Painting Jigs

[GCD]

I ended up preheating with a candle and dip/swish and then gave them a light re-warm to gloss and make sure the paint melted.

I baked at 250 for 25 minutes. The orange and green stayed nice, but the yellow tended to sag, all at the same temp at the same time.

The teardrops were easier than the rockers. The rockers didn't like to be preheated too much. They'd split if heated too much. I had maybe 4 of them split.. And I did the teardrops first and found the melting point on a couple of them, too. 

Thanks for the help everyone!! Looking forward to doing more. And oddly enough not much powder was used, I can do a lot more!!

Jigs look good!

As you paint more with different colors you'll find that different colors will run/drip/sag more than others with black being the worst. Paint running/dripping/sagging is from your jig being too hot when dipped in the powder (this is why I heat mine in the oven). If you still don't want to heat in the oven and have sag/drip problems you can use a piece of bent wire to hang your jigs by the hook eye so the paint sags or drips down the hook instead of the eye. I used to use Christmas tree ornament hangers for this.

One more thing, eyes on a jig catch fishermen not fish. I quit putting eyes on my jigs a long time ago and still catch as many or more than with the eyes.

[BaitBucket]

I poured a few of my own jigs this year for use while open water laker jigging. Didnt need any powder coat, etc.. Went to the craft store and bought a small bottle of glow paint and white paint. Dipped my whole jig head into the glow paint and let it dry. Stuck eyes on then dipped it into my jar of Softex and let it dry. Did the same with the white. These thing have been bounced off the bottom of lakes and rivers for hours and still look great. Softex is some very durable stuff.

They work too =)

[paper]

One more thing, eyes on a jig catch fishermen not fish.

I'll remember that one!!! 

Thanks again and there's a ton of info here and I'm sure there'll be more.. Thanks again, everyone!!! 

[Eaglecrg]

Baitbucket:  Those are some nice looking jigs.  I also tie jigs for open water lakers and might suggest one modification that I believe has increased the productivity of my jigs---add some flash to both sides of the jig.  I use Holographic Flash which comes in several colors.  It adds a reflective characteristic to the jigs which I think helps them look more like smelt.   I like your idea of using some softex.  I have some but haven't tried it in this application, but will be soon!  Thanks for the input.  I'm wondering if you have tried substituting maribou for the deer hair.  I haven't yet but am thinking about it.

[eriksat1]

To be honest I bought a bulk pack of 50 jigs but never had enough time to paint them at all. I caught as many or more fish on totally unpainted lead jigs as I did with fancy painted ones. Now I don't really know if it is even worth the trouble to paint them? I think lead grey is a good color.

[BaitBucket]

Baitbucket:  Those are some nice looking jigs.  I also tie jigs for open water lakers and might suggest one modification that I believe has increased the productivity of my jigs---add some flash to both sides of the jig.

Its hard to see in the pics, but i do have some holographic flashabou tied in with the hair as well.

[paper]

To be honest I bought a bulk pack of 50 jigs but never had enough time to paint them at all. I caught as many or more fish on totally unpainted lead jigs as I did with fancy painted ones. Now I don't really know if it is even worth the trouble to paint them? I think lead grey is a good color.

I have a hunch you're spot on with that.. I've always had a favorite for ice fishing, being a fluorescent orange #10 teardrop with a dot.. So I made a bunch.. 

I'm headed to Rhinelander this weekend and hopefully catch something on a jig I made..