New Personal Best

Wish me well, fellas:



Going for a new personal best - seeing how many jigs I can tie in one day. Not quite half way there.... a BIG order in every since of the word. 300 4th oz jigs...... all the same pattern (now that's what I call a confidence/go-to bait!!!). I know I could tie 8ths or 16ths much quicker... still will be fun to see how many I can knock out before tomorrow.

Taking lunch break now.

Woosaaaaah

Busy bee

Think I'm developing butt rut from sitting so long. Been at it almost 4 hours this morning. Need more time TESTING, not tying... LoL!

As much as I like tying that would definitely kill my like for it......

Just got another order for 60 jigs. Not such a bother until I can't catch up. I like shipping my jigs on the same day they're ordered but this is getting a bit difficult. Back to work, no time for a break now. Gonna try to finish all orders by day's end.

Welcome to the real world Jerry.

Breathe brother....breathe! LOL
You may need a "witch doctor" before it's all said and done!

Whoa!

That is a true statement! LOL Good luck Jerry!

Have only tied 20-30 since my initial post.... busy in many ways, not just jigs. Finishing these orders doesn't seem as likely now. Would have to paint 50 and then tie them after finishing 150 of these (painted). 200 total this late in the day.... my money is on the sandman.

Watching both kids by myself also doubles my tying time... Back to the races..... I'll update the thread tonight or in the morning. Personal best slipping out of sight now... hah!

Ok, gonna call in tha Big dog... Prayers up for ya brother...

And by the way, that pattern will ketchem fer sure...

Prayers musta helped out. Didn't tie for an hour after posting and then got interrupted. After it was all said and done, I was 115 jigs down from knocking out the big order 3.5 hours ago. Just finished off the last jig ... didn't get around to my other order but will knock it out in the morning. At one point, I was averaging 48 seconds per jig, which is pretty quick for quarter oz/double wrapping.

Damage for today was 232 quarter oz jigs in 7.5 hours (estimated time), with ~200 packaged now. I'm happy with it considering all the distractions and other work that arose.

That's a lot of fish in the basket right there

Nicely done. Good job.

Mr Jerry, if you get "caught up", can you post a close up pic of a single jig, please?

Let me tell you a little story. When I first started I too wanted to get them out as fast as possible and did for a while. A few years into tying for guys it got so busy that I had a 10 to 12 week waiting period and when I got someone check it was 10 to 12 weeks before I could even touch them to paint heads. That is how busy I got and it stayed like that for several years until I said calf rope, I give up and am going to quit! Will not go into all I did to slow this train down, but I have it were I want it now so I can enjoy the hobby. It got so bad I couldn't even go fishing with out feeling guilty.

It took me about a year of thinking about totally quitting, but then what would I do with all that time? SO I just slowed the train down and moved into more of a materials selling thing and still tie for as many as I can without getting over the top. I do not try to get anything out the same day! I have too many things going on for that so as long as someone can deal with my time line I do what I can. I also have enjoyed teaching some things to guys to help their tying as I sure didn't worry about any competition any longer.

So I can tell you for sure and certain if you keep this up it will not be ling before you don't love it and maybe not like it any longer and probably at some point will have to quit to help your head, LOL!

One thing that is far more important that how many one can tie how fast and that is the quality of the tie and I have a good many guys that appreciate my tying and I tie for them every year. That to me is what counts!

Skip

All jigs shipped this morning.


@Skip - I understand about getting burned out. I think everyone should put in big orders now before that happens to me.

To be serious, fishing and anything related is a tradition/passion for me and if I start to get burned out, I'll happily bow out. For now, I'm happy tying 200-300 per day and can't stress the importance of quality in my craftsmanship... Thank you for the advice, sir!

My story here....

You can find plenty of pics of Jerry's jigs on his website within the gallery. Here's a link:

http://www.jigginjerry.com/gallery/

His hand ties are every bit the quality of Matthews, if not better. LOL, I always let Matthew know about cured powder paint in the line hole...to date, I have not had a single one Jerry's jigs have any powder paint in the line tie hole. That cured powder paint can be a booger to remove.

Gman

FYI....Actually it's not as hard as you think to remover cured powder paint from the eye. I clean the eye when I paint, but some may close back up during the cure and all I do is when I set it in my vise if to tight or closed I just heat a bodkin I have and stick it though and it will melt it right out easy as pie. If you don't have a bodkin with a skinny needle then get a heavy needle of some other kind and heat it and stick it in the eye, no problem.

Skip

Tied 50 tonight, 25 8th and 25 16th for a married couple my wife and I visit when they vacation near us. Not sure their age but I'm thinking our dear friends are over 70. The husband told me about and showed me some of the baits from his fathers tackle box and some of his own favorite baits. Was really cool to hear about him growing up with a family that traveled to camp out on different lakes fishing for crappie. His entire life, he's been a minnow dunker and just the past few years, I've converted him to a jig fisherman. Tomorrow, we're hoping his wife will try to give jigging a serious attempt for her first time (see the pink jigs below)...

I got two of his Road Runners to revamp (for the fun of it/free) and threw in a few of my recent favorite baits as freebies for the order.

If Machinist (Johnny) fishes in the morning, he'll get to see all the jigs. Also - thanks to Johnny for throwing in the keeper heads for Randall's plastics (more freebies). Just love our local fishery - all good buddies, it's a blessing!

Got a few pictures up close with my phone and am happy to break out the big gun (good camera) if we need better pictures....









This was my first time to ever tie any Road Runners (know better than to sell them).... but I really enjoyed it. The first jig, I left the blade on (knucklehead move, I know - thought I could rubberband it back).... the second jig I went ahead and removed the blade. I'll try to post before and after of the Road Runner baits and a picture of a real old looking jig I'd like to see if anyone can identify in the morning.

Beautiful tie's Jerry! Love the "Disco" paint job's too! Excellent!!

Thank you, Pepop. The discos sure flash nicely.

The black is very custom and impossible to capture on camera. The rest are discos.

LOL...You're fine tying your own horseheads..its when ya try to sell them that gets you in a bind.


Gman

LOL..I hear ya Skip..I'm thinkin in the boat...10 mph wind..boats running all around..nice chop on the water..sharp hook in one hand and a hot needle in the other..yea, I'm gonna bleed somewhere.


Gman

LOL, for sure the boat is not the best place at all! Just check bait before you put them in their resting place until you need them. I do understand once in the boat it's almost impossible to clean the eye! That stuff will bust and eye buster, LOL!

Skip

Great looking Jigs!! But then, You are the Master...that have taught many of us to tie jigs...so they do not come untied.....

I simply loved your reaction to seeing the jigs I sentcha last time. The first thing you mentioned was the eye paint.

Just laughed out loud when I read your "yeah, gonna bleed somewhere" comment.

Wow!!! Knock em out Jerry!!

Just to clear this up, I open any closed eyes just before I tie it! So when I send a jig to someone or put it in my box, the eye is open. I don't think in my 11-12 years there has ever been a jig sent out with a closed eye! Just not a big deal to me how I get it open, but open it will be! I just think the way I do the ones that get missed is a good a way as there is!

Do I think you should carry a big needle out on the boat to do this? No! Do I think a jig with closed eye should ever get into your boat? No!

Skip

Skip I took your advise & have found that a small paper clip works well also, just heat it & it goes right through eye easypeesy.....Thanks...