swivel jigs

[jiggerjohn]

My friend Lee, has been tying these rather unique jigs for the past several years, and has had awesome success with them on pompano,and many other species in the shallow Gulf(Florida) saltwater. Scroll down to the 5th post,under "Aquaholic" to see them at http://forums.capmel.com/post/Ball-Jigs-5720442 . Seems to me this is a heavier,workable version of the "No-Name" jig that has been getting a lot of attention lately, and this salty jig,in lighter form would do great things for crappie,bass,walleyes,etc.. I especially love Lee's unique jighead design -if I ever paint any,this is the only style i'd consider!!

 

[blt]

That is an Erie Ball jig from Do-it. They are popular Flounder/Fluke rigs. I make them from 1.5 oz. up to 8oz. for the deeper waters. There is also another mold from 2,3,4,6 and 8 oz. that is made for putting eyes on it. Really like that one and they sell well also.

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When my stock of ball jigs without the eyes runs out, I will probably not use that mold anymore, and just stick to the ones with eyes. That is an 8 oz. in the picture.

Looking at the picture from the other forum you posted, the standard mold that makes that one was modified. He must have cut some out for that swivel to be placed in the mold, because it doesn't come that way. My other mold you see in my picture comes with the area opened up to put the swivel on the eye, then pour the jig.

 

[AtticaFish]

Maybe a dumb question here but..... why would you want the swivel at all? That goes for both the style that JJ and BLT posted. With a rig like that i would think the ear-ball weight would act similar to a downrigger and you would not have to worry about it spinning. Never fished anything like that, so just wondering.

Here are some that i found awhile back with a football head and the hook attached directly on the wire before the head was poured. http://dirtyjigstackle.com/products.php?cat=58 Expensive little guys with the Gammy hooks they use and these are meant for plastic trailers. I've read several product reviews for them and they have all been excellent. Concept is feasable on smaller weights using some large eye ring hooks. hmmmmm.

The pivoting hooks are spose to help when fighting a fish as well - there are now a few spinnerbaits that are using a ring to attach a hook so it pivots. The theory is that on a traditional R-Bend spinner, the long hook shank/head/arm that is a solid piece can act like a lever and actually pry a hook out of a fish if they turn the right way. Makes sense to me.

 

[blt]

On my ball jigs w/o the swivels, I just put the hook on with split rings. Some like the swivel better thinking that it gives the hook better action. I can't speak for the guy on the other forum, but for Flounder, they are meant for drifting. Choose the right wt. so it bounces, not drags on the bottom. Depending on what area you are in, they are called "tap dancers" and "bottom bouncers".

I've had several guys that didn't think they would work, gave them some rigs to try. They came back from the beach and put orders in, one even calling from his cell phone while fishing to say how well they were doing. Myself, I have never used them, I just make them lol. Will be hooking up with salty this year, so I will take some down and try some myself. I don't have a boat, so that is why I never used them before.

Fresh water guys use them also, but not sure what for.

 

[AtticaFish]

...Fresh water guys use them also, but not sure what for...

At 8oz. i almost could use them as an anchor out the back of my kayak. ha! Even at a size of 1.5oz they would be bigger than my normal rod/reel could handle. They would have to go way do to around 1/4oz. for my fishing. Might be able to make some really cool wt.forward or shank prop spinners out of them..... i have a foggy vision of it anyway.

Wonder if any walleye fisherman have ever tried using that earball for a crawler harness instead of the regular bottom bouncers that have the wire arm..............?

 

[Fatman]

Nice but way bigger than what I would use!!!!! One of those would make alot of crappie jigs!!!!

 

[LedHed]

1/2lb of lead!!!! AF Do-it has a mold for smaller ones

 

[jiggerjohn]

Well,let's not get carried away with the heavy versions of our saltwater friends! I've poured a few down to 1/20 oz with small flies/very light jigs for trailers. seems to yield a freer action, hanging the fly "up in the air" on the dive (as in vertical jigging) that panfish,especially, love. Same principle as in the other popular Florida jig N fly known as the "Doc's Goofy Jig" -which yielded me nice FRESHWATER perch (on the fly) while drifting on a windy day,down deep in a big reservoir last fall.

 

[Fatman]

JJ

Got any picts of the Docs Googy jig???

 

[jiggerjohn]

Hi Fatman, try this site ; http://www.theledger.com/article/20080620/NEWS/806200447 . Or you could go to the main site at docsgoofyjig.com . I'm not too good myself at posting pics!!

 

[Fatman]

Thanks for the link -although it looks like a swim jig

 

[blt]

There was a guy at T.U. that had a site for selling ball jigs from like 1/32 oz. to 10 oz. Ati Jigs. He even sell those cyclops ice jigs that look reall sweet. If I ice fished.....

ATI Jigs

He does very nice work looking at the pictures.