"Paying Forward"

One of the problems we get into as jig tyers is what to do with all our jigs. Most of us that get into it tie more than we use (or lose) and most of us aren't interested in selling jigs. I get great pleasure giving some hand tied jigs away. When I'm around some fishermen and I'm catching a few, it seems to always tickle others greatly when I ask if they've ever tried any "custom, hand made jigs". Jig tiers are nearly always using something that most folks haven't ever seen, esp with the sickle hooks and new age chenille that a lot of us use.

Make people happy? Get an excuse to tie more jigs? Life is good!

Sandwich Maker,
I like your style. I get a lot of pleasure out of giving my jigs to others.Nothing like someone asking what you been catching your crappie on and throw a few jigs in there boat and they just smile and say that looks nice. I feel like jig tying is an art and sharing your art with others is a great part of tying jigs. You got to give it away to keep it !!

I do the same thing, when I am out fishing and notice a boat that is not catching or they see me catch a few and ask what are you using. I just give them a few to fish with and if I have some keepers that I really don't want to clean or need I give them the fish too if they want them. Never had anyone say no yet, LOL!

Oh forgot a little story. I met my new then neighbor that way. I was pulling crappie out from under his pier just before the dock and he ask if I was doing any good. He had pulled up in a boat so I still had no idea who he was. Told him I was doing great and just pulled about 10 really nice ones out. He then ask on what, told him on some of my hand tied Roadrunners and of course he ask if I had any more. Told him I had a few that color and I was actually out trying them. SO gave him the 2 or 3 others I had an watched him pull out 10 more on the other side of the pier. needless to say we became fast friends.

Skip

Count me in on that program as well. Nothin makes me happier than giving some jigs to someone that's not doing well. Especially kids. If I can make a
kids day better by giving him or her some successful jigs, then I've done my part for being a good guy and I've got a reason(not that I need one) to tie more jigs!! I've been blessed with good fortune and feel compelled to help
someone that hasn't had it so good. And if I start their interest in maybe tying some jigs that is as good as it takes.

It's cool giving jigs away and watching others catch fish on something you created. Once I was trout fishing and was smoking them one after another. 9-10 year old boy was fishing down a little and hadn't caught anything.He asked me what I was using so I showed him.I took another one out of my box,tied it to his line and on his first cast "fish on".The look on his face was priceless. His dad wanted to buy some but I said no.Did give the boy another half dozen jigs though. He caught a limit on them then gave one to his dad. Great memories.

Even though I am new at tying jigs..I have already given some away ....and I have also given a bunch of rods away to people, both adults and kids, who I know could not afford to buy a rod...or..just the fun of playing Santa !!:)

It is just absoleutly priceless to see the smile on their face !!...:)




MaryLou~~

a few months back i was in acadmey doing something and these 2 kids come in and get worms and hooks and then got to pay only to be like a dollar short well being the person that i am i give them the extra dollar and they buy there stuff and leave the store well i check out and go across the street to city bites and i see the kids walking across the street and since i had my tackle box i end up giiving them some like 50 tube jig hooks and a couple of tube jigs

and when im fishing if im with some one ill give them a few hand tied jigs as well cause im never going to use everthing i make so why not share the wealth :)

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Originally Posted by JUNGLEJIMJIGS

It's cool giving jigs away and watching others catch fish on something you created. Once I was trout fishing and was smoking them one after another. 9-10 year old boy was fishing down a little and hadn't caught anything.He asked me what I was using so I showed him.I took another one out of my box,tied it to his line and on his first cast "fish on".The look on his face was priceless. His dad wanted to buy some but I said no.Did give the boy another half dozen jigs though. He caught a limit on them then gave one to his dad. Great memories.

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I seem to live for those moments too my friend!way to go buddy":D

When I fish I have no reason not to help out the guy beside me who has watched me catch fish and they haven't. I want them to keep fishing and keep buying their licenses and want to be out there. Wether it some hooks, jigs, or just simple advice that helps them catch fish the more we have out there the more we have support from state and local governments to support it.

Yep, I tie jigs for relaxation & fun. I have given hundreds away. I now have folks come by and want to know what I am using. I always tie 6 or so of a pattern so I usually have an extra or two.

I have been asked too many times to remember if I sell them jigs. I say no and always am asked "why not...I'll buy some".

My answer is always the same. I tie em for fun and if I start tying to fill orders it then becomes "work" and I'm tryin to get away from that!

It is very nice to have folks tell ya how long your jig lasted and how many fish was caught with it. Don't think I'll change a thing! :)

I give alot away to. I gave a guy some jigs one time he went to his home lake and said he caught 5 keepers and he said he has never caught any keeper crappie before in that lake.

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Originally Posted by JUNGLEJIMJIGS

...Did give the boy another half dozen jigs though. He caught a limit on them then gave one to his dad. Great memories.

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Thats the best part.... You gave him six and was probably like pulling a tooth when he HAD to give one to Dad. LOL Least that would have been me when I was younger! :D


I've given away things when I can as well.
One time gave a guy an altoid can with maybe a dozen jigs inside. He was very insistent that he pay me something for them but I just laughed and said they barely cost me anything to make, if he only new the truth of my investments....:eek::D I watched him even catch a few on the jigs. :) He packed up and left before I did, and when I got back to my car there was $5 stuck under my windshield wipers.

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Originally Posted by Sandwich Maker

One of the problems we get into as jig tyers is what to do with all our jigs. Most of us that get into it tie more than we use (or lose) and most of us aren't interested in selling jigs. I get great pleasure giving some hand tied jigs away. When I'm around some fishermen and I'm catching a few, it seems to always tickle others greatly when I ask if they've ever tried any "custom, hand made jigs". Jig tiers are nearly always using something that most folks haven't ever seen, esp with the sickle hooks and new age chenille that a lot of us use.

Make people happy? Get an excuse to tie more jigs? Life is good!

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Well said Mr Tony !!

Ill give you an example of Sandwich Makers style as well.Close to 3 years ago,he and I had exchanged a few Pm's, living within 100 miles of each other and fishing a few of the same lakes.He asked for my address one day,said he had something for me to look at,and within a day or two a package arrived.I tried to go back and find the pic of what he sent,but I assure you.it was an unbelievable assortment of some of the finest custom hand tied jigs I had ever seen.Not just a few,there had to have been several hundred :eek::eek:

I had been tying some flys and nymphs in the past,but my vise had been in top of a closet for close to 10 years.I was so so inspired by what I had received from him,I dusted off my equipment and started piddling with some jigs. Few years later I really need to add a room on to the house for all the tying equipment and materials I have accumulated (thanks again Tony ),but he helped me find one of the greatest hobbies I pursue...And yes there's not much better than catching fish on something you have created,but the sharing of jigs and helping others get started on the hobby is truly a blessing to me,and I owe a big thanks to Tony for that !!!!!

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Originally Posted by Sandwich Maker

One of the problems we get into as jig tyers is what to do with all our jigs. Most of us that get into it tie more than we use (or lose) and most of us aren't interested in selling jigs. I get great pleasure giving some hand tied jigs away. When I'm around some fishermen and I'm catching a few, it seems to always tickle others greatly when I ask if they've ever tried any "custom, hand made jigs". Jig tiers are nearly always using something that most folks haven't ever seen, esp with the sickle hooks and new age chenille that a lot of us use.

Make people happy? Get an excuse to tie more jigs? Life is good!

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If more people were like you, this would be a better world. I am always giving mine to youth to get them interested in tying and in fishing. I tell them "What you are is God's gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God!" They may be "Underpriviledged and at risk" but all they really want is someone who cares! Give them confidence and tell them to take that with them all their life.

Newbie here, I've been looking around on this site for a few weeks and finally decided to register yester day. I actually found this web site while looking for Jig ideas.
Any was . . . last year when the crappie were spawning at one of the local lakes, I went out to my favorite spot to thow some of my jigs when I ran across this older gentle man. I went to my spot and threw my silver jig up next to this downed tree that I fished year before, and started pulling nice crappie out one after another. After awhile the guy comes over and askes " What you using there son". So I show him the jig, he looks it over and says "where you get it at", I kinda smile and pull some out of my box and hand them to him. I say "I tie them when I'm not fishing", he looks at me over his glasses and smiles back, while tieing one on.
A few hours pass and I start packing up my stuff to head back to the truck, the older gentleman says "For being a kid, your pretty good crappie fisherman" as he packs his stuff to head back with me. As we're walking back he's grinning ear to ear with a full stringer. He follows me to my truck and starts to hand my jigs back, I push them away and say "you keep them" as I pull some more out of my box to hand to him. He says "thank you" and starts back to his truck, with the biggest smile I think I've ever seen.
And to think I made his day and mine with just a few lil ol' hand tied jigs.

Welcome to the site Njones! Glad to see some young folks around here, gettin' tired of some of these old geezers! lol Just kidding, these are the best bunch of guys that I don't actually know... in person anyways. Can't wait to see this infamous "silver jig!" :cool: AF

We are fortunate in so many ways. We have the means to fish a lot, tie these little fish catchers, and enjoy each others company, both on and off the water. So many of those around us have the passion but, for one reason or another, can no longer go. It is our place to step up and do what has been spoken of here. If we met someone who had nothing to eat, we would sit him down to a meal. This is no different. I'll speak of an instance that happened to me a little over a year ago. I was pulling the boat out after limiting on a cool morning and an older gent and his wife pulled into the launch area and just sat and watched. After a time Dad got out and came over to see what I had caught. I lifted the lid on the cooler and showed him, and his eyes lit up like a kid in a bakery. He said he used to fish a lot but his age and health wouldn't let him any more. We talked fishin for a while and I asked him if he had a bucket in the car. He got a real confused look on his face and asked why. I said" cuz the wife will get mad if you just set some of these fish on the floor of your nice, clean car". He said "I'll go look". I'll bet he hadn't moved that fast in a while.He came back with a big garbage bag and said this'll do. I gave him half of my fish and almost had to get ugly for him to keep his money. He just coludn't believethat someone would do that. I truly made their day. He said he was going home, it was time for lunch, and had a giant grin on his face. I love my sport, and tying jigs is just another way to further emjoy it. I'm in with a really good bunch of folks, a pleasure to know you all.

im the same way i give more away then i could count see i have a job that lets me sit and tie on sat and over the years i have meet so many poeple who fish or hunt becouse of it most cant belive i will not sell them jigs but will only give them away its gotin me more then a few fishing trips and alot of new friends all so it has gotin a few me a few things like from the guy who rasies chickens tons of feather and neck and sadle hackle poeple who hunt bring me deer tails and one guy gave me a hole deer skin witch is curin as i tell yall this tons of tree rat tails and 2 weeks ago a 2 foot sq of bear skin
if you ask me i should be paying them to take the jigs