How and why did you get started tying jigs

[Palad]

I am the newbe here. Years ago I was into flyfishing and tying then family life and work got busy and fishing got put on hold. Now I am retired and want to get back into fishing. I just wondered why you started tying your own jigs, how you got started and how long have you been doing it.

 

[CrappieHappy]

I have been fishing since as long as i can remember, I usually fished with Worms, minnows, jigs etc. over the last couple of years i have been mainly a jig fisherman, fishing creeks etc. I would typically lose 8 - 10 jigs an outing. while we were perusing the tackle store, my wife said i bet you can do as good as some of these for sale... it took off from there. I have been tying since December , 2010.....

Welcome to the site!

 

[hhawkins]

I've been fishing ever since I born ( always on the boat, until I was about 4, got my first fishing rod) I started out fishing in Florida and then moved to Missouri and started fishing Bull Shoals and Table Rock lakes. Growing up my father had a bait and tackle shop in Florida ( I would visit in the summers) and back home in Missouri, I would help a neighbor friend paint his jig heads as he poured them and cooled. I wanted to get back to my roots again, started tying back in October 2010. I really enjoy doing it. I sell a little, which does help me out, especially with this bad habit I have gotten myself into. The guys here tell me I need help...LOL! Anyway, welcome Palad!

 

[Hawnjigs]

Good question Palad. I started tying jigs in the early 60s, no vise, #10 sewing thread wrap, split shot heads, white nylon floss, white model airplane paint. But man, us kids had some super productive days wading Kaneohe Bay with those jigs on cheap spinning gear. Quit tying after starting high school, till JiggerJohn sent me a few of his 3 or 4 years ago, which totally outfished my previous go to soft plastics. Amazing how effective a bit of rabbit fur + gold Flashabou on unpainted jig heads can be.

 

[papaperch]

When I was 13 or 14 , friends and I stumbled on a place that the 3 of us could catch crappies as fast as you could reel in. Only problem it was a heck of a walk. We got tired of lugging minnows all that way. The old plastic clothes line jig is what I first tied. Took a short piece of clothes lines trim about 1/2 of plastic off and tease the floss out to look like a tail. It was all white in color pinch a split shot on a jig hook and lashed down with 2 # monofilament. Looked like heck but in this place it did not matter. Was so snaggy back there we normally used about 3 dozen a trip. This place normally was only good for abvout 3 weeks in April.

Later I fancied up my tying to simple one color marabous and bucktail jigs. Stayed that way for about 40 years until I seen what the guys on CDC were tying. After my first swap I wanted to get to the level of some of those who participated. Now I got to try everything I see or read about. Constant pursuit of the perfect jig. Whatever the heck that is.

 

[hunter7711]

Started pouring in the mid 60's. Everything you could buy was junk. Father in law was pouring all his bullets so I found a jig mold and started pouring quality, (at least I thought they were). Fished mostly 1/32 and 1/16 oz. Tied a lot of colors but only fished 1. Didn't matter what time of year you could catch fish on it. Red head, Kelly Green body, and a Chart. tail. If you go back to basics and tye some of these today, you will also find they will catch fish anywhere. I quit tyeing in the mid 70's when plastics started showing up. I'm now back to where I want something that I can pass my time doing, be able to catch fish with, and have something not many others have. A perfect hobby for a older man. I made my first trip to a VA retirement home last week. I took all my tyeing supplies, and ended up spending almost 8 hours. All of the old guys wanted to try. I did this when I was in MS and knew they would love it. I had 8 of them come up and thank me, and asked me to come back. I'd love to be able to take every one of them fishing. No one really cares anymore. Most of them never even have a visitor.

 

[Palad]

Thank you to all that replied to my post. I dug out some of my old tying stuff and bought some new materials and hope to get started with this new hobby. Good to know some of the basic easy to tie jigs still catch fish. Thanks again

 

[jjsjigs]

Cuz chicks dig fly/jig tyers!!! Right guys? C'mon we all started for the chicks!!!

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Let's see.I used to watch my uncle tye flies at age 2 thru 12.I only fished them,no tyeing,what a fool I was.Then all store bought stuff for the next 30 years.I flew to Pa. for a vacation from Arizona and went down to Summers Point, New Jersey for a flounder trip and had to use all of my brother in laws fishing stuff.We went to a bait shop in Jersey and bought some 1 oz. bucktails,I bought 3 white ones and my first cast went into a crab pot chain and lost it.At $3.99 a shot I could see it was going to be an expensive tripWe caught over 200 flounder that day on them ugley bucktails and right then I decided I was going to make my own,lol.Within a two week of waiting,I got a melting pot and a mold.Got some free wheel weights and went at it.Then meeting up with Atticafish and the gang really got me going.Now it's 1/80 oz. lol.Fun,fun,fun.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Yum, chicks!

Think I quit tying when I discovered single gals don't consider fishing a preferred date activity. Now that I'm married I can be my old self.

 

[AtticaFish]

I started tying 20 or so years ago at a pretty young age. Got a fly tying kit before i ever had a fly rod and would make bass bugs and streamers that i would tie on under those big old red and white bobbers.

Had tied a few jigs when i first got started, but not a whole lot. Got more involved into making my own jigs for river bass about 15 years ago when i started working where i am at now with a view of the river out the back door and an hour lunch break. Most of my early (god-awful) jigs consisted of thread, yarn and feathers i would find on the ground as well as very simple bucktail jigs.

Now-a-days.... I do tend to 'over complicate' some of my work. My tying is half out of need for fishing gear AND half a need to occupy my time and keep me out of trouble. Most of those odd-balls, i only make 1 or 2 of and see how they work. I love trying to learn and soak up any tips and techniques that i can, but the more simple styles are still my most used jigs. - Russ

 

[AtticaFish]

Oh yeah.... Welcome to the site and glad to see you post!

 

[Mack]

I just started tying my own jigs just recently and hope to be pouring my own soon. I got started by getting in touch with my artistic creative side which I have always applied to music or art. And its my dream job to have an online business, and hopefully maybe even my own shop some day. It's extremely important to have a healthy hobby I enjoy and jig tying is something that makes me feel good afterwards. That may sound preachy but those are my reasons. :jig: -Mack

 

[yellowjacket]

started in jan of this year saw guys on CDC doing it and it got my attetion and have been hooked ever since

 

[jjsjigs]

Started flytying at age 6. I watched my Dad do it and was engrossed in the whole "fur and feathers". I started flyfishing at age 5 (albeit poorly). I grew up on the flyrod and only learned how to spin fish 2 years ago. In the 1990's I was a "per diem" trout guide in Washinton and Idaho mostly fishing for stream trout on the Spokane River but would guide for steelies on the Snake River. I also worked as a production fly tyer for numerous fly shops in the Spokane and Coer D'Aline ID area tying both general patterns and custom work. Once Cabela's came to Post Falls, ID. 99% of the fly shops closed down. I had to find other work.... So, I moved to Pee-Aye by the heralded waters it contained. I hooked up with the North Branch Susquehanna River only Full time guide in my county. He wanted to learn how to flyfish for bass. We worked out a trade 1 hour I taught him flyfishing and for 1 hour he taught me spin fishing. He prodded me to "come to the dark side" and tie him a few jigs. He took out my jigs in February (in the ice and cold water) and had a banner day of 85 fish landed by myself. He was so impressed with my jigs he said "You should go into business for yourself". Thus was born JJ's Jigs. After a HUGE couple of years I thought... heck, flyguys need bass flies too! So I went back into that "old chestnut" and started developing my own bass patterns as well. Not bad for only 36 years old, eh?

 

[spotail]

I just starting tying jigs this month primarily because just like fly's they are too expensive for me to buy already made. In WNY, the steelhead jigs that are fished under a float cost roughly 3 bucks a piece. Since, I have been tying flies for over 6 years I already have most of the hairs & feathers needed, so I now I am trying to refine my powder coating skills.

 

[jjsjigs]

refine the coating skills.... just remember when all else fails: Nail polish works!!

 

[sloedown]

I started tieing 3 years ago because I got "retireded" and that it looked cool to do...When I found out how good they worked I became obssesed with it...Now I am ruint for life 'cause I can't stop !!!!

 

[Fatman]

JJ

That is so bad!!!!!! LMAO. I basically started because my Uncle didnt want to keep buying bucktail jigs he thought they cost too much. Started with bucktails and moved onto crappie jigs and been at it ever since.

 

[Sac-Lait-Pat]

Well living in Southwest Louisiana my mom used to sew,after reading some old fishing Magazines I bent needles into hooks and started tying threads and yarn on them no vise just the two I was born with. I would go to the canals and bayous and catch sunfish and the occasional Sac a Lait or Big mouf Basses. As an adult I traveled in the Military some places I would fish others I didn't think about it however I am glad I at some time allways went back to tying and fishing.