How to tie "mop" style jig skirts?

[mcallister920]

I am wondering if anyone has any resources showing how to tie mop style jig skirts onto football head and flipping style jigs. I am just getting into tying my own jigs and would like to learn the proper way to do it.  I intend on using living rubber for the skirt material.  Any help would be appreciated! 

[mark poulson]

For me, mop jigs have fuller and longer skirts, but are tied in the same way as regular jigs.

Generally speaking, they represent larger prey, so "should" attract larger fish.

Play around with a couple of different skirts.  Drop them in a bucket of water and watch how they flare when they hit the bottom.  

Drop a traditional jig in at the same time, and you can see how they differ.

You can vary your skirts to get the effect you want.

Also, round rubber will flare differently than flat rubber, so that's another variable.

Good luck.

[mcallister920]

I've never tied a skirt on a jig at all. Just starting out 

[mark poulson]

1 minute ago, mcallister920 said:

I've never tied a skirt on a jig at all. Just starting out 

I am no expert, but there are videos on Youtube showing how to do it.

Here's how I do it:

I use rod wrapping thread on a bobbin, a 15 year old Cabela's cast iron rotating fly tying vise (cheap)  and some home poured jigs (from a friend who pours).  I do the powder coating.

I lock the jig hook in the vise, facing down, and wrap enough thread around the shank of the jig to hold without falling off, typically four or five overlapping turns.

I add my skirt materials in layers, starting at the bottom.  The first lay will be the outermost when you're done.  I use three wraps of thread for each layer.

I use rubber for my first layer, and then parts of silicone skirt tabs to add accent.

After I add the bottom colors, I rotate the vise to the side and add another set of layers, and do the other side the same way.

Then I rotate the vise so the jig faces up, and do my top layers.

I do a couple more thread wraps, and then two half hitches to secure the thread.

At this point you can add a drop of nail polish or super glue to lock the threads, and then cut the bobbin off close after it's dry.

I actually us gardening wire to wrap over my thread, two times, and twist the 1 1/2" tag ends with a pair of small needle nose vise grip pliers.  

I twist it tight, pull up to cinch the skirt more, and twist up the slack I've created.

I leave about 1" of twist, cut off the tag ends, and bend the twisted wire back toward the hook, so I have a holder for my soft plastic trailers.

Bear in mind, I just make stuff for myself, but this works for me.

Good luck.

 

[cadman]

11 hours ago, mcallister920 said:

I've never tied a skirt on a jig at all. Just starting out 

Send me a PM with your e-mail and I will send you a tutorial on how to tie silicone skirts with wire.

[mcallister920]

Pm'd