Making Jigs- Worth It? 2024

Robert Riley reply :

Is it worth the investment? I was looking into doing it over winter break, but I got a job instead haha.

Are the jigs you make going to be on par with the ones you buy and still be cost effective? I really have no knowledge on the matter.

I'd figure that most people just make their own to keep themselves busy and have custom colors.

gulfcaptain reply :

Only if you plan on like making a thousand of them. If you want to make like 10 or 20, well you found a new hobby, but it won't be cost effective.

Smokinal reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 9:06 AM, gulfcaptain said:
Only if you plan on like making a thousand of them. If you want to make like 10 or 20, well you found a new hobby, but it won't be cost effective.

X2 With the quality and cost of Siebert's jigs, I'll never make one myself.

Matthew2000 reply :

If you plan on selling them stop. There are hundreds who think the same thing. It's mor of a fun thing experiment with making cool colors and designs.

deep reply :

If I could buy the sort of jigs I'd want to fish, I'd have bought them. Trouble is either the head is of the wrong shape, or the hook is too thick, or the shank is too short, whatever. And then of course, no one wants to tie rubber or bucktails. I'd love to pay someone to tie me jigs, it takes me an insane amount of time to get my jig look just the way I want it- I have fat fingers.

If you're happy with store bought jigs, do not think about making your own. You might save nickels and dimes, but it'd cost you time. Not worth it in my book.

scaleface reply :

Your from central illinois. Im from Hannibal Mo. Ill give lead if you decide to make them. I have lots of lead ,lots .

Ozark_Basser reply :

Its not as cost effective as you would think but still a bit cheaper than buying store bought jigs. I feel the jigs I make are of higher quality than store bought and I get to customize my colors.

Robert Riley reply :

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun.

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

Ozark_Basser reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 10:21 AM, Robert Riley said:

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun.

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

That will work. Lure Parts Online is another spot to check out along with fishingskirts.com

gulfcaptain reply :

I don't think anyone said they were against you making your own jigs. So I don't know what gripes anyone on here would have if you choose to do so. You asked if it would be cost effective....hence would it save you money. You want to do it as a hobby and make some cool custom jigs for yourself. Please do, but please post pictures after so we can see them and admire what none of us have the patience to do.

BadBassWV reply :

It's not going to save you money. But Dang its fun to catch a fish on something you made yourself.

Robert Riley reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 10:30 AM, gulfcaptain said:
I don't think anyone said they were against you making your own jigs. So I don't know what gripes anyone on here would have if you choose to do so. You asked if it would be cost effective....hence would it save you money. You want to do it as a hobby and make some cool custom jigs for yourself. Please do, but please post pictures after so we can see them and admire what none of us have the patience to do.

I meant gripes against the stuff they sell on TW, naked baits or something?

Jig Man reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 10:21 AM, Robert Riley said:

I think I might make a couple dozen in colors I like/use, just for fun.

I can get the stuff from TW for 20% off, any one got gripes against it?

OK you are talking about assembling jigs not making them. That is probably the way for you to go. Buy prepoured heads and the accessories and put them together. If you are making them from scratch you'd have to buy the mold $35-50, lead pot $50, skirt material $.50 to .75 per jig, hooks / $ .15 to .50 per jig just to name some of the stuff you'd need.

Ozark_Basser reply :

If you want the largest variety in skirting material go to fishing skirts. You will be happy you did. They also have some pretty cool powder paint and the best fish eyes I've found yet.

gulfcaptain reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 10:33 AM, Robert Riley said:
I meant gripes against the stuff they sell on TW, naked baits or something?

My mistake. With that in mind, not at all, but I would shop around and see what you can find. I use them as a reference when I'm looking for deals other places to compare and see.

Blues19 reply :

I enjoy making and assembeling jigs. Its fun to come up with new color patterns. Its even more fun catching a fish on a color you created.

fisherrw reply :

I think they are... I buy strike king jigs.

Felix77 reply :

Great hobby. I pour, paint and skirt over the winter. Make way moreally than I think I will ever go through.

My quality beats basic retail store jigs IMO that's for sure.

aavery2 reply :

What's the value of the pride you feel when you catch a fish on a bait you made yourself. Feels pretty good when your friends ask where you got the jigs at, and you tell them you make them yourself.

If you have around a 100 dollars and some time, you can make a bunch of jigs.

Sam reply :

You may want to consider purchasing various jig heads and making different color skirts.

Lots of fun doing this and less expensive than make a jig head.

SirSnookalot reply :

Cost effective, absolutely not. A labor of love for sure and can always tie a few up before I head out for the day. There is something to be said about catching a fish on lure that you "assembled". Not only do I assemble jigs I make my own barracuda tubes, these are much better than what you can buy. There are about 6 of us that make our own here, we buy better components than store bought tubes. Do they catch more fish, NO, but they are more durable.

tholmes reply :

If you're starting from scratch, you'd have to make a LOT of jigs in order to save money. If you figure in the cost of equipment and components (lead pot, molds, lead, hooks, paint, skirts, bucktail, feathers, tying vise, etc.) you'll have spent enough to buy a lot of jigs. I probably have >$500 tied up in equipment and materials, but I've been tying jigs for ~ 35 years so I didn't have to buy it all at once.

I tie my own jigs mostly because I enjoy doing it. It gives me something fishing related to do over the winter months when the water is frozen or it's just too cold to fish. Also, there's a satisfaction in catching fish on lures that you made yourself.

Tom

smalljaw67 reply :

If you lose a lot of jigs every year, and I'm talking 3 to 5 jigs a week then getting a mold or 2 and the stuff to pour plus skirt material, and hooks, you're looking at 2 years to break even depending the hooks and how much skirt material you use. The problem comes when you begin to like doing it and then you want to make a different style or different colors and that is when it gets expensive. I started out making spinnerbaits in 1999 and had a blast so I decided to make some jigs and 30 molds later I have quite a collection of stuff. I can do 85 different colors plus 11 custom blends of color, I have over 10 pounds of skirt material and probably with all the different sizes and style of hooks, somewhere north of 8000 hooks plus wire keepers, swivels, split rings, spinner blades, chatterbait blades, tools, wire, and then we can go on to the tying material like thread, bucktails and marabou and all that stuff. In all I probably have more than 7 or grand wrapped up not to mention the thousands of baits I've already made, in 16 years it is over 10 grand, proably closer to 20 than 10 but it is up there for sure. So if you are looking to just make a few things, great but be careful because it is very fun and before you know it, you see a new jig and rather than wanting to buy it, you begin looking for ways to make it or something similar or better.

Robert Riley reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 9:09 PM, tholmes said:
I tie my own jigs mostly because I enjoy doing it. It gives me something fishing related to do over the winter months when the water is frozen or it's just too cold to fish. Also, there's a satisfaction in catching fish on lures that you made yourself.

This is exactly what I was planning on doing but I ended up working full time instead.

By the sounds of it, I'll be buying jig heads and adding the skirts. Where do I buy these jig heads for $0.60 that someone mentioned?

Choporoz reply :

I bought a bunch of naked heads from Barlows this winter. Mostly Mustad hooks and they seem pretty good quality all-in-all. Not quite 60 cents unless you by a boatload, especially w/shipping....but not too bad, either.

My wife and I have had a blast painting and making skirts. I'm sure it would have been more cost effective and a lot less time-consuming to buy the jigs (and blade baits and swinging heads and spinnerbaits and ....). But it has been fun; will be more fun when we catch fish on them and we've already had family members requesting custom mades. Don't discount the fun and satisfaction value.

edit to add:

I should also add that I bought some naked jigs from Siebert and dressed them up very nicely. They do look a lot better than the homemade paint jobs and will probably last longer due to the powdercoating, but not quite as much fun to make.

tholmes reply :

On 1/17/2015 at 3:17 AM, Robert Riley said:

This is exactly what I was planning on doing but I ended up working full time instead.

By the sounds of it, I'll be buying jig heads and adding the skirts. Where do I buy these jig heads for $0.60 that someone mentioned?

Don't let a little thing like a job stop you from pursuing jig making. I've been working full time since 1970 and still found time to make jigs. there's always evenings and weekends. What I generally do is to take a Saturday afternoon and pour a bunch of heads and the another afternoon to powder coat them. After those steps are done, it's pretty easy to find an hour or so here and there to put the skirts on and glue in a weedguard.

Since I'm working for myself, there's no deadlines or quotas to meet, I can do it as I please.

Tom

Siebert Outdoors reply :

I would buy the heads made and build the skirts for them.

rippin-lips reply :

I order pre made jig heads from Mike ^^^ Siebert Outdoors and then purchase skirts from fishing skirts.com That allows me to make a few in different sizes and head styles but the same pattern. Also have some extra skirts to use on a punch hub when I need to go that route.

SirSnookalot reply :

Once I purchased a vise and tying equipment the cost to make my jigs isn't too much. I buy my materials from a fly shop in Boca just 20 minutes away but they ship free or did last time I ordered. I am not real good at making them but they catch fish and that's the bottom line. Most of my jig heads are from Walmart, I have yet to have any problems even with snook and tarpon but usually use store bought unless I'm out, BPS hot lips are my favorite. My jigs are primarily used for peacock bass.

MEnnis reply :

Can you save money, Yes. Will you save money, probably not. I am a bean counter so I ran some numbers.

At Bass Pro Shops Football jigs cost $3.49 each, Swim jigs $4.29 and Flipping jigs $4.99. If you buy 10 that is $34.90, $42.90 or $49.90 respectively.

If you buy your jig heads from a lure parts supplier like Lure Parts Online, and use wire to tie on the skirts, Painted Football jigs cost $6.70 for 5, Swim $2.60 for 3 and Flipping 4.89 for three in 3/8 oz. Then you need three skirt strips at $3.70 for 10. This makes the total for each jig Football $2.45, Swim $1.98 and Flipping $2.74. If you make 10 that is $24.50, $19.77 and $27.40 respectively. You are saving money. But remember every jig head or skirt strip you are not using is wasted money.

Now lets look at pouring your jig heads. A do-it mold will cost you $38.50. 100 hooks $22.50. 1 lb lead, enough for 42 jigs, $2.99. Powder paint 6.99. Jig skirts $3.70 for 10. Total cost to make 10 jigs is $82.53, 20 jigs is $93.63, 30 jigs is $104.73, 40 jigs is $115.83 and 50 jigs is $129.92. Notice that this does not include the cost of something to melt the lead with, pour the lead with or harden the powder paint. Even without these costs you do not break-even until you make at least 30 jigs of the same style and same color vs when purchasing your jig heads already painted. You do not break-even until you have made 50 jigs of the same style and color. You also have to have someplace to pour your jig heads (not in the house!). Which makes pouring them in the winter rather hard.

But how many of us fish just one jig head and jig color? That is where you start losing money. Buying more molds, different hooks, additional paint, and multiple colors/styles of jig skirt strips.

waymont reply :

TW sells Boss jig heads. They are great designs and a great deal. I made about 40 swim jigs last year, in a few different sizes and patterns. During the Black Friday sale heads and skirts (basically whole jigs) were about $2.20 a piece. Can’t get much cheaper than that. Boss heads have great Mustad hooks, and nice weed guards.

If you’re not looking to pour and paint this is a good option.

MittenMouth reply :

On 1/16/2015 at 9:02 AM, Robert Riley said:

Is it worth the investment? I was looking into doing it over winter break, but I got a job instead haha.

Are the jigs you make going to be on par with the ones you buy and still be cost effective? I really have no knowledge on the matter.

I'd figure that most people just make their own to keep themselves busy and have custom colors.

I looked at this since I fish jigs a ton- ultimately I looked at how many I go through a season and decided not to. The true factor here was I couldn’t find a jig I liked- after searching through a ton of options I finally found a good company so I’ll stick with them for now.

PourMyOwn reply :

I started 25 years ago with zero desire to ever sell a jig. In 1995 a guy in New Hampshire couldn't just drive to a bass tackle shop and get a jig made with premium components.

Nowadays it really wouldn't be worth it to start pouring with all of the resources there are.

WRB reply :

5 year old thread it must still be winter.

I designed and made my single cavity jig mold back in 1971, 49 years ago how time flies. How do you put a price on a jig that has caught hundreds of DD bass including all 5 of my largest bass. Several years ago one of my hair jigs tied by the late Doug "Skinny" Harris of Texas sold at auction for $200 for a fund raiser.

The value in making your own lures comes in the pride you get catching fish on them.

If you factor in the your time, cost of premium hooks @$35/100, lead, skirt materials and labor to paint and put the jigs together it's less expensive to buy a good jig from reputable company like Siebert Outdoors a site sponsor.

Tom

Mbirdsley reply :

I like it as a hobby gives me somthing to do in the winter. Like they say in the reloading world you don’t save money you just can shot more. Same with jigs you don’t save money making them you just get more for the same money. I enjoy catching fish with lures that I make. Nearest place that sells bass jigs is 45 minutes away. I really hate making that trip for jigs. if order online they may not reach me in time to fish again. I also dislike ordering things I have not used before. So I have a constant un ending supply.

last year I caught my personal beat large mouth on Arkie I poured. Now the pbj skirt was pre made that I bought on eBay ( sometimes I make my own skirts. some times I buy them pre made). For a trailer a summer craw rage tail

made these up last week. Some will turned into chatter baits

Michigander reply :

I'm not interested in pouring my own so I just buy heads I like from companies or do custom orders from guys working out of their garage.

But I do really enjoy tying my own skirts. I have optimized colors, weights, and styles for the lakes I fish most often. And if I think I need something odd to handle a unique situation, I can just make it.

Where this hobby really comes into it's own for me is being able to make tackle that I can't buy off the shelf.

So to me, it isn't about saving money, rather it's about spending my money on jigs that are as perfectly paired to my style, preferences, and waters as possible.

Harold Scoggins reply :

On 1/17/2015 at 8:53 AM, Siebert Outdoors said:

I would buy the heads made and build the skirts for them.

I've been doing that for awhile now and just recently started buying them unpainted from @Siebert Outdoors. It goes a long way occupying my time during the winter months. Problem is I never use all the jigs I paint and tie so I end up giving them to family and friends who fish. Yep, there are a few on the other side of the globe who have used and like your Dredge jigs, Mike.

13813

Making Jigs- Worth It? 2024

related Tacklemaking topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Tacklemaking topic