Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Picture For PAK..................

This is my favorite jig coloration pattern. It's hot orange/white.



If forced to poke but one offering in my pocket and run with it,for everything Salmonid,it'd be the brass headed double beaded size "small". It's uppermost right.

That despite my never having gotten it wet,because work got in the road and I was busy experimenting with countless others scheme's from Mark www.firstcastjigs.com. I'm feeling that my R&D on Steelhead is largely complete and I had Mark whoop that pattern up,to suit my tastes. Fish are gonna be pissed,that he's so accomodating.

Brass has always worked best for me,be it spoon or spinner and the orange/white beaded offerings look like a dripping cluster of roe,when in the water.

Will toss the "micro's" for Jack Salmon and experiment on Coho to see what sorta abuse they'll endure for Lunker Steelhead. The "smalls" will take one hell of a lick,I done proved that to myself and am heap big impressed in their ability to hold fish in my heavy hands,via a heavy backboned rod and a good braid. I REALLY leaned on the Steelhead with them and never straightened a hook,nor had a fish spit a hook,or was short struck. These things are stupid sharp and only the gentlest of nudges are enough to bury barbs bone deep and I can dig that. The percentages are staggering. couldn't break a Loomis float rod either and I was really TRYING to make somethin' give. Only fish gave.(grin)

Anywhoo,I'll try to work on image quality and assemble a potpourri of Mark's wares,as I went nuts and am neck deep in 'em.

Great stuff.....................

Those look like they'd play to a salmonid's weaknesses just fine.

Here's a potpourri,with the favoritest atop the leader board.



The flavorings differ from subtle nuance,to stark contrast. Sizes of course differ too. As I fish pretty aggressively(I'm a bootom bumper),I've lost certain examples that I'm currently outta stock of but I feel I mixed things up well enough,to draw conclusions of merit.

No doubt the Paradise Gang will ID the floats pictured and all are sliders,if desired. From left to right is a cork float,which I'm most fond of in low water conditions and rig it in a fixed position for those presentations. Nextly,is a beloved Retard Bobber and it rules in higher volume conditions,where a visual isn't a concern. The Retard is a 100% deadly hookup no missum sumbitch,as it's bouyancy yields an auto hookup. Lastly is a balsa offering and I can like it well.

For perspective,a copper #1 Vibrax is offered for sizing comparisons....................

Stick,

What size are the little ones 1/16's or 1/8's ? Might be interested come next spring for Crappie fishing.

Some of the rigging is the same that one would use in the SE US for Crappie. Use either a jig or live minnow dropped into the sunken treetops of blowdown, along the lakes edge. The mainline all supported by a float, and adjusted till you find the depth of the fish. Have to use an easy hook set, Crappie aren't known as "Paper Mouths" for nothing.

Mark uses a brass head,as opposed to lead,so they are lighter than "normal".

These bastards will hurt Crappie,especially as they wear amazingly well...................

On what size hooks are those tied?pak

As usual, your taste for good tackle makes for a good view. Thanks for the pics.

Is there anything you like that you don't end up with a dozen of? Big Momma excluded, of course ...

Pete,

Mark's site is one of the best I've seen,for a thorough explanation of one's wares. I'd cruise it for particulars,then give him a jingle to fine tune any preferences you may have,that aren't listed.

He's done me nothing but right...................

The Brothers turned me onto FirstCast.

My initial perception was that they used quality componetry,to yield a quality end product,so my focus was to dabble in R&D so as to determine what was gonna work best for me.

I'm not much into speculation,as I prefer to jump in with both feet and see for myself. Learning is half the fun and I try to keep an open mind and give everything a fair shake.

I wet a fair number of lines and roll up my sleeves seriously,when dabbling with new goods. I've never found the proof to be anywhere but the pudding.

For me,the orange/white pattern hurt more fish than any other and I fished it as a last resort(to begin with),to ensure it's productivity. It would catch fish in a spooked hole(meaning I'd done put the lick on things already),when other patterns were for naught. The first fish is always the easiest in a Steelhead hole,but subsequent numbers extoll the merit of a given presentation,when doing the Compare and Contrast Thing.

Soooooo my experimentation is largely over,regarding my favorite Steelhead haunts and it were an objective study.

If you were to search my favorite Fishin vest,it'd have 50 or so various orange/white patterns inside,based on the above conclusions.

I'm not much into half assing things...................

Thanks, I'll give Mark a ring.pak