Some bass stuff, some coastal stuff! So, what do you guys think of these? Red hooks are Mustad Ultra Points in 3/0. Some of the other jigs have either Ultra Point black nickel hooks or Gamakatsu. The bronze hooks & the hooks with the funny point, no clue the brand, something I bought from Ebay sellers. They’re strong & sharp, and fit the molds so that’s all that matters to me! 
Owner 5/0 hook.
Mustad Ultra Point hooks.
Those look pretty good. I have access to a ton (no kidding) of lead and would like to some day pour my own weights. I’ll add that to my list of “things I want to do when retire”.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
Thanks!
I’ve got a good lead supply right now too and about 300 molds of various types.
I’m not quite retired yet either, but I do enjoy making the lures!
Besides, it beats the “honey do” list any day! 
Very cool man! They look good!
Funky backwards barb…is that a flaw or that way on purpose?
http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab352/tidewaterfly/Jig%20Heads/100_6329_zpsuqpq0imj.jpg
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
Very cool. Looks like the quality is there. Would love to hear how they perform for ya.
Tight lines!
Thanks folks! I appreciate the comments!
StumpNocker, those hooks are made that way. I bought a bunch of them several years ago from an Ebay seller. I suspect someone had them made, & they’re not a “stock” hook. They’re teflon coated, and Eagle Claw made some hooks with teflon coatings, but VMC made some hooks with that type of point & barb, so not exactly sure who made them.
I’ve made & used a bunch of jigs in the past with them, and no complaints at all. They’re strong & sharp, and hold up pretty good, which is all I expect from a hook.
IMO, the teflon is a gimmick, but it does seem to help protect the hooks a bit, as they don’t rust easily. You can see in that pic that some of the teflon has been scratched off. The finish under the teflon is black.
They’re funny looking, but I try to be open minded. Only matters that they do the job!
I’ve heard that the hooks with opposite barb are used to make a weedguard using a rubber band. You hook the band from the eyelet to the barb
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerI’ve heard that the hooks with opposite barb are used to make a weedguard using a rubber band. You hook the band from the eyelet to the barb
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
I could see that working too! 
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
I recall seeing that in the past somewhere & could see that working too, except as sharp as the barb is, I would bet there would be problems with it cutting the rubber band. Would likely have to keep a pocket full of rubber bands, as they would probably constantly need to be replaced.
I mash most barbs anyway, so not something I would do. The fiber guard works just fine.
I mold some jigs with wire guards too for some applications.
KabsCatch, I don’t get real fancy with making stuff, but I like to have the best quality I can make. I want them to be as durable as possible. I like to make my flies & lures look good, but most of the fancy paint jobs & such are for the fisherman, not the fish. Still, there’s a bit of “art” in it too, and I like that also. It’s one of the great things about making your own, a person can make them anyway they like!
quote:
Originally posted by OptikerI’ve heard that the hooks with opposite barb are used to make a weedguard using a rubber band. You hook the band from the eyelet to the barb
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
Yes sir, for fresh water. All my rubber bands got hot and “melted” into my freshwater tackle box. Funny how time and heat makes the rubber reacts with plastic. Recently went through a couple of old boxes and had to throw out a bunch of stuff.
Nice Job Bigjim!
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
Thanks Fred! There are some flies I’ve tied with latex, either rubber bands or sheet latex. Makes a great looking fly & the fish like them, but the latex deteriorates & gets hard or gummy & melts together. Plus, as you’ve said doesn’t play well with plastic baits.
I’ve gotten away from tying with latex, primarily because of this issue. I tend to make way too many flies at one time & they end up getting tossed before I ever use them all.
I happened to see an ad the other day for a rubber band that’s not latex. Not supposed to deteriorate. Didn’t read the entire ad so not sure of the details, but that may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your point of view. I’m always looking at “new” materials for making flies & lures, but the post about plastics in the water is something we all should be considering with what we use in our fishing. I’m sure all things decompose eventually. At least with latex rubber or natural rubber (I still use some round rubber for jig skirts & flies), it’s going to deteriorate & break down. Who knows how log some of these other plastics are going to be around.
Great job! You didn’t get enough credit for the paint job…that’s not easy. Did you use an airator for the oowder coat? Looks like it!
What did you use for the clear weed guards?
Thanks Epres! I have a fluid bed for the powder paint. It’s 4" diameter so I can get some rather large stuff in there. I buy the powder paint by the pound. I bought an air brush years ago with the thought of getting fancy with some of the paint detail, but never used it. The fish don’t care!
The weed guards are some ready made clear fiber guards that I had bought in bulk. I have clear, black, olive & brown. No idea who makes them & I don’t recall where I got them. I’ve had them awhile. Barlows Tackle in TX perhaps, as I’ve bought weed guards from them in the past. I also have some older clear that came from Dupont.
I mold the lead with inserts for the weed guard holes & epoxy them in after they’re powder coated. Makes a neater looking jig & I don’t have to worry about the weed guards deforming from the heat.
I’ve never had a problem with the weed guards coming out either.
I love pouring jigs. It’s not as easy as it looks.
It takes some effort, spending time to do it & there’s the cost involved. But, yes, it’s not as simple as it may look.
I enjoy it, more a labor of love than anything. I have a lot invested in fly tying & lure making. I could bought a lot of other stuff, ready made stuff instead, but wouldn’t have been as much fun.
Can I buy some
Evant T.
Evant, I’m away at the moment. I drive a tractor trailer, and am in MN. When I get back, I’ll be going right back out to Orlando. After that trip, I’ll return home for several days, and will send you a message. I’m sure we can work something out.