Author Topic: Tungsten jigs  (Read 23382 times)

Offline buckzone101

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Tungsten jigs
« on: Dec 18, 2016, 09:46 PM »
Whats all the hype about these tungsten jigs? Are they really small and heavy to help in dropping to the bottom in 100+fow? Wheres the best place to get cheap bulk packs?
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Offline bigstorm

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #1 on: Dec 19, 2016, 07:05 AM »
they have many different sizes and the advantage over a lead jig is that for the same physical size, the tungsten is heavier to get back down the water column faster. I use some of the larger tungsten jigs fishing in 60 to 80 ft for perch.. I have some Northland come out with a tungsten jigging spoon that works well too. As far as cheap prices, I cant help with that

Offline maddogg

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #2 on: Dec 19, 2016, 09:37 AM »
Whats all the hype about these tungsten jigs? Are they really small and heavy to help in dropping to the bottom in 100+fow? Wheres the best place to get cheap bulk packs?

E Bay

Offline MichiganMan

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #3 on: Dec 22, 2016, 03:43 PM »
The problem I have with tungsten jigs is #1 they often come with a barbless hook causing baits to fall off, and #2 hooks frequently breaking off right at the tungsten. For me they are over hyped and not worth the cost.
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Offline UFCreel

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #4 on: Dec 22, 2016, 03:57 PM »
So what would fall faster. A tungsten 4mm jig or a lead 4mm jig?  ;D
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Offline Chris338378

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #5 on: Dec 22, 2016, 06:43 PM »
Tungsten because it's heavier than lead.

Offline stripernut

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #6 on: Dec 22, 2016, 07:56 PM »
Tungsten is 1.4 times heavier than lead...

Offline Bri-Guy

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #7 on: Dec 22, 2016, 10:05 PM »
I think my favourite thing about tungsten jigs is they punch through the slush in the hole really well. I fish very shallow, sometimes 3 feet or less and I find that the panfish can spook if there is a good snow cover and your hole is clean on a sunny day.

Offline UFCreel

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #8 on: Dec 23, 2016, 06:14 AM »
But if both weigh the same how can one be heavier?   ::)
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Offline WarBonnett

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #9 on: Dec 23, 2016, 06:27 AM »
   The mm is the size NOT the wait, for the same wait lead would be 6mm !   :icefish: WB

Offline buckzone101

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #10 on: Dec 24, 2016, 05:27 AM »
Im picking myself up some today!
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Offline Scupbaron

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #11 on: Dec 24, 2016, 05:32 AM »
best i've settled on are the vmc tubby jigs. very good hooks for plastics, good colors, readily available, show vup good on sounder and half the price of others.

Offline captain54

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #12 on: Dec 24, 2016, 05:44 AM »
I fish shallow, I really don't see what all the hype is,I've got a collection of over a thousand jigs and maybe 50 some are tungsten. I just started buying them 3 years ago. I tend to tie them on but really see no difference. Lures are made to catch fishermen, other than double or triple price for my style of fishing there no advantage.

Offline stripernut

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #13 on: Dec 24, 2016, 06:33 AM »
I my State (MA) and others most of your thousands of lead jigs are not legal to use... Tungsten is a legal alternative...

Offline 1moslab

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #14 on: Dec 24, 2016, 08:45 AM »
love the tungsten.gotta go real small sometimes and they fish heavy.fiska being my favorate have caught some big fish and have no problem with them.but sometimes the fish want that different fall the same size lead head gives you.

Offline buckzone101

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #15 on: Dec 24, 2016, 04:48 PM »
Got the itch now picked up a few, and gonna get some wicked small ones..
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Offline nbfish14

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #16 on: Dec 26, 2016, 10:50 PM »
Even if one is in shallow water, tungsten jigs still give a better feel than lead jigs.

Offline Gamedog1

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #17 on: Dec 27, 2016, 10:49 AM »
Its just like any other tool, it has its advantages. But I can tell you one you use them properly you wont go back to lead specially if you fish high pressure lakes... size matters!
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Offline RyanW

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #18 on: Dec 28, 2016, 04:48 AM »
I love tungsten jigs.

Since tungsten is heavier than lead it allows the presentation of a miniscule offering while keeping weight on the jig to transfer jigging cadence, bite detection, and a faster sink rate allowing the angler to have a more responsive control when a smaller profile presentation is required and/or when needing to get the same jig 20'-30'+ down as fast as possible. A 3mm tungsten jig will find 30' in about 6-7 seconds quite deliberately. That will also help guys that don't have a flasher quickly get back down to fish they hope are still their so they will actually spend more time fishing instead of waiting for a jig to sink. You won't need a heavy lead depth finder with tungsten jigs either, especially 5mm. You'll feel bottom.

They also work very well under a slip-float in the warmer months too and tend to offer better paintjobs and hooks than traditional lead jigs. My favorite tungsten jigs are Fiskas. Durable, sticky sharp hooks.
“When the fish are biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using. When the fish aren’t biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using” - Uncle Dave

Offline Reinert

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #19 on: Dec 28, 2016, 06:21 AM »
The problem I have with tungsten jigs is #1 they often come with a barbless hook causing baits to fall off, and #2 hooks frequently breaking off right at the tungsten. For me they are over hyped and not worth the cost.
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Offline RyanW

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #20 on: Dec 29, 2016, 06:04 PM »
I actually don't think I've come across any barbless tungsten jigs. The thing with tungsten is that the bodies need to be soldered on to the hook, not poured (liquid tungsten is very very hot), and when done incorrectly that process can sevearly damage the integrity of the hook. So it inevitably breaks.

Quality brands that I have used are Fiskas and Skandia's. VMC's are nice too. A quality, mass produced (not these limited run guys you see on here and Facebook), tungsten jig should run you between $2.50 - $3.50 depending on jig size.

I have over 30 Fiskas jigs (at least 10 each in 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm) in an aluminum Perrine clip style fly box (on side is 30 metal clips, the other side is a sheet magnet) and I have had zero hooks break taking hooks in/out of that. Those clips would break before the hooks.

Bottom line (and no offense)...buy better tungsten jigs. Cheap tungsten jigs are just that...Cheap. Or just don't bother with em', people have been doing just fine without them for thousands of years. However, a 4mm tungsten jig on a well crafted custom noodle rod (no spring bobber) is a very good time fishing that can help someone appreciate high-end gear a little more. Although none of it is necessary to catch fish, I appreciate high-end, high-quality gear. It makes fishing, for me, a much more smoother and enjoyable operation.

 Same reason people buy $60+ tipups. Not my cup of tea but it helps make fishing more smoother and enjoyable for them.

Just saying tungsten isn't hype. It's just a different way to fish and, with most anything else, has a learning curve.
“When the fish are biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using. When the fish aren’t biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using” - Uncle Dave

Offline Chris338378

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #21 on: Dec 30, 2016, 12:04 PM »
I'm curious, what's to learn about jigging a tungsten jig opposed to a lead jig? 

Offline RyanW

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #22 on: Dec 30, 2016, 02:22 PM »
The biggest difference is profile to weight ratio. Getting use to something the size of a BB weighing close to the same as something that should be the size of a pea. You can fish a tungsten jig like a lead jig no problem but you can't fish a lead jig like a tungsten unless it's oversized. Tungsten jigs are a tool to help with certain situations, they weren't meant to be used exclusively although lots of guys do, myself included. Getting down quicker is a big one. A smaller, heavier profile is another.

 Once you realize that tunsten jigs produce a profile of at least half the size of lead while maintaining roughly the same weight, you'll understand the more subtle differences. For me, it's easier to maintain a jigging cadence with tungsten because I can downsize my presentation while keeping the weight similar so I can control the cadence without using a bulky jig.  Tungsten jigs are shaped differently and move differently in the water, enough for me to notice a difference in presentation. Tied with a loop knot, they can really "buck and kick" when you need them too, better than what I can do with a standard lead jig. That also equates to having to do less work in jigging tungsten. Since it's heavier and smaller, any subtle movement translates to the jig moving with better response. Ever notice how someone can really pound that rod tip and the jig is basically vibrating? A heavier, smaller profile jig helps keep all of that in balance. A lighter jig won't have that kind of response, unless it's bigger. You start the cadence and by the time you stop jigging, you're basically jigging more of the line than the jig, in my experience. I can precisely control tungsten better than I can lead and If you don't go into it expecting a difference, you won't see any.

Also, I think a lot of lure selection has to do with confidence. A guy that's been fishing lead for 35 years is probably going to look at tungsten as a gimmick therefore not having much confidence in the jig. And when he doesn't catch his usually rate, he chalks it up to crappy overpriced tungsten jigs. If that same fisherman limited out in an hour, he'd chalk it up to awesome new-aged tungsten jigs. Confidence.

Not sure if I aswered your question but that's my take on tungsten jigs. Like I said earlier, they work great under a float in the warmer months too. Same principles apply.

Also, like previously mentioned, they really help guys out on lead-free waters.

Kind of like the difference between a pistol and a slingshot. Sometimes you need a faster, smaller, heavier projectile (tungsten) and sometimes you need a larger, slower, lighter projectile (lead). The same could be said about lead/tungsten jigs, figuratively. But there is a difference in operation that should be acknowledged before expecting the pistol (tungsten) to shoot like a slingshot (lead). You can use the pistol like a slingshot but you can't use a slingshot like a pistol.
“When the fish are biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using. When the fish aren’t biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using” - Uncle Dave

Offline Chris338378

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #23 on: Dec 31, 2016, 08:21 AM »
Thanks for explaining that, I never really thought about it before and figured they're both jigs and the tungsten is just heavier and smaller.  I'm always looking for an advantage and go about things with an open mind.  So far I only have two tungsten jigs, the red metallic size 12 Northland  Mooska Jig, and the only reason I bought them is because I wanted a jig in that specific color.  It's going to be fun trying them out and seeing how well they do. Thanks again for the explanation, it helped a lot.  One other question for you, have you noticed if the tungsten jigs glow better than lead jigs in the same make and model jig? 

Offline VTMatt

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #24 on: Jan 26, 2017, 08:46 PM »
I got a crazy deal on 3, 4 and 5mm Fiskas on eBay. I paid less than $1 each for almost 40 jigs. Very impressed with these. They dont seem like theyll have paint chipping. I think there is an epoxy coating on them for strength. I dont think ill ever be buying the cheap painted versions...even if I have to pay 3x the price per jig.

Offline RyanW

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #25 on: Jan 27, 2017, 08:21 AM »
That is an awesome deal! All of Fiskas jigs are quality and I've been recommending them for a long time.
“When the fish are biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using. When the fish aren’t biting, it really doesn’t matter what you’re using” - Uncle Dave

Offline VTMatt

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #26 on: Jan 28, 2017, 06:30 PM »
That is an awesome deal! All of Fiskas jigs are quality and I've been recommending them for a long time.

A 3mm with the diamond on one end pulling out 2 buckets worth of gills and sunnies today and it still looks brand new!

Offline 1moslab

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #27 on: Jan 28, 2017, 07:44 PM »
They are real good jigs

Offline Mrowinsky

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #28 on: Mar 10, 2017, 02:01 PM »
Just to help with some understanding....

A 3mm ball of lead and a 3mm ball of tungsten will have the same volume/size.  However, because tungsten is more dense (19.25 g/mL) than lead (11.34g/mL) they will not be of equal weight.  The tungsten ball will weigh more than the lead ball.

I hope this helps the interesting conversation.

Mike in CT


Offline IceholeHEN

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Re: Tungsten jigs
« Reply #29 on: Sep 26, 2017, 10:21 AM »
If you are going to buy one do yourself a favor, DIAMOND HEADS are the way to go. Seems like no matter what color you use with a diamond head, it catches fish. A guy on here by the name of Mummbleseed let me use one two years ago when I seen him out Moraine. I've been hooked ever since.
To catch them all…you gotta catch them small

 



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