Questions For The Jig Makers!

[Crankenstein Crony]

I want to start making my own jigs. Some of my favorite jigs are no longer being produced, and I didn't realize these several companies were no longer going to make them. So I wasn't even able to buy a couple extra before I found out they were discontinued. I haven't even been able to find these particular colors on ebay. So I want to start making my own jigs and I am looking for a little info about jig making. Here are my questions:

1. Is it cheaper to pour my own jig heads or buy jig heads in bulk

2. If I buy a melting pot, what is a good brand to go with

3. What is the best material to use for skirts

4. What tools will I need for putting skirts together

If you can help I really appreciate it!

[cadman]

Crankenstein (I like your screen name).

So here is the info on your questions.

1. This is is tough question. If you are not going to sell jigs to your friends down the road it is cheaper to buy jigs in bulk. Even if you fish 30 jigs a year it is still cheaper to buy bulk jigs. By the time you buy the molds, lead (maybe you can get it free), pot to melt the lead, hooks, it will run well over $200.00 However I do suggest you learn how to paint and skirt them, this way you can make the colors you like.

2. Buy a Lee IV bottom pour pot. You will not be sorry.

3. The best material is not alweays the best . I like round silicone skirts, because they have more action in the water. However their colors are limited. So what most guys buy is flat silicone. Get them from fishingskirts.com, he has the biggest selection and the best prices.

4. You can get away with a tube type of skirt tool. I believe it is $6.00 at fishingskirts.com and this tool will do the job for tab style flat silicone skirts. As far as assembly goes, you can hand tie your skirts with wire or thread. You can also use the rubber collars, however they don't last long as they have a tendency to dry out and stretch. This is more common on spinnerbaits than jigs.

If you want some more in-depth info on hand tying and painting, IM me your e-mail, and I will send you a bunch of tutorials that will get you started .

[backwater4]

Cadmans dead on and he knows his stuff.

[Bluebasser86]

^ What he said.

The one thing I will add is about your question on pouring versus buying in bulk. Buying in bulk is cheaper but I like to be able to customize my heads and choose my hook brand and style. The other bonus is, like you, I live in a state where the water is hard for a good portion of the year and pouring and painting my own jigheads keeps me from going crazy during the winter months.

[Crankenstein Crony]

Ultimately I want to pour my own jigs. I think that would be awesome! It would be a great hobby for the winter. Ice fishing just doesn't do it for me anymore. Catching fish off of baits I made would be awesome! Plus I like the idea of being able to customize jigs for each individual lake or river I fish if I need to.

What brand of hooks and styles do you guys prefer?

[cadman]

For the money and quality, you can't beat a Mustad Ultra-Point Black Nickel Hook. Do not use jigs with bronze hooks. They are notorious for rusting, if you don't let them thoroughly dry out before closing the lid on them. However you should be doing this always, anyway whether you use jigs or crankbaits. Now Eagle Claw is re-tooling with a new hook called a needle point, with a black pearl finish. I will probably start adding these to my selection of hooks. They are very, very sharp. Finally if you are a Gami, Owner or Trokar fan, there are far and few molds that accept these hooks without some mold modification. Story has it like this from many guys I sell jigs to. These hooks are great and they are the sharpest out of the box, however you can easily roll the points on these hooks which makes them dull very fast, so for the money that is why I personally don't use them, also they are very expensive. There are guys that only fish these hooks and nothing else, however that is a personal choice. Just my two cents worth.

[FuzzyGrub]

Everything Cadman has said is right on and matches the few years experience I have. I did the painting and skirts the 1st year, and moved to pouring lead the next. I focused on the high loss jigs first. Tube jigs, footballs, shakyheads, and round heads. I now have more molds than I could possibly ever save from buying buk. But, there are worse things you can throw your money at.

You did mention a dis-continued jig. Have you looked through the DO-IT mold or other brands to see if they have something close? A custom made mold will add some $$ to the hobby.

[Crankenstein Crony]

I think for right now Im just going to start out doing my own skirts and painting up some jigs. But I definitely want to start pouring my own. I feel like there are just endless possibilities if Im doing my own. What does a mold normally cost? Or do they differ based on what kind of jig you are going to make?

[FuzzyGrub]

Most DO-IT molds run about $30-$40 each. The Lee IV pot about $55-65. That is new, and shipping is extra. Some molds can be more difficult to pour, so learning the basics with some of the simplier ones has the benefit of less fustration.

http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1

[cadman]

I think for right now Im just going to start out doing my own skirts and painting up some jigs. But I definitely want to start pouring my own. I feel like there are just endless possibilities if Im doing my own. What does a mold normally cost? Or do they differ based on what kind of jig you are going to make?

A standard Do-It mold costs anywhere from about $30 - $45 each. That is a basic round head mold all the way up to spinnerbait molds. They also have production molds and production machined molds that are well over $100 each.

[cadman]

FuzzyGrub,

We must have been seconds apart when we both posted. That was weird. Check out the posting time??????

[FuzzyGrub]

It must be an eastern vs central time thing! Because I'm a very sloooooow typer.

BTW, thanks for the heads up on the new EC hooks coming. I mainly use mustads, but an improved EC might be worth a try.

[Crankenstein Crony]

Hey guys I just wanna say thanks for all the information! I really appreciate it! I'm just amazed at how many guys on this forum are willing to help and answer any questions people have. For me that is the best part about BR. Its great! I have been an avid fisherman for 22 years but there is still a lot I don't know and I love the fact that you guys are so willing to share! Thank you very much!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Ben, I usually buy all my jigs from Lurecraft....Poor Boy's lure building division.

They use quality hooks, you can get a Darter (Mangus style jig), Football, or a more traditional swimming/weed/universal jig.

Great prices too.

I have a lead pot, that is the bottom pour design. I have no molds. I'll check it out and make sure it works, and if so, you are welcome to use it.....Then, at some point maybe I could borrow your molds, and that would be a way for us to cut some of the costs.

For me, I'm really interested in pouring tube heads, ball heads, and shakey heads than bass jigs. It's just really hard to beat the cost of those poorboy's jigs.

[River Rat316]

You can also get your raw jig heads from my site, or Seibert outdoors, and we are both site sponsors.

I will be running monthly specials every month of 2012 and January the raw jig heads are going to be the first special, I will post details on the 1st.

[Crankenstein Crony]

I am really starting to think right now I am better off buying the style jigs I want and do my own skirts. I really want to paint my own jigs, but I can buy jigs that are unfinished and paint them up. I thought pouring my own jigs would be a fun hobby for the winter months, but for right now, I think Im going to stick to tying and customize my own skirts.

[FuzzyGrub]

Skirts and paint are a great way start. Enjoy, and post your creations.

[Crankenstein Crony]

I am hoping to put in an order for a couple of my favorite skirt colors and some skirt rings this week. Im pretty pumped about this. I think it could be the start of a great new hobby! Hopefully by next winter I will be pouring my own jigs.

[2mossboss]

_{lots of good info here, thanks, I am just starting to pour and tie my own because of the new lead ban here in Mass. I am going to use the Bismuth?Tin alloy}