Jig Head size???

[eddystone]

Hi,

I planning on hitting the bream pretty hard this summer and was woundering if any can give me some advice on jig heads??

I am going to get the squidgy jig heads because they seem pretty good and not over priced.

I will mostly be fishing in rivers with little or no tidal flow. Casting around fallin trees. What size and weight would you recommend???

I will also be doing a little bit of flats fishing but to a lesser extent.

Thanks heaps
eddystone

[beefaman]

I personally have had problems with squidgie jigheads breaking at the eye. Have had three do it at different times, and always when a fish is on :mad: I now use better quality jigheads, and havent had a problem.
I am in no way saying this is the norm for them, but I have been burnt too many times to be confident in their reliability :(

[bigred]

Have been using the "gimakatsu" brand for a long while now and all have worked beautifully. Not one has broken, but have disfigured a hook or two.

They are seriously sharp hooks. Chemically sharpened and hook a lot of fish before you do!

Still someone on here may guzzump me and say they are shyte but they work for me.

Endless range of weights and hook patterns available.

Cost around $10 a pack depending on size.

[pw-bream]

To answer the size and weight question:

1/16 oz and 1/32 oz are the most commonly useful weights for Bream.
Size 2 and 4 hooks are also a reasonable starting point and will work with common Bream size plastics.

As you go and gain experience and try different sorts of plastics you will find a need for the odd more specialised hook size/type and maybe other weights.

[dan_WA]

I have a few packs of squidgy heads that have been sitting in my tackle bag for quite a while now - I used them initially when I was getting the hang of things - which was good 'cos a lot were sacraficed to rocks, pylons, trees etc :D. What I found was that they seem just a little too eager to bend. I didn't have the troubles of them breaking at the eye, but I just feel nervous now that if I was using one and hooked that elusive 40+ that they would let me down.
I now use the gamakatsu chem. sharpened 1/16th oz. heads (the short shank ones) for my small single tails, and the nitro's in slightly longer shank for the sliders/powerbaits.
Both of the jig heads are damn strong and hella sharp !!. The nitros also have a nice slender profile, with the weight spread along the shank a bit.
when you break down the per hook cost between the squidgy and the others there might be a bit of a difference, but you'll probably find that you need to replace the squidgy's more often due to bending/breaking/bluntening. Plus you can't put a cost on a lost fish !!

I just got some ecogear (I think) bullet head shaped jig heads to use on my stick baits, but have found that the plastics don't seem to stay in place too well (slide down the shank) 'cos they dont have a holder hook or moulding to hold the plastic. so can anyone comment on what stick bait jig heads they are using ?

[zimeric]

gamagatsu hooks are dangerous!!! :eek: :D

i usually hook myself before i even get them out the packet
in "the good old days" the best test to see if a hook was sharp was to run the tip along the top of yer thumb nail.
if it slides across it -NO good
if it scratches - thats ok
but a truly sharp hook like the gamagatsu's will dig in and wont move at all.
squidgies are good - I like the little wire holder on them as i find they hold the sp better than the standard jig head - but i know others would prefer the other ones available.

each sp type needs a different jighead though and the squidgies are definitely not ideal for stick baits etc.

[beefaman]

I like the design of the squidgie jighead, specially the retainer....i am just not confident on the quality of them ;)

[pw-bream]

Steve Starling has repeatedly defended the Mustad Aberdeen hooks the original Squidgy heads are made on at another site.
He also has asid a couple of times that they are going to come out with a second series of jigheads with a much stronger hook (possibly forged) for use when the standard hooks are considered too soft. I haven't seen them in shops yet.
Has anyone else noticed that K-Mart seem to be getting rid of the Squidgy range? Gaps in the displays and "Clearance" tickets under many item.

[eddystone]

Hi,

Thanks to those who replied. I'm only starting out but once i get more experience and start catching fish i'll probably change the jig heads i use. I have had some problems with squidgy jig heads bending on other species such as salmon but they generally hold up ok.

I plan on using atomic 2 inch fat grubs and sliders in the 1.5 inch range.

Will squidgy hooks be ok????

Which of the following are the best suited for bream in rivers with little tidal movement??? or are they to small?


Blue Fox Squidgy Jig (12 pack) 1.5gm Size 4
Blue Fox Squidgy Jig (12 pack) 2gm Size 4
Blue Fox Squidgy Jig (9 pack) 2gm Size 2
Blue Fox Squidgy Jig (9 pack) 3gm Size 2

Thanks
eddystone

[beefaman]

The hooks on them arent too bad for what you pay for, it is the eye where the loop knot gets tied to that I have had bust :mad:
Very frustrating when it happens....doh.
I do like squidgie SP's though, and use them a fair bit, but on gamatsku or nitro jigheads instead ;)

[jimi]

Eddystone, the 2gram squidgy heads are approx 1/16oz and the 1.5gram is close to 1/20 oz. I'd start the the 2gm both in size 4 (good for the sliders) and size 2 (good for both sliders and atomics).

They will do you 90% of the time. If you are fishing in strong current or deep areas, perhaps a pack of the 3 grammers would be good too.

James.

[8footugly]

Squidgy Jig heads.....personally I have had no problems with these with the exception the hooks are a little softer than other brands and can bend a little under load. Others have had plenty of problems with them. But if your starting out, go the cheaper option until you find the need to step up to a more "quality" brand.

I have a wide selection of the Squidgie heads but for strength in snaggier areas I go for the Gamagatsu heads. Super strong hooks and excellent "bait holders" enabling the plastic to remain in position longer.

The issue is cost. But you get what you pay for.

Having said all that, I find the choice of head is determined by the conditions. There are spots I fish where bottom bashing or bouncing the jig along the bottom doesnt produce. In this case Ive started using a drop shot rig with the plastic floating a foot off the bottom weightless....saves a jig head, and makes use of those redundant sinkers in my old "Bait" tackle box!

In calmer current conditions I always believe the lighter the better...so if the current permits fish as light as you can.

Jig heads can be quite gimicky. Fancy shapes, colours, torpedos, bullet heads....it can get confusing, but again I must repeat my motto: There are no rules...just whatever works for you.