Where Do You Start?

[CayMar]

I am thinking making my own tackle would be an interesting hobby. Where do you start? Like where do you buy the supplies? Where can I find more information on the subject? Is it cost efficient or do you usually have more in your custom baits than they would cost at the store? If you guys could give me a direction to head in on this I would surely appreciate it. I would be interested in making jigs,shakey heads,spinnerbaits, and possibly pouring some soft plastics. Thanks in advance for any help.

[cadman]

It is cheaper to buy jigs at the store when it comes down to it. Start -up cost is about $200 give or take with a mold and all the hooks, safety equipment, lead, melting pot, powder paint, toaster oven, and a bunch of other things I'm sure I forgot. Now if you want to do this as a hobby and a passion to make something with your hands and then fish it, well then I would say go for it. All the stuff I'm referring to is regarding jigs. If you are going to start out pick one avenue to follow. Don't try to do them all. If it's cranbaits stick with that until you've mastered it if it's jigs or plastics then pick one and stick to it. If you try to do them all you will get overwhenlmed with  too much info and you'll give up for sure and waste a lot of money in the process. Just my thoughts.

[Darren.]

It is cheaper to buy jigs at the store when it comes down to it. Start -up cost is about $200 give or take with a mold and all the hooks, safety equipment, lead, melting pot, powder paint, toaster oven, and a bunch of other things I'm sure I forgot. Now if you want to do this as a hobby and a passion to make something with your hands and then fish it, well then I would say go for it. All the stuff I'm referring to is regarding jigs. If you are going to start out pick one avenue to follow. Don't try to do them all. If it's cranbaits stick with that until you've mastered it if it's jigs or plastics then pick one and stick to it. If you try to do them all you will get overwhenlmed with  too much info and you'll give up for sure and waste a lot of money in the process. Just my thoughts.

 

That's sobering.... I've considered pouring my own wacky jigs, but this is certainly making me think twice. Rather spend the start-up cost on other things, frankly. Don't fish them enough to even warrant the cost.

[CayMar]

Yea that is some pretty solid advice. But it is what I'm looking for. Thanks Cadman.

[Will Wetline]

It's an enjoyable winter hobby. There are start up costs of course, but if you like detail work and would get extra satisfaction from bustin' hawgs on baits you designed and made, check out these online sources:

 

www.barlowstackle.com

 

www. lurepartsonline.com

 

www.jannsnetcraft.com

 

They will be happy to send you their print catalogs, I'm sure.

[cadman]

Guys,

    I never try to dissuade anyone from doing what they want. Maybe your hobby will grow like mine did into a hobby/business. I started out making my own jigs because 9 years ago the jigs in the stores wre garbage. The paint came off, hooks were poor and they just didn't last. At that time, I was fishing walleye in the rivers and going through a lot of jigs. Fast forward 9 years and you have some pretty impressive jigs now in the stores. Many jigs have good hooks and there paint is far superior than of years past. The nice thing about making your own jigs is you can customize it to what you want. If you want a 2/0 hook instead of a 3/0 or you want a Gami instead of an Eagle Claw, well than you just go and make those jigs. If it is something you really want to do, start out slow and ask a lot of questions.

[smalljaw67]

Will Wetline gave you some good places for supplies to get started, and Cadman gave you great advis that you should follow. I started making my own stuff in 1998 and it was spinnerbaits and I did nothing but spinnerbaits until 2001 when I began to make jigs. I tell anyone wanting to do it that if your main objective is saving money then forget it, just to make 25 jigs will cost $200 to do it with cutting corners, and figure more if you want high end hooks. The other part is the addiction that takes place, if you love to fish and love all things fishing like tackle then you will quickly get into it and have a ton of stuff and a whole lot of money invested. I love making spinnerbaits and jigs but it is costly to get started but it isn't impossible, if you want to do it right and say you wanted to make football jigs, you could buy the heads raw unpainted and then paint them, tie your own skirt and add the weedguard, see how you like doing that and if you want to do more then invest in a bottom pour pot and a mold. Like Cadman said, if you have a passion then go for it but if you are looking to save money, well it will take a long time to recoup the initial investment but more than likely you wouldn't save a daime because you would end up buying different molds, more hooks or skirt material, trust me, it never stops and there is always something you will need.

[RyneB]

good luck if you start. I have well over $500 invested in jig making stuff, spinnerbait making stuff. But i need something to do over the winter. I love doing it and make so much that i will pry use 5% of what i make.

[Munkin]

Determine what you fish the most and start there. I started making jigs because I could not find the Eakins jig around here. Making my own 5/16oz finesse jig I save money because of the amount of them that I lose. If say you only lose 20 a year it is a lot cheaper just to buy them. Myself I have lost over 20 in a day so the cost starts to add up. Now I have about 15 molds to make various lead heads but most I may never re-coup the cost because of the low numbers of baits I actually use.

 

The best and easiest way to start is just to buy the spinnerbait or jigheads that are already made from one of the links above and add your own components. If you decide it is something you like then get a lead pot and some molds. Soft plastics cost startup prices can be very low to high depending on what you want to do? I find that it is just cheaper to buy plastics from the classifieds forum than to make. The only plastics I pour are things I cannot buy like fluke with a ton of salt in them.

 

Allen

[wnybassman]

I started out by pouring my own tube heads because I am a tube dragger from Western New York.   If I didn't pour my own, I'd be broke.  There would be days I'd snag and lose 40+ jigheads a day easy.   Didn't take too many trips like that to pay for the melting pot and a couple molds.  From there I got into other jigheads, then dropshot weights, then more other stuff.  Lead is basically free, just have to keep your eyes open and jump on opportunities when they arise.

[Will Wetline]

smalljaw67 says, "There is always something you will need." Ha! Ain't that the truth!

 

This past weekend I put orders into the above mentioned suppliers . . . needed more of those dazzling diamond willow blades . . . more painted spinnerbait bodies . . . and how about the new round rubber material with the stripes, huh?

 

After a demonstration by a fishing buddy last season of the effectiveness of size 3 inline spinners for 3 lb. smallies, I've got to gear up for that. 

 

And it's time for a Shake-It jig mold which I think will be very versatile . . .

 

See, what I really need is an activity for the winter months which is productive yet, in a sense, meditative once you get into it. And, considering myself a craftsman, it's very satisfying. So you decide what value lure making has for you. Mastercard and I say: "Priceless!"

 

 

[Teal]

I plan on making my own jigs. Im really picky when it comes to my jigs so i figured i would order the jig heads from Sierberts and buy my own skirt material and hand tie my own. Who knows maybe down the road start pouring my own jigs. I know going into it, thats its not a money saving hobby. I found that out when i was taking notes of which skirt matierals to order first. I kepts seeing colors and patterns that i liked alot! Which really is crazy because i can fish all year long off of three different jig patterns...

[Felix77]

There are fun ways to do this without breaking the bank. I make my own jigs skirts and then buy prepainted heads to match.

I do the same with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.

Fishingskirts.com should have all that you need. Their stuff is pretty good.

Lastly if you want to pour your own baits you can make your own molds and then recycle lures in them. Look it up on youtube.

All don't break the bank and provides you with some fun wintertime projects.

Good luck.

[strikequeentiff]

I am thinking making my own tackle would be an interesting hobby. Where do you start? Like where do you buy the supplies? Where can I find more information on the subject? Is it cost efficient or do you usually have more in your custom baits than they would cost at the store? If you guys could give me a direction to head in on this I would surely appreciate it. I would be interested in making jigs,shakey heads,spinnerbaits, and possibly pouring some soft plastics. Thanks in advance for any help.

I thought the same thing at one point - making my own tackle. 

 

That never really worked out for me, but you can buy beads at jo-ann fabrics or any other craft store. You can also buy paint to add different colors to your old jigheads. It's always interesting trying new things. It's part of what makes fishing interesting. 

 

One great thing about messing around with baits - making and testing - is that you (if you are a newb) can learn a lot about baits in general. It's a bit of work and time, but to each their own. You may just enjoy it. 

 

Good luck!  

[mtaag3]

TAG

 

I'd like to try my hand at spinnerbaits too. On those website are there checklists with exactly what you'll need from tools to supplies? I would like to buy the pre painted heads so I don't need to worry about hooks and lead pouring.

 

Thanks

 

Nevermind, I found it on Jannsnet

[Siebert Outdoors]

I plan on making my own jigs. Im really picky when it comes to my jigs so i figured i would order the jig heads from Sierberts and buy my own skirt material and hand tie my own. Who knows maybe down the road start pouring my own jigs. I know going into it, thats its not a money saving hobby. I found that out when i was taking notes of which skirt matierals to order first. I kepts seeing colors and patterns that i liked alot! Which really is crazy because i can fish all year long off of three different jig patterns...

 

 

This right here is what I typically recommend.  The most expensive investment of making Jigs/spinnerbaits is the molds/lead pot/lead.  You also have to buy the hooks in bulk to make it worth it. 

 

I do not like detering people but for the price of a lead pot, lead, and mold you can buy about 100-200 heads already made.

[Swamp Johnny]

I know you didn't ask about info regarding Crankbaits- but, like making Jigs and Spinnerbait's it can get VERY expensive. I started making Crankbaits because I wanted a particular color on a Lucky Craft 1.5  and could not find it. Oh, $1000 later I had enough stuff to start a business. (lol) It's addicting!

 

 

Once you start making tackle it's VERY hard to quit!   

[cadman]

Oh, $1000 later I had enough stuff to start a business. (lol) It's addicting!

 

 

Once you start making tackle it's VERY hard to quit!   

 

Ain't that the truth, and it gets bigger and bigger.