Eyes on Jigs

How do you guys feel about putting eyes on your jigs? Have you ever done it? If so does it make a difference or is it just one of those confidence things? Thanks!

JHall

JHall,

I know JC use to, and may still, take great stock in eyes
on his jigs. He sent me a few of his “secret weapons”, and
the first thing I asked him about were the hand painted
eyes. I have been fishing eyeless jigs for 30 years,
and never felt the need to have eyes on them. But when
JC made his strong statement to me, about his thoughts
on eyes, I got out the Sharpie, and started putting eyes
on many of my jigs. That was last year, and this year
I am back to eyeless jigs for no other reason than I
didn’t take the time to do the Sharpie artwork. I can’t
tell the difference. I guess I’d vote for it being a
confidence thing.

Big Bass Bane

I have done plenty in the world of “eye” research. I have some serious findings and would say that YEP, they help… But as always there is a trick to them. I will tall ya that when I tried the realism appproach I failed.
jc

Soo.. whats the trick, jc? You have my attention now and I would like to start putting eyes on my jigs, now that my new snootie mold came 2 days ago . Im changing from a mor bullet shape and figure that its worth a shot.

JHall

What’s a “snootie”?

Monzy swears by putting yellow eyes on his jig…
jc

JHall,

Throw that “Snootie” jig mold away, they don’t work worth
a darn . I have red eyes on my Green Pumpkin Snooties,
and a friend in TN, that I gave a bunch of samples to
test, is pretty happy with those snooties. I don’t know
if I’d throw away the bullet heads, but those Snooties
do ride up nicely when swimming. I know the smallies
like to knock the stuffing out of a avacodo Kalin grub,
on a Green Pumpkin Snootie, on some clear water lakes I
fish. I am thinking a pearl white one, with a shad colored
grub, swimming through the eel grass might get some
river green bass to make a mistake.

Big Bass Bane

I dont need opinions on what head to throw, I throw what I like for what I want. I know of quite a few good colors and I make my own skirts too. Ive been throwing a head close to a snootie, the mudfish and the fools gold both turn on it like angry step-children! Works for me, I will have to try the sharpie hows that JC? What color did you say again?

JHall,

I didn’t mean to give any advice. I have been making
jigs for several decades, and I don’t own a comercial
jig, spinnerbait, or buzzbait, so I know how you feel about
knowing what works. I was just funning you a bit. I
will remember to avoid that in the future. I know a man
that takes his jigs seriously, when I see one, and I
know to respect that. Sir, it will not happen again, Sir!

Big Bass Bane

Quote:

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angry step-children!

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Speaking from experience? I fail to see BBBane offering an opinion on what head to use. What I saw was a mild-mannered attempt at humor. Little graemlins like this usually indicate that. I could be wrong though……..

I didnt mean to come across that way BBB, I appreciate a guy like youself. So how long have you been throwing the “snootie”?

Blue Fleck- No, I cant say that I am talking from experience , being as I just turned 20 a couple months back . I have plenty of time till I’ll have to take that ride!

OK I will ask the same question as Moss Boss,
Whats a SNOOTIE?
Thanks

I’m sure some people think I am snootie, since you asked… http://www.cabelas.com/information/Fishing/Do-It-Snootie-Jig-Mold-and-Mustad-Jig-Hooks0017491.html

Thanks for the image blue fleck! Just dont use the mustad, go with a Gama!

JHall,

I picked up the mold this winter, and made a pile. I
started “testing” them early(some on an early spring
trip with Riverfan, on Pepin, and down on KY Lake in
April). If I can get away with an exposed hook, on
a darter, or a worm nose, jig I probably wouldn’t choose
the Snootie. But for bangin’ a jig off wood, or swimming
it through veggies, or over rocks, it has had some success.
In the past, for swimming, I used a 1/4 oz standup jig, and
just kept the rod tip high, to keep it planing. I could
only get the 1/4 oz head to plane flat, since the 1/8 oz
foot is much smaller, and with some trailers, wanted to
roll. So I had very limited retrieve speeds, especially on
the slow side. Using different weight Snooties, I have
been able to tune the swim to just about any situation, and
trailer. Even though there isn’t a flat planing surface it
does want to stay up in the water column. I have fished
them mostly with just a grub body, but I have made a bunch
with skirts, and those happened to be the samples I gave to
that friend in TN. The green pumpkin jig and skirt seems
to be a preference for the Cumberland, and the sections of
KY Lake that he fishes. I have been waiting for a river
trip, where I get the shad in the pads, and those great
toilet bowl flushes, to test out the pearl versions. As of
yet I have not gotten to test them there. Swimming them
down deep weedlines, in the area lakes, does work, but I am
not convinced that a bullet head doesn’t work just as
well. But for swimming flat, or on a slow arc, the Snootie
is showing some promise, in my experimenting.

Big Bass Bane

BBB- I like the bullet , dont get me wrong. I have just had a really hard time hooking fish with anything but a Gama. The snootie is made so that I can order good hooks that go with the mold. The way you describe the snooties strong points is where I plan to use it . Thanks for the input.

So you fished with riverfan too huh, You have my sympathy, He sure is good at backboating a guy isnt he! Just Kidding john, we’ll have to do it again soon!

JHall,

I was too busy taking his picture with brown fish to notice
if I was getting back boated Seriously, we had a
very good day. John is pretty intense, but I get that
1000 yard stare too, when good brown fish are prowling.
He did convince me to pick up a couple Rogues, for the next
time. He warned me about toothy critters, and the life
span of my Lucky Craft Pointer. He was correct, although
I did manage to keep it through most of the day. We
did make a fairly good 1, 2, punch on those Pepin smallies.

Big Bass Bane