Author Topic: dropper chains (hali jigs)  (Read 2315 times)

Offline Mobile steez

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dropper chains (hali jigs)
« on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:03 PM »
where do you get just the chain? ive seen some are welded but never found any in bulk just single packs for 3 dollars a piece..

i have tried some from craft stores and they break fairly easily. where do you get these chains

thanks!

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #1 on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:18 PM »
Among the best, is stainless steel, welded. It's very strong. the alternative is to buy junk chain and lose fish with break-offs.   A very nice size is 0.08mm priced at $2.10 per foot at the link below.   It's located "about"   7/8ths  down the page. (way down the page).    Good luck !    ;)2

     http://theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=186&cat=Chain

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #2 on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:24 PM »







Pics of some droppers I made

Offline Mobile steez

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #3 on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:34 PM »
wow! thank you very much! do you catch mostly pan fish with these or are you able to catch some larger toothier things as well?! i would not be pulling the fish out of the water by the chain mind you.

your rigs look great! always smart to put the face near the hook!

again thanks a ton i will be ordering some verrry soon in preparation of ice

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #4 on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:47 PM »
I'm in the NW Iowa area by the Iowa Great Lakes. The shuck's jigger has been a go to lure for perch. The chains on the shuck's jiggers are cheap so I started making my own lures with droppers and different spoon weights for the deeper waters.

If you use the good chain, your fine. Line will break before the chain. I've back hooked and soaked minnows on them with a dead stick...........plenty a pike and walleye caught on them.

The biggest issue on larger game fish when using these panfishing is the small hooks......they can bend/straighten out the hook. I've lost a few big pike from the hook getting bent straight.

Offline Mobile steez

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #5 on: Aug 26, 2019, 10:53 PM »
i would be using the welded, stainless .08 as you mentioned.  thats awesome. guess i will have to grab the credit card!

yeah i feel like i caught a ton of fish with the droppers the issues where always with the chain breaking.  it sounds like you have really figured out the issue!

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #6 on: Aug 26, 2019, 11:59 PM »
i would be using the welded, stainless .08 as you mentioned.  thats awesome. guess i will have to grab the credit card!

yeah i feel like i caught a ton of fish with the droppers the issues where always with the chain breaking.  it sounds like you have really figured out the issue!

Just a tip, don't make the chain to long or it will get tangled up a lot on the drop. Another little tip is the small flappers to help make a little noise/disturbance if the water is murky. You can guess how I found out not to make the chains to long.

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #7 on: Aug 27, 2019, 06:47 AM »
Agro, you have any difficulty getting those snaps on the chains? The ones I was working with were very brittle and would often break before I could get 'em open enough to get the chain in. I had both Mustad and snaps from LPO and they both broke a lot.
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Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #8 on: Aug 27, 2019, 07:00 AM »
Agro, you have any difficulty getting those snaps on the chains? The ones I was working with were very brittle and would often break before I could get 'em open enough to get the chain in. I had both Mustad and snaps from LPO and they both broke a lot.

No I haven't. I have a small split ring pliers I use though. I think I was using VMC small snap rings

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #9 on: Aug 27, 2019, 07:07 AM »
Mmmm, OK. I thought it looked like the snap was directly on the chain. Must be the angle of the pic. Thanks!
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Offline hays47

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #10 on: Aug 27, 2019, 08:19 PM »
I use the stainless chain also to redo anything I use dropper on. One end of the chain get the slip ring. The  business end I rig a duo lock. The size 1 top is connected to the chain. Then the large loop can put most anything the fish want. When they want a minnow head. I use a small double hook. Shove the shank thru the head. Then clip on the duo lock. Deadly setup. Even the slickest bait stealers get nailed.
Echomap 94  Chirp with panoptix ps-22.
G.E.F.M

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #11 on: Aug 27, 2019, 09:34 PM »
Mmmm, OK. I thought it looked like the snap was directly on the chain. Must be the angle of the pic. Thanks!

Nope your right. I was playing with one and was able to open the eye and put it on the chain to switch out different hooks and small panfish jigs. The more expensive quality ones fair better, but about 1/3 of them break when doing it. Sorry was thinking split rings....not quick snap when I read the post

Offline Mobile steez

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #12 on: Aug 27, 2019, 09:59 PM »
i have 'speed snaps' size medium from arnold and they are pretty small.  what size do you use? probably the biggest they sell?

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: dropper chains (hali jigs)
« Reply #13 on: Aug 28, 2019, 06:50 AM »
That's it Agro, that was about the experience I had. I think at the end I was using a mini-awl from an X-acto kit and gently pushed the snap eye down over it with a small diameter metal tube until it was just big enough to slip on the chain. I don't think I broke any that way unless I forced them down too far.

And yes, I was using the medium snaps for the most part.
To fish or not to fish? That's a stupid question!



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