Want to learn How To Make Ice Fishing Jigs? You’ve found the right place!
When you start ice fishing regularly, you’ll realize pretty quickly that using small jigs is one of the best ways to catch fish through the ice.
Yes, some people prefer to use live bait, or maybe even dead bait. But if you prefer to be active when you ice fish, you will end up using a small jigging rod and small jigs to entice your target species into biting.
You Learn As You Go
As a kid living in Maine, I used to ice fish for big trout. We always used small, dead minnows. It wasn’t so much that I preferred this method for any specific reason. But as a kid of 10-11 years old, I didn’t really have access to live bait, so my buddy and I would walk the ice and find dead minnows that other anglers had discarded. Because it was easy, we just flowed with it.
These worked perfectly, caught lots of fish, and they were free!
Had we realized that small jigs worked so well, we probably would have opted for them, since it would have been more fun to actively jig for fish than to setup a tilt and throw snowballs at each other, or sit and shiver, as we waited for a flag on the tilts.
Once you figure out that you want to be able to learn How To Make Ice Fishing Jigs, you’ll need to gather up the basic items for doing so.
That list of items isn’t very lengthy, and we’ve included it below the video, to make it easier for you to find everything you need.
As always, be sure to pour your lead safely, using the proper protection to prevent burns and inhalation of airborne lead particles.
It’s winter, which means lakes full of stiff water. It also means ice fishing for many anglers, so let’s talk about How to Build an Ice Fishing Rod.
Learning How to Build an Ice Fishing Rod isn’t really much different than learning how to build most other fishing rods. But there are a few small differences to consider.
One of those differences is the type of reel you’ll be using on the new rod. The other is the size of the rod itself.
Ice fishing rods are always smaller and lighter than rods you’d used when the water is soft. But the steps involved are virtually the same, as are the components.
Rods for use on open water are bigger, heavier and stronger. With ice rods, though, they are shorter and lighter action.
As you learn How to Build an Ice Fishing Rod, you’ll need to buy the same components as you would for an open water rod. We’ve listed them below the video.
One thing to keep in mind is that ice rods are really just lighter and smaller versions of typical spinning rods, tailored for use through a hole drilled in the ice.
Using an ice rod typically entails sitting directly over the hole and jigging your lure vertically, with no casting involved. This is the reasoning behind the short rod length and lack of brute strength in the rod action.
Enjoy the video below as he gives you great tips for building your own ice rod.
Tube baits have been around for a very long time. They’ve caught bass from coast to coast, and around the globe. They have been around so long that they are often overlooked. But don’t be fooled. They still catch a ton of bass in a wide variety of conditions. So, today, let’s learn How to Make a Tube Jig!
Making a tube jig is probably one of the easiest things to do, especially when compared to pouring weedless jigs and other baits that require multiple components or multiple steps. They are quick and easy, and they don’t require a lot of components.
What Size?
Before you get started, you’ll need to determine what size tube jigs will work best for your style of fishing.
Some people use them in shallow lakes and ponds where you won’t need anything heavier than a 1/4 oz. size. Others may fish deep, clear western lakes, where jigs up to 1 oz. may be required in order to get the bait down to the fish and keep it there, even when the wind is blowing.
Hook Sizes and Colors
The hook size you choose will vary also, based on the size of the jighead and the size of the baits you’ll be fishing with. Smaller tubes will require you to use a smaller hooks. And of course, bigger tubes will require a bigger hook.
Regarding the color of the hook you use, that will depend on what species of fish you’re targeting.
If you’re fishing for bass, bronze or black nickel hooks will do fine. But if you’re targeting panfish, like Crappie of Bluegills, a lot of anglers prefer to use a gold hook. There’s something about the shine of a gold hook that gets the attention of the panfish!
Time to Pour!
Once you’ve made the choices mentioned above, it’s time to get started with pouring!
Make sure your mold is pre-heated and smoked, so you don’t run into any problems with partial pours due to a cold mold, or with the lead sticking to the mold.
Then, just pour to your heart’s content!
The video below will show you just how easy it is to learn how to make a tube jig. And the list below the video will help you find the exact items needed for this project.
Enjoy the video, and be sure to head to the lake afterward and catch some fish on your new tube jigs!
Underspins are a great bait for catching bass under a variety of conditions. They tend to shine, though, when the water is cold. Let’s learn How to Make an Underspin so we will be ready the next time we have to fish in cold water!
The underspin is a pretty simple bait. It only has a few parts and doesn’t require a ton of expertise when it comes to putting one together. The fact that it only requires a few parts also makes it an inexpensive bait to make.
And the best part is that you can choose to pour the heads yourself, as shown in the video below. Or, if you prefer not to pour lead and work with molds, hooks, wires, etc., you can just buy them pre-poured and pre-painted, and add the blades yourself. Either way, it saves you money and gives you 100% freedom when it comes to customizing your baits.
Where to Start
If you want to start from scratch and pour your own lead, you’ll need to gather the items needed. This will include the mold, the hooks, the wires, the blades, the swivels and the eyes. We have a list of all the items at the end of this post.
You will also need a pair of pliers, some gloves and some safety glasses, to make sure you stay safe while building these.
The Pouring
Once you’ve gathered all the necessary parts and materials, you’ll need to heat up your melting pot and get the mod prepared for pouring.
At this point, you will need to decide which size(s) you want to pour, and then add hooks to the corresponding cavities. Then pour to your heart’s content!
The Paint
When you’ve reached the quantity you were working toward, then it’s time to get ready to paint the heads.
You can do a single color or multiple colors on each head. No mater which color(s) you choose, powder paint is your best bet for easy painting and a super-durable finish that will last and last.
Powder paint requires no spraying, creates no fumes, needs no special ventilation, and it’s super, super easy to do. Just be sure to bake your baits in the oven after painting, to make the finish rock-hard and super-durable.
And, since you’re painting it yourself, you can be as basic or as fancy as you want to be. You’re the boss 🙂
Assembling Your New Underspins
As you can see already, learning How to Make an Underspin is pretty easy. So, at this point, all you have left to do is to assemble your new underspin. Because there are very few components, it’s really just a matter of adding some stick-on eyes and then attaching a swivel and a blade.
And that’s it.
Using Pre-poured Heads
Now, if you want to skip all of the lead pouring and painting, you can just get the pre-painted underspin heads, along with the blades and swivels, and you’ll be well onto your way to having what you need to make your own custom underspins, without all the fuss and work.
Best of all, Using these pre-poured, pre-painted heads means you’ll only need to attach a swivel and a blade and you’re finished. You’re ready to add a soft plastic trailer and go catch some fish with it.
The How-To
Now that you’re somewhat familiar with the process of How to Make an Underspin, be sure to watch the video below, so you can see it being done and follow the steps one-by-one.
Night fishing for bass isn’t as popular as daytime fishing. But that doesn’t mean it’s not effective! Read on to learn how to make a spinnerbait for night fishing that will catch more bass than any other lure you choose to try.
It’s no secret that big bass like to feed after dark, especially during the warmer months. Big bass are easier to fool after dark, since they are less able to detect anything about your lure that shows them that it’s not real.
As you set out to Make A Spinnerbait for Night Fishing, there are a few very important things you can do to make your spinnerbaits catch far more fish than spinnerbaits sold in stores. And that is exactly what we will be discussing in this article.
Bait Sizes
The size of the spinnerbait you throw after dark is one of the biggest factors that will help you catch bigger fish. When you Make A Spinnerbait for Night Fishing, it has to be bulky. It needs to be big enough to create a commotion that will get the attention of a big bass and get that bass to attack it.
The depth of the water you’ll be fishing will also be a factor. Deeper water will require a heavier bait. But it’s important to remember that deep is relative for whatever body of water you’re fishing. So, here’s a rule of thumb for night spinnerbait sizing.
If the water is 6 feet deep or less, a 1/2 oz. bait will be sufficient. If you’re fishing 6-12 feet, bump it up to a 3/4 oz. bait. Water deeper than this will require a 1 oz. bait, preferably with a bit smaller blade than you would use for shallow water. The smaller blade will allow the bait to stay down deeper where it can hug the bottom better.
Bait Color
Night fishing spinnerbaits will almost always work best in dark colors. Black and purple are both good colors. Blades also don’t need to be bright, so there is no need to use bright, shiny blades when you Make A Spinnerbait for Night Fishing.
Brass blades are a great choice for night spinnerbaits because they don’t give off as much shine as the plated blades do. And a brass blade will usually get duller over time, making it more effective in low-light conditions.
Choosing the Right Wire
One of the biggest keys to making a spinnerbait that works well after dark is making sure that it gives off as much vibration as possible. Bass feed at night primarily by vibration, using the lateral line to detect motion and find their prey.
Heavy wire robs a lure of much of its vibration, so lighter wire is best. Stick to wires between .35 and .40 diameter. Keep in mind, also, that R-bend wire is better than the wire with the twisted eye when it comes to allowing the wire to vibrate as much as possible.
Best Blade for Night Fishing
The undisputed king of blades for night fishing is the Colorado blade. A spinnerbait with a single Colorado blade will create far more vibration than any other blade style or combination.
Blades in the size 6 – 8 range will work best, depending the depth you plan on fishing.
1/2 baits will work well with a size 6 or 7, while heavier baits will be better equipped with a size 7 or size 8.
Keep in mind that the depth you’ll be fishing will also come into play when choosing a blade size. Fishing water deeper than 8-10 feet is usually best done with blades in the size 6 or 7 range on a heavy bait. Bigger blades will tend to give the bait too much “lift”, causing it to rise out of the strike zone when retrieved.
Skirt Colors
As with the color of the lure body, the color of your skirt should also be dark. Black, or a combination of Black & Blue or Black & Purple will work well anywhere.
Sometimes it pays to experiment with other secondary colors to mix with the black. Red or blue will also work well.
Just remember that the primary goal of the skirt is to help present a bulky profile, so the darker colors help with creating that look by creating a better silhouette in low-light conditions.
What About The Swivel?
For the swivel, keep it simple. Use only a ball bearing swivel. You’ll want that large Colorado blade to spin easily. The best way to make sure that happens is by using a high-quality swivel that turns as easily as possible.
Putting it All Together
Once you’ve chosen your components and decided on the size of the lure you want to build, it’s time to assemble it all. You can watch the short video below for a quick how-to demo.
Once you’ve put a few of these together, go out and enjoy catching big bass after dark!
Want to learn How To Make Ice Fishing Jigs? You’ve found the right place!
