troutgnat Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 Gentlemen I did my research but didn't quite find what I was looking for. I've been tying my own silicone jigs for some time. I want to start making some bucktail jigs for jig/pork fishing for cool weather bass. For those of you with experience in this I would like your opinion on the best mold for this. I would like a weedless mold in the 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 category for tying bucktail jigs to fish with pork trailers(uncle josh #11) mainly for cool weather bass on bottom imitating crayfish. I've been researching and here is what I have looked at so far: Do-It Molds 1090 Weedless Sparkie 1/4, 3/8,1/2,5/8 3371 Weedless Snootie 1/8,3/16,1/4 3434 Weedless Football 1/8,1/4,3/8,1/2 3312 Weedless Bananna 3/16,1/4,3/8,1/2 Your info and advice is greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Hahn Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 I prefer the Arkie style head for tying weedless hair jigs for largemouth. The Do-It mold that I have has 1/8 and 1/4, but no 3/16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 If you dont have many weeds to deal with, I think the football head always looks best simulating a craw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 This is going to depend on your tackle and the areas you fish. The reason is it will dictate the hook you use, for my areas I use light line, a ML rod, and light jigs, 1/16oz to 1/4oz. I use the weedless ball jig and I use the Owner 5318 and the Eagle Claw 500BP Lil Nasty hooks in size 2 up to 1/0. Those hooks are light wire and the mold uses FG-9 weed guards for the 1/16oz size and FG-12 for the rest of them and I like that for a few reasons. Remember, cold weather fish are usually light biters, a heavy weed guard can hurt hook up ratios, and most of the time you will be fishing light cover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutgnat Posted September 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Interesting replies Gentlemen. I had considered the hook type and sizes Smalljaw but realize that some molds can be modified to accept other style hooks. Heres what I plan on doing and where. I'll be fishing Ozarks highland reservoirs, namely Table Rock and Bull Shoals Lake. Typical cover will be pea gravel/chunk rock and ledges more so than weed lines and wood. I really don't plan on going much heavier than 1/4 ounce. 7' ML spinnning rod with fast tip and probably 8 lb fluorocarbon line. Somewhere in that ball park if that helps. Lightweight bucktail jigs with #11 uncle josh pork trailer is what I'm looking to tie, chunk and drag. And yes, I have been stashing a sizeable supply of Uncle Josh trailers while I can. Edited September 20, 2016 by troutgnat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 Go look in the gallery under jigs, the picture I put there is my cold water set up for largemouth that are on primarily on the same type of cover and structure. It is a 1/8oz ball jig with an FG-12 weed guard and an Owner 5318 hook in a size 1 that is tied with bucktail and living rubber. I use living rubber on the jigs I fish when the water first drops down in the upper 50s, then as it gets into the low 50s and upper 40s I'll lose the rubber and just use the hair. When it gets into the low 40s I'll fish the jig without a trailer but these are just the guidelines I follow, there have been times when I do well with a jig with a trailer in water that is in the low 40s, but it is trial and error but I normally begin without using a trailer. The picture I put in the gallery is to have an idea of what I use and the reason is because the ball head works well on just about all types of cover. Another I use is the Weedless Banana jig, I like it in 3/16oz and 1/4oz and I use a reducer pin to make it with a smaller weed guard, I like using that head with larger chunks like a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. or a Netbait Paca chunk. I use it when I'm fishing water that is dirty, it gives me a larger profile as I can add more hair and give it a lot of flare to make it stand out in dingy or off colored water. I hope this helps you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutgnat Posted September 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 Smalljaw I can see why you must be a skilled smallie fisherman Do you know anything about Do-Its Weedless Snootie(3371) mold? It sure looks appealing everytime I look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldfart9999 Posted September 20, 2016 Report Share Posted September 20, 2016 I would echo Smalljaw on the weedless ball head mold, it works well even in moderate weeds. Rodney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutgnat Posted September 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 I like the looks of Smalljaws jigs. Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 The Snootie is one of my favorite heads but not for cold water. I like it for active presentations when I'm really hopping the jig or long lift and drop presentations. The head really isn't designed to be dragged or crawled along the bottom but it is great for grass and brush but in warm water with an active presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutgnat Posted September 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 Smalljaw I have now purchased the weedless ballhead and the light Snootie Jig mold The Snootie mold will be dual purpose. I can see where I can use that for swimbait heads. Please tell me more about this reducer pin, I can see where I will have applications for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 Ask Cadman, a member here, if he has any pins for sale. The reducer pin allows you to make a hole for a smaller weed guard than the FG-30, it doesn't have the bell end on it as it has to be lined up so the larger end is right at the entrance to the cavity and the smaller part is in the cavity. Since every weedless mold has a different angle and depth of weed guard, you will have to put a hook in the mold and line the pin up and see where it goes, you will probably have to cut or grind off 1/16" or so for it to fit right. The weedless ball jig uses small weed guards to begin with and that means no base hole pins at all, so what I did was order 1/16" (FG-9) and 5/64" (FG-12) diameter steel rod and cut 1.5" pins and that lets me cast my ball jigs without the weed guard so I can epoxy it in place after I'm finished tying the jig. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 I redrill my weed guard holes after I powder coat them, to be sure they are clear. I use the same 1/8" bit that was the hole on the original mold. If I want a smaller weed guard, I cut the 1/8" guard in half, and glue it in with epoxy or super glue, just like I use for the regular guards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldfart9999 Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 The Worm head jig should work well also, I'm going to try it later in the winter. Rodney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
