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I see guys selling jigs for a dollar each or even less and I'm forced to wonder - how many jigs must they be able to turn out per hour to make it worth selling them? I haven't actually timed myself, but right now I figure I could do around 8 decent jigs in an hour. At that rate I can't see it being worth trying to sell them.
So my question to everyone - how many jigs can you tie per hour?
So are the are the woes of a crappie jig tyer. Pouring crappie jigheads is close 2nd.
"Worth" comes from the enjoyment or needing a bit of side money where you don't mind making under minimum wage if you're doing something you enjoy. Most folks won't pay over a dollar or so for a jig no matter what you do to it, and it's understandable after a morning of fishing deep in brush.
5-10 per hour is probably normal for the average recreational tyer. I could easily do more if I felt the need but I don't enjoy it when rushed. You can get them done pretty quick if you're doing a dozen or more of one color and have everything set up and ready to go. Stopping to change colors adds up quick.
Don't forget the time also spend on pouring, painting, and curing, plus excise tax.
It's been said here plenty before - you're not gonna get rich off tying crappie jigs. But if you love it, go for it!
Skip has a video where he shows how to tie one. You can see smoke flying off his norvise from the speed...:Rofl. Realize he has everything already prepped and ready to go. I too have often wondered this but I think most do it for the enjoyment rather then money.
I will stick to my job.
You have to love doing it. Your not going to make much money.
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I can’t remember where in our site it read it, but I think it runs very true...
The best way to make a little money selling jigs is to start with a lot of money.
Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
SuperDave made comment of my little video and it is important to understand I have everything ready. I didn't think this would ever be seen really as it was a test to see if my camera would do well with a video. Anyway here it is and I will also tell you the first thing I do when I have to tie some jigs. I pick what color is the chenille and get it out, see what the tail is and get that color out. I have each color in a ziplock bag and inside that are a few more bags, one has left over V's, one will have the butt end of the feather after I have cut what I wanted. So I get that out and take out one feather for each of how many tails I need. Then I cut the tips and V's and after that is done it tying time, So it depends a lot on how many of that color I need as to how long that takes, but it's not bad really. Then I take a tip and lay it on my leg, then 3 tips and stack them on top of that tip. Then I pinch the tail and tie it in like this.... YouTubeQuote:
Originally Posted by Lazy Cody
The video is right at 1 mim and 20 seconds and the last 10 seconds are us trying to stop the video, lol!
Can tell you for me and my way the max when I was tying a lot was about 120 jigs a day. I didn't keep going at night! Now I can also tell you there are jigs types and styles that I personally could tie a good many more per day than my 120. Like the original Gray Ghost, the way it's tied, especially the no flash and no tip tail I believe that 120 per day could have gone to something like 180 or more especially one color and not needing to change colors. Changing color just means a little more time taking out and putting up bags of feathers and chenille.
Just for example to show how many ways time can be cut tying. Take the way I put flash on a jig, I cut the flash to length and keep it in a little box so I take one strip and tie it in making sure to have the curve of it curve to the inside and I want it on the side, something like a lateral line. Then I flip the vise over and do that again for the 2nd side. Now some guys just take a longer piece of flash and trap it with their thread in the middle and fold it over to make 2 strips on the tail. That is much faster and also not one strip down each side and not all curving in. Anyway it's all a matter of how you want your jigs to look and also not come apart after just a few fish.
Oh and even with that number, it's not fun any more when selling jigs turns into big issue and still there is no real money in this for selling hand tied jigs! You better just enjoy it and not get into the grinder, it's way different now too! Just not worth it unless your having fun!
Anyway hope that helps!
Skip
I love tying jigs and making spinnerbaits. I used to see how many I could do in a hour. Now, I go slow and enjoy. I make up hundreds a year and give away to my friends, for the fun of it, A great hobby and time manager. I do not see how I could make enough money to sell. But - I am retired and use lure making as a tool to pass the time, between fishing trips.
You have the best way going!Quote:
Originally Posted by trypman1
Skip
I must agree 100%. Winter is a long boring time up north. Jigs, flies and spinners for everything from musky to panfish keep my retired brain working. Friends and relatives get my overstock. The only thing I ask in return is feedback, positive & negative. For me it is a great hobby.Quote:
Originally Posted by trypman1
Like Skip said, the flash is what slows me down! If I have my materials all laid out I can crank out a couple doz an hour pretty easy. That is to say I have a good meal in my belly, the wifi is good so I can listen to Willie and Merle and I have a couple cold ones in Koozies on my work bench!
I don't sell them. I hardly even fish with them! But I keep my buddies stocked and really enjoying sitting in the shop alone after dark
I have really enjoyed tying jigs and then fishing them. I have given some to my buddy who just started this last year fishing and he usually used tube jigs and has learned how much more durable hand tied jigs are. He is wanting me to make him more of one pattern he has had good luck with. This makes me happy, now I know what to get him and his wife for Christmas....lol.
Well it rained all day Sunday and I worked on jigs. 96 in 10 hours, all my stuff was out and ready the day before. That does not take into account that I poured , painted and baked the day before for over 8 hours. Even my old brain can figure out that there is no profit in it, just the addiction and thump at the end of the line. I love it all and don't want rushed, even a little. Schedules went out the window when I retired.:cheers2
I just tied 7 jigs in 13 minutes. The flys and dog were driving me nuts in the garage so I went back in the house!
I tie for me and my dad and have no intention of selling them. I figured pretty much what y'all are saying but started to wonder after I've seen several people advertising hand ties for sale. I usually tie in flash, and that doesnt even take into account the pouring and painting, definitely a labor of love.
If tying for yourself you can have it exactly the way you want it
i can tie maybe 7 in a hr..as far as making money at it..nahhh i do it for shooting docks, and give away a few to people
I pour, paint, tie, sell, and give away jigs. I used to tie flies and sell to regular customers and some on the internet. I only made money on the materials. Most of the time I can tie better than 25 to 30 an hour, but you still don't make anything on your time. For me it's something to do and make back the money I spend on materials. I just bought 3000 hooks and will spend the better part of a day pouring and cleaning up the heads. If i sell them unpainted I can make a little money but not much. If I sell them painted I can make a little profit on materials. Same if I sell them tied. For the most part it's not profitable for a one man operation to start for scratch and sell a finished product, but It is very satisfying to know your product produces enjoyment for someone. And maybe even a smile.
A labor of love
Interested in buying some of your jigs text me back