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Author	Message Text
Savage Voyageur	04/17/2022 10:05PM   I really like those bunny fur leach patterns. Another one is a articulated lure for Pike called Mikes meal ticket.
YetiJedi	04/17/2022 04:05PM   On longer excursions where I am traveling more, I don't bring live bait. Here are a few of the hand-tied leech patterns my brother makes for me to use instead of the real leeches. The rabbit fur really creates nice movement underwater. They worked great last year and I can't wait to let 'em swim again! What is your favorite way to imitate live bait?
nooneuno	04/17/2022 07:20PM   I have never understood feather or fur jigs (although I have used both with success) as they look and act completely different when wet.
Savage Voyageur	04/18/2022 10:04PM   YetiJedi: "Savage Voyageur: "I really like those bunny fur leach patterns. Another one is a articulated lure for Pike called Mikes meal ticket. " The ones by Orvis? Yes, very good pattern as well. I'll see if I can get my brother to do a batch before I head out this spring, er, summer! Thanks for the compliment, Savage Voyageur." Yes those were from Orvis. They look big but when they hit the water they slim down. Another great lure is a Crazy Charlie. I think it is made for bonefish and tarpon but they work great for Smallmouths too. It has a barbell weight in the front to get it down fast and feathers that wave in the current. Then there is the minnow imitation form Cabellas sells. They are made of all feathers and the look streamlined like a minnow.
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 10:59PM   Savage Voyageur: "YetiJedi: "Savage Voyageur: "I really like those bunny fur leach patterns. Another one is a articulated lure for Pike called Mikes meal ticket. " The ones by Orvis? Yes, very good pattern as well. I'll see if I can get my brother to do a batch before I head out this spring, er, summer! Thanks for the compliment, Savage Voyageur." Yes those were from Orvis. They look big but when they hit the water they slim down. Another great lure is a Crazy Charlie. I think it is made for bonefish and tarpon but they work great for Smallmouths too. It has a barbell weight in the front to get it down fast and feathers that wave in the current. Then there is the minnow imitation form Cabellas sells. They are made of all feathers and the look streamlined like a minnow. " The crawdad pattern I like has a barbell weight on the front of the hook (tail of the crawdad) to get them down quickly. The barbell also serves to have the front of the crawdad stick up and wave the claws in the current. Great action on the retrieve too. I'll post a few pics soon.
casualbriday	05/06/2022 11:30PM   YetiJedi: "casualbriday: "nooneuno: "I have never understood feather or fur jigs (although I have used both with success) as they look and act completely different when wet." Dry they catch fishermen, wet they catch fish. I'm trying to modify a topwater mouse pattern (joe Cermele's master splinter) that's basically the same thing with a foam head and body so my brother in law can cast it with a spinning rod. " Casualbriday...those look great! A little weight under the foam so they still float and those'll be fun on the top water! Post a pic when you get a chance!" 1st attempt after float test (it passed!). I just wrapped the whole hook shank with lead free wire, folded both ends of the foam back over the body and tied on a little extra piece right before I whip finished it. I think it might be 1/16oz when all the hair is soaked.
amhacker22	04/17/2022 09:38PM   I’ve used these fly fishing quite a bit, and I’m always amazed at how alive they look. I never thought of using them for Spinning gear. They look great!
ericinely	04/18/2022 11:51AM   I'd go with black/orange to imitate leeches/crayfish or anything chartreuse for baitfish. "Ain't no use if it ain't chartreuse!"
casualbriday	04/18/2022 01:41PM   nooneuno: "I have never understood feather or fur jigs (although I have used both with success) as they look and act completely different when wet." Dry they catch fishermen, wet they catch fish. I'm trying to modify a topwater mouse pattern (joe Cermele's master splinter) that's basically the same thing with a foam head and body so my brother in law can cast it with a spinning rod.
DRob1992	04/18/2022 05:11PM   Top-water frog or mouse would be my favorite imitators. Never had much success with them but really love the retrieval.
YetiJedi	04/30/2022 12:43PM   casualbriday: " I found some 1/8oz jigs with really long hook shanks and no keeper so I spun up a couple last night (top left, bottom right - the other two are made with craft fur and feathers with a bit of flash)." Very nice! Fish'll like those just fine!
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:19PM   ericinely: "I'd go with black/orange to imitate leeches/crayfish or anything chartreuse for baitfish. "Ain't no use if it ain't chartreuse!"" Agreed, Ericinely! I've got some really cool fire-tiger crawdads in the works that I'll post soon. Hadn't thought about doing leeches in the pattern but makes excellent sense.
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:22PM   casualbriday: "nooneuno: "I have never understood feather or fur jigs (although I have used both with success) as they look and act completely different when wet." Dry they catch fishermen, wet they catch fish. I'm trying to modify a topwater mouse pattern (joe Cermele's master splinter) that's basically the same thing with a foam head and body so my brother in law can cast it with a spinning rod. " Casualbriday...those look great! A little weight under the foam so they still float and those'll be fun on the top water! Post a pic when you get a chance!
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:25PM   greywolf33: "Has anybody tried to fish these behind bottom bouncers and spinners?" For sure, greywolf. We SLOW troll these with bottom bouncers when it is windy. Have caught walleyes consistently with that approach and I'm thinking it might even work for a laker this year...we'll at least give it a try.
greywolf33	04/18/2022 07:27PM   Has anybody tried to fish these behind bottom bouncers and spinners?
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:17PM   amhacker22: "I’ve used these fly fishing quite a bit, and I’m always amazed at how alive they look. I never thought of using them for Spinning gear. They look great!" Thanks, Amhacker! Hopefully I can post a few pics of successful catches. :)
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:18PM   Savage Voyageur: "I really like those bunny fur leach patterns. Another one is a articulated lure for Pike called Mikes meal ticket. " The ones by Orvis? Yes, very good pattern as well. I'll see if I can get my brother to do a batch before I head out this spring, er, summer! Thanks for the compliment, Savage Voyageur.
cyclones30	04/18/2022 06:34PM   They make a small poly or some sort of "head" you can put on existing flies to make them more castable but not affect the action too much. I still take real leeches if possible
YetiJedi	04/18/2022 08:23PM   cyclones30: "They make a small poly or some sort of "head" you can put on existing flies to make them more castable but not affect the action too much. I still take real leeches if possible " I'll have to look into the poly head, cyclones. These leeches have a weighted head and some weigh 1/8 oz, some 1/6, and a few 1/4 oz. Agreed...real leeches work better whenever possible. I just can't take 'em when I solo and cover distance.
casualbriday	04/30/2022 09:45AM   I found some 1/8oz jigs with really long hook shanks and no keeper so I spun up a couple last night (top left, bottom right - the other two are made with craft fur and feathers with a bit of flash).