I once made a jig out of a #4 Aberdeen hook, a pinch-on sinker, and a piece of a peacock feather. Caught a little Bass on it, then it fell apart shortly afterwards. Didn't matter to me, 'cause I CAUGHT SOMETHING on a jig I made, myself !!

IMHO ... fish don't "think", they just react instinctively to the world around them. So, if something even slightly resembles something they might think of as "food" ... they're instinctively programmed to check it out. That might be giving it the "smell test", or it might be the "taste test", and it's just our job to make it look like something they should check out. And if they do give it the "taste test", we just need to be quick enough on the draw to set the hook in them. And if they're big enough to keep, take them home and do our own "taste test" .... ON THEM !!

A buddy and I did a "test" many years back ... digging thru our tackle to find the ugliest, dumbest looking, gnarliest looking jig we could dig up and see if we could get the fish to bite it, anyway. We threw some really UGLY jigs ... but they still got bit.

SO ... keep on tying & trying & experimenting with your creations !! They'll all work, at one time or another.

Have fun & Luck2ya !!