Photos by Linda Hoff DIY Jig Fishing Lures

By Linda Hoff

What You’ll Need:

* Vise (Fly-tying vises work well, but a vise for hobbyists will do the trick, too)

* Strong thread—heavy silk, nylon, linen or even a heavy sewing thread

* Clear nail polish or quick-drying cement

* Pre-finished jig with painted head and eye, in size of your choice
(If you prefer, you can buy a plain lead jig head hook and paint it yourself with jig and lure paint. You can paint the eyes, too, or use stick-on eyes.)

* Feathers and/or yarn

* Fur

* Cork from Wine Bottle (optional)

* Scissors

* Magic Marker in your choice of color

If you have fur and feathers around the house, that’s the only other thing you need. If not, most craft stores carry a variety of feathers, as well as fake fur and even stick-on eyes—plenty to get you started.

Building Your Lure:

1. Fasten the jig in the jaws of your vise. Position with the bend of the hook and the point and barb on the bottom, and the neck and head free. Alternatively, you can hook the point and barb in a cork from a wine bottle—head and neck free—then fasten the cork in the vice.

2. Cut a 3-foot length of thread. Tie the thread to the lower end of the hook shank with a half-hitch knot.

3. Wrap the thread tightly around the hook shank several times until you reach the neck of the jig. A fly-tying bobbin is a plus, here, but it’s not a necessity. Secure the long end of the thread to your vise or workstation so you have both hands free. Coat the thread wrapping on the hook shank with clear nail polish or quick-drying cement to secure.

4. Now comes the fun part—building the body of the jig! Select a feather, yarn or a pinch of fur. Dab the top end with clear nail polish or quick-drying cement and place the sticky end at the topmost edge of the thread, just below the jig head. Release the long end of your thread and wrap it around the hook shank a few times to secure the newly glued piece in place—four or five times should do the trick.

5. Re-secure the long thread and repeat the process—selecting additional feathers, yarn or fur. Remember to dab the top end of the piece(s) you choose with clear nail polish or quick-drying cement and to wrap your thread around it to fasten it in place.

6. Repeat the process at least one more time or until you are pleased with the result. When finished, you want the feathers and fur to cover most of the hook, except the point and barb.

7. Wrap the remaining thread as tightly as possible over the hook shank. Tie it off with two half hitches.

8. If you like, you can color the thread with a magic marker or wrap it with a metallic yarn. Secure your thread by coating the entire length with a heavy coat of clear nail polish or quick-drying cement to seal everything in place. Clip off any excess thread with scissors.