Bernie Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 This past evening a couple of us did our march jig night. We get together and run a mini assembly line. We made about 200 last night. Next step after tonight is tying on the trailing hooks. The ones we prefer for pickerel are the wobble jigs these are flatter style with a slight curve. They tend not to snag as much in rocky bottoms and do have a slight action to them. Here are a few pics. Setting the hook in the mold. Doing the pour into the mold. Me trimming the cast. My brother Mike and friend Larry on the line powder painting. Some of the finished jigs and powder paint colours.
crappiesteve Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Taking time to make your own jigs is fun,but when your finnished your finger tips are a bit numb when you do it all yourself.Nice looking thow Nipisssig.mine are ball head molds,and paint them with a brush,which is a long process when you have a few colors that you like.The best thing is when you catch fish with the ones you make Steve
Smokey Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Cool Nothing like the feeling when you catch a fish on a lure of jigs you made. Can I ask if you treated the jigs heads before paint? I painted a pile of them a few years back and paint barely lasted the trip to the water in the tackle box before it chipped off. I'm thinking I either didn't use the right paint or needed to prime or treat the heads first. Thanks Mike
Northhunter Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 I picked up a bottle of that same paint (Pro-Tec) last year just to try it out and touch up old jigs. You heat up the head and dip it. The paint is a powder that melts on contact and hardens almost as quick - pretty neat. You can bake your baits in an oven to "cure" the paint afterwards.
trapshooter Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Lookin good Bernie!! That's quite the 'jig shop' you've got there
Jen Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Thank you for sharing that. It has got to save you fortune as well as great time spent with friends and family. Who choses the colours?
Bernie Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Posted March 20, 2007 Hi Folks..Smokey, I used to paint them by hand in the past too-never stayed too well either.The powder paint is trickey at first to get the proper heat to get the smooth finish but after a couple of tries it gets easy. I dont bother to bake mine because I have found by the time it gets worn off the hook is finished anyway. Jen as far as colours go we just use the ones we find the most effective. Each of us has their own pereference. White is almost always the base coat. Shades of green/yellow,blaze orange,hot pink are my favs.
walleyejigger Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 good stuff, i usually make 100 by myself and it takes a few hours, really wears me out, i heat mine for powder coating with a candle, i only make round jigs and also paint eyeballs on them with the head of a finishing nail,
Big Cliff Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Now this post really sparked my intrest, thanks for posting and for the pictures. I have always wanted to make my own jigs and sinkers but just never got around to doing it. I do have a mold for round head jigs and about 1/2 a 5 gal. pail of old wheel weights that we use to use for casting bullets. Would they be OK for making Jigs? Does anyone have any molds or other equipment they might be willing to part with at a reasonable price? I'd really like to get a mold for flat sinkers, 2 and/or 3 oz. Please PM me if you do have equipment or supplies you would like to find a new home for. Further to this; does anyone know what would be required to make your own plastics?
spanky Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Big Cliff- www.tackleunderground.com is your best bet for all that is luremaking, them wheel weights will work fine for casting jig heads, a few guys on TU use them. As for plastics, well, that all depends on what you want to do... to start out you can get a good kit for $120. U.S., that'll make i think 300 or so senko type baits... then after that it gets expensive, $130. U.S. for 5gals of plastic, aluminum molds depending on what you want can range from $25 to over $200., RTV molds are cheaper but usually only 1 sided... bah, probably easier to read on TU to see what it'll take lol Nipising- are those the only style jig head you make? trying to find some shakey head jigs, not really up for paying over $1. each...
Bernie Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Posted March 20, 2007 (edited) Wheel weights work just fine Big Cliff. Try to use the uncoated ones because the coated style give off a stink. Let the lead brew for a while and gently stir or vibrate the pot to get impurities to surface. This gives a better pour into the mold. My brother and I have several molds and will pick up new or old ones if they look like they will cast a good jig. The stuff we use has accumulated and evolved over the last few years to the point of making it a somewhat fun and easy procedure. I have shown this pic before of the finished jigs with a trailing hook before. A couple of these ones have had a seasons fishing on them. Edited March 20, 2007 by Nipissing
Daplumma Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Cool stuff there Bernie.Your gonna have to show me those jigs in action this June. Joe
Smokey Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Thanks for the info Nipissing. Looks like fun.
irishfield Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 (edited) Sure like the shape of those Bernie !! Are they available anywhere over the counter...besides Powassan? Edited March 21, 2007 by irishfield
spanky Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 i never noticed you were from Poawasson, we stayed up there about 10yrs ago, got my first walleye there casting from shore... stayed on wassie lake (think that's what it was), thinking about going back up for our honeymoon in May aswell, beautiful place!!
Rattletrap2 Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Nice work! Just a word of caution to beginners....make sure the room is well ventilated during the whole process. Lead fumes are toxic!! It is a great way to kill some time and make some really nice jigs as well.
Garyv Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 (edited) Nice work!Just a word of caution to beginners....make sure the room is well ventilated during the whole process. Lead fumes are toxic!! I second, third and forth the above statement! Please do not do lead molding in a small confined area without proper ventilation. Also make sure your molds have wood handles or you'll find out how aluminum will hold heat for long periods while molding and pass it to your hands very quickly. Edited March 21, 2007 by Garyv
crappiesteve Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 I prime my jigs with two coats of white before I put two coats of color and they last longer,than some of the store bought that I,ve seen.And I even put on a clear coat to finnish. Steve
Corey Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Makes me wanna go to the basement and dig out my lead pot... I will be digging it out soon enough to cast some slugs for the shotgun... If anyone in the Hamilton/Niagara area ever wants to make some lead, let me know... I have various jig molds as well as some other ones too. cd.
Bernie Posted March 21, 2007 Author Report Posted March 21, 2007 Thank you for the replies everyone. I will attempt to bring a bunch to Lakair. Might have to schedule another night with the guys to do them.But whoever gets some will be responsible for tying on their own trail hooks.. Thats the biggest pain in the .......
Fishnfiend Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Makes me wanna go to the basement and dig out my lead pot... I will be digging it out soon enough to cast some slugs for the shotgun... If anyone in the Hamilton/Niagara area ever wants to make some lead, let me know... I have various jig molds as well as some other ones too. cd. I have a brand new jig mold (for tubes), a couple hundred hooks, lead, etc. I want to make a batch or two before the softwater season. I could probably use some instruction... I live in Burlington. SHoot me a PM if this interests you at all.
Roy Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Nice looking stuff, Bud. I've been making my own jigs lately....not that purdy but they work well for me.
Bernie Posted March 21, 2007 Author Report Posted March 21, 2007 Nice looking stuff, Bud. I've been making my own jigs lately....not that purdy but they work well for me. Wow ...Roy...Those are beautiful. Well done.. But do they catch fishermen or fish Jk
Big Cliff Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Thanks Nipissing & Phat Bassturd, Much appreciated! Roy, those are amazing!
crappiesteve Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 Roy,what you talking about,they don,t look good ,thier Awesome looking Jigs bud. The fish on st,larry better watch out for you LOL. Steve
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