Tying Jigs 101

[The Young Gun]

I've always heard people talking about how much fun it is to tie their own jigs and catch fish on their own product. Here in WI these long winters also mean lots of time on my hands to start to learn and get to make a few handfuls of these.. Anyone have any advice on how to start tying these or an video? After Christmas ill order the necessary tools to do these... Any help is appreciated!

[cadman]

I have tutorials on how to start everything if you would like, and I will help you get started. It is really easy. PM me your e-mail.

[Jig Man]

There is a lot of difference in materials as to how to "tie" them. If you are wanting to just make some bass jigs with silicone skirts the I suggest that you look at places like Jann's Net Craft, or Barlow's and buy yourself some pre molded pre painted jig heads with weedguard installed in the head style you want and the sizes you will fish.

Then go to www.fishingskirts.com and buy yourself some skirt tabs. You will need at least 2 tabs for each jig. Buy some bands to hold them on the jigheads and their cheap tool to use for installing. Once you do a hundred or two of them you should know if you want to sock $300-$500 into what it takes to make jigs from scratch.

All I can do is caution you to take it easy and slow or you may wind up with a couple of thousand invested like some of the rest of us.

[jhoffman]

I had everything I needed already as I have about $5000 in fly tying materials easy.

Basics to do it like I do it

Vice

Bobbin

Kevlar Thread

Jig Heads

Skirt Material

I throw other stuff in the mix too like feathers, flashabou,ostrich herl... whatever looks neat. Then determine if the extra materials were worth it. Things like the herl are very fragile so they will get beat up fast.

[Bluebasser86]

On 12/20/2012 at 2:21 PM, The Young Gun said:

I've always heard people talking about how much fun it is to tie their own jigs and catch fish on their own product. Here in WI these long winters also mean lots of time on my hands to start to learn and get to make a few handfuls of these.. Anyone have any advice on how to start tying these or an video? After Christmas ill order the necessary tools to do these... Any help is appreciated!

You really don't need much to start tying your own jigs. I don't make the works of art that some of the guys on here do, mine are purely functional. All the tools I need are: powder paint (could get by with about 4 colors) floral wire for wrapping skirts (about $3 at a craft store) some needle nose and wire cutting pliers ($1 apiece at Harbor Freight) a fly tying vise ($20 at Cabela's or BPS) skirt material, and a toaster oven ($25 at Wal Mart). If you're going to pour your own heads it's a lot more expensive to get into. The molds will run about $20-$30 apiece, a melting pot runs around $70-$80, you'll want some Drop Out to coat you're molds, about $10, some candles to get the impurities out of your lead, plus if you can't get your lead for free it usually runs about a $1 a pound. It can be a little expensive to get in to but it sure helps pass the time during the winter months!

[The Next KVD]

Another option to help save even more money is to use old braided fishing line and use that to tye your jigs. I start by laying the braid down, than a piece of tabbed skirt material, than the bait I'm tying, than another tabbed skirt material. I than the first thing I do is kinda like the begining part of tying your shoelaces. I dab a small drop of superglue on it. I than take 1 end of the line and make 3 wraps in one direction. I than take the other end of the line and wrap it 3 times in the opposite of the first. I complete it by making an overhand knot and applying a superglue finish to it.

I have yet to have the skirt pull down or the line to come loose and the skirt flares just as much if not more than wire. Its a bit longer process but I'm also helping the environment by making use of old braid.

[Jigfishn10]

Another option to help save even more money is to use old braided fishing line and use that to tye your jigs...Its a bit longer process but I'm also helping the environment by making use of old braid.

That's a GREAT IDEA! Very good post!

[The Next KVD]

That's a GREAT IDEA! Very good post!

I did it kinda out of necessity. I always had issues with wire and never could get it tight enough. But yea, it'll take you FOREVER to use up a spool of old braid. I got to the point that I use it for all my skirts including those on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Granted it takes longer but with the lakes having 2 feet of ice on em up here I got plenty of time during winter to restock my jigs, spinnerbaits, and buzzbait boxes.

[ranger 361]

young gun. cadman is the go to guy, he has helped many guys out in the past.[ makes many nice baits himself] bassnbeans