Jig Making Question

[KCLOST]

Hello,

First time posting in this forum... I have begun to make quite a few Bass Jigs lately, and I have used several methods to do so. Obviously, I have used the skirts with the rubber band on them, no problem there. Also have become proficient at using copper or coated steel wire for tying silicone or rubber skirt tabs on. That is no problem either.

In all honesty, I prefer to Hand Tie the tabs on with Denier Thread. Reason is because I like to add small sections of tabs of different color and you can do that easily with the thread, add a little, tie, add a little more, tie, etc....
I also like the finished look and shape of a hand tied jig compared to using the rubber band, and the thread is virtually invisible after completion if not overdone. The wire is a close second, but it is not as easy to use with multiple (more than two) color tab pieces, imo..

My question to you experts, is when hand tying in a hook vise, is there something commonly used to hold the skirt material out of the way when wrapping the thread. I hate accidently running my thread over a small loop of skirt strand(s) and messing up an otherwise perfectly good looking jig. I have been just pulling the tab material and holding it away from the tying area with a small piece of masking tape, to prevent this, and it works ok. But surely somebody has thought of a better way???

Thanks friends...

[Jig_Man]

Any time I want to keep stuff like that out of my way I take one of the wire wrappers that comes on a loaf of bread. It is easy to use and I'll bet you have a bunch in a drawer some place.

[Smalljaw67]

Jig Man is spot on, bread ties work well to hold skirt strands out of the way. I have some tying videos on "YouTube" in which I use the ties to help me whip finish my jig, just look up "smalljaw" and you'll find my channel.

[Walking Dead]

Clamps, clothed pins work great.

[Charles Prestridge]

Jig Man is spot on, bread ties work well to hold skirt strands out of the way. I have some tying videos on "YouTube" in which I use the ties to help me whip finish my jig, just look up "smalljaw" and you'll find my channel.

Smalljaw’s videos are great. You will be amazed with his skills and videos.

[basscat28]

Wire ties and small gator clips work great. Personally with my vise and the way I hand tie,the material is never in my way. A few words of advise as well if you haven't discovered these yet either. Keep any left over braid on your spool,say 30lb or lighter. Makes for great tying material in a pinch or using for punching tabs. Also, some prefer a whip finishing tool but you'll be much more proficient and faster learning to whip finish by hand. There's a lot of great jig tiers out there but I've got to say smalljaw is one of the best and when I was a novice at it I picked a lot from his videos that greatly helped me.

[limitlong]

I have been using rubber collars then tying my thread between the top of the collar and the jig head. I then cut the collar with an exacto knife. I get more consistency using this method.

[Nowater2shallow]

I have been using rubber collars then tying my thread between the top of the collar and the jig head. I then cut the collar with an exacto knife. I get more consistency using this method.

^^^^^^^^^have done this a lot, but have been using the black steel paper clips to hold back material

[KCLOST]

Thanks for all your replies... All great suggestions on the ties and clips....

Also, some prefer a whip finishing tool but you'll be much more proficient and faster learning to whip finish by hand.

I am currently whip finishing by hand if that is what it is called, LOL. I am doing what my Dad did tying flies years ago.. Loop the line, take the loop behind the hook and pull tight, do that several times. Is that whip finishing??? I'm not very proficient at it, that is for sure...lol

I have been using rubber collars then tying my thread between the top of the collar and the jig head. I then cut the collar with an exacto knife. I get more consistency using this method.

I have done this also, and agree it works pretty well, but I do not have a tool to "make" the skirts or attach the collar.. Again, I like to add several colors that most pre-made skirts don't have...

I have some tying videos on "YouTube" in which I use the ties to help me whip finish my jig, just look up "smalljaw" and you'll find my channel.

Awesome videos SmallJaw!! Love that vise you use for jig tying.. I got to get one of those..

[Jig_Man]

You are getting the same results with your "half hitches". The whip finisher is a tool. It will allow you to do 10 in the time that you take to do 2. If you buy one be sure to get the large one for bass jigs. The normal one is too small.

[KCLOST]

Thanks...