Jointed Needles

[Pete F.]

What is the advantage of jointed needles over straight ones?
Does the tail section float up or sink down?
Seems to me that they would not cast well.
Then again I never was a great believer in jointed minnows either.

[numbskull]

LOL, I just cut a wad body in half today as an experiment. Will let you know in week or so how it swims. A famous cape fisherman supposedly got a 61lb bass on a jointed Habs a few years ago

[DZ]

Originally Posted by bluefishercat

What is the advantage of jointed needles over straight ones?
Does the tail section float up or sink down?
Seems to me that they would not cast well.
Then again I never was a great believer in jointed minnows either.

Blue,
As far as i'm concerned there is no advantage. They cast like a live eel against the wind. They lose all the advantages of a traditional needlefish which is it's ability to cast into any conditions. Gag made the first one and it came through the water with its ass end cockeyed. The original one made by Gag didn't stay around for long and that must tell you something - if it plug catches it usually lasts for a while.

Not sure about the Habs model as I never even tried one. In today's day and age you would of heard a lot more chatter about it if it was a consistant producer. Jointed needles are somewhat of a novelty. Compare them to wadd's as a novelty and you see a drastic difference in fish catching. The Wadds are proven. The jointed still needs to be proven to me. Not to say that it can't be done - but so far I've never been impressed.

DZ

[clintd]

I have a couple of Habs jointed needles and they cast as well as any jointed plug I own. Not very well!

[BigFish]

I agree with DZ....its the total opposite of a traditional needlefish! Takes away all of the advantages of a long cast, and really will not add any action to it at all!

[Pete F.]

Thanks

[Clogston29]

i'm not a beleiver in jointed needles at all. i think at their best, they'll equal a non-jointed equivalent when it comes to catching fish, and in more cases will not preform as well due to limited casting properties. sure, they'll be a very significant catch here and there, but who's to say that that fish wouldn't have hit a straight needle at the same time.

they're a great idea for plugs builders though, take a design you already have, add a cut and watch people go crazy over them. jointeds are very "in" right now and it seams that alot of people just want to be in on the fad.

[HESH2]

not needles but jointed black bombers rock.

[Zeno]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

i'm not a beleiver in jointed needles at all. i think at their best, they'll equal a non-jointed equivalent when it comes to catching fish, and in more cases will not preform as well due to limited casting properties. sure, they'll be a very significant catch here and there, but who's to say that that fish wouldn't have hit a straight needle at the same time.

they're a great idea for plugs builders though, take a design you already have, add a cut and watch people go crazy over them. jointeds are very "in" right now and it seams that alot of people just want to be in on the fad.

couldn't say it better myself

[NIGHT STRIKES]

Could the same be said for say Jointed Danny's & other metal lipped swimmers ?

[GattaFish]

I was experimenting with one before I left the U.S. ,,,,Casts ok,,,

Hopefully when I get back from the dessert I will get some finish on some and post a pic or two,,,,

advantage,,,, none that I see,,,, just fish a bigger needle,,,

challenge to make wood do something you want,,, kinda cool,,,

[Zeno]

Originally Posted by NIGHT STRIKES

Could the same be said for say Jointed Danny's & other metal lipped swimmers ?

in my limited experience with these plug ,yes
I think most builders (no offense, but this is my opinion) are much more interested in creating buzz about their plugs then they are about their stuff actually catching fish.
How otherwise would you explain the fact that most jointed metal lip swimmer vibrate like a buzzsaw.Ever see a struggling fish move that fast and that intense?Like I said ,I am no fan unless the plug is about ten inch or bigger and slender where is actually appear like an eel in the water with a slow snake like motion.The other reason for my opinion is that I have never,ever ,talked to a guy who was in love with short ,jointed plugs because they produced fish.Now ,I am not saying that there are no fans ,just that I never talked to one.
Same on Jointed needle and especially the jointed darter.
Please ,somebody make a jointed popper....I need a surface plug that will cast 20 yards

[ChiefLinesider]

Ill take a non jointed needlefish please

[leptar]

Originally Posted by Zeno

Please ,somebody make a jointed popper....I need a surface plug that will cast 20 yards

Creek Chub Knucklehead.... The head is linked to the body making it a jointed popper...

[jkswimmer]

A MasterLure Jointed eel is one of my favorites. The right lure for the right spot.

[numbskull]

It is unfortunate to see this thread turn into a disparagement of all jointed plugs. Jointed swimmers based on the Masterlure model have been amongst the most successful metal lips I have ever fished. Not the plug to pick when it is rough or in moving water, they roll out, but if you fish calm relatively shallow areas they are worth carrying.

[cow tamer]

Jointed and the ability to swim a lure slowly just don't equate.

[Sea Dangles]

Steve Campo told me nothing swims as well as a jointed darter.BTW it seems his old VS300 is on the ebay site engraved with CAMPO.

[Sea Dangles]

Originally Posted by numbskull

. A famous cape fisherman supposedly got a 61lb bass on a jointed Habs a few years ago

Quite the endorsement

[BassDawg]

What, now talk of Stetzko's Mr Wiggly??

Did not give it its full share of offerings as I was into Sluggos and live eeeeeeeeeeeeels for the first time last year and I fell in LOVE with their amazing catchability!!!

However with Mr Wiggly, I did land two sizeable schoolies and this would be qualified as a jointed swimmer with incredible action and water column presence (able to adjust to bottom, middle, top). Heavier than most swimmers and I was able to achieve greater distances than with a regular swimmer.

I am sure that given the "right place and right time" application this lure would tame sum COWS !!!

[RIROCKHOUND]

And the thing will fall apart on a decent fish.
Looks great, but it's fish catching and durability sucked...

Originally Posted by BassDawg

What, now talk of Stetzko's Mr Wiggly??

[Sea Dangles]

Not all jointed needles are created equal. This version SWIMS.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Not all jointed needles are created equal. This version SWIMS.

I've posted this before, but I think there is a lesson worth repeating. 15- 20 years ago, beach fishing the big hole on Tuckernuck, I got shut out using eels while two Nantucket guys on each side of me caught half a dozen 30-40 lb fish each using the smaller Rapala Slivers on which they had sanded off the ridge on the lip and loaded the rear (from the hook back) with split shots. Damnn things just dove into the shelf of the beach and bumped up the slope with the tail wiggling in the outwash. If they hadn't been there I'd have fished eels all night confident there where no fish to be found. I'll try to post a picture of their idea this pm.
PS Eventually I switched to SS needles and did no better, live and learn.

[numbskull]

Something those of you who use spinning tackle on sand beaches with steep shelves might want to try. Most of the scratches on this plug are from bass. First picture shows the lead (split shots) second shows the ground lip. Upgrade your hooks. Saw some serious bass beached on these little things by some Nantucket guys who knew what they were doing big time.

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Something those of you who use spinning tackle on sand beaches with steep shelves might want to try. Most of the scratches on this plug are from bass. First picture shows the lead (split shots) second shows the ground lip. Upgrade your hooks. Saw some serious bass beached on these little things by some Nantucket guys who knew what they were doing big time.

and....... some of the older Rapalas with the diving lips will work like these. Not jointed but fishy. Bunch of sizes to pick from to,

[Rockfish9]

I happen to like jointed plugs, I've caught alot of fish on them, there is a time and a place for everything.. I've never seen the need or felt I could gain an advantage from building a jointed needle...so I personaly have never done it, I kind of feel the same way about darters... I have built a jointed one,, even caught a few fish on it, but felt that it was a wsted effort, the best qualities of the darter were lost in the joint....

[NIGHT STRIKES]

Interesting Z,, I'm caught up in that I guess myself,as I seem to be drawn to a jointed plug and love the way they swim through the water but when I look back at what realy works for me around my home waters its not jointed.. But I keep trying anyway...

Thx,,

[DZ]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Something those of you who use spinning tackle on sand beaches with steep shelves might want to try. Most of the scratches on this plug are from bass. First picture shows the lead (split shots) second shows the ground lip. Upgrade your hooks. Saw some serious bass beached on these little things by some Nantucket guys who knew what they were doing big time.

George,
Boy does that plug bring back memories! When the needlefish were hot in the 80s I remember seeing those rapalas at the Eastern Outdoor show when it was in Boxborough. We were very keen on "slim" plugs and they looked like they'd fit the bill. We talked to the Rapala rep about them and asked if they would ever be made with smaller lips - he said no. We did get a few and ground down the lip but they still swam to deep for us. I never thought of the loading idea. I'm glad someone figured out what to do with that plug.

You can probably see that most good jointed plugs come with a lip. I've tried to put lips on various needles with no luck - the ass end of a traditional needle is to heavy to swing. The back end has to be light to swing but them you lose the casting capability. I've always been looking for a needle that could swim just a little bit more - I even put Slipknot to work on one but it didn't pan out.

DZ

[Sea Dangles]

Rebel Jawbraker has a place in the bag too.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by numbskull

LOL, I just cut a wad body in half today as an experiment. Will let you know in week or so how it swims. A famous cape fisherman supposedly got a 61lb bass on a jointed Habs a few years ago

Not supposedly, it's true and documentable.