Hand Tying Football Jig Skirts?

[Ealy]

Sorry guys, didn't know where to put this one. I bought some football heads from Fin n Feather today, they're pre-painted with no skirts. I'm wanting to tie some silicone skirts on with copper wire, but having a hard time managing everything...even in the vice. I've tied plenty of round ball heads with rubber material and copper wire for the spider look, and used skirt tool for silicone, but these are a little different.

How do you get the "mop" style skirt and is there a trick to holding skirt in place long enough to wrap copper wire? Are two skirts used per jig? Any other tips appreciated.

[Tom Spence]

Heres what I do. Hope it helps. Put the jig in the vice, then get a ten inch length of your wire. Hold up 2 fingers, wrap the wire around them twice to make a double loop. You should have a couple inches of tag ends of wire. Hang the wire over the jig so it hangs at the bottom of the hook. Hold your skirt material around the jig head with one hand. You want the skirt material to hang down through the loop in the wire. With the free hand grab the wire by the tag ends, work it up in placearound the skirt material and jig head. Grab both tag ends with one hand and pull while still holding the skirt with the other hand. Go slow. As the wire loop gets tightens around the skirt material you can let it go and work it in to place to keep it uniform around the jig head. Once the loop is tight I just cross the tags ends of the wire, pull tight, wrap each around the jig head once more, then cross them and cinch with needle nose pliers.

I hope this makes sense. I realized its harder to describe than I though it would be.

[steveearle]

Not sure exactly what all your issues are but if you are having trouble keping everything straight while you apply the wire.....use a rubber skirt band first.....get everything straight....and then add the copper wire above the skirt band. After you have the wire on, you can either pull the rubber collar off with needle-nosed pliers or just leave it on. I hand tie all my jigs, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits (anything with a skirt) with the goal of not losing the skirt if the collar dry-rots and to keep the strands straight. If this is your goal, using the collar in addition to the wire, will work.

[dwiebenga]

How much are you guys saving by building your own jigs? How do they compare with Jewel?

[Flysmallie]

Use zip ties. It's so much easier.

[Gavin]

Why the wire? Plain old fly tying thread should do just fine.

[Stump bumper]

I have never had trouble with the rubber skirt bands holding the skirts on. I will break off a jig before I wear one out, I haven't bought a pre tied jig in years, it takes about a minute to look at a jig and tie one like it after you get a sysetem going.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I tie all my jigs, but not with copper wire. If the wire is important I would tie with thread, then after gluing the thread wrap the wire. The only other suggestion would be to use the silicone ring and get the skirt where you like it, then wrap the wire in front of it and cut the ring off. I've always used the rings and had no problems getting the highlights and flair I want. I use thread for bucktails.

[Ealy]

Thanks for the replies. Talked to a couple of jig men today and ended up with a couple of pointers. Tonight I put jig in the vise with hook down, took 8in of copper wire and bent it with a "U" shape in bend, laid 2 silicone skirts on jig with middle of skirts resting on barb. pull "U" of wire up from bottom and wrap. Worked well and had no need for rubber collar.

[Champ188]

Hey Ealy, here's a tip for ya ... go to basspro.com, locate their mop jigs, select color and quantity and proceed to checkout.