Keeping Skirt Bands From Rotting

[TxHawgs]

Bought a ton of Jigs, is there a way of keeping the skirt bands from rotting?

Seen a pro put baby powder on his rubber frogs to keep them from rotting?

[Bluebasser86]

Making sure they're dry before storing helps, but there's no way to completely prevent it. A tiny zip tie works to hold the skirt together and last forever. 

[Mike L]

Tying together is the best way but when that isn't practical, a few squirts of L&L helps. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[cadman]

Leave the skirt band on. Then hand wire tie with two wraps of wire (ahead of skirt band) , cut rubber skirt band off. Never worry about it again.  Initially leaving the skirt band on before you wire tie, helps keep the strands from falling apart before you wire tie.  Or like mentioned, use small plastic zip ties.

[roadwarrior]

Buy wire tied jigs

 

[B-Dozer]

Bread twisty 

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, B-Dozer said:

Bread twisty 

There's a great 'hack' I've not heard before. 

 

I've come to simply dislike skirt bands....but, I'm hard on my jigs and spinnerbaits (leave in car in summer...or in winter...put away wet....)

    I've used the tiny zip ties, and I wire tie -- both work, but I prefer to wire tie. (I tend to pull zips too tight much of the time and break them.)

     Get some small guage wire at Home Depot and a pair of dikes; those, along with two pair of pliers, and you're all set.

[B-Dozer]

1 minute ago, Choporoz said:

There's a great 'hack' I've not heard before. 

 

I've come to simply dislike skirt bands....but, I'm hard on my jigs and spinnerbaits (leave in car in summer...or in winter...put away wet....)

    I've used the tiny zip ties, and I wire tie -- both work, but I prefer to wire tie. (I tend to pull zips too tight much of the time and break them.)

     Get some small guage wire at Home Depot and a pair of dikes; those, along with two pair of pliers, and you're all set.

That's what happens when the skirt comes loose and you don't have anything else except the bag your PB&J you brought with you ? 

[cadman]

11 hours ago, TxHawgs said:

Bought a ton of Jigs, is there a way of keeping the skirt bands from rotting?

Seen a pro put baby powder on his rubber frogs to keep them from rotting?

Baby powder only keeps rubber skirt strands from sticking together. Does nothing for rotting or dried out rubber skirt bands. If you want a wire tying tutorial on how to wire tie your skirts, PM me your e-mail and I will send it out to you.

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, cadman said:

Leave the skirt band on. Then hand wire tie with two wraps of wire (ahead of skirt band) , cut rubber skirt band off. Never worry about it again.  Initially leaving the skirt band on before you wire tie, helps keep the strands from falling apart before you wire tie.  Or like mentioned, use small plastic zip ties.

This is how I do it. I usually fish a jig or spinnerbait for a while to get the skirt a bit ragged, then wire them on. Not storing them with trailers on will help, but they will degrade in time regardless.

[Gundog]

I use 22 or 24 gauge wire bought at Walmart. I even got a gold color but you can get black, brown and green as well. 

[Munkin]

Like others have mentioned tying down the skirt with 22 gauge wire works great.  Any jig that should last more than one trip I wire tie. The exception is when I am using the hole in one skirts.

 

Allen 

[WRB]

Depends on the rubber the collars are made with. I have rubber collars on silicone shirks that have lasted for years. If your bands are failing then a 1/16 wide zip tie is a good option. Living rubber wire tie works good and hair jigs Kevlar string works good.

Tom

[Catt]

10 hours ago, Choporoz said:

  I've used the tiny zip ties, and I wire tie -- both work, but I prefer to wire tie. (I tend to pull zips too tight much of the time and break them.)

See below... problem solved ?

 

Before y'all can get your wire ready & your pliers out I've zip tied & moved on.

 

I don't use normal zip ties, the one I use the tag end runs horizontal instead of vertical.

 

 

Edited October 11, 2018 by Catt
Operator Error

[Mobasser]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

See below... problem solved ?

 

Before y'all can get your wire ready & your pliers out I've zip tied & moved on.

 

I don't use normal zip ties, the one I use the tag end runs horizontal instead of vertical.

 

 

This looks good Catt. I was going through some of my older stuff, and found several original Stanley jigs. The rubber ring had gotten soft and half rotted, otherwise still fishable. Looks like a good way to repair them

[Mobasser]

On 10/11/2018 at 5:45 PM, WRB said:

Depends on the rubber the collars are made with. I have rubber collars on silicone shirks that have lasted for years. If your bands are failing then a 1/16 wide zip tie is a good option. Living rubber wire tie works good and hair jigs Kevlar string works good.

Tom

 

On 10/11/2018 at 8:14 PM, Mobasser said:

This looks good Catt. I was going through some of my older stuff, and found several original Stanley jigs. The rubber ring had gotten soft and half rotted, otherwise still fishable. Looks like a good way to repair them

This morning I went to my local hardware store and picked up a package of the smallest zip ties, as well as the tool that tightens and cuts them. Works perfect! Now I can repair the rubber skirt rings on a bunch of Stanley jigs I've had for years. Thanks for this tip.In fact, I'll be throwing one this afternoon

[the reel ess]

On 10/11/2018 at 8:04 AM, roadwarrior said:

Buy wire tied jigs

 

And War Eagle spinnerbaits.