Starlight Pattern Jigs

In browsing through some sites that sell flies..... I came across a pattern called a starlight leech. It looks like a pretty nice pattern for bass and crappie or possibly any other prey fish. I tied up a few.....



I know.... you are gona say - Those ain't jigs!?!?!? But the lead eyes i used are 1/20 oz. and are very capable of casting using ultralight gear. Saturated bunny tail helps with the casting weight as well.

My dilema: The hooks on the top and left ones are #4 mustad nymph hooks - not satisified with how much gap i get from them after tying the chenille body. :s The hooks on the right and bottom ones are cheap EC #4 baitholders with the eye bent up - not satisified with the thickness of the wire, too thick. :dodgy: I want the best of both worlds... a #4 or #2 hook with a WIDE gap and a THIN but STRONG wire. Any suggestions???

Here are some i used bead chain and much lighter weight eyes on so i could cast them with my flyrod and not bounce them off the back of my head too often...

Dang man those do look good! Awesome ties AF.

Beautiful ties ! What is the material you are using around the eyes to form the head?

It appears to be just chenille at the head... am I right?

If your looking for a wider gape but keeping the smaller size of a #4 I suggest bending the hook shank (almost like a bendback fly). It will widen the gap but allowing you to keep the smaller size hook.

That is a variant of Barry and Cathy Becks' "Super Bugger" and a Whitlocks' Scorpion Fly, combined with a Zonker fly. Interesting tie.

I do some ties very similar to that pattern.

I've said it before gotta say it again. Sometimes its a lure and sometimes its art. Those are both. Excellent job.

very nice!!! very nice!!! I like the top 1 on the first picture..

OK, here's my idea. #2 Sickle 2x strong bent for a tie in barbell notch and for a lower forward angled hook eye. The long tapered point will penetrate like a light wire. If you'd like some hooks let me know.

very nice AF

Thanks for the comments! Yes, the heads are chenille wrapped around the eyes. Using the bead chain you either need ultra size chenille or very large bead chain. They also have a chenille body behind the hackle wrap. In the water, these things look very cool... good swim motion with just a simple straight retrieve.

Forgot one pic - only been out fishing open water 3 times so far this year and this one has been the only thing i have caught a fish on... and i tried out a bunch of new jigs and had a bait/bobber line sitting out the whole time as well. Took this pic after i got home...



jjsjigs - the 'bendback' may be a decent option, guessing i may need some 2x or 3x long hooks to keep the body long enough... will have to give it a try.

hawnjigs - cool idea, never crossed my mind to bend a jig hook where you did and the sickle would give plenty of gap. It makes a nice little notch to tye the lead eyes as well. Going to try this!

Thanks for the info!!!!

Interesting-looking swim jigs AF. :icon14:

Instead of bending jig hooks... just use a Mustad Popper hook. It has a wide gape and a notch for eyes.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/closeout-fly-tying/810922.aspx

Cheap prices!

JJs, that is a good price for stainless.

AF, when you say "caught a fish" does that mean only one? What species? Looking at the jig, can't figure what gives it extra attraction, what you think?

JJ2 reports too cold water yet in PA for a jig bite, but says he's getting bluegill and trout on a tiny ice blade under a quill float.

Hawn - Yes, you read correctly.... one whopper of a fish caught so far since the ice has gone away. It was a LMB - didn't measure it but guessing that it went maybe 8" if i had reeeeeeeealy stretched him. This is with a total of about 3 hours fishing time and have been switching up alot to try out some winter creations.

As far as attraction: Anything very light weight that has a zonker has an odd wafting motion to the tail when you retrieve it very slow. Best way i can describe it is that it just flows slow. The shape of this one looks good also.

And he!! yes it is still too cold! Air temps back down to low 20's overnight and be lucky if it gets above 40 tomorrow.

When ever it warms up that...Hummm... lure/jig should do very well. Nice job!