Do you think a colored head makes a difference, from a plain silver head?
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Do you think a colored head makes a difference, from a plain silver head?
I used to ALWAYS fish painted heads (cause I was buying 'em that way) but as of recently I've been using out of a stash of unpainted heads (to use 'em up) and found the unpainted lead head hasnt really made any difference. I would suppose that at time the contrasting colors might help some though. Painted heads certainly look better to me...but maybe not to the fishes.
On a feather jig I like a painted head but when I fish plastics all my jigs are unpainted....doesn't make sense I know but there it is.
I never used painted heads until I got into painting myself and now started a tying business. Here in MO with mostly dirty water lakes around me I sell a ton of Orange jig heads and tyed jigs. Never fished Orange that much until about 85% of the jigs I make were ordered with that color head. So a lot of people do think it makes a differance. But I sure have caught a lot of fish with a plain lead head over the years. I think it appeals more to the fisherman than the fish.
Thats what I have been thinking also, it catches the fisherman
All color matters. I tip with shiners and catch fish on some colors way better than others right down to the head color being paired with certain jig colors. If they care about the color even tipping with live bait. I'd say it matters.
I don't think it makes a difference to the fish if they are hitting I think they are after the tail action over 45 years I have fished with jigs a good majority of those years I did not paint my jig heads and have caught just as many fish as I did with the pain it jig heads I believe it's very appealing to the fellow fishermen you might say it looks better to you than a on painted jig head.
I agree 100%.Quote:
Originally Posted by snake River
Ive asked this question many many times...And I seem to get the same response from everyone. Ive tied a bunch of jigs with colored heads and the same jigs without painted heads. Going out this evening and see if it makes a bit of difference here.
please let us know what happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by PBUG2009
Color has got to make a differance to fishermen because I've never sold a painted jighead to a fish.
lightwirehooker
Paint-----schmaint !!! Can't you clean out the eye of the showpiece jig for your website!!! lol The color has some to do with it, but the majority of it is in the most important factor yet to be mentioned. Confidence. If you have confidence in what you use you'll be tough to beat, and you'll catch fish when others sit on their thumbs. I use some colored, but a small percentage. Blue/white and black /chart and pink/white I use colored heads.
It keeps them from oxidizing too. Also I feel most of the time it will not matter, but have seen time that it did make a difference. I was tying for some local guys last spring and they had some Chart/black/chart and also some black/black/chart and they could get bit on the ones with black heads, but could on chart heads. So I think sometimes it matters, but most of the time it just keep the lead from oxidizing which I really don't like jig heads to do so every time I get an order for unpainted heads I ask if it's okay if I just clear coat them and most say fine.
Guess I should add I don't think you will fund out on just one time trying it and may take much longer to really find out.
Skip
I used to use slider jigs alot, and orange was the color I always picked up except for the occassional red or black when I could find 'em. Been using unpainted jigs this year for the most part. I would use painted/colored heads if I was trying to mix or match for a certain combo if I can't seem to find a color the fish like.
well guys got to where I was going, go out and got my poles. Just as I started down the hill I realized I didnt have my wallet. Meaning no fishing lic on me. So instead of fishing I passed out a few jigs and just talked.... Nothing really biting they said.
If painted heads don't make a difference then the body and tail colors must not either.Save your money and just buy black,white and gray. I think color makes a big difference.
Last year a chartreuse or pink head worked great, this year an orange and black worked the best. Something made the fish change the color head they would hit and it wasn't the color of the water neither. Just saying.Quote:
Originally Posted by jimp
A plain grey head is a neutral color. Some days neutral colors work best. Other days, not so much.
NightProwler
It makes a difference to me because it helps when showing fish different color head and body configurations. You have to attract the fish before you can entice them to bite. What it comes down to is confidence. Never leave home without it. If you are confident in a lure it makes you fish it better. Also, eyes look better on a painted jig head. Baitfish have eyes. My jigs imitate baitfish so they have eyes too.Quote:
Originally Posted by PBUG2009
I agree with Skip about wanting to keep them from oxidizing. I've got close to 1,000 in one Plano box. If one goes, you come back in a few weeks, it will have spread to the rest.
I think the silver flash of an unpainted jig, especially if it has been clear coated (I do this a lot so they will last) attracts fish too. Otherwise, I don't think the head is the primary color but I've seen days when they would hit a jig painted one color much better than another color. A few days later, you may come back and then they want the other color.
I do see the jighead as being a complementary color instead of the primary color. I have also caught a lot of crappie on plastics like the panfish assassin which has no movement when curly tailed grubs weren't paid any attention. Depends on the mood of the fish.
I'm with Jungle. If painted heads don't matter, why fish 2 color jigs? 2 color jigs add contrast and options for color preference. A colored head adds another option in my way of thinking.Quote:
Originally Posted by JUNGLEJIMJIGS
[QUOTE=PBUG2009;1584447]Thats what I have been thinking also, it catches the fisherman[/QUOTE
you hit it right on the head.
I think there are times when it can matter. We all know how color selective crappie can be. Sometimes they smack everything that hits the water, but sometimes they only want a specific color. Say you get to a spot and the crappies have all collectively decided they only want to hit pink jigs. You tie on a jig that's black and chartreuse, and it gets ignored. But if you tie on a black and chartreuse jig with a pink head, it might get hit.
I know there are people who put out many different color combinations at once until they figure out what the fish want, but not everyone has the luxury of being able to fish with as many poles as they want at a time. My state limits you to two poles. Having jigs with more color combinations out can help you narrow down color selection when they're being fussy, IMHO.
Great point! A plain lead head is colored like many types of bait fish. So while it's easy to think of it as a non color it is in most cases the most natural color presented. Sure, they don't care a lot about natural at times or chart wouldn't be the all time favorite crappie catcher.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nightprowler
Color in crappie fishing is everything to me but just my opinion
No just for looks.
donald you got a full rainbow color scheme in all your jigs lol....
I agree that it makes no real difference most of the time, but I have seen it make a big difference sometimes. Had a customer this last spring that was catching fish on a Chart/Black/Chart, but when he tried a Black/Black/Chart he didn't catch fish at the same spot. When he went back to the chart head they caught fish. This is not most of the time though. I like painted or clear coated heads because I don't like the lead oxidizing and it can make a mess when next to some other types of materials. So in the end I say sometimes it will make a difference. I also think it would make a difference if your talking about a Flo color in place of a plane color Vs the unpainted head. SO unless someone actually tells me they want an unpainted head and no clear coat they are going to get some kind of coated head.
I also think painted heads look much better to the fisherman, just like it does to me and it's not that big of a deal to paint the heads. I know I have answered this a lot of time and it's always the same, some say no some say yes and I always was maybe depending on conditions.
Skip
Wow I know of no other question that will evoke a more passionate answer than this one.
This is how I see it!!! What gives you more confidence a painted head a non painted head. Personally I find that I have about 6 patterns that I have the most confidence in. Every jig head I have has a sickle hook on it any more. I have given away all the ones that had Aberdeen hooks on them. They have to be as perfect as possible. Some of you in the swap #22 will receive one of my jigs. I would suggest that you study it. I tie a lot of jigs. I now have 11 boxes FULL. I am a stickler for detail. I want every thing to be as perfect as possible. Paint or unpainted. As in real estate its location, location, location. in jig fishing its detail, detail, detail. If I don't have confidence in my jig it is not going to catch any thing.
There are days that colors will make a difference. Cloud cover, Water stain, alge bloom, depth of water These are but a few of the things that will cause fish to want a different color. Do I paint heads, Yes do I paint eyes on them, Yes Do I use different colors for the eye, YES. I tie jigs to catch fish. I tie a lot of jigs in many different ways. I keep a journal in it I know what jig has done what How it did and where and when. This helps me to decide what are the best jig to use and when.
Case in point in the last week in April thur the second week in May the crappies like a Root Beer jigs. Don't ask me why my journal tells me that that is the best jig to use during that time period. I tied two dozen of them so I will have them for that time period. Would something else work yes but that is what they prefer at that time. So does color matter at that time yes. Will I try something else yes!! If I feel confident in it. But I will have a rod rigged with a Root Beer Jig.
Fishing Facts Magizine had a artical in it that went something like " The Top Most Secret Bass Lure In The World ". The lure a six inch piece of unpainted broom stick with three treble hooks and a eye to tie the line to. The Secret of the lure C O N F I D E N C E . That was a eye opener to me. That was about 1975 or 1976. I have never forgotten that and it has turned a poor fisherman into a Darn good fisherman at least on the lake I live on.
I want each and every one of you to be successfull. I want any one that comes in my boat to beat the pants off me fishing. I try to tell every one to have confidence in the method and the bait they are fishing with. They will be more successful than someone who will go out and fish willie nillie without any confidence. Besides its the cheapest thing in your fishing gear.
Redman
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redman
John Wooden used to say that "success is when preparation met opportunity." I like Redman's comment about detail and wanting to make sure everything is exactly right. It takes me a good hour to get a lot of my gear ready for a trip and I'm just talking about my rods & reels. When I get to the lake, I want to be ready to go. Never could understand how the guy I was fishing would get there and be on the water before he would start threading his line thru the guides and scratching thru his tackle box to find the same jig he throws every time out.
When I paint a jighead, if it's not right, I cut it off the hook and put it back in the pot. Can it catch fish, no doubt. But I never feel right if I don't think it's 100%. Haven't started tying yet but think if I did, it might take me several months before I could make one good enough to tie on. That's what comes from watching the work a lot of people do on this forum. They've set very high standards.