'Eye Jig Redux

After a couple suggestions to go simple, downsize, add eyes (just for you RonDon) and a hint on productive colors in different regions...... sat back down last night and gave it a spin. The round heads are 1/8 lead free with a heavy hook except for the red neck on the end. It is lead and has a lighter wire hook so it will most likely get bit from a bigger fish. I was shooting for the old traditional Thompson Doll Fly. Of course i had to fancy it up, but hopefully did not over do it. Flash and thread tag were left out the back for a little accent. Wanted a little fuller body when wet, so tied in a decent tapered clump of wool before i added on the craft hair. They have a nice poof to them and stay full as the roving soaks up the water. In comparison, the red neck on the end does not have the wool under body and you can see it is skinnier right off the thread.

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Most likely only keep the round head boolie and will cut off and retie the insert heads. Will be able to salvage the zonker tail on those at least. Used seed beads on the inserts heads and an actual slotted tungsten fly bead on the round head. The smaller bead on the round head let the #2 prop spin soooooo much easier. Lesson learned there. I know i've read recommendations to use cone heads instead of beads, but did not have any in appropriate size.

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Not gonna make it out tonight... tomorrows forecast is more freakin rain... Thursday not sounding any better... it is gonna kill me to wait to sling these at some after dark walleye.

They all look great to me. one question. Where do you find those propeller do hickey's?

AtticaFish said:

After a couple suggestions to go simple, downsize, add eyes (just for you RonDon) and a hint on productive colors in different regions...... sat back down last night and gave it a spin. The round heads are 1/8 lead free with a heavy hook except for the red neck on the end. It is lead and has a lighter wire hook so it will most likely get bit from a bigger fish. I was shooting for the old traditional Thompson Doll Fly. Of course i had to fancy it up, but hopefully did not over do it. Flash and thread tag were left out the back for a little accent. Wanted a little fuller body when wet, so tied in a decent tapered clump of wool before i added on the craft hair. They have a nice poof to them and stay full as the roving soaks up the water. In comparison, the red neck on the end does not have the wool under body and you can see it is skinnier right off the thread.

Most likely only keep the round head boolie and will cut off and retie the insert heads. Will be able to salvage the zonker tail on those at least. Used seed beads on the inserts heads and an actual slotted tungsten fly bead on the round head. The smaller bead on the round head let the #2 prop spin soooooo much easier. Lesson learned there. I know i've read recommendations to use cone heads instead of beads, but did not have any in appropriate size.

Not gonna make it out tonight... tomorrows forecast is more freakin rain... Thursday not sounding any better... it is gonna kill me to wait to sling these at some after dark walleye.

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These spinner props came from Jann's Netcraft. You should be able to find them at just about any place that sells fly tying material or other lure making supplies.

AF, I'm guessing math wasn't your best subject in school? Not digging, wasn't mine fer sure.

Your Dollies certainly do resemble Mr. Thompson's, tho Montero Mike's and my ties are skinny like your ball head Boolie.

Altho HOLLOW smooth metal cone heads should offer the least frictional coefficient as a prop bearing, I've found that plastic beads in the 3-4mm size range work OK & are quicker and WAY cheaper. My choice for #4 & #2 32833s with #1 & #2 props is Hagen's premium line 3.5mm. I use a hollow tube tool to force the bead past the hook barb. Maybe there are beads with bigger bore holes that would slip past the barbs easily, but I Superglue the beads to the shank for EZer tying and like the tighter fit.

Your wally jigs would probably work great in the Mac, be surprised if they don't in your area. If they dud, just blame me and move on. I'm not sure what determines a good or bad bite, my last two outings were smelly. The boater's grapevine must know something, cuz their numbers have dwindled to zero this AM around the south Mac dam.

Can anyone suggest a publication that discusses walleye bites? - seasons, times, water temps, weather, moon phases, etc.

HaMooK, Barlows is out of #1s.

I've posted previously that too big a prop might interfere with hookset, so my suggestions for SMALLEST hook with a prop for constructing Boolies:
#1 prop = #4 hook
#2 prop = #2 hook
#3 prop = 2/0 hook
These are based on standard aberdeen jig hooks in no collar ball heads.

For smaller hooks, mostly only fly gear suppliers carry a size #0 usually called a "small fly propeller" available in 24 packs.

AF, your color selection for a wally Boo look as good as it gets. Guess I'm lazy.

Hawnjigs said:

.....AF, I'm guessing math wasn't your best subject in school? Not digging, wasn't mine fer sure......

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Math was indeed my worst subject unless it started to lean towards geometry and then i could hold my own. I must be so bad at it...... i can even figure where my math mistake was here!

:huh:

My thought is that walleye are tough to pattern because of the fact they are a lone wolf type hunter. I know they do school at times, but even then they are loose schools. I often see packs of largemouth all swimming together and sometimes you can even catch multiple fish from the group if you are quick enough. However, watching walleye with the light at night i have noticed they give each other quite a bit of room. They seem to take claim over certain areas of shoreline. So even if you figure out what they are feeding on, you have to cover water or else just wait for new fish to move in to the area after others have left or are caught. Again, these are observations on my smaller lakes so possibly no comparison to bigger waters or flows.

Not a great source, but In-Fisherman has an article about walleye in pretty much every issue. The most current issue covered pretty in-depth how wind affects the nutrient/baitfish chain and where walleye could possibly hold in relation to windblown cover to take advantage.

Hawn- best way to tell you about walleyes. Is that they are most active during lowlight conditions. Their eyes are attuned for excellent vision even during full dark. After years of catching them best times are daybreak and twilight hours. Most times they can be caught on lures. But sometimes only " meat '' will do. Leeches bigger the better , red tail chubs and of course the nightcrawler.

My all time favorite walleye " meat " rig is a leech hooked right in the center of his suction cup with a #6 aberdeen hook. With just a big enough split shot to make him sink about 18 inches up the line. Try and make the temp of the water you are holding the leeches in close to the water being fished. Reason being if temp difference is too great leech will curl up in a ball with no action. Leech should swim like mad and very few walleye can resist if they are near. Will also catch huge perch and bass and unfortunately catfish adore them too. The small lightweight hook also allows maximum action.

AF- Think you will find out anyone of those three boolies will knock them out . The other jigs will most likely work also as they are feeding on those gills. If you haven't done so already. Open up one of your walleyes stomachs to ascertain exactly what they are feeding on. Then tie to resemble. Also the Leeches I mentioned to Hawn work anywhere, bait shops near you should carry them.

Nice ties!! Here's an original Thompson Doll fly - the only one I have

AF, your choice of pony bead bearings with massively oversize friction generating contact surfaces suggests a quantitative relationships challenge. Takes one to know one, I learned the hard way too.

Papa, I don't bait fish, but what about using a black dolly at night to resemble leeches?

FM, never seen polar bear hair, is the pic shading near the red tie a function of the reflective-translucent quality of the material? I've been getting a few vintage Mustad and Eagle Claw gold beak point jig hooks on eBay. The ECs have a better point and the Mustads seem stronger and have brutally oversize barbs.

Sharp-looking jigs. Your stock-in-trade.

Hawn can you say the guy with the camera sucks!!!!!!!!!LOL Polar Bear is very translucent, and while most think it's white it's actually a cream color.

Here's some pics of some PB I have



After the cut I pull the long hairs out and tie with the short ones like these



These ones are tied using the long hairs

Well........

The predicted weather turned out to simply be a prediction. There was some rain early in the day, but the sky cleared at times enough to let the sun shine through and was humid and calm after dinner. Could not stand no more... and headed out to the Willard reservoir at around 8:00. The rain spit on me a few times but not enough to chase me off. It did chase most of the other fisherman off the lake though. Only myself and another pair stayed after dark. Got a few really nice (8" - 9") bluegill before it got dark using large chunks of nightcrawlers trailing off on a 1/32 lead free head. I released several big females willingly and a couple males flopped back before i could get them on the stringer. :dodgy:

Played with the bluegill that are spawning near the ramp till the sun went down then tied on the Pearl Pepper head with orange throat and accent around 9:00 and started searching out the walleye. Holly chit. Think i found a new favorite bait in the Doll Fly Update. Missed 3 really good bites....... dang i was slow tonight! One of them even chewed on it two or three times before i realized it was a fish instead of weed. Doh! Caught 2 'eyes that were both right around 17" each. Saw some bigger fish make chase but am quite happy with the meal that i got.

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FM, your short hair Dollys look original, but the long hairs look good too. Do you fish em?

Dang, that is a nice catch, isn't your family getting tired of fish? If you fancy a change from fried, I like my wallys baked with miso sauce.

How did you see the wallys that only followed? I've been told that shining a light spooks em?

Nice mess of fish!!!!!! That will make somre real nice eating.

Hawn - Have caught some nice trout on the short hairs but haven't fished the long ones yet.

I see the eyes now... In more ways than one.

Enjoyed this thread nice jigs and catch ! !

Hawnjigs - Wife, daughter and myself do not get tired of eating fish. One of our favorite meals. My son on the other hand is not so happy to see it on his plate. Then again, he doesn't like anything if it is not mac & cheese, hotdogs, bacon/lettuce sandwich, or PB&J. There are a couple other items he sees fit, but those are his main gourmet choices. We actually do not often fry our fish. Baked in the oven, on the grill or blackened are the most often options. As for the headlamp..... it does spook them if you point a spotlight right at them. I try to fish mostly with the light completely off, but also will leave it on at times so i can watch my line and get a better idea of the bottom contact. I keep my head and rod pointed parallel with the shorline so i'm not facing out into the main lake. I do also turn it on to get a general idea of where the fish are holding when i first get there and also if i am moving spots. Sometimes they are tight to shore in less than 5 FOW. Other times you will just see a glint of their eyes out much deeper. Every once in a while i see them cruising right at the surface out over 20 FOW.

I do have to say that the action of the doll fly look-alikes are pretty incredible. The xtra long flash out the back with the tag end thread never stop moving on retrieve. These were fished by casting mostly straight out and letting sink all the way to the bottom. Then a very slow retrieve with slight twitches to keep the tail kicking. Each bump on the bottom, i would make a little more exaggerated hop of the jig. Seemed like the more i bumped the rip-rap the better.

Does your son have allergies? Our grandson does and as a child he preferred the same foods as your boy, to the exception of most of the rest of the family's diet. He partially outgrew his aversion to food variety as a teen, but remains finicky.

Good idea shining a head light on shore watching the line - with this sliver moon I'm constantly slamming the line swivel into the tip guide guessing where the jig is in the dark. Indirect light might still be spooking in close tho.

Your tekneek is similar to mine, cept can't bump bottom on the Mac dam rocks. Lost 5 jigs last night even trying to stay above. We're actually fishing the same depth despite the size difference between your local res and the humongous Mac.

No allergies that we know of.... but never had him tested for anything. I've always just assumed it is the stubborn hard head (he got from his mother) that keeps him from trying anything with an open mind. When i met my wife, the ONLY fish she would EVER eat was a McDonalds fish sandwich drowned in ketchup. It has taken me a while to break her in. haha I don't see my son coming around any time soon.

The indirect light could spook them i guess, but does not seem to on this lake. I will often turn my head out towards the lake and see a big single fish or smaller pair sitting practically at my feet. The main area i fish has 3 flood lights on telephone poles up at the top of the bank behind me for the boat ramp and handicap parking. They point away from the lake (towards the parking) but there is always some ambient light all night long in the area. At a certain angle you can sometimes see your line, but not always. I often wonder if that little bit of light draws in the walleye and lets them hunt a little easier. I also catch them at the Southern tip of the reservoir where there is no light at all. I've talked to a few other anglers who have told me about other specific areas where the walleye come up frequently through the night, but they require a lot longer walk and really see no need to do that when i am catching them with the shorter walk.

I like the McD's fish - but ketchup would probably lessen my appreciation.

I've experienced in HI that even indirect focus stationary lights near water attract forage, and my best catches on the Mac have been around the south end lighted outflow suck towers. Due to massive summer crowd increase, I've had to fish the north dark fringes with smelly results. In fact, last night I took a first break in many weeks. Last time on the actual dam my stand was IMO minimal distance between guys right and left, and I left in disgust when 3 headlamps were descending down the dam rocks towards the space on my right. Cherish your small room to roam res while you can.

It took practice, but now I don't need to see the line for casting. During the retrieve, when I feel the line in close, lifting the rod skips the jig on the surface and finger feeling the line distance from the rod tip & adjusting eliminates slamming into the tip guide. Increasing wind and chop of course make this more difficult. I've noticed on the Mac dam most avoid shining lights into the water except to land a fish.