Prepping a Jig

[Glenn]

With all the questions from members who want to gain confidence in a jig it brings up a good question.

How do you prep your jigs for fishing? Do you trim, fan, flatten, shave, bend or curl anything before getting it wet?

[riverbasser]

Normally just trim skirt even with hook bend

[Rick Howard]

I tie it on. 

[crypt]

1 hour ago, riverbasser said:

Normally just trim skirt even with hook bend

that………...

[kickerfish1]

If you buy a quality jig from a good manufacturer all the prep work should be done. I don't really ever do anything to the jig just add a trailer of my choosing, tie it on, and get to fishing.

Trimming but not thinning out a weedguard only makes it stiffer and less bendable. I don't know why anyone would do that. You can trim the skirt in a way that gives it more of a textured look or to shorten the length but rarely will I ever need this.

[ww2farmer]

I assemble my own jigs out of Boss or other brands of pre-made components. I trim the skirts to about even with the hook bend on EVERY jig before it gets wet. In clear water I will also thin the skirt out a little to reduce the profile and increase the fall rate. I will often fan the weed guard out and remove a few strands............I NEVER trim the weed guard, that just makes it stiffer. That's about it.

[long island basser]

17 hours ago, riverbasser said:

Normally just trim skirt even with hook bend

 

15 hours ago, crypt said:

that………...

Yes that^^^.  With a plastic trailer.

[roadwarrior]

I fish Siebert Outdoors exclusively. They are delivered "ready to fish".

My swim jigs are also custom built by Siebert Outdoors. I have Mike NOT add the weed guard to the jighead. And although I'm sure the fish don't care, I DO like my swim jigs with "eyes".

[Gundog]

Trim the skirt slightly, thin out the weed guard and bend the hook out just a bit if its possible. The real prep happens with the trailer. 

["hamma"]

I hand "tie" my skirts on, so the rate of fall varies by the amount I add on, or not, and I do so purposely, also I will trim the skirts to about the hooks bend. And,..the hook gets a slight bend upwards and the point gets a good touch up to ensure its ready. You want a jigs hook "SUPER" sharp

  the weedguards? if its got paint on it, I will break the paint off, and then may thin it out some depending on how well it moves away from the hook, also if it seems too long I will trim it some, some manufacturers install long ones that i dont like.

 Also, I have some old grubs and worm pieces that I use, to keep the "pig" from sliding down the hook then spinning around and blocking the hook. Just a grubs body will do, tear off the tail, thread it on the hook before the "pig" so it just starts to round the bend of the hook. This can be the same color of your jig, or not, your preference, I like white, cuz it stands out, and I think helps me get more bites. Also these "bodies" will slow the fall a bit as it adds bulk. Just take it off when your done fishing, so it doesnt rust your hook.

 Do I "prep" a jig? heck yeah, but it's mostly done at home. My jig box is full of ready to go jigs that I just check the hook, add on body and trailer, smother it in real craw and im good to go.

[Oklahoma Mike]

Trim skirt if needed, add trailer, and go. 

[d-camarena]

I like terminator jigs, if fish them just how the come. Just add a trailer

[Bluebasser86]

I build my own from pouring to tying, so by the time I'm done building them, all I have to do is add a trailer. 

[Catt]

Nutin

[WRB]

I make 90% of the jigs I fish with, so they prepped before they get into my boat.

#1. Check the hook for any damage to the eye or dullness to the hook point, must be extremely sharp.

#2. Hair jigs get washed in dawn soap, rinsed and dried, must be clean of any oils.

#3. Silicone skirts get trimmed; I make a circle with my thumb and index finger around the hook bend so about 1/2" of excess skirt is sticking out and trim any strands above my fingers with scissors.

#4. if the jig has a fiber weed gaurd I separate the fiber bundle into a V and trim the length so it's about 3/8" above the hook point.

Tom

[Jeff H]

Hmmm...I can get you guys into some thick reeds where you'll beg for a stiffer weedguard.  That is 1 of 2 situations that I trim mine slightly. I sometimes trim skirt to affect fall rate too.  Most times I don't do much to them.  Add a craw and have at it.  I use rubber banded skirts so I can change them up if I want without having to retie them.  Gators can shred/ruin a skirt without scuffing your line so it's nice to be able to swap them out real quick.

[A-Jay]

Here's my Jig Prep ~

A-Jay

 

[Cgolf]

Personally I like the skirt a bit past the bend of the hook. I am newer to the jig game, but as long as the skirt doesn't inhibit the movement of the trailer I leave it alone. I also have found that shorter skirts don't fold back as well at least out of the water, I am sure they are fine in water.

6 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Here's my Jig Prep ~

A-Jay

 

I like the boss hubs, I have used them in front of a slider jig with a bobber stop keeping it in place against the slider head. I haven't used a worm weight in years. 

[shimmy]

I like a longer skirt. My only thing is, i want the skirt to be as long as possible where the trailer is still visible and sticks out at least one to three inches. In my mind, a jig really does not look like anything they eat, no matter how much we try to say it does. Why not go bigger and slower to appease the appetite of the bigger fish.

[Siebert Outdoors]

The only thing I do is take a section off a Rage Craw or Baby craw and thread it on the hook.   I fish them just how I build them no modification needed.

[roadwarrior]

16 minutes ago, Siebert Outdoors said:

The only thing I do is take a section off a Rage Craw or Baby craw and thread it on the hook.   I fish them just how I build them no modification needed.

[Knightiac]

I usually trim my skirt so it's a finger length longer than the hook, but it's not a deal breaker if I forget to. I may even push the weed guard down a little so it's closer to the hook but only if I find it awkwardly long or at a weird angle. 

[Bankbeater]

I don't shorten the skirt, but I do even it out by trimming the long pieces.  I also fan out the weed guard.  If I can't get the weed guard to stay away from the hook then the guard gets trimmed.

[Bassfishnc18]

I fish mainly finesse jigs and I trim the skirt so it is different lengths in different places which make more action. I also add a small trailer. And if I am not fishing around really heavy cover I will sometimes thin out the weedgaurd to help with hooking the fish

[bigfruits]

trim weed guard almost 100% of the time. about even with hook barb. I never thin it.

trim skirt sometimes - if its too long or interferes with trailer action.