Preferred jig style for hair jigs ?

[deltaratl]

I would like to start pouring some jigs over winter.  I am planning to start with the arkie style, will this work well for hair jigs or is there a better style to use ?

 

These will be primarily to target largemouth bass

 

Thanks

 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by deltaratl

[21xdc]

Are you trying to mimic a craw or shad? Arkie is good for craws. I'd chose the poison tail or trokar swim jig for baitfish. The ultra minnow head is too long and thin for me. It don't rest on the bottom well either. 

[Apdriver]

Welcome to TU. Depends on how you want to fish it. The Arkie is a great jig but maybe not the best for say vertical fishing or fishing for suspended fish.  Give us a bit more info. on what you want to do with it.

[deltaratl]

Thanks 21xdc and Apdiver, 

 

I will try to mimic craw fish, blue gill and shad.  

[Apdriver]

One thing you might consider is the type collar the jig molds have that you are considering tying hair on. Any mold can be modified but if you don’t want to modify your molds the collar is important. For hair, I prefer just the straight ball collar as opposed to a double barb. 

The style S jig is a nice jig that has a ball collar that makes a nice crawfish pattern. The Arkie also comes in a ball collar. Keep in mind all the weedless jig molds can be poured without the weedguard using a Teflon pin to fill the weedguard slot.

The Style H Bucktail Jig is a very good shad imitation but I like the Ultra Minnow jig better because of the hook and detail of this mold. You can swim it and fish it vertical. With the eyes and detail in the mold it dresses up real well and has a small collar that lends itself to a hair tie.  Good luck with your choices and put your creations in the gallery.

 

 

[haulinbass]

Got to youtube and look at some of smalljaw's videos it helped me a lot.

[Jig Man]

For hair jigs I prefer a round head with no collar.  It is easier to tie directly to the hook and makes a much nicer looking jig.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Jig Man

[Munkin]

1/8 Football head with bear hair but I am fishing 10-20 FOW in a river for SM.

 

Allen

[smalljaw]

I'll try to help but knowing what size jig you plan on making and types of areas you intend to fish them in will help. Since you are targeting largemouth I'm going to assume you are looking at tying jigs in the 1/4oz to 3/8oz range. If that is the case I'll also assume you are fishing brush, rock, docks and sparse weeds and I assume that because you are looking at an arky style head. The arky head works really well, I've been using the Trokar Arky style jig because it uses a heavy hook and it has a ring collar, it also has a flat bottom which makes it great for craw style jigs. I've been tying some hair jigs with that head in a 1/4oz with a 2/0 VMC 7161 hook, the smaller hook works great with small chunk trailers to give the jig a small profile.  Since you said you are looking to make baitfish imitators as well I'd look into a mold like the poison tail jig mold, the 28-30 degree hook it uses makes it ideal for a swimming presentation but it still has a wide bottom so you can drag, crawl, and hop it very effectively as well but you aren't going to use heavy tackle as the hooks that are used for it are mostly standard wire but hair jigs are typically finesse baits but there are a lot of anglers that want to use finesse presentations with power fishing tackle, that doesn't work too well in most cases. So if you can give some more details as to where, when, and how you plan to use the hair jigs you intend to make, I think we all may be able to help you a little more.

[deltaratl]

Thanks again everyone for the replies.  I am new to bass fishing, but am learning a lot from reading this forum.

I'm out here in Northern California.  My primary fishing areas are the CA delta and the various foothill lakes like Berryessa,  Folsom, Camanche.  I try to fish year round.  

 

Smalljaw, 

Thanks for detailed reply.  When you mention the "Trokar Arky" , is it the ARK-3-ATK mold ?  Can you also provide a mold Part number for the poison tail mold?  I'm binge watching your videos on youtube,  very nice work !

In general, is Do It the primary choice for molds ?

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by deltaratl

[21xdc]

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Arky-Style-JigbrSz-14-38-12brHk-TK800brCollar-Double-Holder_p_934.html

 

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Poison-Tail-JigbrSz-18-14-38brHk-91768brCollar-Disc-amp-Holder_p_982.html

 

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Poison-Tail-JigbrSz-12-34-1brHk-91768brCollar-Disc-amp-Holder_p_981.html

 

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Trokar-Pro-Swim-JigbrFiberguardbrSz-14-38-12brHk-TK805brCollar-Double-Holder_p_985.html

[deltaratl]

thank you !

 

time to go spend some $$$

[Dink Master]

Try Barlow's or Zeiner's

I think you can get them for a lot less money?

https://zeiners.com/doit/poisontailjig.html

[21xdc]

I buy most of my molds here... Great place. >>> http://www.ebaystores.com/rockislandcustomrigsandjigs/DO-IT-MOLDS-/_i.html?_fsub=25302920018&_sid=53312398&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

[Darkman]

Try tackle warehouse first, free shipping on over $50 purchase,  it might be rare but I just bought two molds from there last Friday, got my package Saturaday morning

like I said rare but it was also free shipping and  you can but a few hooks from there too. This option will save you cash, they don't have every mold, hook but I use them after that I go strait to Barlows or Zeiners .