Sufix Elite and Skips Glow jigs

[GRIZZ]

I went out last night and tried Skips glow jigs at one of my night time walleye holes. They didn't want the glow jigs, but I had a couple hits from smaller fish. The problem is that when the walleyes are in like that the panfish head for cover, so I got 7 walleyes and a 27 inch northern on twisters and swimbaits.

A couple impressions - 1. these jigs hold a glow charge longer than any I have ever used. I had both jigs on a couple poles and quit using one for about 45 minutes. The jig on the unused jig stayed glowing for over an hour. 2. I have never been a big fan of maribou. I prefer hair jigs. The maribou bunches up when its wet and really doesn't do much to attract the fish when its in the water. I'm going to hit some crappie holes and try em again tonight.

Its too bad the walleyes didn't hit them, but the walleyes at this spot tend to want natural colored baits and retreat from light at night. Just from my impressions from fishing with them I think they would hold up. Very well made jigs and definitely the best glow head and body setup I've ever used.

Secondly, the Gamma line on both my main rods I spooled a year and a half ago was finally showing its age and I stripped them both and loaded up some Sufix Elite on both reels I was given to test. 4lb and 6lb test. First impressions are that its very much like Trilene XL. Far more stretch than Gamma and Sufix Promix. Definately noticed that I couldn't feel the strikes as quickly with all the stretch, and the line really stretches a long way when I'm pulling a snag free. Thats not a feature I like. I prefer low stretch lines. Something else I don't like is that the line doesn't have the knot strength of Gamma and Promix and when the line is scratched its just as fragile as Trilene. I didn't notice the coileyness so many people have mentioned when using elite. I found it to be fairly limp, but not as limp as Gamma. After using it one night, catching several fish and pulling a few snags free and losing some jigs to snags I have found it to be nearly identical to Trilene XL. A line that is totally outmatched by both Gamma and Promix. I will keep using it for a while and see if my impressions change, but I doubt I will use it all year. I will probably strip them and test Berkley Maxx or Fireline Crystal. If anyone out there has some extra Fireline crystal in 2 - 8 lb test and would like my opinions on it PM me. That stuff is expensive, and I'm not so rich that I want to toss $60 bucks into a line test. :D

[deathb4disco]

hour. 2. I have never been a big fan of maribou. I prefer hair jigs. The maribou bunches up when its wet and really doesn't do much to attract the fish when its in the water.

Grizz,

I've had great luck with marabou. I think marabou and rabbit fur have the best action in the water. I've never had it bunch up on me, either, but my marabou jigs have chenille bodies. Do your jigs have marabou or chenille bodies? If they're 100% marabou, I can see how it would tend to wrap around the hook and "bunch up".

[GRIZZ]

It doesn't wrap around the hook it just all sticks together in the water so its like a little stiff stick. I'm gonna go get the jig and mess around with it in the sink to see what it does.

[skiptomylu]

It doesn't wrap around the hook it just all sticks together in the water so its like a little stiff stick. I'm gonna go get the jig and mess around with it in the sink to see what it does.

Grizz the marabou will have more movement than any other material and will undulate just from the water movement. I find it really the best thing you can use, but that is my opinion. I also like hackle feathers and they will not wrap around the hook like the trouble you have had with marabou.

I am really puzzled about your problem with marabou as I have use it on Roadrunners since the 70's with out any problem. I really like it best of all material for tails. I have done some with hair and marabou lately and I am getting use to that idea and may try it soon. It looks good and the marabou make the hair less stiff.

I can had have made the glow jigs with hackle and it good too.

Let me know what you see in the tank you are going to try at home as I think you will be surprised with it.

Skip

[deathb4disco]

Grizz,

When I first start fishing with a marabou jig, I toss it in the water to get it wet. Like you say, the feathers are kind of stiff at first. But then I pull the jig out of the water and rub the wet feathers between my fingers for a few seconds. This takes out all the stiffness and works the water into the feathers. At that point, the feathers should have incredible movement in the water.

[camofish]

Now that was a great report. THANKS Grizz.

I too like hairjigs over marabou but, I've not really put them side by side while fishing. But, I'm looking farward to trying new things too this year. The hair has produced over 50 crapppie and gills in 2 hours on one jig. I've got a little marabou jig to try next time out to see how it does.

I know marabou has more bounce in the water, but that is great for vertical and slower fishing I think, on the picky bite. More of my fishing is on the aggressive side with lots of bobber or without and reel'n. :D

I do think I'd like to go to 4# test but openwater fishing is rougher on line so I'll stick to 6# unless there is a 5# out there?

PS: glad the glowjigs were awesome, may have 2 get a few 2.

[GRIZZ]

Yw Camo. I really never have seen a better glow head and body. Hey Skip, how bout the head and body with a bare hook that we can use with plastics?

You were right disco. At first the whole thing glued together, but after I rubbed it a little and gave it more water time they separate and undulate freely in the water. I'm going to give them another shot tonight and see how they work in Chautauqua dink lake.

Thanks for the tip

[CrappiePappy]

Yw Camo. I really never have seen a better glow head and body. Hey Skip, how bout the head and body with a bare hook that we can use with plastics?

You were right disco. At first the whole thing glued together, but after I rubbed it a little and gave it more water time they separate and undulate freely in the water. I'm going to give them another shot tonight and see how they work in Chautauqua dink lake.

Thanks for the tip

Marabou will "clump" when you first put it in the water, from dead dry out of the tackle box. But, what I usually do, is just shake it around underwater (with rod tip) and it "blooms out" and is ready for action :D Most of my Roadrunner action is with marabou RR's .... and I've just gotten used to dipping & shaking before casting them, for the first time or if they've not been used & have dried back out. I don't know of ANY other material that gives more action than marabou And, if there is any .... I'd be afraid it would scare the fish away :p

......... cp

[Countrytime]

The marabou tail on Hal-Flys clump together as soon as it gets wet. It looks like a solid tail, but very effective though. I think a synthetic hair or cafftail will produce the tantilizing effect cause by water current. Roger Gant who guides on Pickwick Lake who does the side pulling method uses synthetics to achieve that effect he also sales them at their store on Pickwick lake.

[GRIZZ]

Yeah you guys are right. I just wasn't ever giving the maribou enough time to get soaked properly. It does undulate beautifully in the water and I know I've seen it do that before, but I just always saw it clumping like that right away and took em off. I'll give em more of a chance now.

So a couple nights ago I went to a very crappie spot and put on Skips glow jig - the one with the stiffer short feathers and just smacked em. Caught about 70 crappies, a couple rock bass, some white perch, a few regular perch, bluegills, sunnies, and a couple little walleyes. I wanted to switch over to the maribou to see if they would hit the same on that, but I was pullin them in so fast I didn't want to stop to change lures. Then a guy stopped by who wanted to talk for a while and it got dark and they turned off and I switched to the maribou, but didn't get too many more because they just weren't hitting then. Then yesterday I stopped by a little lake called Bear lake in PA and caught 6 bass and about that many bluegills on the maribou until I wrapped the line around a branch under water and broke it off - AAHH. I almost went in after it.

3 things about skips glowing jigs. First, they WORK!! in daylight and after dark. They are extremely well made, and they are super durable. I've been working that feathered jig over. I've caught well over 100 fish on it and some with some serious teeth and it look almost new except where I smacked a little of the glow coating off the head from bumping rocks and bridges. Thirdly, like I said before I've never seen a glow charge last as long on a glowing jigs. Kudos to Skip - those are excellent jigs and I want some more especially since I lost the maribou.