Top Fuel

Here is a brief description of my method of tying learned through a lot of bench time and errors during the time as a consuming member of this site. The early jigs were mostly disasters but with practice some of the basics have been drilled into my head.

While practicing my jig tying, searching for and finding my way for tying crappie jigs, and endless throwaways in the process, my way of truly enjoying jig tying has developed.
Some insights into my thought processes when deciding what jig to tie may be helpful.

Mass production and/or repetitive ties that look as close to each other as possible was ruled out when it became tedious and boring to do the same thing over and over. That realization became the inspiration to tie my way, that and my hardheadedness to simply do something a bit different. With that mindset and considering my preferred fishing method is using Livescope for open water and brushpiles to both catch a mess of eaters at times as well as looking for big fish roamers, my jigs are each unique with some differences even when trying to get close to a particular favorite. This way of tying is simply the way I prefer to do it for my enjoyment at the bench as well of using jigs that the fish like that may or may not appeal to the human eye.

Considering the above, here are some of the jigs from my recent bench work doing what I call building a crappie jig.

This one is being called Top Fuel and was made today:

Attachment 424777

This jig is 3/16 oz and 3" OAL with #1 hook.
I've been trying to get good at creating thread bodies as well as adding multiple colors in the same collar for variety of choses for color picky crappies.
This jig will be used mostly for single pole flipping in open water for larger fish.

Another one:

Attachment 424780

This multi-colored hair jig is like the one used to catch my PB crappie while picking through a brushpile:

Attachment 424781

Here more examples from my jig building hallucinations for the last 2 days:

Attachment 424782

And more from the last few months:

Attachment 424783

As you can see, these are not what is usually seen in tackle boxes.

Letting my imagination run while visualizing my version of what a crappie should eat, this free-style way of tying has really made my bench time and fishing even more enjoyable. It's great fun to try the various frankenjigs on the fish and weed out the failures while taking note of the ones that work for future builds.

Bucktail has proven to be very effective for my ways of fishing and has become my favorite material to use. Adding various types reflective material creates other variables to the creation and individuality of each jig.

Some Bucktails:

Attachment 424784

On the wild side:

Attachment 424785

Multicolor:

Attachment 424786

The menagerie:

Attachment 424787

The laboratory:

Attachment 424793

As you can see I have gone off the deep end with this jig tying/building stuff.

So far, my creations have worked well for the most part, some better than others, but they were all part of the process of finding my way.

Sitting a the bench and making individual jigs that are guaranteed not to exactly duplicate another has truly let me enjoy the entirety of crappie fishing. I'm either fishing, getting ready to fish, or making jigs and my current excitement about fishing is about as high as its ever been.

Hopefully this explains some of my learning experience and efforts to do it my way. There's still a lot of improvement needed, especially with thread collars and overall neatness, but there's a solution. Build more jigs and fish as often as possible to test them all. Problem is, there is not enough time to try all the different ideas, but you can bet I'm on the water every chance.

Thanks to all the contributors who have helped me along the way.

Very nice. I especially enjoyed the one captioned multicolor. That one would catch pretty good down here.

Yup same here multicolor would be pretty good. Glad you’ve found your groove and the enjoyment and addiction that is jig tying. And your right, keep tying and fishing every chance you can.

Great looking ties

Look well made and sturdy, rezz. Should be great fish catchers!
Bob

Very nice ties and tying table, thanks for sharing

Thanks everyone.

After getting my chores done there's a few new additions. You can't have enough crappie jigs after all.

Then again, you know it's bad when you know you don't need any more jigs, storage is getting to be problem, and you still make more!

Going fishing tomorrow, supposed to be a sharp pressure drop starting about 10 a.m.
Go'n give'm a try.

To me that is what tying is all about, enjoying it is the key and then practice makes you better at the craft. Experimentation I was all about that for years and still think of things to try different.

That's why I made this Mayfly jig.

Skip

Attachment 424934

Nice jig, I'm making notes!

Yeah, sitting at the vise and not knowing what to tie is the fun part now. Decide on a head and go from there.
Most of the time I simply don't know, and if it turns out nice, maybe try another 'something like' it.

I'm getting better at the duplication now but still change my mind in the middle of tying and do something different than the first one, intentionally or otherwise.

If you have the major features covered the minor changes are for the times when something a little bit different may be needed.

Fish were biting good today on shallow cover 4-6' and most were caught on a green bucktail.
Water temp 62-64.
Quite a few had beautiful black markings so the time is getting right and the lake is good and stable right now.
Nice keepers but nothing big. Let them all go for another day.

It will come Rezz as you keep trying. To me it never gets old trying new things. I have jigs I go back to alot but you just never know when you'll stumble on the magic one on your water. I tied a orange head and orange feather tail with a black thread collar. It was awful to look at but one afternoon late I got into a mess of nice fish on that jig. Never had the same success with it again but I always have a couple with me to try from time to time. Keep up the good work sir.

Thanks Grumpy.

Here's an example of what I was referring to :

Attachment 424963

Started by picking an 1/8 oz head, no collar in yellow. Used pink bucktail and lavender flash. Used black thread to start and make rear collar, then switched to red thread to add more color.

Then, switched to chartreuse head with black flash. Used red thread and no rear collar.

Last, white head jig with collar, nipped the barb off, started with black thread, used chartreus flash, switched to red thread and made black and red rear collar, black chenille body with red from collar.

I have 100% confidence in all 3 but the differences may be what triggers a fish to bite.

Pink bucktail has been a really good material for catching.