Old School Bucktail, Minnows and Xmas jigs

Well I have been sick for a week now but could not stand it any longer, I had to do something.  I pulled out my lure crafting supplies and made up a few lures. 

I made some old school bucktails.  I tied these on heads I poured and powder painted.  I used some cheap craft fur to tie the tail, I then wrapped a few strands of Christmas tinsel for flash.  I cut a strip of craft fur and wound it up the shank and tied it off.  I used a little blue flashabou for some sparkle.  I really like how these came out.  I was thinking of putting plastic grubs on the hook, but really think these will work great as is.:



With Christmas here the tinsel is available everywhere.  I tied up some of my tinsel jigs again.  These just seem to work well in murky water.  I know FishEducator had good luck on them this year at GMS.  The tinsel really is my least favorite to tie.  The stuff just gets caught in everything and is hard to secure neatly, but the results are decent.:



I also worked on some new shrimp flies.  These are based upon a clouser minnow pattern.  i have not used them much yet but they just look fishy to me.  They are craft fur, tinsel, craft ribbon, and flashabou.  I try to keep these cheap and simple.  The heads are just some lure eyes stuck on the wraps and then epoxy coated.  I may try some 3d lure eyes and see how they look:



I was fun to get out and play a little bit.  I also picked up some of the new glow in the dark paint to try on some lure heads.  I coated the bucktail heads with it and it seems to work good.  It does not dry as hard as normal acrylic, but I think an epoxy coat may fix that.  It is something new to play around with.

Matt

Hey Matt,
I'm impressed that your get bored then get busy when your sick n all. But I'm really impressed with your craftsmanship! Those are some great looking buck tails especially the ones with the blue flashabou. The same but similar to the spro mold. What's the weight of those lead heads? Nice job.

Thanks for the compliment, I tied the bucktails on 4 and 5 oz H heads.  The tinsel jigs I tied on 5 and 6 oz spires heads.  I will probably mix it up and tie some bucktails on the heavier jigs too.  I just like that style of head with the bucktail.  Both cast with a round collar so work well for the hair.  The craft hair I got was not very long, so I actually tied it on the hook shank and layered it up toward the head.  I may pick up some longer fibers to tie them directly on the collar and see how that looks.  I do like the flashabou on the top.  I need to pick up some green and maybe some red/orange to try different colors.  I used to use bucktails a lot down around Catalina but have not used them in years.  Funny how a lure style will come in and out of style.  I think they will still kill rockfish and maybe a WSB!  It was fun using my fly tying gear again.

Your welcome. When I'm casting to stripers in the bay with my 8.5ft & bait caster, I like 3/8-1oz bucktails. I really like the shape n weight of the spro mold but it also varies with length of worm. At 5&6oz they would be great for rockfish. IMHO my preference would be a white or orange lead head with a swimbait tail though, but sometimes none of that matters. When my favorites are all gone, I try to give them what I think they like...with better presentation. Are you still making them from 100% lead? Just wondering cause when I use to pour sinkers with my dad, it was all primarily scrap lead from gas station garages to lead ingots he'd bring home. However, I see that outdoor pro sells crab weights made from zinc.
Great job, keep tying.

These heads with a swim bait are my usually my go to.  I pour 6" and 8" swim baits that work pretty good with them.  I have caught a few nice lings and cabs on the swim baits.  I like attraction baits but always seem to do better with lures that look natural.  That may be because those are my confidence baits.

This was one of those "i wonder" moments.  I won't tie too many before I try them out and see if they actually work.  I have made that mistake before  .  I can always toss a swim bait or scampi onto the hook if they need more attraction.

I have a 2oz bullet head mold, but don't use it much.  I may have to dust it off.  I put in my transfer for San Luis and the smaller baits may work well for sand and bay bass.  I am still using tire weights but with them outlawed for cars now, my supply is about gone.  I may have to switch to roof flashing but it is so much softer and isn't free like the tire weights were.  I need to start researching alternatives to the lead, I like making lures too much to give it up completely.

Awesome bucktails and flies. I like the jigs tied with flash. Love the fake jewel eyes on those too. I had a similar idea but they were way too large for what I needed.   

Another source of freeish lead is your local shooting range. If the range has hours make arrangements and come on the off hours or slow times to pick it up. Indoor ones may even pay you to remove it. Obviously there needs to be a worth while deposit of bullets but as long as they don't have a complete copper jacket the jackets are easy enough to skim. I find bullet lead to pour very well although jacketed bullets do seem to have much less consistency of pour characteristics.

As far as substitutes zinc is available but it costs more and you have to melt it at significantly higher temps. I pretty sure zinc is the main metal for most of the tady/salas type irons. Tin can also be used but nothing will sink like lead.

Any tips on swimbait plastic recipes? I am itching to start on the next phase of lure addiction which happends to be pouring my own soft plastics and I'm just wondering what plastic(s) you prefer.     

Nice work on the jigs.  Thanks for sharing Matt.

Great job on the lures Matt, I really like the look of those shrimp flies. I will be glad to test them for you  , heck I bet I could catch trout at Shasta on those beauties.

" I know FishEducator had good luck on them this year at GMS.  The tinsel really is my least favorite to tie.  The stuff just gets caught in everything "  It worked so well on the cabs I had to take it off after 5 in a row.

I still have some lead for you, as soon as your feeling better I'll get it to you.

Take care,Tim

Thanks Tim, I will bring you up some flies.  There are tied on 3/0 to 5/0 hooks so I can't wait to see the trout 

Meat Hunter, I have been using Lure Craft 550 plastic.  I used to use the 500, but the 550 is their new "green plastic".  It is lower fume which is nice in my small shop.  I add a couple drops of heat stabilizer while heating.  The 550 plastic is great for saltwater but you will want something more flexible for bass/freshwater.

For color I have used the plastic coloring but usually use crayons.  My wife runs a preschool, so I have plenty of broken colors.  I melt the plastic and then add the crayon and stir it in.  It works great and gives some nice color to the plastic.  Best thing is it doesn't bleed like some of the drops do when doing multicolor pours.   Plastic pouring is addicting!  I make most my own molds but Lure Craft sells some really nice ones for cheap.

These were done with the 550 and crayons:

Awesome job on the jigs and flies as always Matt. Will you save a few for me for the next GS?

Jedmo

Matt - those shrimp flies look great. They would work great with my most favorite "mooch modified striper lure" 

MattS stuff is all I ever use on the salt
Thanks brother Slayer
Tad