how about a panfish jig swap

[SizeMatters]

Sounds good bud...wondering if alot of you guys who pour your own jigs do you try to paint them while they are still hot?
also about how much does it cost per jig to make your own?
Got my 18 done already if we don't have 10 guys I know I use them so no hard feelings  

Never tried painting while hot.  Usually focused on getting a quantity poured, would lose quality and efficiency by the time you get them out of the mold, cut the sprue on each and get them dipped.  Cost is less if you don't count your lead pot, molds, and time.  I find the advantage is in finding heads not usually available and using a variety of hooks in sizes and styles you won't find commercially available.  Like putting a #8 hook in a heavier head intended for a #2, etc.  I like a heavy head with a smaller hook to carry a smaller plastic as a compact bait in deep water.  Sometimes the other way around, a bigger, longer, lighter wire,wide gap hook in a lightweight jig head for a larger plastic.  Something to kill time and keep me off shaky ice this time of year..........

[perchgypsy]

Alright Rpdog is in ...thanks for the input boondox and sizematters
Trying to see if investing in all the stuff would be worth it....I'm paying about.15-17 cents a piece right now
guess thats a hell of a savings after 10000 jigs but I'll stick to buying them  by the thousands for now
3 more spots to fill
I will be the sender no prob.I'll pm address when we get ten guys or by end of next week

[perchgypsy]

And yeah put in the lead pot,lead,time and hooks can get a few bucks tied up fast

[boondox]

Alright Rpdog is in ...thanks for the input boondox and sizematters
Trying to see if investing in all the stuff would be worth it....I'm paying about.15-17 cents a piece right now
guess thats a hell of a savings after 10000 jigs but I'll stick to buying them  by the thousands for now
3 more spots to fill
I will be the sender no prob.I'll pm address when we get ten guys or by end of next week

if you shop at janns net craft they give a 10% of coupon to their customers threw e-mail  buy the lead kiln then think about size when you buy it I got the magnum melter I do weight of around 2-3 pounds and can pour up to 6 by 2 pounds from one full pot. if  no way your going to pour two pound weights go with the smaller kiln for like I think it cost $35 at janns net craft the one I got costs $55 at barlows tackle and $65 or $75 at janns so shop around and remember to factor in that discount at janns.. as for forms check hiltz molds, lilmac molds, and do it molds... there mold makers if you need a custom molds that is a machine shop that does those...   for lead check scrap yards and ebay or even talk to scuba divers at dive shops give them a incentive to make some of their dive money back and make your self some lead.. I prefer ladle off pots the pour pot every one that use them gets burned from using sub par lead and the pour spigot clogging. if your not buying scarp lead and not pouring bullets etc go with the ladle off style pot it will save you from getting burned get a small ladle of like two ounce for doing smaller jigs. I think that ladle cost about $5 and the lead kiln $35 total investment there $40 plus a do it mold that you like and hooks for mold so another $45 so total $80.... then your friend ask for some and his two friends and there four friend etc... etc.. then you start charging for $85 you could by 1000's of jigs if you own the forms you can make and sell 1000's of jigs on e-bay and to friends... then you got to obtain lead don't fall for the fluxing compounds all you need is wax or saw dust it will flux the same way as the flux compounds just save your self $10 finding that out  but really the choice is yours on how much you really need...

[perchgypsy]

Thanks for the input boondox you have a lot of good posts and helping in the decision to try it all out
thought it would be more money to invest ..I mainly tye 1/4-5/8 heads for walleye so I can see where this will take me ...Them molds are expensive ...when you get my jig heads you will see the style I mainly tye....they are made for fishing rock piles and structure....u prob seen these before ...Them do it molds are nice with the handles...I've seen some don't have handles..I've been tying for  couple yrs but am just getting I to the panfish sizes more and more....so I can see it now got to get 12 different molds to start my craze...lol

[boondox]

so I can see it now got to get 12 different molds to start my craze...lol

that is exactly what happens that why that last line was up there sooner or later you get the feeling to by a shad dart jig and use it but twice a decade lol's but still can you even find shad dart jigs on most site ? only site I know that played with them is jamming jigs for ice fishing and steel head jigs etc.... I am sure there is more but at the price some of these jigs cost is it with buying the mold for them but once you got the lead pot you usually fall for buying the form then 2 months later your not using it. that "new hot jig pattern"  form .


 the reason I bought my pot is $5 times 15 lost a year it equaled out fishing off the wall...they charge $5 to $7 for a 2# surf claw at andersons pro bait and grapentins is not much off of that.. I make them for about 80 cents $75 for the year lost compared to $57 +$40=$97 for the mold I used this mold for the last three years so I saved on average $225 for my self plus buddies that fish there with me...so you see why I own one??? they cant reuse the lead that the brass rots out on half of them that the divers find or the brass clip on point is broken that mean we got to re-pour the lead on half of them.. this saves money cause the other half are usable for time being I bought 350pounds@$130 bucks off of the divers and half of it has to be re-poured from last year...


then owning walleye jig forms and the other hot at the time jig forms/weight forms  etc... forms this save some time by cutting out the middle man but do the other form save money.. no but to pursuit other stuff you need them so your not paying $50 at the bait store every time you go in minimum... so if you spend every waking moment on the week ends fishing you got to go to the bait store 2 time that $100 just in jig head, tails, etc weights, spoons etc.. trying to cut back on having to dump money in to a bottom less pit is possible just got to weight your options and find stuff like what you use most like a 5/8 round ball head jig work but buying the 3/4 foot ball head mite only be used once in your life time so why buy it so stick with the basic stuff not the off the wall out of the box thinking stuff  that you wont use ever again keep it simple...

 if you use split shot or bell sinker that another thing to look at same with other things one weight will do the same thing as the other 50 out there so why buy 50 different forms is the point ?   like the bell sinker and the drop shot ball sinker... they do the same thing the only different is the clasp that hold them on the line so why would you need one form for each I would just buy some thing like a bell sinker it is more universal...you got to look at them that way too...  that way you save money on not buying too many forms find what's universal but like said in the first paragraph my necessity is different then yours and may out weight yours so look at it that way...  your not always saving money when you do you know it...   


     

[SizeMatters]

I pour the dropshot sinkers both with the clips and also some using  #10 crane swivels so I can tie 'em on sometimes.

[perchgypsy]

My fault guys ...lets stay on panfish jig swap topic...
3 more spots to fill
got to be a tyer or two in the Midwest with some unique patterns for some of them big  bluegills 

[boondox]

here are  the gratuity flies for the miser I tied the jig are top secret! by the way I did not label these here to give away identity  but the miser will have them!

 

[perchgypsy]

Those are of great quality boon...can't wait to see your jigs  bud 

[icejohn]

After seeing a few guys tying I am wonderingif guys would be into a swap...
say first 6 to 10 guys interested make two per guy involved
these will be made by yourself and this is strictly for fun...
so say there is 6 guys down to swap...that would mean each would make 10 jigs to swap
And if this is successful we can do it for different seasons
but for now lets see about panfish jigs
I know I'm in and if there is any input on any rules just chime in..
these can be painted up or tied with favorite patterns...or both
I'd like to put a time limit on this so we have a chance to use them this spring...how about first ten guys or end of march for guys to get stuff together...and like I said input from you all is fine nothing I am typing is firm till we see how many are in and will get jigs out..
We can have jigs sent to one member then he/she can make sure guys are in get there jigs divided correctly with return addresses to receive others products...anyone like this idea?OK who is in?
So let me say I'm in
1.perchgypsy               6 sizematters
2.rgfixit                         7rpdog
3.boondox                    8
4.big guy 13021           9
5jeffmac85                  10

Count me in I have a few of my own designs to chime in on.
Sounds like fun.....need better explaination on how this works but whatever I'm in..
icejohn

[perchgypsy]

Sounds good icejohn...whatever you need to know ask away...once there is 10 guys or end of march whichever is first we are doing the swap
after you read through the thread let me know anything I can clear up for ya....thanks for wanting to share some of your own

[perchgypsy]

You know when I first started this thread I was wondering how many states would chime in being in general...
suprise to see mainly northeast guys...pretty neat
2 more spots left...hey if your thinking about getting in on this don't be afraid to ask questions or address any concerns before hand
hope everyone enjoys this swap and this is just a start to swaps of all kinds....can't wait to tye one of your homemade
jigs on and land a couple pannies to post later in the season....take it easy

[perchgypsy]

Need some input...say we have 10 guys today how long would each member need to make, package, and send there jigs out?
I'm thinking 10 days after last guy signs up or 10 days after April 1st.whichever comes first..doable??
I'm writing up the way this is in my head (write upto follow after I recieve participants input on duration of swap)
and again nothing is firm and input is appreciated...hope all involved is satisfied enough  to try this again in the near furure 

[rp dog]

Just let me know where and when to send them. PM me with information.
 Rp