Sand Lance soft plastics

[slabjig]

Pacific sand lance are perhaps one of the most common bait fish along the Pacific coast, yet no one really makes lures available here that imitate them. The commercial version of this lure is called the Crazzyeel and it's apparently only sold in Europe. I was able to obtain molds for both various size jig heads for the lure as well as three different sizes of tails on ebay. The molds were made by a company called bugworks which is Ukrainian. I think that source is gone. Here's a video of a Cornwall, England fisherman using one.

. It's going to be fun trying this thing out if the ocean ever cooperates.

 

[C_Run]

Kind of reminds me of Lancer Jigs made in Washington. They are really effective on bottom fish.

 

[slabjig]

I've seen their website. I think the fundamental difference is that lancer jigs just have more or less the shape of a sand lance, but since the soft plastic is basically a "carrot" stick bait, they have no inherent action. These, despite the very small paddle at the upper lobe of the tail, do have a decided wriggle when retrieved fast and look surprisingly like a sand lance swimming. There are a couple of other companies on the east coast which make sand lance imitations, notably Savage and Tsunami sandeels, but both use the big "boot" type of paddle tail.

 

[rogerdodger]

Lancers Jigs are widely used OFF of OR and WA coast to slay ground fish, I find they have plenty of action for lingcod, cabezon, and rockfish.

When I'm not mooching bait (herring or squid), I'm jigging a 4oz Lancer's, that's all I carry. In fact, in a video that I just posted, you can see the 4oz Lancer 'Waterdog' in the lingcod I am landing...

 

[Diehard]

Interesting I wonder if this would work for surf fishing

 

[slabjig]

Rogerdoger, I don't sell tackle, so am in no way in competition with Lancer Jigs. I just make stuff because it is fun to catch fish on gear that you have made. Plus, the injection molds for the tails of my crazy eel are made in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. Fighting is very heavy there right now, so I'm guessing that the company that makes them is out of business. The molds for the jig heads come from Romania, so they are available. I obtained molds for 3.5 inch, 4.7 inch and 6.5 inch crazy eel tails before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and have jig head molds for 1/2 through 2 oz heads. I just ordered a mold for 2, 2.5, 3.25, and 4 oz jigheads, but the mold for the 9.6 inch crazy eel tail is no longer available (and may never be available again). When you posted your "bigger freezer" post, it gave me a chance to see what Lancer is using for their tails, and it looks like they are using open pour "sluggo" type tails. Lurecraft (now LurePartsOnline) sells silicone molds for both a 7" "sandeel" tail and a 10" sluggo so I ordered them to go along with the just ordered sand lance jighead in the larger sizes. I do this for fun, making your own lures is NOT cost effective. However, there are advantages...my jigheads are powder coated, so there isn't a lingcod tooth made that can flake off that paint. Where possible, I use stainless (second choice tinned) jig hooks, so don't end up with a rust issue. I'm sure the sluggo type tails will catch a lot of lingcod and rockfish, considering lingcod will try to eat a pipe jig, they clearly don't have discerning tastes. However the crazy eel tails actually do have action, and so could be trolled, which the sluggo tails don't have. Anyhow, the crazy eel is really a different lure with a different action, and nobody is going to pay the ridiculous price you would have to pay for them.