Here’s a smallmouth my fiance’, Wendi, caught on Lake Pepin this evening. It’s 20 1/2″ long and weighs 4 1/2 pounds.

Thanks Mike

Sure, it would be easier. I just like the profile of a more slender jig such as moon glow. It looks like the Gill Pill is way up there in popularity from reading posts on this website. There’s usually an add for them on here on the left side of the page. You can click on it to see what I’m talking about. They cost $1.00 each. It has a turned up eye so it would be easy to fish horizontally.

I posted a picture of some that I make that have jig hooks in them like you are talking about.

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Those look great!

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Thanks, I can’t wait to give them a try.

I make them myself. I make all my own jigs so I can make what works for me. A friend of mine turned me on to a company that makes glow paint and powder and I buy the bodies on ebay and paint them up. I also have some I make from scratch but just started so I don’t have them perfected yet. Close though! Here’s a pic. They can be made with any size hook. These are 12’s and they’re fly hooks so they’re sharper than the jigs you buy in stores. IMO

The beat up jig in the pictures I posted above still has the string tied to it the way I fish them. The jig is upside down though.

I place the knot so the line is perpendicular to the jig. If you pull the line so the knot gets good and tight it will hold the jig horizontal. It’s hard to explain without a picture but the jig sits horizontal while the line goes straight up and down. I also have the point of the hook above the jig if that makes sense.

I make them. They glow too but this picture is horrible.

These are my favorite for panfish. They have size 8 hooks so they’re best for crappies and perch but work well for slab ‘gills as well.

I coat them with epoxy now so they WON’T get so beat up anymore!!

You can make your own jigs that will work really well this time of year. They look more like natural food.

I get lead wire, like that pictured, at Gander Mountain and wrap it around a hook a bunch of times (see picture). I use fly hooks, tyically nymph hooks in the size 12 – 14 range this time of year.

If you fish the jig horizontally with half a wax worm they are more apt to bite it.

The walleye at about 1:55 looks like a submarine!

I always use horizontal. I hook the waxworm behind the head and pull on it a little so it will move freely on the hook. When you jig the waxworm will have more action with a horizontal presentation plus it will show up better on your Vexilar. Pictured is a mess of fish caught this way, the style of jig I was using and the actual jig I was using which is all beat up from so many fish biting on it.

Time to wake up, Don. You’re dreaming again!