Tying With Wire

[ipt]

I got some floracraft 26 gauge wire from

Walmart the other day. Few questions.

26 gauge seems really thin. Should I be using thicker stuff?

Does this stuff or any other cheap stuff rust or breakdown at all? What kind of wire should I be using

How many wraps should I be doing? I've done a few with wire and started with a u shape from the bottom wrapped once and twice then twisted it tight. How tight should it be and what direction do you fold your twisted extra?

If anyone can post close up shots of their wire tie with the twist off part that would be helpful!

Thank you!

[cadman]

IPT,

  I use 24 ga copper wire. 24 or 26 ga wire is fine. I put on three wraps of red wire which is my jig signature. Its all personal preference. Some guys use 2 some 3 nothing really secretive about this process. I have posted a tutorial in this forum on how I do my process. If you want PM me your e-mail and I will send it to you.

[Jig Man]

I use the wire from an old table saw motor.  I have been using it for 15 years and still have hundreds of wires left.  For some reason there are 2 sizes of wire in it.  Both of them work fine.

 

I do two wraps then pull tight taking the wires 180°.  I don't wrap any more than that as it is never going to come up done,  I cut the tag ends and fold them down.

 

Edited December 7, 2013 by Jig Man

[smalljaw]

I use both 24 gauge and 26 gauge, it works great as it doesn't add much weight to your lure and it pulls tight. As for wraps, here is what I do, take a 3" piece to start with, you'll get better after awhile and not need as much but start with at least a 3" piece. Bend it in half to form a "U" shape, now if you are tying a jig you can add your skirt material and pull the "U" shape up to hold it in place, again, this will take practice but you will find a way to do it so it works for you. Anyway, after the material is in place you will make a wrap by pulling each end of the "U" opposite each other in the direction to close the opening, the first wrap is then complete and you pull tight and then wrap the same way with each end going in opposite directions. Once you have the second wrap complete you take your 2 ends and twist them together, try to make the first twist close to the wraps and then grip this twisted wire with needle nose pliers and continue twisting drawing the wire tighter so that the skirt material is secure and can't be moved. If you understood that then the twisting part is where you need to be careful, twist too tight and you cut the skirt material, too loose and the material will move, that is something you learn with practice, and the final step, at least for me, is to cut some of the excess twisted wire off, I like to have a small nub with 3 twist showing and then I fold it over but you can also leave it and just for the excess over without cutting any of it, that is up to you. I hope that this makes sense because I have a hard time putting it into words.

[mark poulson]

I also use both 24 and 26 guage wire.  Whatever I find at Home Depot I use.

For me, I use a rubber skirt band first to place the skirt material just where and how I want it, and then wrap the wire just in front of the rubber band, tight to the head of the jig or spinnerbait.  I grab the two ends with a small pair of needle nose vicegrip pliers, and twist until I reach the skirt material.  Then I hold the jig down with one hand, and pull up on the pliers, to pull the wraps tighter.  I twist again to tighten up any slack wire, and then cut the twisted tag about 1/2" above the jig.  I use an exacto knife to cut off the rubber band, and fold the wire tag end down facing back toward the hook.  The tag end becomes an additional anchor to help my plastic trailers hold on.

Works for me. 

 

A while back, someone here posted that they use a small O ring instead of a skirt band, and just roll it off after they tighten their wire, so they can reuse it.  That sounds like a smart idea.

Edited December 8, 2013 by mark poulson

[JSC]

Tried a lot of different wire and have settled on 24 Gauge - 100 ft Steel Galvanized Wire (ooks brand..Picture hanging wire)  ... very flexible and easy to twist  .. Everyone finds what works best for them and your own method of tying ... I use the "O" ring for placement   .. easy to come off for reuse  .. use safety wire pliers for the "Twisting"  .. 

  

Edited December 8, 2013 by JSC

[Painter1]

O ring sounds like a great idea.  what size do you use to leave it loose enough to move the strands around?

[JSC]

I have an old pack of them   ,,  Parker O Rings  ... Part # 2-008   --    Sorry but that is all I have.

You can go to hardware and find the one that you think will work or buy several and find out which works the best for you.

Hope that helps a little.

[ipt]

thanks for all the responses! looks like i've got a solid method down.

[clumzy]

i didnt mean to highjack this thread...but when you guys tie your jigs with wire, is there a way of putting rattles on them?  just curious because i am thinking about tieing my own jigs too but i would like to add jigs. 

[cadman]

clumsy,

   There are two forms of rubber collars that hold rattles. The Mickey Mouse ears and the rattle strap holders. Unfortunately the rattle strap holder work better with thread tying. But you can use both in a wire tie. What I do is use either of the rubber collars as a band to hold your skirt strands. Slide everything over your jig collar and adjust accordingly. Once that is done, wrap your wire behind the rattle band. This will keep the rattle band from sliding down. You can put one wire wrap over the  rattle collar, however that does make the jig look messy, or you can stick the wire in to the collar and then start tying. If doing it the latter way be careful so you don't cut the collar with the wire by over tightening. I prefer to use the rattle strap holders and tie behind the rattle collar and leave it at that. JMO.

[clumzy]

can you post a picture of what you mean?  thanks

[cadman]

can you post a picture of what you mean?  thanks

 

I'll try to post it tonight. Just bear with me. I got three big orders I need to work on and get done. However I will get it on here.

Edited December 10, 2013 by cadman

[cadman]

clumsy,

    I will post it tonight, been busy all night last night.

[clumzy]

No rush...I just want to get an idea of how it will work...thinking of tying my own jigs soon...thanks bud!

[cadman]

Clumzy,

      What I do is I use saliva on the jig collar and also saliva on the rubber rattle collar. Slide it on and then  put your skirt over that and wire tie. Your rattle collar will never come off unless it rips. Make sure your rubber rattle collars are warm, as they will break if you try to stretch it over the jig collar. here is a pic of one of the styles I use.

[smallmouthaholic]

Clumzy,

      What I do is I use saliva on the jig collar and also saliva on the rubber rattle collar.

Try some worm oil w/ a small needle applicator. A tiny dot ,centered in the skirt collar does the trick

[clumzy]

thanks...

[ipt]

Quick question. When the wire is tight enough can you rotate it side to side like spin it around the jig head? I think the answer is yes it will slide around side to side but the strands won't be able

To move on their own.

Thanks!

[mark poulson]

I don't find it easy to rotate my jig skirt materials or the skirts themselves after I've tightened the wire.

[ipt]

yes, the skirt shouldnt move, i meant the actual wire when you are finished, can you slide the wire at all in a circle? or do you do it tight enough to where even the wire cant move

[cadman]

yes, the skirt shouldnt move, i meant the actual wire when you are finished, can you slide the wire at all in a circle? or do you do it tight enough to where even the wire cant move

The skirt shouldn't move or the wire. My skirts are really tight with three wraps. If you have a double collar jig then I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless you have certain colors on top and certain colors on the bottom and that is the way you want the skirt to stay. Now if you have a jig with a ball collar, well those are less forgiving, as the ball collar doesn't trap the skirt really well if it is too loose. I fish a Snootie a lot with a ball collar, and my skirt doesn't move or slide around.

[Kasilofchrisn]

I use stainless steel aircraft tie wire. I forget what size it is off hand.

On my saltwater jigs I use big skirts and use a wire twist tool to put them on.

I used to use a standard wire twist tool but now I use a special one called a clamp tite.

I am not sure it would work  with bass sized jigs though.

 

[mark poulson]

Cool tool!

[AKFerzy7]

safety wire pliers is what I use on bass jigs