Whats your favorite jig hook ect.
- Thread starter toadfrog
- Start date
JUNGLEJIM1
Well-known member
Without a doubt my favorite is the sickle jig hook in #4 or #6 in black chrome with gold a close second. I was curious about them when I first bought them in early 2006. The first time I used them early that year was for crappie and I didn't lose one all weekend. The next day I ordered several thousand more. I use them about 90% of the time now. That's the good. The bad are Eagle Claw's. I've had several bad experiences with them breaking at the bend while playing big fish. No rust,just a brittle hook.Ended up throwing a couple boxes away because I had problems with two sizes. I went to mustads then and never had a problem with them and used them until the sickles showed up. I really like the 32746's in black nickle in the mustads.
ScottV
New member
My favorite is a red sickle size #2. I know it's a pretty good sized hook but it works for me.
Hawnjigs
KISS
For personal use fresh water tied jigs:
Crappie - Sickles #4 & #6 in 1/16 ball heads
Trout - Sickles #6 & #8 in 1/16 and 1/24 ball heads
Multi-species prop jigs - Gamakatsu 604 #2(long shank heavier wire #4 round bend gap) in 1/8 ball heads - expensive but no choice.
For light salt water ties & plastics - heavy wire 90* Sea Armor Sickles & heavy wire 60* VMC.
Don't like Eagle Claw, low end Mustad, & Matzuo Aberdeen quality. Ultra Points are good but pricey. Bang for the buck$ is a big factor in my personal use choices.
Crappie - Sickles #4 & #6 in 1/16 ball heads
Trout - Sickles #6 & #8 in 1/16 and 1/24 ball heads
Multi-species prop jigs - Gamakatsu 604 #2(long shank heavier wire #4 round bend gap) in 1/8 ball heads - expensive but no choice.
For light salt water ties & plastics - heavy wire 90* Sea Armor Sickles & heavy wire 60* VMC.
Don't like Eagle Claw, low end Mustad, & Matzuo Aberdeen quality. Ultra Points are good but pricey. Bang for the buck$ is a big factor in my personal use choices.
LedHed
Sponsor
Freshwater - Like the old school VMC & Matzuo Sickles.
Saltwater - Gamakatsu 604, Mustad BLN, and VMC perma steel
Saltwater - Gamakatsu 604, Mustad BLN, and VMC perma steel
Fatman
Active member
Mustads - Have been using them since I started pouring jigs with my Uncle. Never had a problem with them and always been a good price.
Eagle Claws - I've heard other people talk about all the problems they've had with them but I've never seen it when I've used them.
VMC's = alway been a good hook, surprised they didn't take off more as they are a really good hook
Sickles - like em but the quality control on them just unreal. Some batch's good some bad. I had a batch of the older ones that were produced in Korea - then a batch from China. For all their talk of fixing the QC on them I haven't noticed it. I'll sit in front of the TV sometimes and just sort through them fitting them into the molds. Finding more and more of them with the long shank to the eyelet. Some of those that don't fit the Pony/horse head molds - I'll try the ball and some will fit there. The rest won't fit any of the molds.
Daiichi - TTI sent me a couple of samples and while they're really nice - Just not cost effective for me.
I wrote to DO-IT and asked if they could change the eye socket on their molds from a small circle to an oval shape so all hooks would work without problems, but never received an answer back.
Never tried Gammi's so can't speak about them
Eagle Claws - I've heard other people talk about all the problems they've had with them but I've never seen it when I've used them.
VMC's = alway been a good hook, surprised they didn't take off more as they are a really good hook
Sickles - like em but the quality control on them just unreal. Some batch's good some bad. I had a batch of the older ones that were produced in Korea - then a batch from China. For all their talk of fixing the QC on them I haven't noticed it. I'll sit in front of the TV sometimes and just sort through them fitting them into the molds. Finding more and more of them with the long shank to the eyelet. Some of those that don't fit the Pony/horse head molds - I'll try the ball and some will fit there. The rest won't fit any of the molds.
Daiichi - TTI sent me a couple of samples and while they're really nice - Just not cost effective for me.
I wrote to DO-IT and asked if they could change the eye socket on their molds from a small circle to an oval shape so all hooks would work without problems, but never received an answer back.
Never tried Gammi's so can't speak about them
Hawnjigs
KISS
Wow, what a difference a year makes. Now I'm liking the look of Mustad Ultra Point 32833 2x hooks for most small jig apps. #2s tested & proven in salt & fresh water, sizes #8 & #6 to be tested next fresh water season, and #1 to be tested in salt water soon I hope. Besides the heavier wire strength, I like the longer shank for fitting a prop between head & tie. And of course the Ultra Point is more resistant to folding than needle points.
Sickles of course work fine within their light wire limitations, and narrower gap VMC mini & micro jig hooks are sharp and really strong.
Sickles of course work fine within their light wire limitations, and narrower gap VMC mini & micro jig hooks are sharp and really strong.
Fatman
Active member
Hawn
On the 32833's they list them as an aberdeen 2x strong - Is there any problem with fit problems in the molds??? or is more of a Heavy O'shaunessy hook??
On the 32833's they list them as an aberdeen 2x strong - Is there any problem with fit problems in the molds??? or is more of a Heavy O'shaunessy hook??
Hawnjigs
KISS
Fatman, the 32833s are long shank wide gap short leg - the attached pic is VMC 9147 #10 & 8 on top, 32833 #10 & 8 on the bottom. As you can see they do not interchange and your best bet if interested would be the Do-it Steelhead ball head molds made for the 32833.
View attachment 8
View attachment 8
Attachments
LedHed
Sponsor
You have to get the new Do-it for the 32833. I got the #8s on a whim and lucky I had a Paul Ament roundhead 1/32nd that worked. Really like the wider gap - BA hook.
Nice pic comparison Hj - we need to start a hook gallary maybe.....
Nice pic comparison Hj - we need to start a hook gallary maybe.....
Fatman
Active member
I was kinda thinking that was gonna be your answer, I do have one ball head jig mold that's for heavy wire O'shanunessy hooks, I'd think they'd fit in that one.
Hawnjigs
KISS
The reason Do-it has separate ball head molds specifically for the 32833 is that they mostly don't interchange into EC 630 molds. LedHed has a massive mold collection, and apparently the only one that would fit #8 is an old Ament.
If you need #10 thru #1 32833 samples to check for fit PM me.
The pic I posted shows the advantage of short legs - line tie will be close to the head and there is less obstruction to hook bite especially with the wider gap.
If you need #10 thru #1 32833 samples to check for fit PM me.
The pic I posted shows the advantage of short legs - line tie will be close to the head and there is less obstruction to hook bite especially with the wider gap.
Fatman
Active member
Hawn
THanks for the offer but Do-It cust service confirmed what you said, especially in my case - my ball w/collar for O'shaunessy hook 630. The 32833 is not meant for this mold and you'd have to open up the shaft groove for it to fit. OR as the guy at DoIt said put the hooks in and smack it with a 5lb. sledge and you'll have the grooves for it to fit, unless you crack the mold hitting it with the sledge.
I can easily trade for them, as I only really use them when I visit back home so I was just seeing if I could be sneaky - but the heavy ball mold I have is only for 1/8 and 1/4.
Thanks for all the info!!!!!!!
THanks for the offer but Do-It cust service confirmed what you said, especially in my case - my ball w/collar for O'shaunessy hook 630. The 32833 is not meant for this mold and you'd have to open up the shaft groove for it to fit. OR as the guy at DoIt said put the hooks in and smack it with a 5lb. sledge and you'll have the grooves for it to fit, unless you crack the mold hitting it with the sledge.
I can easily trade for them, as I only really use them when I visit back home so I was just seeing if I could be sneaky - but the heavy ball mold I have is only for 1/8 and 1/4.
Thanks for all the info!!!!!!!
LedHed
Sponsor
Fm - That is crazy Do-it told you "smack it with a 5lb. sledge". So if the mold did crack - they would replace it????? I've heard about people doing that..... That is real Old School - that is how the mold masters made molds.
Hawnjigs
KISS
Actually, if a jig hook ALMOST fits a mold, its possible to keep smacking the halves together with a hook inserted in a cavity. I've done it a few times but don't recommend it, since a hook that slips out of the cavity could do some damage.
Fatman
Active member
Yeah I was surprised!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't believe they actually told me that. I wish someone else would come out with molds based on what WE fisherman want in a mold.
Hawnjigs
KISS
I gave up years ago making suggestions to Do-it. Suggested if they did a simple redesign of older spike barb collar heads to tapered barb myself, and probably lots of others would buy them even if we already had the older versions. Still waiting. A few hours online research should give them a clue that 1/24 oz. is a mainstream round head size too.
Also don't understand why hook mfgs don't design to fit Do-it molds 570 or 630 standards. Owner and Gamakatsu in particular could probably sell more hooks if they fit Do-its without mods.
Also don't understand why hook mfgs don't design to fit Do-it molds 570 or 630 standards. Owner and Gamakatsu in particular could probably sell more hooks if they fit Do-its without mods.
Fatman
Active member
I sent Do-It before this thread a request that should be the easiest thing they can do!!! Put a picture of the inside EVERY MOLD both sides in the catalouge and the web site!!!!!!!!
They usually show a pic of the finished head but not the inside of the mold.
Then I SUGGESTED getting rid of the warming chamber on the bottom of the mold, and making the eyelet slot an oval shape so that different brands of hooks could be used.
Needless to say didn't get an answer back on that one!!!! Getting really tempted to have some customs made so I get exactly what I want but one guy I won't even go near!!!!!!!! and Robert at CAT stopped the mold work.
They usually show a pic of the finished head but not the inside of the mold.
Then I SUGGESTED getting rid of the warming chamber on the bottom of the mold, and making the eyelet slot an oval shape so that different brands of hooks could be used.
Needless to say didn't get an answer back on that one!!!! Getting really tempted to have some customs made so I get exactly what I want but one guy I won't even go near!!!!!!!! and Robert at CAT stopped the mold work.
Hawnjigs
KISS
Very good ideas Fatman, especially modifying the eye slots. The Do-it Pro-101 1/32 no collar roundhead mold is able to fit #10, #8, & #6 hooks because of elongated eye slots, and oval shape slots could also accomodate larger eye hooks. Long shank channels prevent excessive hook play.
And yet Do-it supports designs of questionable merit such as the ball head straight shank hook GY swim head. And hooks like the VMC Barbarian which molds were rather quickly discontinued.
And yet Do-it supports designs of questionable merit such as the ball head straight shank hook GY swim head. And hooks like the VMC Barbarian which molds were rather quickly discontinued.
Do - It bases their decisions on profit margins and world wide sales . They rarely venture into making a new product or redesigning the molds they already have . The company has been around so long that they no longer cater to what we want . It is a miracle they put recessed eyes in the molds . I wanted them to put spinner bait wires on the bottom of the molds to make it easier to pour using a lead pot . Na da nope no way . They even went as far as to say that I could probably find someone that made molds that way . That was many years ago . As far as smacking a mold with a hammer . I wouldn't . I have put them in a press and pressed them until I got the hook to seat . It turned out well . No damage . With use it worked more smoothly and the hooks didn't stick in the mold as much as at the first .