Since this will be new to me, I'm curious.  How do you folks that use jig spinners and spinnerbaits carry them on your trips?  The standard bait boxes don't seem like a very good solution.  I was thinking of something like this:   (You need to Login or Register
Think the medium size would work?  Better idea(s)?

[size=12]Kerry, it's not high-tech but I have some electrician's tape plastic discs with lids that I scavenged out of my carpentry toolboxes. I can place 3 or 4 jig spinners in there (1/4oz jigs with #2 colorado blades if I remember correctly). 4 or 5 dollars at my local hardware store and I get the electrican's tape thrown in! Probably can get them cheaper at a larger retail hardware store or retailer, Another option that I have is a CD case that I picked up for a buck at a local dollar store. The inner sleeves work well enough to slip several jig spinners in. There are probably many better options out there but it works for my budget :)

Kerry, it's not high-tech but I have some electrician's tape plastic discs with lids that I scavenged out of my carpentry toolboxes. I can place 3 or 4 jig spinners in there (1/4oz jigs with #2 colorado blades if I remember correctly). 4 or 5 dollars at my local hardware store and I get the electrican's tape thrown in! Probably can get them cheaper at a larger retail hardware store or retailer, Another option that I have is a CD case that I picked up for a buck at a local dollar store. The inner sleeves work well enough to slip several jig spinners in. There are probably many better options out there but it works for my budget :)

My tacklebox is actually a bigger version of this idea that I bought from BWJ years ago but they no longer offer/make.

I like the versatily/packability of a "soft" tackle box for all my lures.

If I was looking for a replacement for my beloved tackle pack, I'd look at this item.

My pack has an adjustable shoulder strap that has a snap buckle in the center. Great for lashing in canoe or on canoe pack.

I'd make one if I bought this pack.

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I'm assuming you are talking about "safety pin spinners" the type of lure common for large mouth bass fishing. I've found a great solution for storing these on a canoe trip.  I use Lure Keepers.   (You need to Login or Register These are designed to cover the lure when it's on your rod so they don't tangle or accidentally hook someone. They are great at that but also will hold 2 jig spinners each when stored in your "box". 

Personally I use a small compartment plano box for lures and then use a foot long cordura soft duffle for misc. items and put the lure keepers in there.

I also use an electrician tape plastic circle box to store my pike leaders in.  Works great.

TomT wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 3:42pm:

I also use an electrician tape plastic circle box to store my pike leaders in.  Works great.

I'm pleased enough with my tackle storage system which is comprised of individual tray boxes layered in a fanny pack. BUT those pike leaders are somehow always a hassle. Last year I used zip lock bags, but this circle box idea is nice.  :thumbup

zski, I use your system as well, i.e. fanny pack. I have had the same issue with the pike leaders. Good suggestion from Tom T!

I use a little trick an old fishing guy showed me.

Take your pike leader and make a loop on one end and wrap the line around the loop until you end up with a small circle. Wrapping leader over/around loop, keeps it from unraveling. Do it right, you can snap swivel end to line end. Nothing to snag if you use a flat pouch or even keep a rig in shirt pocket.

Electricians tape box is a clever idea too.

Kerry wrote on Jan 20^th, 2014 at 1:44pm:

How do you folks that use jig spinners and spinnerbaits carry them on your trips?

Kerry,

I use clear plastic Plano trays, either two 3700 or three 3600 size. The jig spinners fit just fine in the tray slots, so no worries there. Usually if I have a white grub on a jig spinner, then I toss that one back into the white grubs when I'm done. And I'm often taking the spinner off a jighead (say, with the white grub), and snapping it onto another (with, say a black grub). Sometimes I'll just leave the spinner tied onto my line all day/night, and just switch jig/grub combos (weight/color) as I'm fishing.

Spinnerbaits are a little more tricky. I carry the plastic trays, but I don't want to deal with any more boxes than I have to. My solution: the trays have fixed lengthwise dividers, and those moveable hatches to separate compartments. I superglued in one row of those hatches, and then used a Dremel to cut out the lengthwise dividers. So I ended up with an open 6" x 6" space in the box. Works great and even easier to do than it sounds. Let me know if you want to see a pic.

Hope this helps.

Ranger

By all means, Ranger, let's see a pic.

Kerry, sorry for the delay. It's been a long week. Anyway, here are two pics to illustrate what I use:

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These are Plano 3600 trays.

Ranger  8-)

That's genius what you did to the tray to accomodate the spinners.  I could never do that though and give up space for the crankbaits that I take.  You exhibit much discipline by limiting what you bring. I'm too much of a fake minnow guy and need a few from each presentation ie: surface, medium, and deep runners.

TomT wrote on Feb 3^rd, 2014 at 4:01pm:

That's genius what you did to the tray to accomodate the spinners.  I could never do that though and give up space for the crankbaits that I take.  You exhibit much discipline by limiting what you bring. I'm too much of a fake minnow guy and need a few from each presentation ie: surface, medium, and deep runners.

Thanks, Tom. This is a pretty easy tackle box mod. I can't claim too much discipline when it comes to tackle though, this box is only one of three that I take!

I have been narrowing down my tackle choices over my past two trips. As you mentioned, before my last trip I sorted what I packed by running depths. After the trip I made notes of what I used, what worked, and what I simply carried around. I am an admitted tackle addict, but I think I have a good formula to at least limit the dead weight now.

I am a recovering tackle addict.  I've been tripping since the 1980's and cutting back my fishing tackle has proven to be the toughest challenge for me.  Every year I narrow it down a little more.  I used to take a big double sided plastic box but these days it's a small plano and small foot long duffel for misc. gear.  If it don't fit I can't take it.

*This policy could change if the focus for my trip is fishing.

Hello, my name is Kerry and I am a tackle addict.  There, I've said it and I feel better.

I've also pretty much stuck to stick/jerk baits and Taildancers with pretty good success.  The low pressure fishing in WCPP is such that if you can get almost any bait down where the fish are they'll go for it.
But this year I'm investing in jigging - so jig heads, jig spinners, grubs and some spinner baits just to round it out.  I'm pretty excited about it, it looks like a fun way to fish.  I'm going to take some stick baits but I've really got to cut back.  The truth is that once I get out there I generally only use a few favourites and the rest are ... what? ... my fear of leaving the perfect thing behind.  Who knows.  But I do manage to carry it all in a single plano fanny bag, which carries 3 small plano boxes and another pocket for stringers, lipper, pliers and sundry other stuff.

Another question.  I'm wondering if any of you have much experience or recommend using jig spinners or spinner baits to go deep?  Would it be useful to carry some heavier jig heads like 1 or even 1 1/2 oz?  Same for spinner baits, would 1 oz be useful for working deep structure?  Does anyone actually fish for summer Lake Trout (30 - 60 feet) with jig spinners or spinner baits?

If fishing is your focus on a canoe trip then a variety of tackle is certainly helpful. I found that out this past summer as I had one outfit and 1 style of lure......that being large deep running cranks (after all it was August). But fishing was not my focus but rather good old fashioned survival. No regrets.........

The problem I see in fishing jig spinners or spinnerbaits in deep water, especially if your intention is to lift and drop and sort of "jig" them is the distinct possibility of missing most bites. They will likely hit it on the drop and with the blades the drop will be slow.........I see them nailing it and spitting it out without being detected, especially in deep water. The exception would be the spinners that are mounted underneath the jig, these act a bit more like an ordinary jig IMO but with the added advantage of a bit of flash......plus the blade style is usually a willow leaf which allows for a bit more streamlined drop. Braid would be helpful in deepwater jigging applications and help you feel that tick......be quick on the draw and your line would get tight.

solotripper wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 1:34pm:

My tacklebox is actually a bigger version of this idea that I bought from BWJ years ago but they no longer offer/make. I like the versatily/packability of a "soft" tackle box for all my lures. If I was looking for a replacement for my beloved tackle pack, I'd look at this item. My pack has an adjustable shoulder strap that has a snap buckle in the center. Great for lashing in canoe or on canoe pack.

ST- My tattered and abused tackle box needs replacing.  The bottom is basically numerous layers of duct tape.  So I'm intrigued by your "beloved tackle pack"  Is this something you converted from an old day pack?  Do you really keep all your lures, including crankbaits, in the soft sleeves as shown in the cabela's pack you said you like? 

My tackle "box" is the very typical cloth case that holds the hard plastic boxes, and it has a few zipper pockets on the outside.  It includes a shoulder strap.  But now is the time for me to look "outside the box!" (sorry...)

prouboy

Puckster wrote on Feb 4^th, 2014 at 9:34pm:

solotripper wrote on Jan 23rd, 2014 at 1:34pm: My tacklebox is actually a bigger version of this idea that I bought from BWJ years ago but they no longer offer/make. I like the versatily/packability of a "soft" tackle box for all my lures. If I was looking for a replacement for my beloved tackle pack, I'd look at this item. My pack has an adjustable shoulder strap that has a snap buckle in the center. Great for lashing in canoe or on canoe pack. ST- My tattered and abused tackle box needs replacing.  The bottom is basically numerous layers of duct tape.  So I'm intrigued by your "beloved tackle pack"  Is this something you converted from an old day pack?  Do you really keep all your lures, including crankbaits, in the soft sleeves as shown in the cabela's pack you said you like?  My tackle "box" is the very typical cloth case that holds the hard plastic boxes, and it has a few zipper pockets on the outside.  It includes a shoulder strap.  But now is the time for me to look "outside the box!" (sorry...) prouboy

Prouboy, my tackle pack was once offered thru the BWJ store. I guess it wasn't a big seller because they no longer carry it.

It's a little different than the item from Cabelas, but pretty close. When it's unsnapped it lays flat and you turn the "pages" to find what you need. Some pages have single compartments, others have 2 smaller ones. All close with a zipper.

It has an adjustable shoulder strap that you can unsnap and wrap around thwart so you can't lose it if you dump.

It's not as hard as you think to carry stick baits/jigs as you would think, although I do things a little different than many.

All my stick baits only have the rear treble hook. I use Cabelas hook bonnets to keep them from tangling/ snagging vinyl pocket face but like those NeverSnag hooks even better.
Jig heads I put in small plastic bags or 35 film can.
I take way more than I need so with any planning you can easily set one up for the type of fish you might encounter.
My pockets are sewn on, I believe the ones on the Cabelas bag are removable which would make it easy to add/subtract for different trips.

It's very quite laying on the floor of canoe as I paddle. I set it on a small foam pad I use for sitting in camp. Out of bilge water, easily accessed and because the pockets zip close, you don't have to worry about accidentally dumping them like you can with a hard plastic box if your not careful.

I do think that set-up is worth a look see.
I see more and more tackle accessory companies making soft-bags, so maybe BWJ was just ahead of their time. ;)

If I get a chance I'll take a few pics of my tackle pack and post on my Photobucket site.

i really enjoy hearing other peoples ideas for tackle storage and how they carry all their stuff. first year up there i had never really fished artificials much as i just used live bait on the lake i lived on. i had a couple bags of grubs and some jigheads with a few crankbaits. now i fish almost exclusively artificials and over the years my amount of tackle i bring has expanded. i had used a plano 2 sided tackle box for a few years,

but the best method ive come across so far is a pair of plano 3700s (with the big blue latches). one for the front of the canoe, one for the back. the rear one velcros right behind the back seat on the horizontal triangle portion of aluminum (rear deck lid) and the front one velcros on the vertical wall in front of the front paddlers feet. hooks portion of the velcro on the canoe, and the fuzzy loops on the tackle tray so its quiet if you set it anywhere. a few weeks before the trip i get the empty front tray to whoever my paddle partner will be so they can fill it with whatever they want. each tray has 2 pieces of 2" by 8" industrial velcro, so the trays sticks easily on portages, heck id even trust it to stick to the canoe on the drive up. that way i dont have to dig through my pack on the way in when i want to change lures and they make portaging a breeze

ST -- getting to look at a photo of your tackle "bag" would be great.

prouboy

From jigs and spinners to the transportation of said jigs and spinners.......I use the previously mentioned lure wraps for big stuff and they work great. I also use the worm binders which allow for various spinnerbait type lures to tuck in very nicely.

All goes into the ULTIMATE fishing organizer......an Orvis pack. Big enough to take everything in one pack and with enough variety of storage options to make ease of access a breeze. The front side pouches fit the worm binders and the main rear compartment houses 2 plano boxes. Smaller zip pockets house snips and sundry items. Last year I omitted most of the tackle and housed my depth finder and rod holder. This pack goes across with the boat and is very comfortable.

I own 2 of them as one was starting to show some wear. Glad I did as they have become rather pricey.......but a fellow has to have priorities does he not?  ;)

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Puckster wrote on Feb 5^th, 2014 at 5:09am:

ST -- getting to look at a photo of your tackle "bag" would be great. prouboy

Here you go p-boy.
The more I see other soft-side tackle bags, the more I wish I would of bought 2 of the BWJ's. :(

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ST - I think I'll ask Stu what happened to this product.  It looks very good!

Al -- Nice pack!    I like the idea of a pack.  Being cheap, I might just convert a small pack into a tackle-pack.  Maybe I could stencil "My other pack is an ORVIS" on the back.  Waddayathink?

prouboy

Quote:

Maybe I could stencil "My other pack is an ORVIS" on the back.

IF your going to do that, might as well go for the "Rolls Royce Silver Cloud" of tackle packs.  ::) ;)

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I think it comes with a "Portage Monkey" :-/
For that price they should offer a "Nubile" option. ;) ;D

ST -- I actually like this one better:
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I honestly don't get Duluth Pack.  Who are they marketing to?  Their gear is soooo  overpriced! 

Great logo, but seriously....

prouboy

The Duluth pack looks to be well constructed and will probably last 2 lifetimes. Plus its made in America by expert craftsmen who are proud of what they do and want to get paid.

There is nothing quite like the orvis pack.......it is the ultimate. Not to big, not to small. The front pouches fit worm binders where you can slide all sorts of hard to store lures and plastics in the zip lock sleeves. The front pouches can also be employed to carry big lures encased in lure wraps. Super shad raps fit and I can usually get 4 or 5 big lures per pouch if pike is my target.

The pouches are fastened together via a buckle while you are traveling so they don't flop around. A front D ring is an ideal place to clip my boga.

There are 2 back compartments. The larger fits 2 plano boxes in descending size. Wire leaders can be stored in a plastic tube of sorts and remain straight as they are stood upright in the back of the pack.

There is also a waterproof pocket.......nice added touch for permits etc.

The back of the pack also has webbing. This is where I store my collapsible aluminum net (made in finland where people know fish  ;) ).........very handy to net walleyes.

If fishing is your thing and you carry a fair amount of gear then this pack is tops. Slap it on while you carry your boat........perfect!

Puckster wrote on Feb 6^th, 2014 at 4:16am:

ST -- I actually like this one better:   (You need to Login or Register I honestly don't get Duluth Pack.  Who are they marketing to?  Their gear is soooo  overpriced!  Great logo, but seriously.... prouboy

That Cabelas pack will do everything the over priced ones will do and leave plenty of money left for more fishing lures. ;) ;D ;D

Orvis / Filson are excellent products, but your paying a big premium for that Logo.
I've wore Carhart work clothes for years until they became "kool" because the rappers adopted them and the price just got ridiculous.

A friend of mine lives in Boston. On a river trip up to Maine in the early 80's, he planned to stop at the big LL Beans store in Freeport.

Open 24/7 way back then. Beans was just getting known nationally and soon with some favorable reviews for it's rugged/practical gear, it became a must spot to shop to the emerging "Yuppie" crowd.

My friend said that he used to buy their signature khaki pants for under $20, and their best/warmest shirts were about the same. Then the Yuppie crowd arrived and the prices went up to almost 2x on everything in the store.

Locals who made/supported the company were just about priced out unless they caught a sale.

All my workout wear is non-logo and the same fabric/quality as the overpriced logo gear.
It's bad enough much of the things we buy are made for pennies on the dollar in foreign sweatshops, it's adding insult to injury by paying double for something because some already well compensated pro jock has been paid millions to endorse it.

Au contrair' (thats french) on the Cabelas pack........

Shall I be nitpicky? Ahem.......what is so great about the Orvis pack is the front pouches balance everything out so perfectly. I have weight off the rear and the front.......nothing to throw me off balance while I portage the already unbalanced boat. I absolutely loathe falling while in the woods and take pride in my ability to have a reasonable pace while rarely biting the dust. The Cabelas pack looks sort of big and clunky and heavy as well.........but I could be mistaken.

Anyone ever see/use this one?  I don't get the "lighted" part, seems WAY superfluous, but  I like the rest, at least on the screen.   

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prouboy

-stuff made in China is cancer.   (live by the sword,   die by the sword...)

Puckster wrote on Feb 7^th, 2014 at 12:10am:

Anyone ever see/use this one?

Yes, I have one like this but from Cabela's. Mine is slightly different, but the concept is the same. Four Plano 3600s underneath and one main compartment above. Works great as a daypack with rain gear, etc. in the top part.

Puckster wrote on Feb 7^th, 2014 at 12:10am:

Anyone ever see/use this one?  I don't get the "lighted" part, seems WAY superfluous, but  I like the rest, at least on the screen.      (You need to Login or Register prouboy

What are you thinking  ;).

The thing looks huge......."hey gang, I can take everyones fishing stuff"  ;D

Quote:

The Duluth pack looks to be well constructed and will probably last 2 lifetimes. Plus its made in America by expert craftsmen who are proud of what they do and want to get paid.

Since you mentioned it, I did a little quick research on the Orvis/ Cabelas/ Duluth Pack.

Only one made here and guaranteed for life is the Duluth. I know people who have their canoe packs and they stand behind their products period.

So that $100-150 premium over the Orvis/ Cabelas IMHO is worth it when you consider it's a life time purchase and your keeping Americans working.
Not commenting on any of the packs particular features but IF I can I try to buy American.

I'll give Orvis a shout-out, because on the left side of home page they have a section that says " Made in America" and lists the products they carry that are made here.

Probably not the cheapest if that's your only concern, but if you look at the bigger picture, you just might be helping a friend/neighbor keep their family fed and a roof over their head.

p-boy, maybe the LEDS attract fish if you hang pack over the side. ;D  Mosquitos for sure.


Quote:

-stuff made in China is cancer.   (live by the sword,   die by the sword...)

A cancer alright, both literally and figuratively.

knafelc, Your a man after my own heart. :thumbup
Like the saying goes, it's no big deal until it's your "ox" that's been gored. ;)

If any of you are fans of the HILDEBRANDT
brand spinners, I found a source that carries the complete line.
I ordered a bunch of the safety spinner jigs, and some single/double Idaho spinners. A few June Bug one's as well. Good quality, decent price.

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Great site, ST.  I've bookmarked it.  Thanks.

[quote author=solotripper link=1390225449/33#33 date=1393510848]If any of you are fans of the HILDEBRANDT
brand spinners, I found a source that carries the complete line.
I ordered a bunch of the safety spinner jigs, and some single/double Idaho spinners. A few June Bug one's as well. Good quality, decent price.

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Hey ST -- are the prices listed below each lure the price you pay?


prouboy

The sporting goods store next to the Holiday gas station in International Falls sells decent quality gold or silver jig spinners 3 for $1 
I bought a couple dozen 2 years ago
These though are my favorites and I like the size 3
They are only slightly more expensive but the blades are brighter and they spin a little better.

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Puckster wrote on Feb 28^th, 2014 at 1:27am:

[quote author=solotripper link=1390225449/33#33 date=1393510848]If any of you are fans of the HILDEBRANDT brand spinners, I found a source that carries the complete line. I ordered a bunch of the safety spinner jigs, and some single/double Idaho spinners. A few June Bug one's as well. Good quality, decent price.   (You need to Login or Register Hey ST -- are the prices listed below each lure the price you pay? prouboy

p-boy, yes they are. They come in packages of 2.
I believe there was not tax on my Internet order, but they charged a $10 shipping fee, which since it came via the postal service seemed high?

If you can get 3 for a buck that KF thinks are serviceable then you can't beat that.

Betts spinners he linked to look like the HILDEBRANDT Spinners but maybe a little cheaper price wise.

I bought the Hildebrant spinners based on their reputation for quality. I guess you could get similar products from Betts, and decide which is better for the price.

I have to admit, I haven't used a spinner in the QP or in WCPP in probably 10 years.  I don't really fish for northern, and I (mistakenly?) think spinners aren't the ideal walleye lure. 

Am I missing something? (again)

prouboy

Let's help Prouboy! ;D

Puckster wrote on Mar 4^th, 2014 at 1:16am:

I have to admit, I haven't used a spinner in the QP or in WCPP in probably 10 years.  I don't really fish for northern, and I (mistakenly?) think spinners aren't the ideal walleye lure.  Am I missing something? (again) prouboy

If I am going to jig for walleye I always use a jig spinner. Compared to a plain dressed jig, they cast farther, more flash, little more snag resistant, offer a bigger profile.
Even when vertical jigging I like a jig spinner - rip em up off the bottom and let them flutter back down on a tight line. The hits are amazing.

Very interesting KF! 

I'll definitely try it.  May even try it down here in Florida, where I'm fishing for sea trout and redfish. 

Thanks for the tip.

prouboy

So tell me, when jigging for Walleye in the summer with jig spinners, what size (weight) jig heads do you all use?  If I were to use a 1 or 1 ½ oz. jig head would  jig spinners work for Lake Trout?

Quote:

If I were to use a 1 or 1 ½ oz. jig head would  jig spinners work for Lake Trout?

I don't jig for Lakers, but sometimes in warmer weather I'll troll while paddling using a 1 oz Maribou jig sans spinner.

Have done well without much effort on my part. ;D
Now I know that KF who's a serious fishing guy uses jig spinners, I'm going to attach one of those Hildebrant 3.5 blade size jig spinners I just bought to one and see how that works.

While were at it, gold or nickel?

I bought a bunch of the Hildebrant jig spinners mostly in gold, which I hear tends to be more effective than silver (nickel.)  I'm also planning to switch off the cheap swivels that come with them for ball-bearing swivels.  I don't know if it will catch me any more fish but it will keep me busy over these icy cold winter months.

This is my go to rig for walleyes when I am jigging and sometimes even trolling:

#3 Gold Betts jig spinner with a wide gap 1/4 oz jig and dressed with a 4" Kalin's grub either Bright White or Chartreuse Copper
The wide gap hook is important because of the size of the dressing. Hook ups are better with more hook exposed.

It's important to remember that this rig must be kept moving to take advantage of the flash of the blade except when in current and that's where they really shine (pun intended).

A deadly technique is to cast out as far as possible and let the jig spinner sink and then reel it in only fast enough to just tick bottom occasionally, called slow rolling. Especially good in pools below rapids and falls.

Quote:

A deadly technique is to cast out as far as possible and let the jig spinner sink and then reel it in only fast enough to just tick bottom occasionally, called slow rolling. Especially good in pools below rapids and falls

I've had great success doing that with Blakemore Road runner jigs, same weight but since they have a spinner attached, I didn't add a jig spinner.
My best color seemed to be the red/white, pink/white.
Wonder if adding a jig spinner to them might work even better? Will have to give it a try.

Hardest thing for me was remembering to reel as slow as possible so you can feel the jig hitting the rocks.
I think that's probably as important or maybe more than color choice?

solotripper wrote on Mar 5^th, 2014 at 2:34pm:

Quote: A deadly technique is to cast out as far as possible and let the jig spinner sink and then reel it in only fast enough to just tick bottom occasionally, called slow rolling. Especially good in pools below rapids and falls I think that's probably as important or maybe more than color choice?

I've definitely had more success with gold blades than silver but when it comes to the dressing color is not super important. I'm sure if you use this rig some you will find your own favorites. If you already have 3",4", or even 5" grubs use what you have. Make sure though that with the 4" and 5" grubs you use the wide gap hooks or you will lose alot of fish.

Thought I'd give you all a heads up on these very high quality jig spinners.  I plan to order a few.  Although they're pricey, I'm sorry I ordered the Hildebrant ones and may send them back.  These look far superior in terms of design and quality of components (they come with ball bearing swivels.)  They also have them in small, medium and large sizes.  This is a company out of Florida and it sounds like these are designed for inshore saltwater species, particularly Red Fish but I can't see why they wouldn't be perfect for northern lakes as well.  MT you're a saltwater guy, what do you think, would these jig spinners do well in northern waters?
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Kerry you are a bad influence on me. My therapist thinks I should drop you and is still trying to convince me that the purchase of fishing equipment that I am to busy to use is not conducive to happiness in life. I'm considering a new therapist  ;)

You talked me into the Kahara jig spinners. Made in Japan with very fine wire indeed and ball bearing swivels. Extremely nice set up..........for outsize crappie and 4lb line. The first big toothy predator that comes along is going to straighten the wire and leave a mangled mess.

These are probably quite a bit different. The wire looked thin but if they take reds they are tough stuff for sure but without being the usual extra thick wire most of these kind of baits are made from when fishing the salt.

In other words they look perfect and I will have to drop another $25 on more jig spinners that I probably will use sparingly........"get thee behind me thou foul tempter"........

On the other hand > Good work and thanks for sharing 8-)  /hey, the price is not so bad.....2 per pac/

Did you notice the inline product? Stick a large swim bait on the weedless set up and cast it into downed trees on a river with 50lb braid. How cool would that be?.....Ka-pow! It would be more like a cage fight in the octagon than a fish fight.

Man, I need to go fishing bad.

MT, definitely get a new therapist.  However, don't use mine 'cause you and me are in the same boat.  I have my eye on those weedless jigs as well.  I'll probably buy a bunch of stuff from these guys.  Their jig heads look pretty nice and the swim baits and ... Yoiks!  I haven't been at this for more than 5 years and I've already got more stuff I'll never use than I know what to do with.  But hey, it's Made in the USA so I'll be doing somebody's economy some good (though definitely not mine!)

mastertangler wrote on Mar 13^th, 2014 at 9:05pm:

Man, I need to go fishing bad.

Hey MT, I can help with that. 

prouboy

A few thoughts on these products.......

Note the "R" bend on the safety spinners. This means you must tie directly, no snaps or snap swivels as they will be running up the line on occasion and causing the dreaded "hassle". And since this is salt water application that means thicker, beefier wire. Which in turn means using a thicker mono or some sort of braid.

Remember that when using mono it likes to tie to things of similar diameter or smaller. So if using mono I'm thinking Minimum 12lb test and feeling even more comfortable with 14lb. Kind of thick line unless your thinking straight fluorocarbon. If you are still desirous of using lighter mono (say 10lb) with a little bit thicker tie off like what might be found on the safety spinners in question >  the tie fast tool ties the gryp knot which absolutely excels in tying mono to larger diameters.

So I say proceed with caution. Get a pack........see how well the connections are made keeping in mind that no snap should be employed. I would venture that at least 10% of your casts will result in the snap in a different place than you want if you decide to employ one.

The in-line is likely equipped with at least a 5/0 hook and that means plenty of muscle and a rod with backbone to drive the weedless rig not only through the plastic lure but into the fishes boney mouth. Braid would be helpful and so would a bait caster as the whole set up is likely to be a bit weighty and tiring to use with a spinning set-up IMO. But it looks like a winner to me with a big fat swim bait and the right rod/reel.

The jig heads are a no go for fresh water. The wire is just way overkill. Thick, thick, thick..........There are lots of choices for premium fresh water jig heads. Have you checked out the cobra jigheads? Fairly big wide gap hook........a musky/pike application but in the smaller sizes and a 5" grub behind the spinner jig it just be be a winner on the bigger walleyes. Check them out.......Killer combos.
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I have the feeling that this summer is going to go my way.......but then again I always think that  :)

With R-bend safety pin spinners as well as spin baits it seems obvious that I'd want to tie directly for the reasons you mentioned.  I fish with a baitcaster and use braid so I'm pretty much set up for fishing the junk, weed lines and such.  That being said, my trips to WCPP are in late summer so I'm mostly fishing deep.
But this is all great information, MT.  So, now, jig heads.  How do you choose em?  My only experience using jig heads are the cheap ones you get at Bass Pro where the colors flake off and the hooks bend out with every cast.  But then is that just the way jigs are?  What constitutes a quality jig head?  There are so many variables in terms of shape – ball head, football head, painted or not, plus different sizes of hooks and gauges etc. etc.  Those Cobra jigs you recommended look excellent but seem to be designed for Musky/Pike/Lake Trout.  How do you choose them and what do you look for in quality jig heads?  Obviously the application will make a difference but I’m interested in hearing what you or others have to say about it.

Fishing deep in late summer is a given.....or is it? I had always thought so having spent a week for many years on Lake Minitaki by Sioux Lookout Ontario at a fish camp. We caught walleyes as deep as 40ft and often caught bigger ones of up to 8lbs speed trolling 20 down over 40ft of water. But my education continues.........This past summer I fished a lot of 28ft/32ft, fast and with big cranks. It seemed that the majority of fish were shallower and wanted things slower and smaller (as per KF's tendencies). So, I will take a bit more notice of water temps, even in August and try and be more flexible.

As per the jig heads........note the thinner wire on the Cobra jigs. They are a finesse style pike bait and are just fine for bigger walleye. Note that 1/2 ounce is the lightest size but add a 6" reaper or Kalin mugumbo grub and a reasonably slow fall could be achieved and 20ft of water fished well. Add some wind and 3/4oz or more might be needed. These jigs are tops in my book.

Jig heads and their shape........your a smart guy Kerry just consider the physics. Football shaped jigs go through the water with much in the way of variables due to their shape. But set them on the bottom and twitch the rod and they will "roll" back and forth and side to side. Add a plastic crayfish with floating claws and you have a very realistic presentation indeed for smallmouth bass. Then there are the "gliding" style heads. Flat bottoms so they do not tend to plummet straight down but rather glide. Charlie Brewers "slider" jigs do this very nicely and if you are fishing finesse shallow they are exceptional for a slow drop. The cobra jigs are also a slider type jig and with the tapered nose fairly snag resistant especially in weeds and timber (less so in rock). Round is all around (pun intended ;D) a good choice.

Premium jigs are commonplace these days. Abundant choices are at Bass pro, Cabelas and Tackle warehouse.  It used to be that jigs were super cheap. Not so much anymore as the companies have figured out we are willing to pay for quality (just ask Owner Hook co where hooks can be as high as $2 a piece.) Look for black nickel premium hooks.....some manufactures will also boast about their paint finishes. Paint is less important than you might think......I have caught plenty on unpainted jig heads and a few chips probably is not going to hurt much. I do like that little bit of sheen that a paint gives however.......think about water critters, they usually have that protective slime which gives a little sheen. Am I overthinking? Maybe, maybe not ;).

My philosophy is basically that little fish will eat big lures more often than big fish will eat little lures. I am not interested in driving 2 days to catch 16" walleyes all day. I can do that at home. So I upsize my baits and generally fish deeper during summer to target bigger fish.......but guess what? I still catch plenty of little guys anyway.

(But Mr Big hit in 15ft last trip so keep an open mind << My internal argument continues  ;D)

Thanks for all this MT.  Very helpful.
I found the same thing this past summer, Trout were more at 30/35 feet than 50.  I've mentioned the Fish Hawk before but I found it a very useful tool not only for getting temperatures (readings every 5 feet up to 300 hundred feet) but also for helping to determine at what depth I'm running.
Needless to say, I'm getting cranked up (badda boom!)) for this spring already.  I'm planning a couple of short trips in June and July and that will mostly be for large and smallmouth.

Cabela's Fisherman Series Wide Gap Round Jigheads are currently on sale.
1/4 oz.  Reg:$6.19      Sale:$4.49  (qty 10)

Picked up the slayer spin arms today that Kerry had pointed the way on.......they are quite impressive IMO. The wire is super stiff but not thick, interesting.

I like the "original" size best for walleye use. What I thought was odd was that the same size blades are used on all 3 sizes and it is just the arm shaft lengths which differ. Blades are a little on the larger side which suits me just fine.

I also picked up one of their in-lines. Very nice lure.....not overly bulky like I had imagined. Hook is a 5/0 like I figured but high quality and not an overly thick wire. Tie off is again premium quality, very stiff wire but not overly thick. This would be an excellent presentation in timber infested river situations since it is weedless......or perhaps letting it fall into pockets of deep weeds where bigger than you might think walleye hide during the day. Good stuff.

Glad to hear the quality's there.  I won't pick up my order until my friend brings it back across the border (shhhh) in May.  He'll also be bringing back a bunch of those good looking jig heads you talked me into (well you didn't exactly talk me into it, all you had to do was show me a picture - oooh, sparkly!)

The slightly larger blades and bigger gap brings new possibilities and expands the potential usage for these lures. As in fishing bigger and heavier jig heads and fishing deeper water than these rigs usually plumb.

I can see dropping these down to 20 ft quite efficiently with no problem given the right weight jig head. I am sort of excited to fish these rigs, more so than in the past. 

Why do you put a "limit" at 20 feet?  Is it because deeper would make the drag overly taxing?  If I were to use, say a 1 ½ oz jig head and maybe swap the blade for something slightly smaller, say a 2.5 willow, i should think I could get down quite a bit deeper.  Interested in your experience around this.

Notice I put the word efficient with my analysis. Efficiency in fishing is crucial to success. I have a freind who can make Bass eat when no one else can. But to fish off his boat when he is in charge is quite frustrating. He is very inefficient, never takes advantage of conditions such as wind and we catch absolutely zip. I have to brusquely take control of his craft ("Gimme that" as I yank the Captain hat off his scruffy head >:( ) and go about the task of putting us on some fish. He usually curls up in the bow for a wee nap until he hears my infamous blurting of "oh, theres a bite........ but I missed".........Then he yawns, stretches and catches the fish I just missed. Happens every time almost like clockwork. It is such an inside joke he puts special emphasis now on the stretches and yawns and we burst out laughing because we both know what is about to happen.............. (like the 2 hunting dogs "Findem" and "Catchem")

What I had pictured was drifting a shoreline, using the wind to an advantage, and casting and retrieving. Much deeper than 20 ft and I'm likely using other presentations which spend the majority of the time in the strike zone.......efficient. While I'm drifting along I am working the spin jig down the break from say 5ft down to 20 or maybe even 25 if my outfit will relay info with a high degree of confidence (will I feel a bite in water deeper than 25 given my drift rate, line diameter etc. etc.).

Of course If you are confident the fish are at the bottom of the incline and resting at the base of the break you could drift along with your lure established in water considerably deeper than 20 ft all while being very "efficient" since no retrieve would be employed.

So it is a perceptive question Kerry. Yes you can fish such a lure deeper than 20, much deeper, but much depends on conditions and your set-up. I probably would not fish the lure much beyond 25 (and traditionally it actually excels in water much shallow than that). Fishing it down to 20/25 like I had envisioned is almost rather novel for this bait IMO. But given the larger blades and wider gap enables a fellow to fish a little bigger jig head. If your aim is to fish shallow with light jigs then get the "junior" model. I picked up one pac of each size for evaluation. I would probably never consider using anything else after having checked these out. Simply put they are primo.

Pause and think before replacing the blade size Kerry. I rather like the little bigger blade. Each blade type offers its own advantage/disadvantage. I like the hybrid between the colorado and the willow but I think they would all work.

I can't wait to fish. I feel like the guy on the chain in Mad Max. Daggone fish better watch out when I get cut loose  :D 

Some more thoughts about fishing spin jigs at depth,
(yes I still think about fishing while working even with sports talk radio or political talk radio on in the background)

If I were aiming to fish spin jigs deep I wouldn't opt for the "safety arm" type spinners at all but rather a rig where the spinner was in the rear (underneath) the bait. Like these........note they are available in weights as heavy as 1.5 oz.......plenty good enough to fish deep even in a decent drift. These are btw of excellent quality I have several and can vouch for their effectiveness.

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I am also a fan of these type of heads.......again, excellent quality (scroll up)

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I have been messin around with various jig heads with the jig spinners and the shape I like best is the banana style. Goes through the water nicely but with a side to side rolling action especially if coupled with a swim bait with a paddle type tail.

I have a rather large rig that most folk would liken to a northern lure but I intend to use it to target walleyes. What I liked about the rig is how the hollow type swim bait tended to "fold" up in the middle on the drop. The action was similar to using a trick worm for largemouths where the hook is in the middle of the bait.

Very cool set up and quite versatile being able to jig it on the drop or straight retrieve with a side to side rolling action with the attention getting attraction of a spinner. I will be giving this set up a really hard test as it will be one of my only walleye casting baits.

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The hooks are terrible but the strikes are productive.

MT, I missed your post on the Su-spins.  You've mentioned them before and I'm starting to understand how they might be more effective for trolling or casting deep.  I plan to pick up a few just to give them a try.  So far all the possibilities for jigging are largely theoretical but after this season I should have the opportunity to give a bunch of different techniques and configurations a try.  Hopefully I'll be reporting back with pix of some mighty fish. 

Question on the Su-spins.  What do you use with them -grubs, flukes, paddle tail swim baits?  If swim baits, what size works best for you?

Kerry wrote on Apr 20^th, 2014 at 4:58pm:

Question on the Su-spins.  What do you use with them -grubs, flukes, paddle tail swim baits?  If swim baits, what size works best for you?

Well, I would gear the tail to time of year. Twister grubs are more subtle and match the type of movement one might find in critters during cooler water. It is important to match cooler water activity levels. Smaller baits, more subtle is key with cooler water.......having said that grub style baits will catch fish year around.

On the other side of the coin later in the year I like bigger baits with more movement and paddle style baits seem to provoke bigger fish.

Sometimes fish aren't in the mood to hunt something down and have to kill it before eating it and the paddle tails will fail. Then a fluke with its wounded action works well. So I guess the key is to have a variety and see what produces best.

Just went and seen "Heaven is for real"> pretty good.

On the way there I gave some more thought to Kerrys question. One thing to keep in mind Kerry are the paddle tails cause water resistance.......great for action on a drop but not so great if depth is important and your thinking about trolling....or drifting quickly in deeper water.

You could keep it simple and do what KF suggests. Pretty hard to miss with a 3" to 5" white curly tail grub. Bada-bing.......I have a tendency to overthink things, once in a while it does pay off however and I hit it out of the park with some off the wall specialty set up. I don't like fishing other peoples spots and I don't like fishing with what some one else is using. Doing things your own way is a big part of what makes fishing satisfying and challenging IMO.

PhantomJug wrote on Apr 20^th, 2014 at 4:25am:

(You need to Login or Register The hooks are terrible but the strikes are productive.

I have never used these but I know plenty of guys who swear by them. I have always seen these being put into use with live bait. Northland tackle is a good company but PJ is right, their hooks are lacking big time.

But there is a remedy and that remedy is a file. No not a stone but a file. Stones only get the point sharp and more often than not guys get the point so thin it breaks upon contact and they can't hook anything and wonder why. A file is the best way to sharpen hooks and a diamond pattern is your key to success. Pliers or better yet channel locks are helpful. Your strokes are at 45 degree angles starting from the bend side of the hook and filing in one direction towards the point. Only 4 surfaces should be contoured to form a diamond pattern.

I can see using a rubber worm with these such as a culprit. Hook the worm just barely through the tip leaving the hook exposed, unorthodox I know. Your worms will be lost if you don't harden just the first 1/4 inch of the tip of the worm. The way to do that is soak the part of the worm you want hard in vegetable oil overnight. Now sink your hook just behind this hard part, not to deep mind you just barely in but secure thanks to the hardening you have done.

This is killer when just using a khale style hook and an 8" straight tail rubber worm for bass, i don't see why it wouldn't work on the whistler jigs for walleyes. Just a thought.