The Perfect Jig Recipe

[plateboater]

Now we are talking! Show me something FM.

 

[Fatman]

Okay PB here you go - and since Redman brought it up!! Just remember these are my first wool ties.
Black redman head #2 hook black and white wool and white satin strips

 

[redman]

That is very close to what I am talking about. The only difference is that I use red thread and use the white satin for the belly too. That would be the perfect jig if you needed to have only one.

Redman

 

[hookup]

Perfect jig for me has a Gamakatsu #114 3/0. Pour the hook as a 1/8-1/4 oz tube jig, round ball or football and use a silicone/bucktail skirt of a chunk of plastic.

Since I fish rocky ledgy head waters to major rivers, a .018 stainless steel wire weed (rock) guard helps reduce snags.





Recently started pouring a SWM jig that's virtually snagless & has endless possiblities of tying silicon skirts, rabbit, or just going with a plastic tube, stixbait, grub, or swimbait.

 

[Fatman]

Thanks Redman - I have the satin on both sides but being the first one didn't really think about how much to put on it. I assume that the strip on the belly immitates the shineing of scales???

Hookup - do you find the hard wire guard a problem at all??? I've been drilling a hole and glueing pieces of leader making material in. flexible but not to the point where a fish might release cause he gets stuck with the wire.???

 

[plateboater]

Redman good suggestions. FM nice looking but no sickle?? Hookup how do you like the wire weed guard

 

[Fatman]

Those are some old stock gold Mustads I got from Toad along with the #10's. Before ever using a sickle I had no problems with my Mustads or EC's but then again mine are old stock!! Trust me I have plenty of the heads with sickle hooks in them. Was going for the classy look!!LOL

 

[plateboater]

Just wondering!

 

[redman]

Yes Doug sure wish that they made them like they use to back in the 1980's. Now that was some good iron. Never use to have any problem with a hook breaking. They were like Timex Watches they took a licking and kept on ticking. The hook point and barb is what set them apart from the rest. Of course most of the younger guys didn't have a chance to ever fish any of them. Those boxes were all marked made in Norge (Norway). The golden age of fly and jig making. Jig hooks were $1.25 and Fly hooks were $1.75 per 100. Streamer hooks were more like $2.00 a box of 100. We didn't know how good we had it. If you bought a 1000 there was a 10% discount and pay your bill in 15 days you got another 2% off.

Redman

 

[plateboater]

FM...looking at the video from Stumphunter the body shapes appears different. The ones I have posted do not have that bell shape either. What or how are you forming the wool to form that uniform "bell" look. In particular at the tie point and how the black is over the top of the shank and white under looking so uniform.

What is the tricks?

 

[Fatman]

Pulled some out and just started stretching it. I tied the black in first - I get the length I want it then take the point of my scissors split the end and with the hook point up in the vise, put the hook up in the split and then squeeze the hair back together.

Use a pinch wrap - you learn it quick when you tie flies because it makes sure you set the material and stays on top of the shank [video=youtube]

Easier to watch it than trying to explain it. Once you have it seated put in a half hitch then flip the jig over in the vise and prep the white the same way and make sure to tie it in the same way. Once tied in just squeeze them together and pull and stretch till you have it the way you want it.

After tie in the satin strips.

 

[plateboater]

Cool thanks

 

[Fatman]

Glad to help - I had always tied jigs and hadn't really gotten into fly fishing and tying. After I took some of the free fly tying class's at a local shop I started using those techniques in tying jigs and it really helped make them look better.

 

[Pop]

Hookup, the swim jig you are pouring, is that the standard Do-it mold, modified mold or possibly a custom mold? I just purchased the Do-It swimbait mold and I am under the impression I need to modify it to get the jig you pictured. There are only a couple places I know of where you can purchase that jig and they aren't cheap. Everyone I know of that uses the jig is amazed how they don't get snagged. Thanks, Pop

 

[AtticaFish]

Hookup wrote up some info about it a little while back..... is posted in the link below.

http://www.jigcraft.com/articles.html

Hookup, the swim jig you are pouring...

 

[Fatman]

Good article - I keep forgetting about the home page. Got to spend some more time there

 

[plateboater]

Great article

 

[Pop]

I hate to admit this, but; dreaming about jigs has replaced dreaming about girls. Guess I'm getting old. Woke up this morning thinking about having read that article and realized it was hookup. I have received the swimbait mold, now to get up the nerve to drill into it. Pop

 

[Fatman]

Pop

I have the same fear about messing with my molds'

 

[StumpHunter]

I have the same fear about dreaming only about jigs or has it already started......