Going to try my hand at it

I've spent the past few days going through 90 pages of old posts (still have a few pages to go), and gathering some info to take a shot at tying some crappie jigs. I did order the advanced kit from Cabelaa, and am aware it isn't going to be the best quality of tools, but it will get me started for a small investment. If it's something I'll continue to have an interest in, I'll just upgrade them as I go.
You guys do some amazing stuff, and thanks for sharing your experience. As another one new to jig tying, I'll likely be calling on you guys for help Thumbs Up Have stuff coming from Cabelas and Crazyangler, should be here in a week or so, and I'm looking forward to getting started.

Welcome to the addiction. What you ordered will get you going just fine, and like you say, you'll upgrade as you go. The ceramic bobbins take a lot of the frustration out of it. Patience is the one thing that will help the most. We all made textbook mistakes, and took the razor to a few along the way. Lots of fun, and very satisfying when you thump them on your own stuff. Keep us posted, and save some of your first ones to look at a year or two from now.

Welcome to the addiction and one thing to remember, if not sure ask and someone will help I feel sure. It's a great hobby and one you can do a very long time. Just wish I hard started 40 years earlier.

Skip

It is addictive. I started with bigger jig heads to make it a little easier on me. Now I'm trying to move to 1/8 heads.


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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes addictive is not strong enough word IMHO. I thought I had a lot of stuff and I do, but I spoke with a guy (will not say who) that just built a 1000 Sq, Foot Building next to his house for his tying. He also said he had so much in capes and saddles I will not even say how much, but I figure we could add everyone on this site that ties and add all our stuff together and it wouldn't even come close to touching how much he has. I do believe he was shooting straight too because of who he is. Lets just say 7 figures, LOL!

Skip

I did forget to include a few ceramic tipped bobbins with my order to CA, but added them later. I'd read enough to gather they (ceramic) were the way to go. lol, I'd say your buddy isn't "addicted" Skip....he's ate-up! My set-up/area will need to remain small (space restraints), and will need to be something I can pack into a tote when not being used. Gotta admit I've generally been a live bait fisherman for crappie and 'gills, so increasing my jigging time for crappie (from the current 20% of the time or so) will be a learning experience as well. The hard part I think is going to be waiting for things to arrive in the mail!

lol We all said when we started we was going to start small... 100s of skeins of chenille and 1000s of dollars spent, Im still buy things lol

I know one thing and that is the first time you catch one on your own jigs you will be hooked deeper than that fish, LOL!

My friend has a big time job in the industry so it kind of fits in. Me and another friend that has been tying for over 50 years are just to the border stage, LOL!

Skip

To help keep things under control the wife bought me this desk from Cabela's. Flop the lid and instant clean up.

Welcome to tying NeonMoon, this is a no ending hobby or I should say way-of-life :rolleyes: as it will take all your spare time you can give it. Like was already said once you catch your first fish on your own jig you will be a lifer!Hands Clapping

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Originally Posted by skeetbum

To help keep things under control the wife bought me this desk from Cabela's. Flop the lid and instant clean up.

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Very nice tying desk Skeetbum. Thumbs Up

Very cool Skeet, I like that!

Thanks guys.

Yep, nice set-up Skeet! I live in an RV, so I won't have room for much of a set-up, and dedicating a specific area to tie is definetly out of the question for me. I may do something like an "artist" uses, like a larger/flat suitcase and arrange it so it can be my entire workspace/table. As long as it wasn't windy outside, I could even set outside and tie. Imagine being on the lake and not having a particular color/pattern the fish are hitting. I could just go back and tie what I needed, and head back out on the water armed to do battle Thumbs Up

Acording to tracking numbers, I should have my Cabelas delivery by the end of the day today. Not bad since I just placed my order on the 7th.

I have a few questions while I'm typing: Those sickle hooks...are they that much "better" than regular hooks? I'm through about 130 pages of the older posts here, and thought I'd seen mention of a problem with some of them breaking. I assume that's been remedied?

In regards to tying "proportions", I'd also seen repeted mention of body-length, and tail length. The tail-length I can see adding to the posibility of short-strikes. Is body-length (stopping at the hook point) strictly to allow for more open hook gap, or is there another reason?

Lastly (at least for now), is there any "do's and dont's" as far as what types of materials to use on a jig, or is it open to personal taste (well, maybe the fish's taste)?

Welcome neon have fun with it!

Thanks Donald! Well, dad just dropped-off the Cabelas stuff. I asked him if he knew what was in it (because he loves to fish, though we don't get the chance to go often) and he said "it must be marshmellows no more than it weighs", so when I looked at the box I knew I didn't get the entire order. So I just looked at the email I got, and sure enough I'd missed they sent it in 2 shipments, so the balance of the order (everything but 1 bag of maribou and assortment dispenser of chenille I got today) will arrive tomorrow afternoon. So much for gettin' my fingers fuzzy tonight...sniff-sniff :p

Well, I picked-up some odds & ends today while I was out, then stopped by Dads about time the Big Brown Truck generally stops by there, so I got the rest of the Cabelas order today, as well as seeing what Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabrics had to offer.

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IM003819.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IM003820.jpg

I tied a few not really paying a whole lot of attention to color scheme, just giving it a go at the process. LOL, I've got a (long) ways to go Rofl I took close-ups, but they were so blurry they wouldn't have done any good to post, so I'll save you all the migrane from looking at them. I'll slow-down a bit and concentrate on color pattern and wrapping things. Shouldn't be long before I'm up to mediocre Hands Clapping I guess I'd failed to order any floss/thread, so these were tied with sewing thread. Looks like I need to place another online order...may as well get some other materials while I'm at it..


http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IM003832.jpg

welcome to the addiction! good job,those jigs will catch, so toss em out and give em a whirl.

Look good for your first ones and yep I bet they will catch fish!

Just have fun with it and let your mind go where it wants. I suggest looking at the Class at FAOL and reading/studying it really well. Makes no difference if it's flies, the materials still tie in the same and good ides can come from them. Start with the beginner stuff and later move on to the intermediate and then finally advanced. He did an awesome job with this and when watching videos on youtube you never know if they are right or not, some are very good, but this like is right and easy to see and understand.
Beginning Tying

Good Job,

Skip

Funny you guys should mention that ("they'll catch fish"). Generally, Thursday or Fridays, my dad (who's 86) and I go out for lunch, maybe run around a bit while his wifes daughters take her out for lunch (she's in poor health, so dad seldom gets a break). Today while eating I asked if he wanted to take a short ride to check-out a small public pond next town over. He said "sure, but let's stop and grab a couple rods on the way." (Dad loves to fish).

So I grabbed a rod and the box containing the few jigs I'd been tying, then stopped by dads for him to grab a rod. Got to the little pond which they've let grow over, and there was really no spot to even cast from. It's a small pond, and loaded with small crappie, gills, and bass, but it's a place to go if you just want to fish and not care about size or keepers.

I tied-on one of the jigs I'd tied (not one pictured above, was a 16th oz with brown chennile body with a couple flashy legs), and had one run that lasted about 2 seconds. That was it. So we headed into town to fish at the park. Not a place I'd plan to go to catch fish, but we were 3 minutes from it anyway, and I know dad was just enjoying being outside. The pond was signed "No Fishing Today", nit sure why, but we fished the creek across the street (was the local swimming hole "back in the day"). Long story short, I caught a 6-7" crappie on one of the jigs I tied, and dad caught 2 small gills on a beetle spin.

We were headding back to the van when a guy stopped us and asked about fishing there (he just wanted to talk fishing I think). Anyway, he was going to fish with his boy at a place dad and I fish, and proceded to tell us where they were catching large gills at in the past. Now Dad's all excited about going again, and checking-out that spot. I told him I may take the bus over there for a week, that way he could come anytime he could get free.

On top of all that, got my CrazyAngler order in the mail.....spent time with pops, got to fish a bit, and got some new toys in the mail. Now if I could just hitt the lottery Hands Clapping

Great to hear! nothing is better than spending time, and creating memories with the family. It feels goog to catch fish on something you created. I think it's safe to say that your TRULY HOOKED now.

Good story and I bet good time and well spent with your dad NeonMoon. I think there are a lot more coming from you! Enjoy this wonderful hobby and have a lot of fun fishing as well as tying.

Skip