Jig Building Questions

[G_money]

Hey guys couple of questions for jig building junkies:

 

1) Is it cheaper to tie your own jigs?...or is all the material, time, paint, skirting, etc...worth the cost? I don't plan on selling them, I just fish jigs a ton. and I purchase a lot of nice hand tied jigs from California from places like TW and Hi's tackle.

 

2) I'm pretty selective and picky, will I be able to get some of the more sophisticated fleck colored skirts, and all the options to mix and make my own patterns?

 

3) If I do start doing it small-time, is it cheaper to just purchase the jig heads (painted and unpainted w/weedgaurds from online dealers like Barlow's), rather than cooking them myself?

 

4) Do you tie the skirting on with standard wire--like what's used in fly tying? And if so, what size type?

 

5) And for the life of me, and the probably 100 jigs I own, I never pay attention...what's the difference between living rubber and regular skirt material?

 

Thanks guys

 

Here's an example of the type of colors I like--see attached picture

[Bluebasser86]

Hey guys couple of questions for jig building junkies:

 

1) Is it cheaper to tie your own jigs?...or is all the material, time, paint, skirting, etc...worth the cost? I don't plan on selling them, I just fish jigs a ton. and I purchase a lot of nice hand tied jigs from California from places like TW and Hi's tackle.

 

2) I'm pretty selective and picky, will I be able to get some of the more sophisticated fleck colored skirts, and all the options to mix and make my own patterns?

 

3) If I do start doing it small-time, is it cheaper to just purchase the jig heads (painted and unpainted w/weedgaurds from online dealers like Barlow's), rather than cooking them myself?

 

4) Do you tie the skirting on with standard wire--like what's used in fly tying? And if so, what size type?

 

5) And for the life of me, and the probably 100 jigs I own, I never pay attention...what's the difference between living rubber and regular skirt material?

 

Thanks guys

 

Here's an example of the type of colors I like--see attached picture

Sam you can get almost any color skirt you can imagine online, problem is the cost efficiency when you're only tying a few if you're wanting a bunch of different colors too. If you're only planning on doing a couple colors then it's pretty cheap tying your own. I get my lead for free and without trying to figure the cost of the molds or melting pot, my baits cost me about $1.20-$1.75 apiece, mainly depending on what hooks I'm using. 

You'll probably be better off buying the jigheads because it's very time consuming and costly to first get into jig pouring with the melting pot, molds, lead, and tools you'll need. The paint adds up and it's time consuming to paint and bake all your own jigheads also.

I use floral wire to tie my jigs, I get it from a craft store. Not 100% what size it is but for some reason 18 gauge sounds right? Copper wire looks prettier IMO but it's also more expensive and I lose a lot of jigs. 

Living rubber is round, and more stiff so it tends to flare out while at rest. Silicone skirt material is more supple and moves more while you're moving the bait. 

Check this site out for pretty much any skirt color you could want.

http://fishingskirts.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=56

[G_money]

Thanks Clayton. That's pretty much what I was thinking...I may purchase some painted football and arkie jigheads from Barlow's or someone wholesaler like that. I'll check out the skirt material, that's what I'm most picky on.

I may get with you and see if you can pick me up a roll of heavy fly tying wire from BPS before we go fishing this winter.

 

That's what I was thinking on the living rubber skirt material...I had a Skinny Bear jig with it once and was not impressed with the material...I prefer the silicone, but wanted to be sure of that before ordering. Thanks dude.

[Jig Man]

Jig tying will become economically sound for you only after several hundred jigs and a lot of time.  The initial cost will run between $200-300.  Then you will be limited to the style of jigs for which you bought molds.

 

Check out Seibert outdoors.  I'm sure you can swing some kind of deal with Mike for some jig heads either painted or unpainted.  The is a good guy and does quality work.

 

www.fishingskirts.com is the best all around place that I have found skirts.  If you buy silicone tabs from them be sure to get the cheap tool for the collars if you are going to use collars.

 

For tying wire I use windings from an old electric motor but you can get copper wire of about 24-26g at a hobby store.

[G_money]

Jig tying will become economically sound for you only after several hundred jigs and a lot of time.  The initial cost will run between $200-300.  Then you will be limited to the style of jigs for which you bought molds.

 

Check out Seibert outdoors.  I'm sure you can swing some kind of deal with Mike for some jig heads either painted or unpainted.  The is a good guy and does quality work.

 

www.fishingskirts.com is the best all around place that I have found skirts.  If you buy silicone tabs from them be sure to get the cheap tool for the collars if you are going to use collars.

 

For tying wire I use windings from an old electric motor but you can get copper wire of about 24-26g at a hobby store.

Thanks. That's what I was assuming. I was pretty much planning on purchasing prefabricated jig heads complete with weedguards and paint. I did want to try creating some of my own custom skirts to match the reservoirs I fish. I have an old (cheap) fly tying vise a friend gave me. I've tied one jig on it a few years back. Thanks for the info.

 

I did contact Mike last fall, but didn't do a purchase I may use him this year. Thanks for the response.

[Jig Man]

flash

 

From someone who has made thousands of jigs for probably longer than you have been alive, try to buy your jigs with out the weedguard installed.  Just have them sent along with the jigs because putting anything on with the weedguard in place is a pita.  You can glue them in with super glue gel like the rest of us do after the skirts are tied on.

[00 mod]

flash

 

From someone who has made thousands of jigs for probably longer than you have been alive, try to buy your jigs with out the weedguard installed.  Just have them sent along with the jigs because putting anything on with the weedguard in place is a pita.  You can glue them in with super glue gel like the rest of us do after the skirts are tied on.

 

 

X1000!!!!

 

Jeff

[G_money]

X1000!!!!

 

Jeff

Thanks guys. That's something I have been told but forgot, and wouldn't have realized until after I ordered a bunch of them and fought the weedguards all day.

[thharleyrider]

thanks guys for the info I am just getting started in jig tying. I already figured its better to buy already molded jig heads. If I buy them unpainted is it better to used the baked on paint you dip or the paint you brush on?  

[cadman]

thanks guys for the info I am just getting started in jig tying. I already figured its better to buy already molded jig heads. If I buy them unpainted is it better to used the baked on paint you dip or the paint you brush on?  

Hands down powder paint. For several reasons its harder than any spray on paint, you can do multi-color once you practice enough and it's just fast and easy. No muss no fuss. I f you are looking for a powder paint tutorial PM me and I'll send you instructions on how to.

[ranger 361]

flash,   cadman is the go to guy, has helped many many guys starting out trying or making there own jigs all his   tutorials are super, helpful as hell.  and fishing skirts is the place to go for skirt pads.  i get my jigs from cast industries, [they will send you a catalog] only thing with them is 100 jigs at a time. hope that helps you out. bassnbeans

[smalljaw67]

I'll answer the only thing that hasn't been answered, and the answers is yes, there is a big difference between living rubber and regular silicone skirt material. Living rubber can be flat or round but nowadays most rubber you will see is round, it has more memory than silicone and it seperates or flairs out faster than silicone does when it goes into the water and which is why a lot of guys like it. The bad thing with rubber and why it has been replaced is number 1, it melts, if you store your baits in a box in the winter, it will be clumped up and a mess when you pull it out tio use again and the number 2 reason it was replaced is the colors are very limited, typically you get brown, blue, orange, yellow, red, and black but all base colors and when you see it used today it is usually a few strands of it along with silicone. I found some like rubber silicone but it only comes in a few colors but you don't have to worry about melting as it is silicone but it acts like rubber in the water and only one place sells it so far. It is call "bio-silk silicone" and it is sold by LPO or lure parts online, I use that with regular silicone for some extra action on my jigs but you need to buy at least 100 pieces of it to get a good price.