While fishing for lingcod this last weekend I lost quite a few jigs. My dad and I did get a keeper, but my supply of darts is pretty much spent. I'd like to try pouring my own, but I cannot find any molds available. I have found lots of molds for jig heads for crappie type jigs as well as larger jig heads that you would use out salt, but no herring type jigs.

Any info would be appreciated - thank you.

Steve

I've had decent luck finding Pt. Wilson Darts on ebay for about $1-2 bucks each.

Last batch I purchased was 40 darts for like $40. They were from a guy who had retired from his Neah Bay fishing Charter business and moved to Omak.

Maybe this is a stupid question (but it has never stopped me before ) but where do you get bulk lead to make jigs, sinkers, downrigger weights, etc...??

First off, dart molds are pretty easy to make out of plaster and generally last me about a dozen runs. Or, you could carve your own dart out of balsa wood and take it to a machine shop to have them make a mold for you. That might be pricey, I've never checked.

Lead sources can be found by looking in the yellow pages, try Industrial, or metals, or such. Usually you'll be able to ask around and someone can point you in the right direction. I had a source in Des Moines but I believe he retired. I still have about 50lbs in a bucket for future use.

Just found this
http://www.luremaking.com/catalogue/download/luremaking-com_mold_cat-2004.pdf


go to page 19

Baddawg, goto a dive shop.

Page 19 has diamond jigs to size 6oz. Blank molds are on pg 33. I wonder what a machine shop would charge to drill out a custom jig? That would be pretty cool. Heck, you could sell em to guys on this Forum for $1 and quickly recoup your money I bet. Opps, should have kept that idea quiet


There is also a company called Do-it that I've ordered from with good results. Google the web site if you're interested...

hey folks, to awnser the question about bulk wieght further up. go to your local tire store. I just bought a 5 gallon bucket full of wheel wieghts for 20 bucks. there is very easily 150 pounds or so.

If you have access to a router cut a triangular shaped trough in a piece of wood. There is your mold. With the triangular shape the lead will fall right out when cool.

True enough, wood molds do work as well. They eventually burn and loss shape, but not until you've produced a fair number of jigs. I have used them to make halibut spreader weights - very effective. The jigs would look kinda rough but I doubt the fish would mind.

Thanks guys for all the info I appreciate it!

Steve

Mindfusion has a good idea......I started jigging using tire weights (I never figured I share that here, but they were very successful with next to no work involved). I simply drilled both ends and put my split rings in with a barrel swivel on one end and treble hook on the other, cut the metal clip off, scraped the lead with my knife and went fishing. The tire lead is a hard alloy that never wore through the drilled holes, and the tire weights come with a curve which falls perfectly in the water.

It's always been fun to outfish the store bought stuff. Imitating candlefish with 3/8" chrome supply line filled with lead and cut to about 6" was another favorite of mine.

Caution: using the above may destroy your belief in how smart fish are!