Making Jigs- Worth It?

[Robert Riley]

Is it worth the investment? I was looking into doing it over winter break, but I got a job instead haha. 

 

Are the jigs you make going to be on par with the ones you buy and still be cost effective? I really have no knowledge on the matter.

 

I'd figure that most people just make their own to keep themselves busy and have custom colors.

[gulfcaptain]

Only if you plan on like making a thousand of them.  If you want to make like 10 or 20, well you found a new hobby, but it won't be cost effective.

[Smokinal]

Only if you plan on like making a thousand of them.  If you want to make like 10 or 20, well you found a new hobby, but it won't be cost effective.

X2  With the quality and cost of Siebert's jigs, I'll never make one myself.

[Matthew2000]

If you plan on selling them stop. There are hundreds who think the same thing. It's mor of a fun thing experiment with making cool colors and designs.

[deep]

If I could buy the sort of jigs I'd want to fish, I'd have bought them. Trouble is either the head is of the wrong shape, or the hook is too thick, or the shank is too short, whatever. And then of course, no one wants to tie rubber or bucktails. I'd love to pay someone to tie me jigs, it takes me an insane amount of time to get my jig look just the way I want it- I have fat fingers.

 

 

If you're happy with store bought jigs, do not think about making your own. You might save nickels and dimes, but it'd cost you time. Not worth it in my book.

[scaleface]

Your from central illinois. Im from Hannibal Mo. Ill give lead if you decide to make them. I have lots of lead ,lots .

[Ozark_Basser]

Its not as cost effective as you would think but still a bit cheaper than buying store bought jigs. I feel the jigs I make are of higher quality than store bought and I get to customize my colors.

[Robert Riley]

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun. 

 

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

[Ozark_Basser]

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun.

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

That will work. Lure Parts Online is another spot to check out along with fishingskirts.com

[gulfcaptain]

I don't think anyone said they were against you making your own jigs.  So I don't know what gripes anyone on here would have if you choose to do so.  You asked if it would be cost effective....hence would it save you money.  You want to do it as a hobby and make some cool custom jigs for yourself.  Please do, but please post pictures after so we can see them and admire what none of us have the patience to do.

[BadBassWV]

It's not going to save you money. But Dang its fun to catch a fish on something you made yourself.

[Robert Riley]

I don't think anyone said they were against you making your own jigs.  So I don't know what gripes anyone on here would have if you choose to do so.  You asked if it would be cost effective....hence would it save you money.  You want to do it as a hobby and make some cool custom jigs for yourself.  Please do, but please post pictures after so we can see them and admire what none of us have the patience to do.

I meant gripes against the stuff they sell on TW, naked baits or something?

[Jig Man]

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun. 

 

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

OK you are talking about assembling jigs not making them.  That is probably the way for you to go.  Buy prepoured heads and the accessories and put them together.    If you are making them from scratch you'd have to buy the mold $35-50,  lead pot $50, skirt material $.50 to .75 per jig, hooks / $ .15 to .50 per jig just to name some of the stuff you'd need.

[Ozark_Basser]

If you want the largest variety in skirting material go to fishing skirts. You will be happy you did. They also have some pretty cool powder paint and the best fish eyes I've found yet.

[gulfcaptain]

I meant gripes against the stuff they sell on TW, naked baits or something?

My mistake.  With that in mind, not at all, but I would shop around and see what you can find.  I use them as a reference when I'm looking for deals other places to compare and see.

[Blues19]

I enjoy making and assembeling jigs.  Its fun to come up with new color patterns.  Its even more fun catching a fish on a color you created.

[fisherrw]

I think they are... I buy strike king jigs.

[Felix77]

Great hobby. I pour, paint and skirt over the winter. Make way moreally than I think I will ever go through.

My quality beats basic retail store jigs IMO that's for sure.

[aavery2]

What's the value of the pride you feel when you catch a fish on a bait you made yourself.  Feels pretty good when your friends ask where you got the jigs at, and you tell them you make them yourself. 

 

If you have around a 100 dollars and some time, you can make a bunch of jigs.

[Sam]

You may want to consider purchasing various jig heads and making different color skirts.

 

Lots of fun doing this and less expensive than make a jig head.

[SirSnookalot]

Cost effective, absolutely not.  A labor of love for sure and can always tie a few up before I head out for the day.  There is something to be said about catching a fish on lure that you "assembled".  Not only do I assemble jigs I make my own barracuda tubes, these are much better than what you can buy.  There are about 6 of us that make our own here, we buy better components than store bought tubes.  Do they catch more fish, NO, but they are more durable.

[tholmes]

If you're starting from scratch, you'd have to make a LOT of jigs in order to save money. If you figure in the cost of equipment and components (lead pot, molds, lead, hooks, paint, skirts, bucktail, feathers, tying vise, etc.) you'll have spent enough to buy a lot of jigs. I probably have >$500 tied up in equipment and materials, but I've been tying jigs for ~ 35 years so I didn't have to buy it all at once.

 

I tie my own jigs mostly because I enjoy doing it. It gives me something fishing related to do over the winter months when the water is frozen or it's just too cold to fish. Also, there's a satisfaction in catching fish on lures that you made yourself.

 

Tom

[smalljaw67]

If you lose a lot of jigs every year, and I'm talking 3 to 5 jigs a week then getting a mold or 2 and the stuff to pour plus skirt material, and hooks, you're looking at 2 years to break even depending the hooks and how much skirt material you use. The problem comes when you begin to like doing it and then you want to make a different style or different colors and that is when it gets expensive. I started out making spinnerbaits in 1999 and had a blast so I decided to make some jigs and 30 molds later I have quite a collection of stuff. I can do 85 different colors plus 11 custom blends of color, I have over 10 pounds of skirt material and probably with all the different sizes and style of hooks, somewhere north of 8000 hooks plus wire keepers, swivels, split rings, spinner blades, chatterbait blades, tools, wire, and then we can go on to the tying material like thread, bucktails and marabou and all that stuff. In all I probably have more than 7 or grand wrapped up not to mention the thousands of baits I've already made, in 16 years it is over 10 grand, proably closer to 20 than 10 but it is up there for sure. So if you are looking to just make a few things, great but be careful because it is very fun and before you know it, you see a new jig and rather than wanting to buy it, you begin looking for ways to make it or something similar or better.

[Robert Riley]

I tie my own jigs mostly because I enjoy doing it. It gives me something fishing related to do over the winter months when the water is frozen or it's just too cold to fish. Also, there's a satisfaction in catching fish on lures that you made yourself.

This is exactly what I was planning on doing but I ended up working full time instead. 

 

By the sounds of it, I'll be buying jig heads and adding the skirts. Where do I buy these jig heads for $0.60 that someone mentioned?

[Choporoz]

I bought a bunch of naked heads from Barlows this winter.  Mostly Mustad hooks and they seem pretty good quality all-in-all.  Not quite 60 cents unless you by a boatload, especially w/shipping....but not too bad, either.

 

My wife and I have had a blast painting and making skirts.  I'm sure it would have been more cost effective and a lot less time-consuming to buy the jigs (and blade baits and swinging heads and spinnerbaits and ....).  But it has been fun; will be more fun when we catch fish on them and we've already had family members requesting custom mades.  Don't discount the fun and satisfaction value.

 

 

edit to add:

 

I should also add that I bought some naked jigs from Siebert and dressed them up very nicely.  They do look a lot better than the homemade paint jobs and will probably last longer due to the powdercoating, but not quite as much fun to make.