Bunny Dingleberry Jig

[HillbillyGeek]

Rabbit fur is much more durable than marabou feathers, and easy to use.
Here's an example of a jig made with a cross-cut rabbit strip. (Straight-cut rabbit strips are called "zonkers". Not sure why...) Adding a dingleberry to a marabou jig is not a good idea because the feathers usually get wrapped and tangled when they get wet. Rabbit strips are perfect for this application. Another good option is to replace the dingleberry with a zonker tail.

This jig is intended to simulate a shrimp feeding on a salmon egg. It will provoke salmon into attacking, even though they don't eat when spawning. (They protect their eggs.) It can also be perceived as a combo meal for a hungry trout.

Hook: #1 Matzuo sickle (red)
Head: 1/8 oz glow pearl
Body: Cerise cross-cut rabbit strip
Tail: 5mm florescent red bead (held in place w/12 lb mono)
Thread: Heavy red nylon



I can do a step-by-step tutorial if anyone is interested.

[colton]

hey thats a good looking jig. do you pour your own jigs

[HillbillyGeek]

hey thats a good looking jig. do you pour your own jigs

Thanks! I pour & paint my own jigs. Pro-tec powder paint is awesome.

The cheapest place I've found to buy hooks is Stamina Inc. Matzuo sickle hooks are more expensive than Eagle Claw and VMC, but much cheaper than Owner and Gamakatsu. They are also "lethally" sharp. I've accidentally poked myself many times with Matzuo hooks, and it doesn't take much to draw blood.
I recently ordered some mustad jig hooks, and can't wait to try them out. :chef:

[colton]

oh right on. how much is the supply to make your own jigs cost for you hillbilly?

[gpc]

hey thats a good looking jig. do you pour your own jigs

Thanks! I pour & paint my own jigs. Pro-tec powder paint is awesome.

The cheapest place I've found to buy hooks is Stamina Inc. Matzuo sickle hooks are more expensive than Eagle Claw and VMC, but much cheaper than Owner and Gamakatsu. They are also "lethally" sharp. I've accidentally poked myself many times with Matzuo hooks, and it doesn't take much to draw blood.
I recently ordered some mustad jig hooks, and can't wait to try them out. :chef:

Hey Hillbilly, have you ever had any problems with those hooks straightening out? I just got into river fishing for salmon this year and with all those pinks they were really doing a number on my jigs. But they couldnt mess with the Gami jigs. I would like to get Gamis everytime, but with the price it dosnt happen as much as I would like but I at least get mustad when going for salmon. I dont think I have ever used Matzuo, how do they work? Price?

[HillbillyGeek]

oh right on. how much is the supply to make your own jigs cost for you hillbilly?

It does cost some money to get set up with a vise, lead melting pot, molds, paint, and materials like fur, feathers, crystal flash, etc.

I do a lot of fishing with jigs (1/4 - 1/16 oz), so it's cheaper in the long-run to make my own. There have been days when I've lost a couple dozen! Paying 2 bucks each for premium jigs adds up fast. Jig assortments also make great gifts. I give a lot of jigs to friends, and also donate them for prizes @ fishing derbys. In fact, I'm making a deluxe assortment right now for the McChord trout derby for kids.

If you have buddies who are also interested in making jigs and/or flies, you can share your stuff and split the cost. Buying in bulk saves a lot of money.

[HillbillyGeek]

hey thats a good looking jig. do you pour your own jigs

Thanks! I pour & paint my own jigs. Pro-tec powder paint is awesome.

The cheapest place I've found to buy hooks is Stamina Inc. Matzuo sickle hooks are more expensive than Eagle Claw and VMC, but much cheaper than Owner and Gamakatsu. They are also "lethally" sharp. I've accidentally poked myself many times with Matzuo hooks, and it doesn't take much to draw blood.
I recently ordered some mustad jig hooks, and can't wait to try them out. :chef:

Hey Hillbilly, have you ever had any problems with those hooks straightening out? I just got into river fishing for salmon this year and with all those pinks they were really doing a number on my jigs. But they couldnt mess with the Gami jigs. I would like to get Gamis everytime, but with the price it dosnt happen as much as I would like but I at least get mustad when going for salmon. I dont think I have ever used Matzuo, how do they work? Price?

That's an interesting question. Different fishermen have different preferences when it comes to hook performance. I know guys who like hooks that bend because they can usually get them back after getting hung up. The type and strength of line you use combined with the way you play your fish are big factors. Mono tends to stretch and absorbs more shock than braid or florocarbon. Some people like to use heavy line & set their drag very tight. Other people use the lightest line possible with a more forgiving drag setting. The shock absorbing characteristics are very different and have a direct effect on hook stress.
Now having said all that, here's what I have observed: Eagle claw hooks are the cheapest, bend easily, and don't stay sharp very long because they have a chisel point instead of a needle point (chemically sharpened). Eagle claws hooks cost about 4 cents each. VMC high-carbon hooks are chemically sharpened and do not bend easily. However, under stress they tend to break. VMC hooks cost about 7 cents each. Matzuo sickle hooks are the sharpest hooks I've found, but they will bend under stress. Sickle hooks generally have a wider gap, a shorter shank, and are very difficult for fish to throw once they are hooked. If you fish with bait, sickle hooks also hold blobs of power bait and/or gulp eggs MUCH better than traditional round bend hooks. They cost about 13 cents each.
When it comes to strength, the Gamakatsu heavy wire hooks are hard to beat. They are VERY strong and do not bend or break easily. The only down-sides are price (about 27 cents each), and the fact that it is very unlikely that you will get your jig back when it gets hung up. Fish love cover, so if you're fishing where the fish are, you're gonna lose some lures. If you fish with jigs but don't lose many, you're probably wasting a lot of time in dead water.
I'll do some tests on the mustad hooks when they arrive and post the results. Mustad has a good reputation, so I have high hopes.
Oh yeah, another option is to buy the streamer hooks that fly fishermen use and tie in barbell eyes and/or lead wire for weight. Those hooks are VERY thick and strong because they have extra long shanks -- which puts more stress on the hook due to leverage.