Jig Tying 101 with Gringo Pescador!

[Mike Carey]

Gringo Pescador is an avid jig/float angler for salmon and steelhead, His jigs have put many a salmon or steelhead on to his stringer. Check out this video as he gives a detailed demonstration on how to tie his deadly rabbit-hair jig.

[BentRod]

Nice video gentlemen! You should warn the audience that tying jigs can be as addicting as fishing with them though!

[dicinu]

Good Job Pelon


I just started tying my own Jigs also it is a fun project I just need to stop working Sat. so I have 2 days of fishing I need to test them out.

[natetreat]

Nice video gentlemen! You should warn the audience that tying jigs can be as addicting as fishing with them though!

I don't know about that. When you twist up 100 a week, you'll start to miss that time on the water. It is satisfying knowing that you made your own pattern when it does hook the fish. I'm training my wife to do it for me, she's likes the crafty stuff

[BentRod]

Nice video gentlemen! You should warn the audience that tying jigs can be as addicting as fishing with them though!

I don't know about that. When you twist up 100 a week, you'll start to miss that time on the water. It is satisfying knowing that you made your own pattern when it does hook the fish. I'm training my wife to do it for me, she's likes the crafty stuff

Well, maybe if I had more time to get on the water I'd be less inclined to tie jigs, but if I can't fish, then at least I can do something fishing related!
Funny you mention your wife tying jigs....I always thought my wife would enjoy it too, but can't seem to get her interested. Maybe if I actually would bring home fish for a change she might get more enthused.

[gfakkema]

...

[oneshot]

good production!

I need to catch more fish with jigs before i can even think about trying to tie them myself.. cool to see how tho!

[Gringo Pescador]

If I asked my wife to tye jigs for me, I'd be living in that garage, not just making videos in it!

It was fun to make and I hope it helps others to get into tying or answer basic questions. With learning that basic cross cut rabbit hair jig your color combinations and size options are pretty much endless. I tied up the 1/4oz pink jig just because it would be easier to see on camera (twitching those for pinks equals non stop action), but really that basic jig style (in differring sizes and colors) is 80% of what I use when float/jig fishing for steelhead. That chanel nightmare jig at the begining of the video is another killer pattern that really isn't hard to tie up.

Just for reference, now that I've done a few (hundred) that particular style of jig, once I am set up I can tie one up in about 5 minutes. So I can sit down and tye up 10-12 in an hour. Though the cost is in buying bulk up front (paint, fur, feathers thread, flash, chenel - all in various colors, then I buy poured jigs in bulk as well) In the end, on average these jigs are costing me about $.75 each for the finished product. Makes losing 5 or 6 on the river not sting quite as much.

If there are questions about this video, other types of jigs you would like to see tied, or if there is some other "101" videos you would like to see, let us know! Next one I will try to talk to the right camera, reduce the number of "umm, uhh, so yeah" blatherings to a minimum and maybe even wear a hat to reduce the glare off my noggin

[BentRod]

....... and maybe even wear a hat to reduce the glare off my noggin

Maybe Oneshot will let you borrow his viking horns!

[chrome_chasin]

great video! I just starting tying jigs myself, admittedly it took some time to get a good looking jig on a regular basis, now I sit and tie just about every night while the wife watches some crap such as the voice or something similar. One question, do you prefer to keep the flash to just a few threads? What would you think would be to much on the flash? Also, I have started tying some nightmare patterns, I see a lot of guys using Marabou or yarn, would rabbit fur work as well? Again I am new to jig fishing so trying to get it all figured out. I have tied the nightmares with yarn or marabou but I have some blood red and black fur that I think would work. I plan on trying them out soon. but as always when trying to learn new things I find it best to ask questions.

Suggestions?

[Gringo Pescador]

great video! I just starting tying jigs myself, admittedly it took some time to get a good looking jig on a regular basis, now I sit and tie just about every night while the wife watches some crap such as the voice or something similar. One question, do you prefer to keep the flash to just a few threads? What would you think would be to much on the flash? Also, I have started tying some nightmare patterns, I see a lot of guys using Marabou or yarn, would rabbit fur work as well? Again I am new to jig fishing so trying to get it all figured out. I have tied the nightmares with yarn or marabou but I have some blood red and black fur that I think would work. I plan on trying them out soon. but as always when trying to learn new things I find it best to ask questions.

Suggestions?

Flash - kind of depends on your water conditions and/or what look you are going for. I've used colored flash in the past (black flash with black jigs, etc.), but have kind of tightened up my supplies list. Now I really only use the UV Krystal flash and put in just enough for it to peek out of the back of the tail and maybe been seen from the side when the jig is pulsing underwater. 10-15 strands (? I don't count, just take a pinch and cut) basically I use it to enhance the jig, not BE the jig. Now if you were going for a minnow type presentation or tying to specifically fish dirtier water then more would definately be better.

People define "Nightmare" differently. My definition of nightmare pattern is pretty much anything white/red/black. I personally like the one in the video the best (white head, red chanel, black maribou). Though I have tied up all rabbit fur jigs with white head and either red over black or black over red. To do it you would start the same way as the video, only the 1st fur color would be your tail/under color and you would only wrap it 1/2 way to the head, then throw some wraps over it to secure it, cut it off (the extra fur, not the thread!) and start your top color where the under color stopped and wrapping that on up to the head of the jig. Really you could do the same thing with a black or red jig head (making the other two colors your over/under fur colors) so there are lots of different combinations.

When I started, I tied up all different combinations (some in the video are 2 or 3 years old), then would take em out and fish them all, now I am down to probably about 10 patterns that I tie & use on a regular basis with only 3 or 4 being my "go-to" patterns. I still carry the others with me though, cause if it's slow, and they aren't biting, I will start switching em out rapid fire (every 5-10 casts) until I am back to the beginning (which has given me results many many times).

Another thing to keep in mind - that a buddy told me a long time ago. Always buy/tie in 3's, nothing is more frustrating than having the hot jig of the day, losing it on a snag and not having another one!

[Mike Carey]

I tied a few last night and had the video running while doing it. Made it a lot easier to figure out. I even tied up a couple nightmare patterns.

[chrome_chasin]

Thanks. I learned the hard way about tying in three's. Tied up a bubble gum rabbit fur with hot pink marabou that was getting a ton of action, only to loose it in a tree. I only had the one. Fished the rest of the day staring at that jig hanging in the tree wondering if a swim was worth it. Now, tie 3 or 4 of a new pattern along with many pics. As for the pink combos, lets say I wont worry about taking a swim if I loose another. Got a couple boxes of those.

[BentRod]

great video! I just starting tying jigs myself, admittedly it took some time to get a good looking jig on a regular basis, now I sit and tie just about every night while the wife watches some crap such as the voice or something similar. One question, do you prefer to keep the flash to just a few threads? What would you think would be to much on the flash? Also, I have started tying some nightmare patterns, I see a lot of guys using Marabou or yarn, would rabbit fur work as well? Again I am new to jig fishing so trying to get it all figured out. I have tied the nightmares with yarn or marabou but I have some blood red and black fur that I think would work. I plan on trying them out soon. but as always when trying to learn new things I find it best to ask questions.

Suggestions?

Chrome, sounds like you've got some good practice already. My advice is "Don't be afraid to experiment". Certainly try tying some tried and true patterns/color to have on hand, but sometimes the one that is a bit "different" will get the bite.
I started tying jigs a year or two ago and my first two Steelhead came on a plain black and light pink marabou jig that looked like something the cat coughed up. No one else around me seemed to be having luck that day.
My jig tying skills have improved since then, but so far my better looking jigs have not produced a thing this year!
But, I'm going to keep on tying and tossing them until they do!
Good luck out there and tight lines.

[goodtimesfishing]

Great video.
Something I do that I feel saves some time and easier to hold is, when applying the flash I go with half the number of strands I want to end up with and twice as long. Lay the strands (say 3-4 strands)along the jig, then wrap a few times with your thread. Now fold back the ones pointing toward the head and wrap with your thread. You now have 6-8 strands and they are locked in so they can't be pulled out. I then trim them down to the size I want when the jig is all done(last thing I do). Sometimes trim at different lengths, sometimes just trim them all the same but I like them to be a bit longer then the rest of the material.
It is addicting, but I have done much better on my jigs vs. the store bought by a long shot.

[TyeeMatt]

Great video and I've got it setting shotgun on my workbench as I work through my first jig on my new vise. What brand of thread are you using Gringo? Is it Kevlar??