Well, the eyes before the eyes, paint out of eyelets that is.
Not that I dont mind grabbing a couple beers and going to town on a pile of new jigs, seeing what’s the most effective tool. Got to be something better than this thing?
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Or you can just bribe a daughter to do it I found out 
I love those things! You don’t like them? My husband doesn’t care for them. He’s not had much luck with them and prefers just using the hook from a different jig. I suggested maybe he was using it wrong. 
For cheap jigs, it works well I’ll admit. But got a bunch of UV gammi jigs and some other ones with UV stuff in em and the coating is like a rubbery texture. It pokes through but doesn’t bust er open good.
Was thinking there’s got to be a better way. Maybe a drill, but sure would damage the eyelet and create burs. Trying to make life easier, one eye at a time…
I’ve busted a few of those trying to clean out powder painted jigs. Torch, paper clips, needle, and pliers for me
Hmmm, I’m thinking Randy might be onto something there. I was going to suggest using heat somehow. Whether you heat the jig head or the poking device (for lack of a better term.)
Poke and twist till the paint tears out is what i do with that little red tool.
I tend to bleed everytime i use another hook to clear an eyelet.
Poke and twist till the paint tears out is what i do with that little red tool.
I tend to bleed everytime i use another hook to clear an eyelet.
Ditto for me… Poke and twist.
I’ve been using this towel clip for years. It covers any size jig you’ll find in a tackle box, including ice tackle.
The one picture shows the tool while the other shows the working end in a 1/80 jig’s eye.
No more slips and poked fingers. No more search to see if the head and poker are aligned. Just close enough to crack the paint, then twist a bit and, wallah, open eye.
I have several of these including one in every tackle bucket or satchel that goes fishing with me plus the work bench and work area in the house.
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I feel there is an opportunity for a million dollar idea here, just wish I was smart enough to figure it out…..
If you can find a couple of the clips it just takes a second to put a slight bend in the jaws so they match up “almost” point to point. Then you’re good to go. If something happens that the points get moved, just re-bend them.
I love the way this cleans eyes and when the temps get chillier and you need to open an eye for some reason, you’ll really come to appreciate not having to use the point of a larger jig hook to get this chore taken care of especially if you’ve buried a hook point in a thumb or finger tip or having to squint your way thru locating a cleaner tip and hook eye. Everything about this tool and jig is right out in the open and quick.
I’ve had to resort to this on occasion:
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I’ve had to resort to this on occasion:
Those hard setting head cements you fly guys use must be something. lol
Needle nose pliers to get off outside paint and ice pick to poke out the hole inside, go from both sides. Work the flat side of the eye first then rotate and work the outside of the ring.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
Poke and twist till the paint tears out is what i do with that little red tool.I tend to bleed everytime i use another hook to clear an eyelet.
Ditto for me… Poke and twist.
Double ditto for me and I have done 1000’s of powder jigs with little red !
Rapala makes a eye buster that I like better than the red one. I buy the 3 piece lanyard with a clipper, hook sharpener and eye buster.
I take a finish nail in a pair of vice grips and heat the nail up a few seconds with a candle. Works slick easy peasy.
The best I had was an old berkley or mr twister jig eye drill until I broke the tiny drill bit. It might not have been the safest thing in the world but it worked awesome and I have yet to find a replacement. It was small enough for all jigs abpnd ice lures but now it’s gone
I have the same device, as Tom has. Just went thru most of my ice jigs, and still no pokes.
I have the same device, as Tom has. Just went thru most of my ice jigs, and still no pokes.
I got a half dozen of these while working a distributor show a few years back. Just about every container I carry tackle in has one in it.
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