Silicone Skirt In Lead Pours?

[jcool3]

Anyone else try this?   Silicone skirt tabs placed in jig mold and lead poured around it.

Mine seemed to hold up fine.   Many possibilities adding bulk, action and making more lifelike.

These jigs pictured are center balanced slow jigs and the placement of the silicone skirts

shouldn't change the balance.  My homemade mold is made of silicone and I had no

lead leaking around the skirt.

Edited May 23, 2015 by jcool3

[Fatman]

Those look great - but really surprised that the hot lead didn't melt the skirts!!!!!!!

[cadman]

but really surprised that the hot lead didn't melt the skirts!!!!!!!

I was thinking the same thing, and then it dawned on me, probably didn't melt because they are silicone and probably have a high temp rating.

 

 

jcool3, BTW those do look nice.

[Vodkaman]

X3 on the melting - great result.

 

Dave

[Painter1]

Those are great looking jigs and the silicone might really trigger the bite. I wonder if using superglue after finishing might hold up & be convienent?

[jcool3]

I think megabait style, flutter jigs, diamond jigs, and other spoon type jigs would be awesome with skirts.  

Hope you guys try it and post results.  

Only drawback so far was that I had to masking tape off the silicone when I was spray priming.

Also when coating with etex, I had to hang sili legs up so that etex wouldn't run down the legs.  

As to gluing silicone skirt ... nothing really sticks to silicone (except silicone)

[jcool3]

Update and field testing.  My friend Bob poured some 4 oz. flutter jigs in Do-It mold

and inserted silicone skirt tabs in the mold before pouring.  We fished these jigs

for 2 limits of rockfish (including cabezone) plus 6 lings and many black rockfish released.

In the water, the skirt tabs look great.  Enclosed picture shows the actual jig

and shrimp fly tandem outfit use.  After 4 hours vertical jigging, bouncing up and

down on the bottom, see for yourself, the silicone is very durable.  while you can't

prove that the the silicone made any difference,..  For lack of any name, I would 

call them sili-fins

[jcool3]

Update and field testing.  My friend Bob poured some 4 oz. flutter jigs in Do-It mold

and inserted silicone skirt tabs in the mold before pouring.  We fished these jigs

for 2 limits of rockfish (including cabezone) plus 6 lings and many black rockfish released.

In the water, the skirt tabs look great.  Enclosed picture shows the actual jig

and shrimp fly tandem outfit use.  After 4 hours vertical jigging, bouncing up and

down on the bottom, see for yourself, the silicone is very durable.  while you can't

prove that the the silicone made any difference,..  For lack of any name, I would 

call them sili-fins

[Kasilofchrisn]

I would think you could heat and powder paint them in a fluid bed.

The powder shouldn't stick to the silicone.

[jcool3]

I would think you could heat and powder paint them in a fluid bed.

The powder shouldn't stick to the silicone.

good idea, I personally don't do powder paint, but someone should try it!

[Kasilofchrisn]

I personally do not use those types of skirts so I won't be trying it anytime soon.

Just thought i would give you the idea.