Jig skirt question

[ECobb91]

I’ve been making my own swim jigs for a few years now and I started dabbling making my own casting and finesse football jigs. The only thing I keep noticing is my skirts don’t flare, they mostly just fall flat against the jig body when I use a band, wire, and thread to tie the skirt material. It makes it so the skirts don’t pulsate when in the water and just looks dead, even on swimming jigs.

Is there a trick to make the skirt flare out? Or is it as simple as adding more strands?

[D.Moore]

Got a picture?

[phoenix5252]

Several potentials fixes.
1-if using silicone tabs, put them on with a band as usuall, then wire tie on top of the band and leave it in place
2-get the "cone" looking bands used for spinnerbaits
3-again, if using silicone tabs, put your band at about a 70/30 split and slide it on with the "longer" strands on top, shorter end on hook shaft. You can then tie your wire as usual or tie over the band and should have more flair using any of these.

it takes some time and a bunch of screw ups to learn to tie rubber, but it makes a much better skirt with flair, IMO

[kls2020]

Tension on the skirt strands is what makes them stand out . Get some nylon upholstery thread which can usually be found at wally world in black and brown colors and try bearing down on the skirt material when tying and see what that does for you .

[ECobb91]

I’ll try to take a picture tonight and figure out how to post it haha thanks for the ideas, I’ll going to try all of them to see what I like best. I think it could be a tension problem since right now I’m just using fly thing thread that breaks pretty easily

[phoenix5252]

If you use the silicone skirts, a quick fix i would recommend Is use a little wire tie and pull it hard as hard as you can on top of the rubber band that's already there. Doesn't look real clean, but it'll work in a pinch, and works good actually.

[fishingonthemind]

I can post pictures step by step

Please, very interested as well.

[brushsjigs]

Not sure how many strands that you are using now. Are you using jigs with collars on the hook shank, or tying directly to the bare hook? Do you have the end of the tabs tying ON the collar and the other 3" out in front of the jig head(past the eye of the hook)? I think thats clear as mud

[Hair Jig]

Tension on the skirt strands is what makes them stand out . Get some nylon upholstery thread which can usually be found at wally world in black and brown colors and try bearing down on the skirt material when tying and see what that does for you .

THIS ^ ^ ^ ^

We have always used thread. The bands don't hold and don't put enough tension on the rubber. Thread is also cheaper.

[DAnderson]

Use a jig head that's relatively flat next to the collar, such as ball heal jig or brush jig. Harder to flare the skinny neck on an arkie head.