Making a strong small Jig

:cool:
I am tired of flimsy 1/124 oz size ten jigs. I use them a fair amount for trout and crappie. It seems like the biggest trout get off from the hook not penatrating their jaw or the hook opening up.

I would like to make size 10 1/124 oz jig from the Mustad 32833BLN Jig Hooks. These are really a steelhead jig hook extra sharp and strong. There doesn’t appear to be a lead mold to fit the size 10’s in a 1/124 oz.

Do any one you have a solution.? I thought just adding a brass or tungsten beed to the mustad hook but I don’t have any idea how much they weight as I don’t have a scale for such light weights.

Do you know anyone who reloads ammo? Chances are they will have a scale that can measure your beads in grains. 1/124 oz is approx 3.5 grains.

Really small split shot might work, maybe a #4 UK.
http://www.questoutdoors.net/gear/articles/shot-size-conversion/

Weigh a bunch of beads of the same size and type then divide the total weight by the numer of beads. The more beads weighed, the more accurate the measuement.

Ed

Do-It Molds (http://www.do-itmolds.com/) makes a mold for the #10 Mustad 32833BLN. You can also buy 1/124 oz. “Super Jig Heads” from Feather-Craft (http://www.feather-craft.com), which also use the 32833BLN. Finally, you can put a brass or tungsten bead on a pin, and lash it down on top of a hook, and get the same sort of effect.

Luck.

Instead of making my own I just bought some. Wapsi Fly distributes their “Super Jig Heads” that are built on the Mustad 32833 BLN Jig Hook that come in 1/124, 1/80, 1/64, 1/32, and 1/16 oz. These hooks are much stronger than the standard fly jig heads on the gold 32762 hooks.

I use both. I have caught bass up to 4lbs on the gold hook jig heads but have had them open up too. This is sometimes an advantage because they will pull free from snags.

I had my local fly shop special order the “Super Jig Heads” for me in 100 packs. National Feathercraft has both types. Other shops may have them also.

You might consider using the right sized split shot clamped onto the hook shank with a drop of solder to hold it in place. Super easy to do and cheap. Just a thought…

Jim Smith

If you end up making your own, or finding a guy that will pour some for you, look into using the Matzuo sickle hooks. They have a wider-than-standard gape and they penetrate and hold better than a “standard round bend” hook. I’ve started using the sickle hooks for my crappie jigs and won’t look back. They’re the ticket!

thanks guys