Jigs fallin apart!

[bassking1976]

Recently went into tackle box to find some jigs had mysteriously came apart    i mean the skirt necks snapped and theres skirt strands all loose and everywhere    just wondering what would cause this as some werent even used yet...maybe a heat thing or cold from storage in garage  and does anyone know good n easy to salvage the loose strands and put skirts back together  please help fishing season starts soon 

[Bass Dude]

Don't know how long you've had them, but after a while the rubber collar will dry rot and break.

[bassking1976]

not too long  collars where soft  when i found them

[NOVA Angler]

...or if you don't want to spend more money on quality jigs right now, get some small zip ties from HD or Lowes and attach them to your jigs around the collar.  I wire tie mine above the plastic collar.

[bassking1976]

prob will get couple replacements  but thanks for the tip   a zip tie could work   really want to save a swim jig  from team supreme   it was a bluegill color  very different from kvds  so wanted to try to save it

[JacobK]

the mix of random plastics/rubber could've caused the rubber band to deteriorate. kinda like mixing strike king elaztec/3x with other plastics.

[ib_of_the_damned]

...or if you don't want to spend more money on quality jigs right now, get some small zip ties from HD or Lowes and attach them to your jigs around the collar. I wire tie mine above the plastic collar.

What kind of wire do you use for tying the skirts?

[River Rat316]

I use a 22 gauge floral wire, it has a really nice coating on it that you can't get to come off which keeps it from rusting, otherwise any 22-24 gauge stainless or copper wire wire will work. To retie old jigs simply roll back the old collar (be gentle those things fall apart easy) to the hook bend, making sure the strands stay in the same approximate place, you will more than likely have to re-separate the strands cause they like to stick together where the collar was holding them, then place the jig in a vice hanging vertically, then take your wire and do 2 complete wraps around the jig,cross the wire at the bottom, and twist until it is relatively tight to the bottom of the jig, then take a needle nose and pull the wire tight, and twist until the wire is snug at the bottom of the jig, then take the needle nose and snip the wire off at about a 1/4" from the jig, fold that back into the jig and you are complete. This is how I started to tie, I opened up my jig box one spring and about 1/2 the jigs had fallen apart, needless to say I wasn't happy, so I retied them all with wire, then started to tie all the jigs I made, figured if they were falling apart for  me, they were falling apart for customers also. One thing to watch for is the amber colored collars seem to fall apart the quickest, don't buy anything with those. The white and black collars will last at least one more season, the best collars for longevity are the eakins style that have the rattle holders right in the collar, those have seemed to last the longest for me.

[Stasher1]

I use a 22 gauge floral wire, it has a really nice coating on it that you can't get to come off which keeps it from rusting, otherwise any 22-24 gauge stainless or copper wire wire will work. To retie old jigs simply roll back the old collar (be gentle those things fall apart easy) to the hook bend, making sure the strands stay in the same approximate place, you will more than likely have to re-separate the strands cause they like to stick together where the collar was holding them, then place the jig in a vice hanging vertically, then take your wire and do 2 complete wraps around the jig,cross the wire at the bottom, and twist until it is relatively tight to the bottom of the jig, then take a needle nose and pull the wire tight, and twist until the wire is snug at the bottom of the jig, then take the needle nose and snip the wire off at about a 1/4" from the jig, fold that back into the jig and you are complete. This is how I started to tie, I opened up my jig box one spring and about 1/2 the jigs had fallen apart, needless to say I wasn't happy, so I retied them all with wire, then started to tie all the jigs I made, figured if they were falling apart for me, they were falling apart for customers also. One thing to watch for is the amber colored collars seem to fall apart the quickest, don't buy anything with those. The white and black collars will last at least one more season, the best collars for longevity are the eakins style that have the rattle holders right in the collar, those have seemed to last the longest for me.

Have you ever thought about using safety wire pliers for this? They're made for twisting wire and can do it very quickly and evenly. I've been doing it to all of the spinnerbaits I've built lately...

[grimlin]

Recently went into tackle box to find some jigs had mysteriously came apart i mean the skirt necks snapped and theres skirt strands all loose and everywhere just wondering what would cause this as some werent even used yet...maybe a heat thing or cold from storage in garage and does anyone know good n easy to salvage the loose strands and put skirts back together please help fishing season starts soon

There was a tip here awhile back,somebody mentioning to wire tie all your jigs over the winter season.I'm doing that next year....this year i just didn't get the time. 

[airborne_angler]

I bought my safety wire pliers at Harbor Freight for like $9.I picked up the green floral wire at wal mart for right around $2 I use a vice to hold the jig or spinnerbait by the hook.Cut a length of wire and wrap it twice as tight as you can by hand.Bring in the safety wire pliers and clamp down on the 2 ends of wire.You'll have to go kinda slow at first when twisting the wire.Do half turns and help the pliers along.Don't overtighten or you'll cut the skirt material.I usually twist until the wire breaks .I then cut it as close as possible to the skirt and tuck the ends.I sometimes even go as far as to take the rubber collar off since its not needed any more.This method of tightly securing the skirt with wire will cause it flare out when secured.Do this correctly and I doubt your skirts will EVER fall off.I ve done every skirted bait I own and that's the first thing ill do in the future when I buy skirted baits.For me its very relaxing and gratifying.

[River Rat316]

Have you ever thought about using safety wire pliers for this? They're made for twisting wire and can do it very quickly and evenly. I've been doing it to all of the spinnerbaits I've built lately...

I have used safety wire pliers, but I broke my last pair and haven't replaced them yet, I was trying to tell how to do it on the cheap, the safety wire pliers are nice, but you don't "need" them to do it. I tied over 150 jigs yesterday by needle nose and hand,  so it can be done without. One tip on the safety wire pliers is try to find ones without the automatic return spring, it makes things easier imho

[CWB]

...or if you don't want to spend more money on quality jigs right now, get some small zip ties from HD or Lowes and attach them to your jigs around the collar. I wire tie mine above the plastic collar.

X2 I do this to all my jigs and spinnerbaits that come with rubber skirt collars. Nothing more frustrating that throwing your bait and it goes one way and the skirt goes another.

Cinch the wire tie up tight and I always make sure the connection points up vertically, same as hook. More and more manufacturers are going away from the rubber collars these days.

[bigbassctchr101]

Some people put talcom powder (non scented) on them... Keep the rubber fresh I guess.

[airborne_angler]

Ive also heard of spraying the jigs with Armor all to keep the skirt material from sticking together,maybe keeping the collar soft.

What really sucks is when you buy a jig or a Spinnerbait in a certain color and as you are handling the package,even before opening it,the collar breaks.Whats even worse,is not having a skirt to replace it with,and noone in town is selling replacement skirts of any kind.

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

the rubber dry rots over time. youre better off buying new skirts. I saw a tip in bassmaster magazine recently, and the guy said he uses a heavy dental floss to re tie his skirts on. Just a few raps of it and the tie a square knot should work. Or you could use a small zip tie instead of the rubber collars that will eventually dry rot again.

[moby bass]

Those safety pliers look mighty handy. I could probably find more than a couple of uses for them.

[airborne_angler]

Those safety pliers look mighty handy. I could probably find more than a couple of uses for them.[/quote}

I used the little green floral wire I use for my jigs with those safety wire pliers to tidy up the electrical wiring in my boat.Took a bit,and was a little tiring on the hands,but better than plastic wire ties which get hot,dry and brittle in the Az sun.