Home made jigs

S

starcrafttom

Active member
Well halibut is around the corner and need to pour myselfs some jigs and I thought I would share.

All you really need is some spare cooper pipe. I had some in different lenghts and sizes that I cut up.

Then you just hammer one end shut on a anvil.

After that is drilling holes and putting in the hard ware.

I use the same loops that I use when pouring downrigger balls.

Now the fun part. melt some lead, put the pipe in a vice and pour it in. You have to go slow and make sure the lead is not to hot or it will not clog the holes.

After that just wait a few minutes for the pipe to cool a little then move it to the floor and start another one.

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Tom,
I used to make those when I had access to some free lead. The only difference in mine, I liked to space the bottom hook up high enough to clear the bottom of the jig. Seemed to help keep them from hanging up as much when you hit a little rocky patch of bottom. I also often used a treble hook on the bottom-I was never sure if it make any difference though.
 
Tom,

One thing to make sure of is that there is absolutely no water in the closed pipe. When I was a youngster, one of my grandfather's employees lost an eye when he poured into a mold that had water in the bottom.

I realize that it is probably unlikely with the halibut jigs, but thought I would toss out the information for consideration.

Steve
 
Fish Brats,

Interesting. So do you guys paint them after?

Are they fished bare or do you add some "meat".

What do they weigh, it looks like there are several sizes?

I'm intereted because I'll bet they'd work for Snapper, grouper, etc;

Capt Dan
 
I've never painted mine. I am not convinced it makes a lot of difference, especially at the deeper depths for halibut. I like 8oz, 12oz and 16oz sizes. If the current is running too fast to get down with 16oz it isn't much fun jigging heavier weights. They seem to work well for the deeper rockfish and ling cod. Where I do most of my fishing, off the west coast Vancouver Island, I always jig for halibut and have never used any bait-even the dogfish will often take a jig. It doesn't happen often but I have even had salmon strike these jigs while reeling up.
 
No paint, one of the nice thing about these jigs is that the lead and cooper react to one another and give off a small .05 volt charge much like a bait fish does and some beleive that this helps over just a lead jig. The big one weights 3 lbs and the little one I did not weight yet. I will spray mine with oils to help attract fish. others use bait with them some dont. Its all aobut getting it in front of the fish.
 
I'm looking at the possibility of a 750# pour for the lead keel on a Haven 12 1/2 sailboat I'm building for Sally. There are pictures and videos on their builders website of melting and pouring keels. Most of them get cast off lead from tire stores that throw away the old lead wheel weights when they mount new tires for balancing.

It's something you've gotta be VERY careful with. :roll:

If you want a link to their website, let me know.


Charlie
 
Captains Cat":2uv5o25h said:
I'm looking at the possibility of a 750# pour for the lead keel on a Haven 12 1/2 sailboat I'm building for Sally. There are pictures and videos on their builders website of melting and pouring keels. Most of them get cast off lead from tire stores that throw away the old lead wheel weights when they mount new tires for balancing.

It's something you've gotta be VERY careful with. :roll:

If you want a link to their website, let me know.


Charlie
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Charlie-

If that's a 12-1/2 FOOT (not meter) sailboat with a 750 lb. lead keel, it ought to be REALLY STIFF, stiffer than a teenager's...uh,... well,... you know! :oops:

Most of the 14-16 foot or so dinghies I've sailed were centerboarders (w/o any lead, for the non-sailors amongst us), and weighed 180-300 lbs all up rigged, but without crew. :smile

Have fun with it!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
I use them unpainted but have the hook higher -- use with and without a herring teaser and can't notice much catch difference except not having to drag a dogfish up from 600 ft is a plus. Attaching a small piece of felt soaked in my favorite smelly stuff seems to work for the halibut.

My favorite lure for ling. And the warnings about hot lead are right on. Welder's gloves, eye protection, plus all the small-print stuff is wise. The tire shops used to give the old weights away -- now they sell what they used to give away. (Probably reminds TyBoo of a song.) :wink:

Dusty
 
Those look good I'll have to make some up.
I knew a fisherman who made similar set ups out of pieces of old chrome bicycle handle bars. He filled them with concrete/mortar. No electrical current but they work good.


JT :thup
 
Catch 22. are you off the road?

I use a propane crab cooker to heat the lead in a steel pot. All the lead I have is from yard sales and a bunch of sheets a friend gave me. I need a lot more lead if anyone else has any. I have poured not only these jigs, but 12 cannon balls and a lot of crab pot weights that I now need to replace because of lost. The lead is cheap and easy to find. its the molds that cost the most. I need to make my own molds for halibut weights this week but may not have the time.
 
Tom, will you be setting up shop in Friday Harbor? If so, please count me in for two. Will pay your price or if you require, will negotiate.
Shrimp season....shrimp season.... :smiled
 
starcrafttom":265n3tm6 said:
p.s chromer did hit the halibut this weekend???
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No, I didnt go - been to busy running and working. Setting up for July-August off again. Two trips to Canada - Port Hardy in July, and Barkley in August.

NEED JIGS SIR
 
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