JSC
New member
Jigs look great ... U have some that would fall in the Cobia Class ... Most of the guys around here use epoxy for there clear coat ... sealing the eyes and wraps.
Two different jigs
- Thread starter blt
- Start date
blt
New member
JSC...
I either use 5 minute epoxy for the eyes, or Sally Hansens hard as nails. I tried the 30 minute epoxy....looks really great, cost and time to do the amount of them I do, I just use the powder clear coat.
At my job, (printing)..we use a UV coating on the covers of some catalogs. I was trying to figure out a way to uses this liquid coat them, and run under the UV light to cure. I gave up on that project for a while, but now that winter is here, I may try it again. I need to get (used) one of those UV light boxes from a nail salon to use and see how fast it would cure this coating. 40-60 watt would be nice. I can get the coating for free, they toss the extra coating after the job is off.
I keep watching Craigslist to see if any salon is closing down, and are selling their equipment.
I either use 5 minute epoxy for the eyes, or Sally Hansens hard as nails. I tried the 30 minute epoxy....looks really great, cost and time to do the amount of them I do, I just use the powder clear coat.
At my job, (printing)..we use a UV coating on the covers of some catalogs. I was trying to figure out a way to uses this liquid coat them, and run under the UV light to cure. I gave up on that project for a while, but now that winter is here, I may try it again. I need to get (used) one of those UV light boxes from a nail salon to use and see how fast it would cure this coating. 40-60 watt would be nice. I can get the coating for free, they toss the extra coating after the job is off.
I keep watching Craigslist to see if any salon is closing down, and are selling their equipment.
Pup
Active member
Great-looking ties BLT. :icon14:
SaltyBuckster
New member
blt,I don't need any 8/0's they are to big to try to cover with the bucktails that I have been getting.I use a 6/0 Eagle Claw 635 in my 2 oz. It works out pretty good.On the smaller Ultra Minnow mold,1/2 thru 1 1/2 oz. the hooks are perfect sizes for fluke.Compared to the jig itself.
blt
New member
I have already tried the 5/0 in this mold, works fine. A little work on the pin, but they fit fine now. Even a 5/0 will not be much help with the smaller Flounder. My 1/4 and 3/8 oz. Shad heads use 1/0 and 2/0 EC 635s. They don't get any hair, meant for swim shads, Gulp alive, strip bait...whatever. I'll post pics when I can get a little time again, getting ready for my 12 hr w/e shifts at work. :beat-up:
You may want to check out the Mustad 34184 or 34185 for the larger heads. If I remember right, they are stronger, and a little shorter shank on them. I want to check them out myself when I can get to a shop that has them. I'm heading down...I hope....Saturday after Thanksgiving to De., Indian river inlet and Cape Henlopen and will stop at some of the shops that I deal with to take a look. Big Stripers are there now heading south, and I hear a lot of Ling/Hake are being caught at the cape henlopen pier.
You may want to check out the Mustad 34184 or 34185 for the larger heads. If I remember right, they are stronger, and a little shorter shank on them. I want to check them out myself when I can get to a shop that has them. I'm heading down...I hope....Saturday after Thanksgiving to De., Indian river inlet and Cape Henlopen and will stop at some of the shops that I deal with to take a look. Big Stripers are there now heading south, and I hear a lot of Ling/Hake are being caught at the cape henlopen pier.
SaltyBuckster
New member
Great info.Do you fish your stuff? I would never use anything smaller then a 4/0 for any fluke.The smaller hooks put yopur fingers right into thier mouth to try to get it out.And for a dink fluke that has to be thrown back to draw blood from your fingers is'nt worth it.Even pliars and the fish is most likly going to die anyway with them smaller hooks.Just is'nt worth it to me.
blt
New member
Don't have any issues with the 1/0 & 2/0 myself with getting it out of the mouth. Now I can't answer for the average "touron" that goes fishing and would rather rip the jaw off an undersized flounder just to get his 9 cent hook back. I also make a bullet head jig with #1 and 1/0 wire hooks that I put on a Fin-S 2.5" swim shad on an people use them for flounder.
Do I fish my stuff? Yes. Never bought anything other than like a Bomber crankbait, something like that. Next May, you want to make the trip to Cape Henlopen Pier, De. with me and slay Flounder, Ill be more than happy to take you. It will vary with water temps, but somewhere around the first/second week of may, it's the best time for flounder there until 1st -2nd week of june. I night fish 90% of the time, because when the lights are on, the flounder have a baitfish buffet waiting on them under the lights. Last may, I used a lot of vacation days, and will this year also, and caught A LOT of Flounder, but the keeper to total caught is not that great, and you have to be fast to avoid all the horse shoe crabs lol. I won't say how many I caught total, you would call me a liar or B.S.'er, and I am neither.
Last year, 18.5" was the keeper size in De. up to the 2nd week of May. The first week, I caught a lot of them, and 5 were between 18" to 18 and a fuzz short of that magic 1/2" to keep 'em. Still managed 3 keepers that trip though. If I would have just waited a week lol, I would have came home with 8 keepers because the size dropped to 18" for the rest of the year.
I fish for the fun of it, as long as I pull something in, I am very happy. Keeper or not. Most of my fishing was done with 1/4oz. or 3/8oz. bucktail tandems in plain white. Depending on the tide, I sometimes use the 3/8 on bottom, 1/4 on top. Gulp Alive swimming mullet, some times tipped with herring in the spring, or silverside shiners. Have used stripped out Bunker, blues, spot or croaker. I tried putting a spinner on the 3/8oz. jig with 2 beads to keep it away from the jig so it could spin last year. Didn't really see any more fish caught, but I tried lol.
This is also why I still hope to get that lighter ultra minnow mold (1/4 and 3/8oz size)....for the pier. They would sell great. I've only been fishing/making tackle for a couple of years, but from what I see......fish are NOT as picky as fishermen. I know guys that fish unpainted lead and out fish me lol.
I never "soak bait" for Flounder. I jig 100% of the time. Suffix performance braid, or the new 832 is good also, but not worth the extra money. Because of that, I am thinking of getting a baitcaster for the pier. Very seldom do I cast over 15 yards...no need to around structure. This may be the last year my Mom has a place down at the beach, so I am serious about going down for a day or 2, but prefer the week days.....I hate crowds lol. Sorry so long winded.....to much coffee.
Do I fish my stuff? Yes. Never bought anything other than like a Bomber crankbait, something like that. Next May, you want to make the trip to Cape Henlopen Pier, De. with me and slay Flounder, Ill be more than happy to take you. It will vary with water temps, but somewhere around the first/second week of may, it's the best time for flounder there until 1st -2nd week of june. I night fish 90% of the time, because when the lights are on, the flounder have a baitfish buffet waiting on them under the lights. Last may, I used a lot of vacation days, and will this year also, and caught A LOT of Flounder, but the keeper to total caught is not that great, and you have to be fast to avoid all the horse shoe crabs lol. I won't say how many I caught total, you would call me a liar or B.S.'er, and I am neither.
Last year, 18.5" was the keeper size in De. up to the 2nd week of May. The first week, I caught a lot of them, and 5 were between 18" to 18 and a fuzz short of that magic 1/2" to keep 'em. Still managed 3 keepers that trip though. If I would have just waited a week lol, I would have came home with 8 keepers because the size dropped to 18" for the rest of the year.
I fish for the fun of it, as long as I pull something in, I am very happy. Keeper or not. Most of my fishing was done with 1/4oz. or 3/8oz. bucktail tandems in plain white. Depending on the tide, I sometimes use the 3/8 on bottom, 1/4 on top. Gulp Alive swimming mullet, some times tipped with herring in the spring, or silverside shiners. Have used stripped out Bunker, blues, spot or croaker. I tried putting a spinner on the 3/8oz. jig with 2 beads to keep it away from the jig so it could spin last year. Didn't really see any more fish caught, but I tried lol.
This is also why I still hope to get that lighter ultra minnow mold (1/4 and 3/8oz size)....for the pier. They would sell great. I've only been fishing/making tackle for a couple of years, but from what I see......fish are NOT as picky as fishermen. I know guys that fish unpainted lead and out fish me lol.
I never "soak bait" for Flounder. I jig 100% of the time. Suffix performance braid, or the new 832 is good also, but not worth the extra money. Because of that, I am thinking of getting a baitcaster for the pier. Very seldom do I cast over 15 yards...no need to around structure. This may be the last year my Mom has a place down at the beach, so I am serious about going down for a day or 2, but prefer the week days.....I hate crowds lol. Sorry so long winded.....to much coffee.
SaltyBuckster
New member
Great stuff.I fish out of Jersey,Belmar, McKeesport.The best day we had last year was 17 keepers out of the Raratin Bay.18" is the size limit there.We use bucktails all the time on the bottom with a bucktail teaser about 6 inches up on a drop loop.The teasers are sometimes tipped with the swimming mullet or a spearing if we have any in the freezer.Yea,we'll have to get together.
blt
New member
95% is from land. Do fish from the pier more than ony other place. I don't know why I don't fish from a boat more in the De. bay, and indian river bay, because meeting so many people on the net, I get a lot of invites to go out to help offset gas cost. Now going out on the ocean.....I did that one time in Jan. for Tog. We were about 14 miles out. Great time. Maybe next year I will take some of them up on it.
blt
New member
Salty...where you go in NJ....I want to go with you lol.
SaltyBuckster
New member
You are welcome to come along.We'll have to get my brother in law on JigCraft then we can make it a JigCraft only boat.You,me,Doc and him,lol.We got a new to us 19' Center Console Sea Nymph Striper last year,it will be ready by spring.It's just about ready now but getting to cold to finish it up for me right now.
blt
New member
I am all in for that. Some really good fishing in that area.
I deal with a shop at Fortesque on the jersey side of the De. bay. He's good for several hundred fluke balls, top/bottom rigs, and croaker rigs.
I deal with a shop at Fortesque on the jersey side of the De. bay. He's good for several hundred fluke balls, top/bottom rigs, and croaker rigs.
SaltyBuckster
New member
Heres some Raratin Bay flounder.Average on that day was 20 inches.Red,grey 3/4 oz. were the ticket that day.
That's me,Ha
That's me,Ha
blt
New member
All that fish around you... I should see a bigger smile than that lol. Is that one of the "agents" doing a survey of what was caught that day?
SaltyBuckster
New member
That agent is the filletter,lol.I was posotive that I was going to get that "Doormat" that day.My best so far is 23 inches on one of my jigs,I need the 25 incher to be Perfect,lol.
SaltyBuckster
New member
That dream is going to come true with you and BLT on the boat to witness it,Ha.Next summer,if not in the bay,Strewsberry Rocks will get a visit no matter how bad you are sea sick,lol.I'll be saying,got a bite,hang on a second Doc,lol.