Big-D

It's actually the reflection of the wire in the nickel plated blade... -D

I have had good success making them out of buzzbait heads with the wire trimmed short enough to just form the loop. I also modified a regular Arkie head mold to accept a spinnerbait wire where the hook eye exits the head. It is a simple modification, and the mold can still be used to make a jig without any flashing. Instead of a jig hook, I use a spinnerbait hook and a short trace of heavy spinnerbait/ buzzbait wire.

You got some great suggestions here. A couple of other tricks are to use a candle and "soot" the inside of the cavity and sprue hole and play with the angle you hold the mold at when pouring the lead. Those two tricks help when using larger hooks than the mold wants. -D

I'd buy a couple for that price. They would serve me well for a few single-cavity pours. -D

You need to get .035 wire forms (which are lighter than standard buzzbait forms) and mold two of them into one head. With the smaller wire, they will fit inside a standard spinnerbait hook. I also made the spaces for the wire legs slightly bigger with a small triangle file. Make sure the wires lay parallel in the mold before pouring. Hope this helps. -D

The Eagle Claw is a much better hook. The quality control is much better and the hooks are sharper right out of the box, I have changed over to all the newer EC hooks that mimic the Mustad numbers. Try them, You won't be disappointed. Just my $.02.

Pull it and cut it under tension as seen in Jig Man's picture. If it is slipping under the wire when you pull it, the wire is not tight enough. -D

I also like the snootie for my swim jigs. I use a light, fg-30 weedguard and tie on a wire keeper. I get good hook ups and get fewer snags in wood cover with the 60 degree hook and the fiber weedguard. If I were fishing weeds exclusively, I could see where the wire guard and the 30 degree hook would shine.

The arky has always performed well in those conditions for me. IMO it is the best head for casting a jig, especially in, and around brushpiles. -D

Thanks, I will report back. -D

Can you send a link to that chart? I can't find it anywhere. Thanks. -D

. Isn't there a football mold that uses flat eye hooks in large sizes? I believe there is. Edit: According to Barlows, the FBB-3M-AFM accepts the larger flat eye hooks with no modification needed. It says 32798 not 32796. I know that my football shakey with screw lock is made for the 32798 and the 32796 won't fit. -D

Thanks smalljaw. Good advice except I forgot to mention that I need a 3/4oz cavity. Sorry. -D

I asked this question a few months back and got no response... so, which weedless football mold are you guys modifying to accept a heavy wire, flat eye hook such as a Mustad 32796BLN? FBB-3M-AFM or FBB-3H-AF? Thanks, -D

Just wanted to report back. Got the mold last week and poured a hundred or so jigs. The flashing is not so bad with the light wire hooks. I was also pleased to discover the mold will accept 60-degree regular-eye hooks without further modification.

Thanks guys. I can deal with a little flashing. I appreciate the responses. -D

Does anyone know if the L2798 or 32798 will fit the new Trokar (round head/flat bottom) Round with Screw-loc mold? Thanks. -D

Heres the simplest, best trailer keeper. Tied with thread and epoxied with D2T when I was epoxying the eyes in place. The fish will actually need to destroy the trailer to get it off of the hook. No more having your pants pulled down. I started using this on my spinnerbaits over a year ago and have yet to have one fail. I keep all the scrap pieces of wire after making my spinnerbait loops and bend them with a couple of needle nosed pliers. Just had some time to share. Big-D

The mold I modified is my FBWW-4-AF mold. -D

I like to drag a 3/4oz weedless football jig as a substitute (compliment) to a Carolina rig. I fish the jig on braid with a leader and need a beefy hook. I modified my mold to take a FG-30 weedguard and a Mustad 32833BLN Jig Hook. I like the jig but hate what I have to pay for that hook for just one application. I got a deal on some flat eyes, so here are a few questions: Which weedless football mold are you guys using to modify to accept a heavy wire, flat eye hook such as a Mustad 32796BLN? FBB-3M-AFM or FBB-3H-AF? I also heard rumors of a new mold on the horizom that will accept the heavy flat eyes. Can anyone confirm this? Should I buy and modify or wait for a new mold? Thanks, Big-D

If you present this topic in the wire baits forum, you may get ideas from a different audience. I normally don't look in hard baits forum and stumbled onto this subject. Just a thought. -D