Thread: Back in The Lab 2021

Originally Posted by Redge

Nice post on mold mod, sweet trip on fishes!


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Getting back out in the garage today and going to pour up some older molds I haven't in awhile.

Originally Posted by Micanopy

Oooooh……modifications. I see what you did there. You widened the gap to allow the eye to lay flat in that spot. I am sure it is giving great results with that hook. I would have done something silly like file that section below the head, that separates the shank from the insert, and move the shank to the left, bringing the eye in closer to the original gap, and left that area alone. Then any extra lead could be easily removed, similar to removing a collar. Of course then there would be no bait keeper anymore, but I glue my plastics anyways.

I might also have been tempted to just close the gap between head and eye using powder paint.

I have enjoyed the modifications you did to my Bat Jig, and you gave me the confidence to modify it further. I also modified my Free Style mold as well. Those molds are about a third of the cost of that CNC mold. You must have really wanted this due to troubles with the braid getting in there. Even a tiny gap and that stuff just pops through, and I always worry after the extraction process if the line has been nicked.

I am actually considering going back to all mono because of the way the braid wraps the rod tips and it’s evil nature when it comes to my under spin jigs. Any sort of wrap becomes a complicated disaster. Also, I will clear the rod tip, grasp the handle preparing to cast and look, and sure enough the tip is wrapped again. LOL

I keep your jigs on my desk and still admire them. So I know the wedge shaped head is not new for you. So can you say why you like that particular shape, or was it all about being able to secure the mold ?

Just like everything since I was a little boy I've tweaked, twisted and/or modded anything and everything to make it better. I've modded many of both lead and plastic molds. Sometimes I've screwed up but I've learned and adapted with each one. Your bat jig I did like 4 years ago. Now a days I would've used a drill press on the hook eye part.

A simple solution to braid slipping would be just paint the eye and then run wire through it or just paint up to the eye to close it. I will still have to do this on the hooks I have with gaps.

Nothing special about this style head. I like the shape and look of it. Just another tool in my bag to catch crappie. Jigheads I prefer are weedless round head, pill head, hatchet head and egg head.

If you are making the switch from non braid I suggest this. Best I have found and I've used them all. I believe when I spool it my handle is on the left side and I put the label side of the spool towards the ground. It is some smooth line and doesn't get the crazy line twist like mono. I normally use 8lb for my casting but they sent me this 6lb by mistake once so they sent me out the correct and this was free.

Originally Posted by DrNip

Painted up some 1/8oz to dip plastics tomorrow in case handties don’t work. Hitting a new lake so I’m clueless on it. Pic doesn’t do jigheads justice as they are fancy.

Attachment 411935

How did you do the swirl or mixed look? Also have you played with the illusion paints anymore?

So the orange one is dipped in orange then I pinch black paint and sprinkle on with fingers to get that effect. The junebug I tapped on fluorescent green chartreuse that was in my IKEA salt shaker. The pearl I tapped on fluorescent green shaft reuse too from shaker. No I haven’t worked with illusion again. Will be soon.

Going to work on some new paint techniques with these ones. I will dip the head in whatever color and then manipulate the second color onto it. Will explain more if I can pull it off. Fingers crossed.

Well I lied. 1st attempt at new method was a failure. Went back to ole reliable.

Originally Posted by DrNip

So the orange one is dipped in orange then I pinch black paint and sprinkle on with fingers to get that effect. The junebug I tapped on fluorescent green chartreuse that was in my IKEA salt shaker. The pearl I tapped on fluorescent green shaft reuse too from shaker. No I haven’t worked with illusion again. Will be soon.

Pinch it on with fingers!!…. Clever, didn’t even think of that…. Guess that’s why you’re the Dr.

Some really beautiful jigs and paint. Always enjoy seeing the masterpieces you create. Thanks for sharing.

Yup just like you have a pinch of salt and adding it to it.

what type of soft plastic is that monkey milk/orange type color? What is the length and do you make it?

Originally Posted by DrNip

Just takes practice. Need to visualize where the hook is going to come out before you put on. Head I just painted last night along with the last plastic color combo I poured couple years ago. A hot combo if you ask me. That is actually Dead On White used. Is more of a translucent white kinda giving it a skim milk color if you may.
Attachment 412091

I was wanting a hook that had the eye closer to the jighead on smaller jigs. Bigger jigheads this isn't an issue due to jighead being bigger therefor closer to the eye of the hook. Smaller size jigheads the eye of the hook isn't close to the head. I kept getting batches of hooks with the eye not closed all the way. The Ultra Point 2x solved my issue by the shorter distance between the shank of the hook and the eye. Also wanted to see what all the new found hype about them was. The mold takes your standard Aberdeen style hook. I had to modify it to accept the Ultra Points. Here is how I modded the mold.

Get you one of these file kits at Harbor Freight. Comes with like 6 or so files. This is the one I used.
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Here is the place I filed. I only filed one of the 1/16oz and one of the 1/8oz. I left the others for if I want to pour with regular hooks. Didn't take much filing. Simply open up the area I'm pointing to as that is where the eye of the new hook will rest. The 1/8oz I had to open up the hook shank area. Same file was used.
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