only leave when lightning stuck REAL close! Fascinated, my concerned new friend stayed through heavy rain to watch the battles, and semi jogged with me, both soaked to the bone, across the long beach to the parking lot, when the bite finally ceased. While laughing, race- walking, and getting even wetter, I explained to him about my new method of stringing a short plastic trailer to my light, tied jig, and its actionized effect on all species.
Fly tiers call these lure "chains" ARTICULATED flies. That is, usually two hooked streamers linked together for extra length and action. The first articulated "jig" that I can recall was John Fujita's famous No Name lure, an ice jig trailed by a chicken feather hooked fly, held together by a wispy strand of 2 pound test mono. The fish catching motion of the rear fly was largely provided by the hinge like effect of the light mono connection, and Fujita's 1950s lure, which sold in the millions, is still in demand today, for those that can find them. So, I began experimenting with the very effective MOP fly that I've described in other postings, by tying or pinning small plastics behind 1/32 to 1/16 oz jigheads, sporting a small chartreuse mop nub underneath the shank. I call mine "MOPticulated jigs", and results have been fantastic for bass,trout, crappies, bluegills, sheepshead, cats, and others!
With the recent resurrection of Ohio's famed Delong lures, we now have plenty of little" prehooked" TOUGH plastic tadpoles, helgrammites, mayflies, crickets, etc to fasten to mop jigs via short mono connections. These little critters certainly take on wiggles of their own due to this tiny line joint, plus the natural sway and swim from the mop in this underslung lashing (swims and functions much like an ice spoon). Yet for those who may not wish to actually tie a trailer, Hawn's jigs recently introduced to me a 1/32 oz jig with a no. 8 sickle hook, which rear "elbow" is just great for pinning short unhooked ,panfished sized plastics of many varieties! Either way, rig up a few for "mopticulation", and join me in this unusually effective manner to tempt Spring's trout, panfish, crappie, carp, and large/smallmouth bass !
Fly tiers call these lure "chains" ARTICULATED flies. That is, usually two hooked streamers linked together for extra length and action. The first articulated "jig" that I can recall was John Fujita's famous No Name lure, an ice jig trailed by a chicken feather hooked fly, held together by a wispy strand of 2 pound test mono. The fish catching motion of the rear fly was largely provided by the hinge like effect of the light mono connection, and Fujita's 1950s lure, which sold in the millions, is still in demand today, for those that can find them. So, I began experimenting with the very effective MOP fly that I've described in other postings, by tying or pinning small plastics behind 1/32 to 1/16 oz jigheads, sporting a small chartreuse mop nub underneath the shank. I call mine "MOPticulated jigs", and results have been fantastic for bass,trout, crappies, bluegills, sheepshead, cats, and others!
With the recent resurrection of Ohio's famed Delong lures, we now have plenty of little" prehooked" TOUGH plastic tadpoles, helgrammites, mayflies, crickets, etc to fasten to mop jigs via short mono connections. These little critters certainly take on wiggles of their own due to this tiny line joint, plus the natural sway and swim from the mop in this underslung lashing (swims and functions much like an ice spoon). Yet for those who may not wish to actually tie a trailer, Hawn's jigs recently introduced to me a 1/32 oz jig with a no. 8 sickle hook, which rear "elbow" is just great for pinning short unhooked ,panfished sized plastics of many varieties! Either way, rig up a few for "mopticulation", and join me in this unusually effective manner to tempt Spring's trout, panfish, crappie, carp, and large/smallmouth bass !