Hair jig painting/tying how to

Well, seeing as there have been a few questions on jig making lately, figured I would do up a short step by step on how to do a hair jig. I apologize up front as I am not the best photographer in the world, and its not always easy doing the steps and shooting the photo at the same time. There are plenty of different ways to do jigs, this is just the way that I’ve found to work for me. If folks have other pointers, feel free to add them.


I’ll start with a 3/8 oz round head jig. We’ll use powder paint to paint the jig head. First step is to heat the jig head. If you are just doing a few, a propane torch works just fine. If you are doing a bunch, a small toaster oven (I got one at Wally world for around $20) and a cookie tray works real well. (photo 1) Here I’ve used the torch to heat up the head (a pair of pliers holds the jig) for a few seconds, swirl it in the black paint for a couple of seconds (photo 2), and then tap it on the side of the container to knock off the extra.

While the jig is still hot, I dip just the belly of the jig in clear paint with blue glitter (photo 3). Once the head cools, you cure it in the oven at 325 for 15 minutes. If you are using a toaster oven, you can use a small bread pan and build a rack to hold the jigs. I have an old oven in the cave and do larger lots in that. Note that as you are dealing with lead you do NOT want to use anything that you will use to prepare food. The finished head is shown in photo 4. Black jig with blue glitter.

Once cured, we are ready to tie the tail. I’ll do a simple bucktail here with two colors. I start by winding the thread onto the neck of the jig (photo 5). I’m using Gudebrod rod winding thread in size A. Some folks like the kevlar thread, but I find it will cut the bucktail if you torque down to much. We’ll start by tying in the blue for the belly. Cut off a section of tail about as big around as your pinky finger, lay it on the neck of the jig so that the end is as far past the hook bend as you want, then wrap the thread around a few times (photo 6). You do not want to torque down on the thread at this point.

Once you have a few wraps, you squeeze the tail between your thumb and index finger to even it out across the belly of the jig (photo 7). Once you have it like you want, make a few tight wraps with the thread.


Next, cut a section of black bucktail and lay it on top of the jig. Make sure to match the length to that of the blue you tied in already (photo 8). Wrap the thread around a few times.

As before, use your thumb and index finger to squeeze the black into shape on the jig so that it matches up with the blue, and then make a few tight wraps and do a half hitch knot (photo 9). Now you’ll use a single edge razor to trim the excess bucktail from the head of the jig (photo 10).

Your jig will now look like that in photo 11. I normally would have the wraps/tail a little closer to the head and less of a gap, but I got in a hurry to finish this one. Add a couple of drops of Zap-a-Gap glue (the stuff with the pink label) to the threads (photo 12), wait a couple of seconds for it to sink in a little, and then continue wrapping the thread until it is even.

Tie a couple of half hitches, and then trim the thread. Add a few drops of Head Cement to the wraps (photo 13), and you are done (photo 14). The only thing left to do is fish it!

And thus concludes the lure lesson for the day :D Hope that helps out!

Andrew

I may have to tie some hair jigs now too. I have all of that equipment (vice, bobbin, threads, knot cement) from my fly tying days. Looks good. The paint pictures really help.

Thanks, that does help a lot. I need to start tying some soon, so I can have some ready for next year's FnF!

Nice Andrew. We should make a video and put it on the site. No kidding. I am getting back into that.

Peter

Glad you guys found it useful.

Peter, if there are other ways to do how too type threads here, I would be interested. Same if you have suggestions of better ways to do it. Like this could easily be done up on a web page on fishin.com and linked back to the forum if that would save server space on photos.

Andrew

Nice tutorial Andrew. It should definately help out some folks. The only thing I saw that needs to be added is:

BEFORE you cure the powder paint, clean out the the eye of the jig!
If you don't clean it before curing, you are going to have to dremel out the eye. This stuff cures HARD. I like to clean off all the paint from jig eye, not just the opening. I don't want anything "sawing" on the line.

UpaCrick