Fast and simple way to attach or change jig or spinnerbait skirts

[SenkoSam]

Last year, after using a vice to hold a weedless jighead while winding thread around it to hold a skirt, I thought, 'there's got to be a better way!'  I just happened to have some thin plastic zip ties (used for electric wires) laying around and I figured why not use them instead of the much longer process of tying, gluing, etc.  Wella! I'll never go back to tying wrapping spinnerbait or jig skirts. The zip holds a wire trailer keeper (which I came up with six years ago for small panfish jigs) and is pictured.

Here are the steps:
1. Lay out the skirt tabs (usually three) and place them into the tie that's been zipped loosely.
2. Bend a 2" piece of plastic coated wire into a small U at one end and insert the long forward under the zip, catching the U.
3. Zip it tight and cut off the end or use it as a weed guard.
4. Snip the skirt tab ends, bend back the wire and form an L as pictured.

You're finished.

The zip tie will never slide down unless you push it down to change skirts and using a new zip tie. Skirts can be reused, if not damaged or cut too short. The trailer keeper holds and holds! Swing it out/ swing it in.

I haven't tried putting a rattle under the zip yet, but then again, I'm not a believer in rattles
or a complicated color selection.

Note: Skirts and jigs can purchased from www.lurecraft.com or for a huge selection of colors, www.fishingskirts.com.

[scbassfanatic]

Being new to jig fishng can you be more specific on how the trailer keeper works? Sounds to me like you put on the trailer and then "snap" the keeper over it to the shank of the hook? Am I right?

[SenkoSam]

The wire keeper gets pushed into the plastic rigged on the shank, either from the side or
top-down depending where the wire bend is. If someone manufactured them, they'd charge
a bundle, whereas you can go to the craft section of Walmart and pick up some plastic
coated, floral arrangement wire and 50 zip ties from the dollar store and make your own.

I pour my own plastic copies of Rage Tail, Zoom trailers and pork frogs in plaster molds
and never have to worry about paying high prices per bait or running out.

[3deez]

I have been using zip ties for spinnerbaits and jigs for a while. they work great. you can get them in mixed colors to match the skirt or for some contrast.