GETTING JIGGY WITH IT FOR COHOS

BACK TO SURFING MY SITE

HOMEPAGE

Above is a store bought jig, below is mine.  The store bought jig has the wooly bugger tail which has crappy action compared to putting a spinned marabou on the tail.

JIG INTRO So what do you do when the coho don’t bite?  Oh what do you do when that spinner that runs all sparkley through that big deep dark hole you know is filled with salmon, runs through it completely unmolested?  Whatever do you do? Why you get jiggy with it baby…  That’s what you do.  I remember about 7 years ago when I first started fishing for salmon I couldn’t figure out why them rolling fishies weren’t slamming my spinners.  I went to a local gas station and talked to the owner and he brought out a bunch of pretty marabou thingys with lots of flash that his daughter tied.  I went to the salmon hole he told me about and WHAM!  Four cute coho in an hour. I’ve been using them ever since.  The trick to jigs however, is that you use them on fish stacked up in a salmon hole.  You don’t chuck them at moving fish and you don’t use them in ripply water or tail outs.  You use them in big deep salmon holes. Got it? My favorite action is reel and jig jig…  Just twice works.  Not once, not three times but just reel reel, jig jig… reel reel, jig jig…  reel reel, jig jig… reel reel, jig jig…  Got it? Oh and here’s the most important part.  The reason why they work so well is because when they hit it is usually when you’re jig jiggin it.  So you automatically set the hook. Does it get any easier?  NOPE! So get JJJJJIIIIIGGGGGGGGYYYYYY WWWWIIIITTTTTHHHH IIIITTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!

Step 1:  First pour yourself a nice glass of Merlot pronounced Mer-Lot in most redneck villages.  I always drink wine when I tie flies.  Why?  Why not?  See the pretty flowers those are the last of my sunflowers for the year.  Wahhhhhhhh-----  I love sunflowers.

Here's my other favorite part.  Go shopping at your local fishing store and buy white lure coat, and whatever color you want for the head.  Why do we paint the jig heads white first?  Because stupid, the lure color is clear so how else is it going to show up on a metallic head?  Please note we're using Gamakatsu Jig Hooks.  Best on the market.

Now delve into your fly tying stuff and pull out whatever colors you think will work for coho.  Here are my favorites.  Marabou Pink and what I call LEPERCHAUN GREEN.  What are the little puff balls?  Those are Artic Fox.  A secret trick Angie uses.  Darn, it's not a secret anymore.

Ewwwwwwww-----  lookey at all that pretty shiny stuff!  Yup, this is what makes your own at home tied jigs better than the store bought.  You can make them really glittery to attract the eye of the coho.  What do we have here?  Krystal Flash, Angel Hair Flash, and shiny chenile.

Here's Angie's work bench.  Note the styrofoam great for drying flies on.  I don't really use the hackle tool because I'm an expert with feathers.  I only use it on tiny flies.  Why do I have a simple vice instead of a fancy one.  I don't know.  I don't get too fancy with my flies.  Why would I when I fish so much and lose so many?  What would be the point?

Step: 2  Okay Orvis Boy can we PLEASE get close ups of the steps.  I know you think I'm beautiful but this isn't about me it's about jigs.  We first thread the jig and shank with thread so all of our materials stay on better.

If the feather doesn't look like this then we don't use the feather.  When spinning the marabou on the hook shank make sure the feather is flowing in it's natural direction.  Otherwise you screwed up.  Don't my nails look pretty in this picture?

Now when spinning the feather around the hook shank.  Hold a piece back while twisting this makes it easier on you.  Boy I sure do have lovely hands don't I?  Too feminine for fishing though, they get cold easily.

Now the secret for a nice thick and swiggy jig tail.  I take just a little artic fox and tie it in.  Yes, this is real artic fox.  Do you think I care where my materials come from?

Just place the artic fox on top of the wet marabou feather.  Why is the feather wet?  So it stays out of the tyer's way.  Don't any of you know anything?

See how the artic fox stays in place.  Nice boob shot BTW Orvis Boy.  Enjoy them while you can...  After breast feeding is over we don't know what will happen to them.  Why do I talk about such things?  To embarrass the heck out of you all.  That's why.

My favorite part tying in the flash.  You can go crazy with flash.  I think I'll tie the ultimate flash jig and see how it works...

Now it's time for some color.  See how I perfectly tie in the green marabou?  Note I never twist it either.

Now for the chenile body.  This is the easy part.  Note I use the long chenile.  It's good to hold the long part back for a better flowing body.  If anyone is wondering the lipstick I have on is Ice Mocha.  Pretty color taint it?

See how it flows back?

Now for the last cut.  Anyone notice I tied this tail on just like a marabou spey fly?  Just wondering if anyone noticed.

All DONE!  Now time for some cement.  Takes ya five minutes to tie a jig.  Piece of cake and a lot prettier and more attractive than the store bought ones.  Don't you agree?