Just my opinion, but I think trying to claim a jig pattern as your own is a lost cause. Hand-tied jigs are basically wet flies tied on a jig head instead of a hook. There are zillions of fly patterns, and I'd guess 80% or more are modifications of older patterns. Just like the woolly bugger is a modified woolly worm, which is in turn a modification of even older flies going all the way back to Issac Walton's The Complete Angler.
Personally, I like to do a lot of experimenting with different materials. I have come up with a few patterns that work well on my own, but I have no doubt others have experimented with the same materials in the same way. I would be very offended if someone were to see something I came up with on my own and accuse me of stealing their pattern. If you see something that looks like it is a ripoff of your idea, it's probably just best to assume the person came up with it the same way you did.
@ Bucko
They have a trademark on the head style. They're one of the few tackle companies that can aggressively defend their trademark, and they do so because they have to. The law says if a company doesn't defend their trademark, it becomes public domain. They're not so much worried about guys making a few pony heads out of their garage as they are the other large tackle companies making their own knock offs. But if they don't stop the little guys, they can't stop the big guys. I really wish that weren't the case, since I prefer sickles and Blakemore doesn't make RoadRunners with sickle hooks. One of these days maybe I'll get the mold.
Belly spinners work OK, but IMHO the RoadRunner design is simply better. When you drag the head through the water the hook eye forms a pivot point and the swivel and blade ride in a straight line, which means it spins easier at lower speeds.
