How big is to big for lakers tube jigs?

[kasilofchrisn]

So I make the majority of my own tackle.
I have a few tube jig molds and the biggest tube jig I can currently make is 1 ounce.
So I was thinking of having another custom mold made that would make tubes of 1-1/4, 1-1/2, 1-3/4, and 2 oz.
I know Tony at Kodiak Custom has someone make tube jigs to 1-1/2 ounce for him.
So I figured there must be people who use these bigger sizes.
I contacted one of my mold makers and he said it can be done and would use 5/0 and 6/0 hooks.
I'm waiting on a price quote but I'm thinking I'm going to order the mold!
Do you use the bigger Tube jigs?
And how big is too big?lol

[Akhardwater]

I primarily just use 1 ounce jigs in a 7 inch tube.  I have some 1 1/2 and 2 ounce heads and they affect the action of the tube to much. Even the 1 ounce is sometimes to much.  I would like to try a 3/4 ounce but haven’t found any with good hooks, maybe I’m not looking hard enough I don’t know.  I do know that the 1/2 is to light for the big tube, it takes forever to get to the bottom due to the tubes buoyancy.  I’m curious to see how your big bladebaits work, it might be something the fish haven’t seen and work really good.

[kasilofchrisn]

I primarily just use 1 ounce jigs in a 7 inch tube.  I have some 1 1/2 and 2 ounce heads and they affect the action of the tube to much. Even the 1 ounce is sometimes to much.  I would like to try a 3/4 ounce but haven’t found any with good hooks, maybe I’m not looking hard enough I don’t know.  I do know that the 1/2 is to light for the big tube, it takes forever to get to the bottom due to the tubes buoyancy.  I’m curious to see how your big bladebaits work, it might be something the fish haven’t seen and work really good.

Thanks that info really helps.
I may try casting some in tin (1/3 lighter) as an experiment in some of the cavities.
He did design the mold around a Mustad 32786 hook. Which puts the eye a bit forward of center
We will see if it helps.
I can easily make some 3/4oz ones.
Too had your up in the valley or I say just stop by the jig shop.
I did get the option to add a rattle cast into the back of the tube jig as well.
Don't know if the rattle will help but I'm going to try it anyway in a few.
I'm hoping those big blades will work.
The guy who designed it uses them on the big great lakes brown trout down in Wisconsin.
I have the smaller blade bait molds also so I'll try them all just to see.
I may make a few extra jigs so when I'm up at lake Louise if I run into some forum members I can gift a jig or two. We will see.
I won't make it up there until February or March though.

[Akhardwater]

I’ve played around with rattles a little bit but I could never find a rattle with a big enough chamber to make what I felt was a big enough noise.  I do think noise makes a big difference especially for burbot and I think a big rattle would be very effective.  I feel like the fish might be starting to get wise to the tube jig and changing tactics might be the ticket.   I have a week off at the end of March so if your up that way and feel like going for a ride you’ll have to come over to my neck of the woods, I’ve got a few ideas for baits that I think would do really well.

[huntinfool18]

Down here in Wyoming I have found 3/4 oz to be about the perfect weight for the 6” tubes I use. 1/2oz get the job done but as mention before takes awhile to get down deep. 1oz also gets the job done but I seem to catch more on the 3/4 oz for whatever reason, maybe it hinders the action of the tube? I’m not sure how big the fish or how deep you fish but this work well for me in 100ft of water on fish upwards of 45lbs

[kwackkillncrew]

i typically pick what size tube i want and then match the jig head to the size of the tube depending on how fast or slow i want it to fall or how i want it to swim. normally use a half ounce to ounce. as hardwater said i think the fish are getting use to seeing tube jigs all the time.  i picked up a couple of yakima twitchen jigs https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/yakima-bait-twitcher-jig, i think they use them for steelhead maybe but i think they would work really well for lakers and pout. lots of flash and i think they will swim real nice. 3/4 ounce jigs for nockin rocks and making noise.

[kasilofchrisn]

Those twitchers look interesting.
Would be pretty straightforward  to make using one of my jig head molds and my fly tying gear.
Though I'm not that good at fly tying yet.
I'm thinking of also trying one of my vertical squid head molds tied with bucktail.
I'm thinking the squids flairs would make it swim a bit like an airplane jig.
I've got some other molds I might try that the lakers haven't seen before. Smaller versions of some of my saltwater stuff that get hammered in the salt.
I guess I need to get cracking on lure building so I'm ready when I head north!

[kwackkillncrew]

ya after buying them and looking at them it would be pretty easy to tie up. tieing on the rabbit strip some flashabue strips is pretty easy to do. Then i look at it this way. since i have to buy the jig head thats probably 1.50, rabbit strip flashabu brings it up to $2.00 probably take 15 minutes or so to tie it. So for $2.00 and 15 minutes of time i could have a jig.  Or i am in sportsmens buying other things see the jigs and buy them for $5 bucks a piece and not worry about anything else.  If i was losing alot of jigs i would probably make them my self but i dont know if i have ever snagged and lost a jig fishign for lakers or eel pout.

I use to tie my own russian river flies but it really doesnt make sense to with how cheap they are at the store, just not worth the time to tie them for me i guess. But its probably like most things people dont always do things to save money, they do them because they enjoy it. I dont enjoy fly tying unless i am making dolly lamas or bigger flies like when i went down to the situk for steelheads.

[Bushwhack Jack]

I agree with AKhardwater.  I like the big 6 or 7 inch tubes.  I don't like the small 4-5 inch tubes that Kodiak Customs makes.  They might catch a lot of fish but all of the big fish I have caught have been caught on the big tubes.  I really feel like you can't go wrong with the bigger tubes.  I once cut open the stomach of an average size burbot (5-6 lbs.) and pulled out a 14-inch whole whitefish that it completely swallowed.  I doubt a big laker is going to turn down anything you throw at them unless it doesn't look like a whitefish or smell like a whitefish.  Just my 2 cents.

On another note, I also agree that sound makes a big difference.  I hope that someone (you, Kodiak Customs, Canyon Plastics) designs some type of tube jig or something similar that clicks or makes a sound.  I've been fishing with AKhardwater before and in one of his secret spots there are rocks on the bottom, allowing him to smack his lead jig heads on the bottom and indeed it does seem to attract the burbs.

[kasilofchrisn]

I agree with AKhardwater.  I like the big 6 or 7 inch tubes.  I don't like the small 4-5 inch tubes that Kodiak Customs makes.  They might catch a lot of fish but all of the big fish I have caught have been caught on the big tubes.  I really feel like you can't go wrong with the bigger tubes.  I once cut open the stomach of an average size burbot (5-6 lbs.) and pulled out a 14-inch whole whitefish that it completely swallowed.  I doubt a big laker is going to turn down anything you throw at them unless it doesn't look like a whitefish or smell like a whitefish.  Just my 2 cents.

On another note, I also agree that sound makes a big difference.  I hope that someone (you, Kodiak Customs, Canyon Plastics) designs some type of tube jig or something similar that clicks or makes a sound.  I've been fishing with AKhardwater before and in one of his secret spots there are rocks on the bottom, allowing him to smack his lead jig heads on the bottom and indeed it does seem to attract the burbs.

Yeah Kodiak customs doesn't make his own tubes or tube jigs.
Not sure who Tony has make them for him.
I need to get some more big tubes ordered up!
I do make a tube jig with a built in rattle for sound.
Can't say if it makes a difference as I've only tested them once and I was skunked.
Hopefully get some more testing in soon if our weather cooperates and the bigger lakes on the peninsula get safe ice.
Anyway my new tube mold will also have the rattle option.
Here's a picture of what they look like with the rattle cast in them.

 

[kasilofchrisn]

ya after buying them and looking at them it would be pretty easy to tie up. tieing on the rabbit strip some flashabue strips is pretty easy to do. Then i look at it this way. since i have to buy the jig head thats probably 1.50, rabbit strip flashabu brings it up to $2.00 probably take 15 minutes or so to tie it. So for $2.00 and 15 minutes of time i could have a jig.  Or i am in sportsmens buying other things see the jigs and buy them for $5 bucks a piece and not worry about anything else.  If i was losing alot of jigs i would probably make them my self but i dont know if i have ever snagged and lost a jig fishign for lakers or eel pout.

I use to tie my own russian river flies but it really doesnt make sense to with how cheap they are at the store, just not worth the time to tie them for me i guess. But its probably like most things people dont always do things to save money, they do them because they enjoy it. I dont enjoy fly tying unless i am making dolly lamas or bigger flies like when i went down to the situk for steelheads.

I get that. Especially when you consider your just testing them right now.
That and you gotta buy a whole pack of stuff even if you just need a few strands of it for a couple of jigs.
I just seem to find myself making more and more of my own tackle these days.
Just something I'm into I guess.
Let us know how they work for you.
And if you ever need a couple jig heads to tie your own I'm sure we could work something out

[Bushwhack Jack]

Yeah Kodiak customs doesn't make his own tubes or tube jigs.
Not sure who Tony has make them for him.
I need to get some more big tubes ordered up!
I do make a tube jig with a built in rattle for sound.
Can't say if it makes a difference as I've only tested them once and I was skunked.
Hopefully get some more testing in soon if our weather cooperates and the bigger lakes on the peninsula get safe ice.
Anyway my new tube mold will also have the rattle option.
Here's a picture of what they look like with the rattle cast in them.

 

Cool, I would buy a couple off you to try.

[kasilofchrisn]

Cool, I would buy a couple off you to try.

Yeah I can't sell jigs anymore.
I gave it up and don't want to get in trouble selling and not paying my taxes.
But we could probably work something out
If you lived closer I'd just give you a couple jigs if you stopped by the workshop.

[Akhardwater]

I think a jigging weekend on Louise is in order.  It would be cool if we could all sit around and bs on lure concepts. Unfortunately I doubt I will be free to do anything until March, work totally sucks right now.

[kasilofchrisn]

I think a jigging weekend on Louise is in order.  It would be cool if we could all sit around and bs on lure concepts. Unfortunately I doubt I will be free to do anything until March, work totally sucks right now.

Sounds good to me.
I think the plan is for us to be there in March anyway.
Get in a bit of fishing after we haul in some plywood and other supplies

[Drifter_016]

Chris
I use 1-2 oz heads on tubes up to 10" long but have friends that use up to 4 oz heads.

[Bushwhack Jack]

Chris
I use 1-2 oz heads on tubes up to 10" long but have friends that use up to 4 oz heads.

Now that's what I'm talking about Drifter!  I want to go ice fishing with you some time bro!  Catch some halibut sized lake trout!!!

[kasilofchrisn]

Chris
I use 1-2 oz heads on tubes up to 10" long but have friends that use up to 4 oz heads.

Wow that's pretty big for lakers!
I'm still waiting on a price quote from my mold maker.
He said he could do it I'm just waiting to find out the price so I can pay him and he can get to working on it.

[Akhardwater]

I have some 10 inch tubes but all I’ve ever done is attract whitefish with them.  I think Iced has put in a bunch of time with the 10’s but I don’t recall if he caught anything with them.  I’ve played around with big Muskie baits but all I ever caught on them was burbot.  It’s pretty funny watching a burbot try and spawn with a 15 inch bulldog. 

[Drifter_016]

I've used 3-4# whitefish as bait before with great success.
have also caught trout with the tails of other trout up to 6#'s or so sticking out of their mouths and they still hit a lure!!!!