How Long Do Jigs Last You

[hooah212002]

or how long do you keep them in rotation?

I posted a week ago about a good many jigs I picked up from my neighbor. Well, I've been fishing just a couple times since and have used them. Of the 6-7 I bought, I am down to 2 that are in fishable condition with the others having either trashed the skirt or broken the weed guard. Granted, they were old and cheap, but they were all in working order to begin with.

My question is: if buying quality jigs, how long should one expect them to last? I can see the weed guard weakening due to trailer attachment, but it should hold up. Jigs are kind of the brutal beast of fishing lures, getting fished in the nastiest of nasty cover, so you'd expect them to be sturdy, right?

[TNBassin']

I use cheapo jigs, and they last me forever. I don't fish around any heavy cover though, as our lake doesn't have any so that may be why. Me and you must be the only ones on these boards today lol.

[Gatorbassman]

I don't buy very many anymore but the ones I make and the ones I get from Siebert Outdoors last me for hundreds of fish. I had one last spring that I know I caught over 500 fish on before I retired it.

[Gatorbassman]

Same skirt and all?

Yes, all my skirts are hand tied with wire. When I take them off I dry them out before putting them back in the box. It's always been rust that used to kill my jigs.

[hooah212002]

I use cheapo jigs, and they last me forever. I don't fish around any heavy cover though, as our lake doesn't have any so that may be why. Me and you must be the only ones on these boards today lol.

Neither do I: just mildly dense weeds so far.

[Jigfishn10]

All my jigs lasted a long time, it's the fishing line I have problems with!

[rockchalk06]

I have jigs I occasionally use that were purchased in 2000. If you get quality skirts, they hold up for a long time. Keep them out of the sun when not in use and make sure they are wire tied.

With my quality jigs, I loose them before they go bad. I usually re paint them during the winter due to the paint getting buggered but that's about it.

[jkarol24]

Jigs last me a long time, usually i lose them long before they get to the point of un-usability. However, if a jig goes its because the hook loses its razor sharpness. I am a stickler for a super sharp jig hook, so anything less gets the boot.

[Bluebasser86]

I tie my own also and wire tie the skirts. If I don't lose them in the rocks or a big catfish doesn't destroy them it isn't hard to catch a couple hundred on a bait before the skirt gets too thinned out to use anymore. Then I just clip the wire and tie a new skirt on and they're good as new.

If I'm fishing a jig a lot throughout the day though it's pretty rare for one to make it through the day before it gets hung in the rocks and can't be recovered. That's the nice thing about tying my own, it's a lot cheaper so if I lose one it doesn't hurt as much.

[Arv]

I usually lose them first

[roadwarrior]

I usually lose them first

From the bank, one or two on almost every outing; on the Tennessee River sometimes every cast!

I have had a few "reserves" die in a shoebox, but I don't buy jigs with rubber ties anymore. A quality

jig should last until you lose it and you are going to lose them if you are fishing prime structure.

[deep]

RW is right. If you're fishing from the bank like I usually do, then you're going to lose jigs if you're fishing them right. Which is the one of the reasons I stick to cheap (which does not always equate to inferior, contrary to popular opinion) jigs. Heck I've lost one or two jigs every trip even fishing from a rowboat.

I throw a lot of Booyah baby boo jigs on my spinning gear, and they only have a rubber band to hold the skirt (not good). I learnt long ago to tie the skirt with some braid/ heavy mono so that it doesn't fall apart. Seems to work for me.

I did have a couple of jigs whose weedguards splayed out and then fell apart after only half a dozen fish. I won't name the brand, but I have learnt to stay away from that particular overpriced stuff; especially after the customer support I received, or rather did not receive.

EDIT: I had one Booyah baby boo that caught me well over a hundred LM bass before I lost it.

[Hi Salenity]

I normally loose a jig before I wear it out. sometimes the fiberguard gets bent out of shape and I trim it until It's 100% gone then it's normally going to get snagged and lost or I roll the tip of the hook.

Since I make my own I have TONS more than I actually need so sometimes if I change out a jig it will go in the "old jig" pile..

[hooah212002]

For you guys that use wire to tie your skirts, what kind of wire? It seems like a good idea because I've noticed that my skirts tend to bunch up on one side after a few hang ups or when running through thick weeds.

[rubba bubba]

I buy my jigs bulk from Cadman and make my own skirts. I use rubber bands instead of wire ties with no issues; I'll lose the jig long before the rubber wears out and if it does, I'll just put another one on there. It also allows me to change skirts on the fly if I desire. I use a mix of Living Rubber and silicone in the actual skirt strands.

[ww2farmer]

Till I lose them, or the hook is crap. I save skirts off of ones with dull hooks to replace lost/wrecked skirts on otherwise usable jigs.

[moguy1973]

I wish more jig makers used powder coated heads. The cheaper ones I've tended to buy from Wally world are painted and banging them off rocks wears through the paint pretty quickly leaving a bare lead head.

[roadwarrior]

I only fish Siebert Outdoors and NorthStar.

[deep]

I wish more jig makers used powder coated heads. The cheaper ones I've tended to buy from Wally world are painted and banging them off rocks wears through the paint pretty quickly leaving a bare lead head.

Nailpolish!

[Bluebasser86]

For you guys that use wire to tie your skirts, what kind of wire? It seems like a good idea because I've noticed that my skirts tend to bunch up on one side after a few hang ups or when running through thick weeds.

I use wire that's for making floral displays. You can get it at craft stores for pretty cheap.

[Jigfishn10]

I tie with rod builders thread, but have stripped the plastic off of telephone cable and used the copper wire from it.

[JigMe]

I lose most of my Jigs, before I can retire them. The oldest one I am still using landed more than 30+ fish, and it is still going.

[Siebert Outdoors]

This year I've probably only lost a couple jigs. Most of the time I can get them back.

[tholmes]

I tie my own also and wire tie the skirts. If I don't lose them in the rocks or a big catfish doesn't destroy them it isn't hard to catch a couple hundred on a bait before the skirt gets too thinned out to use anymore. Then I just clip the wire and tie a new skirt on and they're good as new.

If I'm fishing a jig a lot throughout the day though it's pretty rare for one to make it through the day before it gets hung in the rocks and can't be recovered. That's the nice thing about tying my own, it's a lot cheaper so if I lose one it doesn't hurt as much.

^ Same here. I rarely "wear out" a jig before I hang it up and lose it. If you're not hanging 'em up, you're not fishing them in the right spot.

Tom

[retiredbosn]

Mine last a long time or until this happens a new jig second cast