Powder Paint vs. Nail Polish

[carryherr]

Hi,

I just purchased 100 Wapsi Super Jig Heads and I'm looking to paint them. I've seen recommendations from people who suggest using both and I'm wondering what the pros and cons are. I'll be using them in Lake Ontario so the weather will be colder when I'm fishing with them.

Thanks!

[cadman]

In my opinion, either will work. If you go powder paint and want the durability, you have to bake the jigs. If you're pressed for time, just paint them with fingernail polish. I think the powder paint if done properly will last longer. JMO. BTW welcome to Tackle Underground

[carryherr]

2 minutes ago, cadman said:

In my opinion, either will work. If you go powder paint and want the durability, you have to bake the jigs. If you're pressed for time, just paint them with fingernail polish. I think the powder paint if done properly will last longer. JMO. BTW welcome to Tackle Underground

Sounds good! Thanks for the input and thanks for the warm welcome. 

[jigmeister]

If you are just looking to take the shine off of the shiny lead jigheads to fish them and  make them look more natural you can paint them with a permanent marker such as a black or brown sharpie  .   The paint job will rub off over time from rocks but if you bring the pen along you can touch up the bare spots .   Not as good looking as paint but works surprising well in a pinch .

[Kasilofchrisn]

Personally I'm not a fan of nail polish.

I certainly don't like the smell.

I also prefer the look and texture of the cured powder paint over the nail polish.

Nail polish can be done cheaper though.

I vote for powder paint but I have lots of it and the fluid beds, curing oven etc. already.

[Jeff Hahn]

If I am making a bait that I’m likely to lose a lot of, then fingernail polish is fine.  If it’s a bait that I’m not likely to lose and will use overtime, then I powder paint. 

[Cuda]

Everyone has their ways of doing things, but base your decision on what you economically have in front of you.  I am a fan of powder painting, but there is a stipulation to that I'll mention at the end.

 

If you are looking to get at it right away, go grab some polish and have at with a few jigs.  Plan out the colors and supplies you will need for powder painting and then purchase them when you can.  The cost is more than a few bottles of nail polish, but it is aheck of a lot of fun blending and passing time making jigs pretty with powder paint.

 

With that said, I do not paint my naked jigs 90 percent of the time.  They don't last long enough for me to be enamored by a bare jig painted to be honest.  I do, however, paint ALL of my skirted and hair tied jigs.  Just the way I manage my paint shop

Pass the time with the nail polish while you work up an order.  You scratch the itch with the polish, and then the excitement builds for the powder paint order coming in "jig mail".

 

Good luck bud.

[Tuna]

Totally agree with Cuda, unpainted (dulled) is the way to go. Most open water walleye guys I know fish unpainted. Guess they've done their testing and have found the difference unworthy of separating colors in their boxes. Heck, 90% of the crappie, gill and bass jigs I use are also unpainted. It's about technique and not head color.  I don't worry about line color either. Use a black sharpie to coat hi-vis braided lines for the first few feet. Hi-vis lines important for me to detect pick-ups while drop-shotting.

I do something different for hard water season. All my jigs are coated with my favorite Sally Hanson nail polish. I use 1/32, 1/48, 1/64 and 1/80. All lead heads. Not convinced that tungsten makes a difference if size of catch. Lead heads take more patience to fish due to the slower drop speed. The differences are ability to work the bounce slower (natural speed for cold water) and the greater number of fish picked up during the drop vs. tungsten which drops fast and passes fish along the way.

[mark poulson]

I do think that powder coat, done right, is practically indestructible.  For jigs, I think it is the only way to go, since they will get bounced and dragged through rocks.

But, having said that, I love how I can prime my spinnerbait heads with self-etching primer, and then paint them with the same Createx baits that I use for my crankbaits.  The clear nail polish top coats them just fine.

I've never had the paint fail on one yet, and I've been doing it for more than five years.

[carryherr]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I ended up buying both nail polish and powder paint. The power paint definitely seems more durable, but the nail polish is easy to apply to the jigs at the kitchen table. I think I'll continue to use both and only use the powder paint for spoons and spinner blades.