Anyone make there own Jigs? Have favorite hook or skirt color?

[bigbass201]

It seems around the country different skirt colors and head styles vary quite a bit. Curious if anyone makes their own custom jigs and if you have any particular hook style you like best. In the midwest in grass filled lakes green pumpkin seems to be a major color. Black and blue in stained water. My fishing partner loves to use Chompers heads for his jigs.

https://rumble.com/vi9n6t-puttin-mor...66lt3&mc=9e0fe

[vandamit]

I make my own. Eagle Claw is making some amazing jig hooks now that are sharp and strong. I've gone to them exclusively. I like green pumpkin/orange, black and blue and pb&j. Those three colors will catch fish anywhere in the country

[bigbass201]

I make my own. Eagle Claw is making some amazing jig hooks now that are sharp and strong. I've gone to them exclusively. I like green pumpkin/orange, black and blue and pb&j. Those three colors will catch fish anywhere in the country

I need to fish that P&J more. Just haven't had one of those days that makes me keep using it. You have anything that stands out to you when it works best for you?

[squib]

I make all my own.Most hooks I use are Mustad or VMC. Both have good lineups. For skirt colors, I try to match the local bluegill/sunfish colors depending on time of year. I have tons of skirt material and will sometimes mix as many as 7 or 8 colors in a skirt. Day in day out, though, you can't go wrong with some combo of: green pumpkin, watermelon, brown. I throw in a few strands of black, blue, orange and chartreuse at times (and have about 5 variation of each of those). Much of it, I do just for fun. A solid green pumpkin jig with a green pumpkin trailer is about all you need down here.

One thing I do is that I don't put skirts on jigs until I tie them on. I keep about 40 jig heads (various sizes and styles) and about 50 skirts in a box. That way I am not digging past other jigs looking for the one I want. I just assemble on the spot. And if I make a skirt I like, I will tie 3 or 4 extras and leave them "un-attached." Allows you to have several "out there" skirts without committing a certain jig to it until you want it

And yes, I'll do some PB&J. Falcon fish always liked a little purple in a jig for me.

[bigbass201]

I make all my own.Most hooks I use are Mustad or VMC. Both have good lineups. For skirt colors, I try to match the local bluegill/sunfish colors depending on time of year. I have tons of skirt material and will sometimes mix as many as 7 or 8 colors in a skirt. Day in day out, though, you can't go wrong with some combo of: green pumpkin, watermelon, brown. I throw in a few strands of black, blue, orange and chartreuse at times (and have about 5 variation of each of those). Much of it, I do just for fun. A solid green pumpkin jig with a green pumpkin trailer is about all you need down here.

One thing I do is that I don't put skirts on jigs until I tie them on. I keep about 40 jig heads (various sizes and styles) and about 50 skirts in a box. That way I am not digging past other jigs looking for the one I want. I just assemble on the spot. And if I make a skirt I like, I will tie 3 or 4 extras and leave them "un-attached." Allows you to have several "out there" skirts without committing a certain jig to it until you want it

And yes, I'll do some PB&J. Falcon fish always liked a little purple in a jig for me.

You using wire to attach them, or they preassembled with a rubber collar? I have one good friend that swears up and down to use lot less strands in his jigs. He often pulls out strands to get it down to minimal strands. Ever hear of that before?

[havacman]

I make all my own jigs. I use several different hooks. I like the Owner 5304, Gamakatsu 291, sometimes use Trokar but it is hard to go wrong with a Mustad ultra point. I do like the newer eagle claw hooks as well they have gotten much better. Those are all 60* hooks. There are many options for hooks now that are about all good with the main brands. Make a brush jig (60*), bullet jig (30*) S head (60*), poision head(30*) Arkie as well as round head. Skirt colors I mainly make are, pumpkin with 7-8 strands of brown, fry chaser/root beer, green pumpkin/red, black/blue sometimes with about 7-8 strands of purple. Those are the main colors but I have enough skirt material to make about anything I want.

[cubswin]

I buy heads, make my own skirts in colors I like. Variations on green pumpkin and pb&j. I use heavy black collars, haven’t had issues with them and go thru jigs faster than they rot. Usually make up 10 at a time.

I’ll wire or thread tie if I’m skipping docks or on swim jigs.

[basscat21]

Been at it over 40 years, use various hooks, Eagle claw for Hair jigs, owner and eagle claw for flipping. But eagle claw being a bit softer, you can touch them up pretty easy. Where some of the others are harder to fix a point. Skirts, for action its pretty hard to beat living rubber. Many skirts I will use a combination of rubber and silicone. Always wire on the skirt. Have about 30 molds, I toy around with some of the molds with a dremmel.

[Mark Perry]

I make my own. Hand tied skirts and I mostly stick to 1/2 green pumpkin/ half black and blue skirt combo or my version of California 420.

[bigbass201]

I make all my own jigs. I use several different hooks. I like the Owner 5304, Gamakatsu 291, sometimes use Trokar but it is hard to go wrong with a Mustad ultra point. I do like the newer eagle claw hooks as well they have gotten much better. Those are all 60* hooks. There are many options for hooks now that are about all good with the main brands. Make a brush jig (60*), bullet jig (30*) S head (60*), poision head(30*) Arkie as well as round head. Skirt colors I mainly make are, pumpkin with 7-8 strands of brown, fry chaser/root beer, green pumpkin/red, black/blue sometimes with about 7-8 strands of purple. Those are the main colors but I have enough skirt material to make about anything I want.

I've always been a fan of the Mustad Ultra Point. Those hooks and points hold up well on hard hooksets. It looks like you got your favorites down to science of what you like and have confidence in those combos. Thanks for the input.

I buy heads, make my own skirts in colors I like. Variations on green pumpkin and pb&j. I use heavy black collars, haven’t had issues with them and go thru jigs faster than they rot. Usually make up 10 at a time.

I’ll wire or thread tie if I’m skipping docks or on swim jigs.

cubswin wire and thread tie makes perfect sense for skipping. They certainly slide down skipping with rubber collars.

Been at it over 40 years, use various hooks, Eagle claw for Hair jigs, owner and eagle claw for flipping. But eagle claw being a bit softer, you can touch them up pretty easy. Where some of the others are harder to fix a point. Skirts, for action its pretty hard to beat living rubber. Many skirts I will use a combination of rubber and silicone. Always wire on the skirt. Have about 30 molds, I toy around with some of the molds with a dremmel.

basscat21
I agree with you on living rubber. I made some of those many years ago and loved the action. The big problem back then was colors. I just couldn't find the living rubber in a variety of colors. Has that changed since then?

I make my own. Hand tied skirts and I mostly stick to 1/2 green pumpkin/ half black and blue skirt combo or my version of California 420.

Mark Perry I'm going to have to look up the California 420 now. Never heard of that one. Thanks for the input.

[jaderhold]

Any of you boys that tie your own jigs, do you happen to have any 4/0 Eagle Claw 730BP in the old style? Not the new needlepoint.....

[fr8dog]

I make black, black & blue, green pumpkin, PBJ, and a mix of black, gold, brown, and purple. That came about from some leftover tabs I threw together. Stupid thing works pretty good in dirty water. Ugly as a mud fence though. Always went with the EC 570 hooks. Jigs don’t last long so I don’t feel like donating expensive hooks to rocks and brush.

I also quit painting the heads. Didn’t seem to make a difference. I’m not looking for “that one extra bite” though.

[bigbass201]

I make black, black & blue, green pumpkin, PBJ, and a mix of black, gold, brown, and purple. That came about from some leftover tabs I threw together. Stupid thing works pretty good in dirty water. Ugly as a mud fence though. Always went with the EC 570 hooks. Jigs don’t last long so I don’t feel like donating expensive hooks to rocks and brush.

I also quit painting the heads. Didn’t seem to make a difference. I’m not looking for “that one extra bite” though.

Amazing how those odd color combos produce. The real question is how did you decide and come up with that combo?

[Mike Thompson]

1 tab brown fine rubber
Flanks- 4-5 strands green pumpkin with blue flake silicone.
Belly- 4-5 strands purple silicone
Properly whip finish and trim the above combination to the collar of your favorite jig head that has been powder coated and baked in brown.
I can't even remember the last time I was on a good jig bite around here.

[bigbass201]

1 tab brown fine rubber
Flanks- 4-5 strands green pumpkin with blue flake silicone.
Belly- 4-5 strands purple silicone
Properly whip finish and trim the above combination to the collar of your favorite jig head that has been powder coated and baked in brown.
I can't even remember the last time I was on a good jig bite around here.

Thanks Mike. I use to have some buddies I kept in contact with out your way. They use to fish Berryessa, Clear, Folsom, and some others I can't remember. I do remember seeing quite a few pigs they would catch. Swimbaits, swimbaits, and more swimbaits back then. My one buddy got me throwing the MS Slammer 9" in the upper midwest.

[Fish Boy]

I pour and paint my heads then tie up skirts. I use mostly Mustad but also some Eagle Claw and VMC. I personally prefer dark patterns. My favorite is a matte black head and skirt to match.

[unknown angler]

I fish the Upper Mississippi River, no need for fancy color combos, black or green, something dark works fine. I don't paint the heads and use Mustad or Eagle Claw hooks.

[bigbass201]

I pour and paint my heads then tie up skirts. I use mostly Mustad but also some Eagle Claw and VMC. I personally prefer dark patterns. My favorite is a matte black head and skirt to match.

I fish the Upper Mississippi River, no need for fancy color combos, black or green, something dark works fine. I don't paint the heads and use Mustad or Eagle Claw hooks.

Hard to go wrong with dark jigs Fish Boy and unknown angler. Thanks for the input.

[21XDC]

[fr8dog]

Amazing how those odd color combos produce. The real question is how did you decide and come up with that combo?

Just had some odds and ends laying on the table one day. Pieced them together to make a couple rather than put them away.