01-22-2004, 11:06 PM
[cool][blue][size 1]I just got through making up some new jigs on some of my favorite jig heads...shad darts. I have had my jig mold for these heads for over 20 years, and have used them all over the country...fresh water and salt...for lots of species. [/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]Shad darts were originally designed for making jigs for the American shad, found off both coasts. They run up rivers in the spring, and can reach several pounds. They are like salmon, in that they do not eat while in fresh water, but they will strike flies and small lures for whatever reason. The design of the darts makes them zip and flutter, which is stimulating to shad...and other fishies.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have included three pics. One is of the 7 cavity mold...which makes darts from 1/32 oz up to 3/4 oz. I use mostly 1/16 to 1/4, with the 1/8 oz on a size 2 or 4 hook being the one I use most. I either wrap it with feathers, hair or synthetics...or fish it with small plastics. However, if I am going to fish plastics, I prewrap the bare shank of the hook with something to help provide friction and hold the plastic in place. You can see a couple of heads thus doctored in the one picture with bare hooks.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The third pic is "dressed darts". These include everything from crappie jigs to ice darts...on the 1/32 oz heads and size 8 hooks.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Darts are great for casting or trolling. The flat face makes them zig and zag...DART. They also move around on the drop, when you are either casting or vertical jigging. Once you get a feel for how they work, you can make them talk to the fishies.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Probably the single greatest benefit to using these heads for vertical jigging...and ice fishing...is that they postion themselves almost exactly horizontally when at rest. You do not have to mess with cinching the knot forward on the eye. Even if you tie your line right in the middle of the hook eye, it will hang horizontally.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]For finicky fish that want to ease up to a jig and look it over carefully before sampling it, the horizontal look works better than dangling at an angle...or straight up and down. On those days when you need to leave the rod alone, or scare the fish, the flat presentation gets bites.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]This makes it an ideal head for fishing below a bobber too. Crappies, bluegills and whites just love a horizontal riding jig with a little wiggle from the bobber riding on light ripples. Big cats and walleyes have been known to vote for this approach too.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]By the way, these heads are ideal for fishing with small baits...without any "dressing" on the hooks. Bare jig heads and a piece of bait are very effective on many occasions.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody else ever used these rascals?[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]Shad darts were originally designed for making jigs for the American shad, found off both coasts. They run up rivers in the spring, and can reach several pounds. They are like salmon, in that they do not eat while in fresh water, but they will strike flies and small lures for whatever reason. The design of the darts makes them zip and flutter, which is stimulating to shad...and other fishies.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have included three pics. One is of the 7 cavity mold...which makes darts from 1/32 oz up to 3/4 oz. I use mostly 1/16 to 1/4, with the 1/8 oz on a size 2 or 4 hook being the one I use most. I either wrap it with feathers, hair or synthetics...or fish it with small plastics. However, if I am going to fish plastics, I prewrap the bare shank of the hook with something to help provide friction and hold the plastic in place. You can see a couple of heads thus doctored in the one picture with bare hooks.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The third pic is "dressed darts". These include everything from crappie jigs to ice darts...on the 1/32 oz heads and size 8 hooks.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Darts are great for casting or trolling. The flat face makes them zig and zag...DART. They also move around on the drop, when you are either casting or vertical jigging. Once you get a feel for how they work, you can make them talk to the fishies.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Probably the single greatest benefit to using these heads for vertical jigging...and ice fishing...is that they postion themselves almost exactly horizontally when at rest. You do not have to mess with cinching the knot forward on the eye. Even if you tie your line right in the middle of the hook eye, it will hang horizontally.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]For finicky fish that want to ease up to a jig and look it over carefully before sampling it, the horizontal look works better than dangling at an angle...or straight up and down. On those days when you need to leave the rod alone, or scare the fish, the flat presentation gets bites.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]This makes it an ideal head for fishing below a bobber too. Crappies, bluegills and whites just love a horizontal riding jig with a little wiggle from the bobber riding on light ripples. Big cats and walleyes have been known to vote for this approach too.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]By the way, these heads are ideal for fishing with small baits...without any "dressing" on the hooks. Bare jig heads and a piece of bait are very effective on many occasions.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody else ever used these rascals?[/size][/#0000ff]
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