# Mini Foos



## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

Hey guys I've been looking online to buy some Mini Foos and can't seem to find them..Did Weldon go out of business? Is there anywhere to buy them still or another company that makes something similar?


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

I got tired of looking around for jigs so i tie my own now. Its definetly the way to go. Lots of the local bait shops will have a decent selection of marabou and hair jigs. Erie outfitters on the west side, rodmakers shop on the south side, and D&W on the east side. Places like Gander will have some but nothing worth while. Word to the wise buy some materials and a tying vice and get to work. Its well worth it.


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## Erieangler51 (Sep 24, 2012)

Plenty of other jigs on the market. I rarely use the mini foos anywhere anymore. Had too many of the steel headers bend out on big fish. I got tired of loosing fish and made the switch. Voo doo jigs are good.


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## jag1978 (Jul 27, 2015)

Marks bait and tackle in Ravenna has mini foo. Weldon did go our of business I think but marks bought the inventory.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I like pulse jigs or I tie my own


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## Hookjaw (Sep 23, 2012)

I looked around extensively last year and found articles on the web saying that Weldon’s did go out of business. I ended up having jigs tied by D & W in Fairport. They also have a fairly good selection of jigs in the shop. I also had luck at the Lagoons Bait Shop near the entrance of the Mentor Lagoons.


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## jjshbetz11 (Oct 25, 2010)

Hookjaw said:


> I looked around extensively last year and found articles on the web saying that Weldon’s did go out of business. I ended up having jigs tied by D & W in Fairport. They also have a fairly good selection of jigs in the shop. I also had luck at the Lagoons Bait Shop near the entrance of the Mentor Lagoons.





Hookjaw said:


> I looked around extensively last year and found articles on the web saying that Weldon’s did go out of business. I ended up having jigs tied by D & W in Fairport. They also have a fairly good selection of jigs in the shop. I also had luck at the Lagoons Bait Shop near the entrance of the Mentor Lagoons.





RiverRunner88 said:


> Hey guys I've been looking online to buy some Mini Foos and can't seem to find them..Did Weldon go out of business? Is there anywhere to buy them still or another company that makes something similar?



Just tie your own. Cheap, easy and rewarding. It seriously gets in your blood!!!


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

laynhardwood said:


> I like pulse jigs or I tie my own


Pulse Jigs were my favorite but I don't believe he (Jason Dilinger) makes them anymore. Can you still get them? I began tying my own strictly because I couldn't find those anymore and liked using the sickle style hook, size, weight and colors. That jig worked best for me.


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## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

Thanks guys!


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## Chef T (Feb 28, 2011)

Tye your own is the future. You can come up with any color combo you can think of and losing them doesnt hurt as much.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Not really sure if there are any site sponsors here that sell them, but i would suggest getting jigs with heavier hooks than the standard ones. The thin wire hooks that are standard in those smaller weight jigs (trout jigs) are way too soft in my opinion. Have never been a fan of the thinner wire hooks even for panfish because of how easily they break, but maybe that is just me. Some of the sickle style hooks are nice. You can get the 2X heavy Mustad jig hooks down to pretty small sizes. I also prefer kiptail (calftail) over hackle, but everyone has their own preference once they start tying their own.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

1MoreKast said:


> Pulse Jigs were my favorite but I don't believe he (Jason Dilinger) makes them anymore. Can you still get them? I began tying my own strictly because I couldn't find those anymore and liked using the sickle style hook, size, weight and colors. That jig worked best for me.


I don't know a long time ago I bough 6 dozen and got 6 dozen free so I don't need any and haven't for years but they are awesome


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## oh'-gahn (Aug 28, 2015)

Vise. Size 10 streamer hooks. Marabou. Chenille. Dumbbell or bead chain eyes and mono chord tying thread You can tie your own for about 50 cents a piece. The hooks will be stronger. You can tie them as dense or as sparse as you like and in your favorite color combos. Buy the dumbbell eyes in white and you can buy jig paint to color them . Bead chain can be bought in various colors. Buy the supplies on line and its much cheaper. Been tying my own for years now. Will get you around the no jig rule in NY if you are going up there to fish since the bead chain or dumbbell eyes are not moulded to the hook. I started tying them in that fashion for that reason


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## oh'-gahn (Aug 28, 2015)




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## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

Awesome guys thanks again I'm thinking about just getting the stuff to tie my own..sounds like a good way to pass the time when the rivers blown or iced up too!


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

AtticaFish said:


> Not really sure if there are any site sponsors here that sell them, but i would suggest getting jigs with heavier hooks than the standard ones. The thin wire hooks that are standard in those smaller weight jigs (trout jigs) are way too soft in my opinion. Have never been a fan of the thinner wire hooks even for panfish because of how easily they break, but maybe that is just me. Some of the sickle style hooks are nice. You can get the 2X heavy Mustad jig hooks down to pretty small sizes. I also prefer kiptail (calftail) over hackle, but everyone has their own preference once they start tying their own.


I can understand a light wire hook straightening or bending when you hang something bigger than usual, but breaking? No! That means there's something wrong with the steel. Maybe it's too brittle or there are voids in it, who knows? I remember a fishing trip to Canada when we hit a bay where the walleye bite was seriously on! We're all catching like crazy, but my buddy in the boat with me kept breaking off. I couldn't stand it anymore and asked to see what he was using. He shows me a card of 100 snelled hooks that he bought at a dime store for 99 cents! I gave him some hooks and told him to throw his in the trash.

And yes, if you like mini-foos and other jig styles like it, learn to tie your own. You can find cheap, beginner fly vises in a lot of places, and some materials too. You will learn how to handle different materials like calftail, marabou, bucktail, maybe hen saddle hackle, etc. I'm sure there are some good tutorials on YouTube. Once you get a proper supply of jigs and materials laid in when you run short of something, you simply sit down at the vise and tie up a few more. It can seem expensive in the beginning when you're buying all this stuff for the first time, but it works out to be cheaper in the long run.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

buckeyebowman said:


> ......I can understand a light wire hook straightening or bending when you hang something bigger than usual, but breaking? No!.......


I've had a few simply break from pressure in the past, not too many though. I have more trouble with them breaking when removing from fish. The 'trout heads' that are sold with the #10 or #12 cheap gold hooks (Arkie 1/32's and 1/16's too) are about worthless. Originally bought a bunch of the trout heads for ice fishing and can't tell you how many i broke off while un-hooking bluegill. If they get bent at all once, they turn into mush and will break or straighten very easily. I have since had a bunch of 1/64's & 1/32's custom poured for me with quality hooks and have not broke a hook on any of them. Mustad 32833BLN 2X strong hooks go all the way down to #10 hook size and fit the Do-It steelhead jig mold but think a standard round head mold might need modified to fit the larger diameter wire.

Careful, there are known issues with the tempering of some of those sickle hooks. Matzuo sickle hooks have some major QC issues, but there are now some other alternatives with the signature sickle shape and gap.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I also had problems with the hooks bending/straightening out. I have a DoIt ball jig mold and have tried to find better jig hooks. Using the Netcraft site as a reference, I couldn't find one that would first, fit the mold, or any that would come out and say they were stronger and wouldn't straighten under big fish conditions! The only ones I could find were the flimsy, gold "Aberdeen" style, which are the same strength as what I use for Perch!( these are also what is recommended(stamped) on the mold! What to do??


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Netcraft does sell the Mustad 32833BLN 2X strong hooks...... but as i said in my last post, the standard jig molds might need to have a wider slot to fit the heavier wire - OR - use the steelhead jig mold.


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