NickaJack Dam 11-7

[DHaun]

Jerdog and I took my boat tonight from 5:30 until 9:00pm. Water temp was 64. We drifted shad lures and bucktails with extra weight added...They had all turbines going strong tonight. All we could score was a hybrid and a channel catfish both around 6.5lbs. I also included a pic of the new stickers I just ordered. They came out just fine and I have one on my truck and boat now.

 

[jason]

What size bucktail were you using? I'm assuming it was white?

 

[DHaun]

They were Yellow, White, Chart 1-2 oz. Unfortunately we did not have a chance to see how they performed as they got lost in the rocks. I like the way they have little resistance and sink faster than plastic shad lures though. Now I just need to find a cheap source to get them in quantity. Anyone make them around here?

I think Jerdog's striper was caught on a storm shad and the cat on a bucktail jig head and long white twister tail with an additional ounce of lead drop shot a foot below it.

 

[polo-dog]

Get me some jig heads and some bucktail and I can tie them up for you. It really only takes a few minutes and painting the heads can really be fun. You can buy unpainted heads many places and bucktail is really cheap. If you know anyone with a lead pot they can pour them up for you, then it's even cheaper. Buying new jigs and loosing bunches in the rocks can put us all in the poor house fast, doing it cheap and the way I like it is better.

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the info Polo-Dog. I got 50 unpainted 1oz jigheads off ebay last week for $10 and 50 shad bodies for another $10. I will probably go back there and get some 2oz as well and see if someone has the material/paint for making bucktails.

 

[jason]

Thanks for the tip on the bucktails. I fished from 4 to a little past 5 from the fishing pier at the dam before school. Caught three stripers, all in the 8-10lb range, on a 1oz Arkie bucktail in white with a chartreuse Gulp minnow as a trailer.

 

[RangerRob]

Use powder paint DHaun. That stuff is awesome and all you need is a crude drying rack (i built one using 1" x 2"s and then stretching a spring between a couple of little eye bolts - the gaps in a stretched spring keep the lures from 'wandering' too close together), and your kitchen oven. You can get powder paint from Stamina or Barlows. It's so simple and neat, my wife doesn't even mind me taking up some of her kitchen space for an hour or so a nite! Drop me a PM if you need further tutorials.

By the way ... handsome fish and slimy fellas, gentlemen!!

RR

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the info RR! I think I might get some of that glow in the dark powder paint. Do you heat the lures up in the oven and then dip them in the powder?

 

[polo-dog]

I'm curious about that too. I was under the impression that you warmed the jigs with a torch or something then cured the paint in the oven. Is that the way you do it?

 

[RangerRob]

Yippers ... the cans of powder have good instructions on them. Pre-heat the oven to instructions, hang the heads on the oven rack by their hooks for a few minutes (the instructions call for 10 secs, but this is not nearly long enough), dip, allow to cool, and then put back in the oven to "cure", per instructions (I do it for about 20 min). The one thing I've learned recently is to not let the powder settle. I'll dip a head, lightly shake the can, and then do another head. If you dip without 'fluffing' the paint, it will settle and get problematic. I use 8" needle nose pliers to remove the heads and dip. Your first few seem a tad akward, but then the process smooths out rather quickly. If you want to add glitter, you can sprinkle some on while the head is still warm, or mix it in to Devcon 2Ton Epoxy and brush it on. I add the epoxy to mine and they are indestructible as far as the finish goes ... it won't keep them from getting lost in the rocks though!

One more thing ... check regs for "glo-in-the-dark" baits. I read somewhere recently that a particular state(s) outlawed "glo" baits, so any type of glo paint was considered illegal.

 

[RangerRob]

No, Polo. Oven all the way ...

 

[polo-dog]

So you dip the heads in the jar of powder with a forceps and the paint sticks. At Hamilton's they told me that if you use a plastic rattle trap box and cut slits in the side it's easier to get the paint to both sides of the jig head but you just dip it straight down into the jar?

 

[RangerRob]

Yeah, I hold the hook shank with needlenose pliers and dip the head straight into the jar. Once in, I swish it a little to get an even coat, pull it out and knock the hook shank on the lip of the jar to remove excess powder, and hang it on my drying rack.