Fishing Skits . Com?

[fishinwrench]

15 minutes ago, tjm said:

Ever try O rings?

I don't build skirts, so No. 

But if you could get the dark blue ones that come in a Johnson/Evinrude carb kit, in the right size, I bet they'd last almost as long as the silicone strands.  Only possible problem is that they are hard and slick, the skirt material might just pull out too easily.  

Itty bitty zip ties do a good job, but with that method, as with tying them on, there's no interchangeability.

[eyedabassman]

I may try wire ties!

[abkeenan]

3 hours ago, MGP said:

I use a lot of the Boss replacement skirts. $3.50 for 5 of them makes it almost not worth tying your own if you like their stock colors. I keep a 3700 size box of my favorites on the boat along with a box of assorted sizes/types of Bo's bare Nutech jig heads.

Same. This is what I do as well. I buy Bo's NuTech naked jig heads and then throw my favorite BOSS skirts on them. Saves some $ and I get the colors I prefer. Win-Win.

[abkeenan]

2 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Somebody needs to invent something better than a snippet of surgical tubing to corral skirt material.  The shelf life of those rings is not acceptable.

I've heard of people just using some craft wire from the craft section of Walmart. Like $5 for a spool. Will last until you until you inevitably lose the jig. Always mean to pick some up when I'm there but never remember.

[fishinwrench]

I little bit of Loc-Tite Stick & Seal on the jig collar allows you just enough time to distribute the silicone strands the way you want them.  Then after it sets up you can cut the rubber ring off and tie them in permanently with 3/0 tying thread.      

Wire is hard to get the tension right without pinching the silicone in two.  Works great with the old school rubber, but silicone....not so much.    Although the guys at War Eagle had a system with wire that worked GREAT.  Different skirt configuration though.  They've stopped doing it now, regardless, and gone to a different skirt with a welded in collar.  I assume those are poured/injected that way.

[moguy1973]

I just found the bag of 50 rubber skirt rings I had bought with my order a few years back were all deteriorated when I went to make some new skirts up.  Then I opened up my jig box and all my skirts had fallen apart since the bands for those did the same thing.  I guess they all have the same shelf life.  So i used some small zip ties to hold them on for now.  Thin stainless or copper wire may be in my future of making skirts.

[tjm]

shrink tube? what causes the break down? air, light, UV?

[eyedabassman]

2 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

I just found the bag of 50 rubber skirt rings I had bought with my order a few years back were all deteriorated when I went to make some new skirts up.  Then I opened up my jig box and all my skirts had fallen apart since the bands for those did the same thing.  I guess they all have the same shelf life.  So i used some small zip ties to hold them on for now.  Thin stainless or copper wire may be in my future of making skirts.

Some one told me to keep them in water or a lube oil. Does make sense.

[bluebasser86]

I buy from them and wire tie my skirts with copper wire or coated wire from the jewelry making section at Hobby Lobby. The skirts will outlast the baits that way.