Thread: Jig Producers

Who is closing?

Russell Gates aka Gates Custom Jigs is quitting the Jig business. Going to fish more instead of work all the time. I guess he’s Retiring opposed to going out of business.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you produce a good quality product it's hard tedious work. Usually a 1 or 2 person operation. Absolutely no profit margin in it. People want a quality product at Walmart prices. To much hand work involved to make a living at it without working 7 days a week 20 hours a day. I make enough a year to shake my head in wonder at some of the prices these guys sell their product for. I know what supplies cost and I see guys selling jigs for the price per hundred that I pay for 100 hooks and I know they can't buy them that much cheaper than I can. Then you have electricity, lead and paint without labor. Plus bladed baits involves more parts and added labor.

The biggest problem in the tackle industry right now is getting hooks.......they are hard to get right now no matter who the hook manufacturer is. When you do find them there is a quota or limit on quanity.....plus the prices are jacked up on them. Pico finally got some hooks on order yesterday.....a lot of tackle manufactures are having trouble getting them. May have something to do with sanctions etc on imports.

Government Reg's,non lead,Mustad jig hooks #2 black/nickle 121.00 dollars a thousand,"12 cents a piece,got to have more money coming in "paying bills",than going out,Wal-mart,Ebay putting small bait shops,small shops, out of business!!,Lots of DIY jig makers, Good times for the DIY jig maker.Our TWOCENTS. Ordered 1000 matzo # 4 jighooks,supplier was out,The most used jig hook #4 out of stock in January!!! Whats wrong with this picture!!

What is the deal with ponyheads being sold? I know blakemore holds the patent, but have had folks say they CAN sell them, legally.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

With a license from Blakemore you can tie jigs on their head and re sell....i only know of two people with such a license ....both are c.c members.
Blakemore has a trade mark not a patient the way i understand it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

The last time I bought, hooks were $5 per 100, had to buy 5,000 to get the price down to $4 per hundred. 10,000 would bring the price down to $3.75 per hundred. I could buy unpainted jigheads for $6 to 7 per 100. Using these small molds they have to be the right temp and the lead has to be mixed just right or get a few that have to be cast again.
At a Nashville, TN boat show there was a guy sat up with a small table with 100 count bags of jigheads $6 and 7 depending on size. We got to talking, he had a spin cast machine and could cast 200 at a time. Same size for all of them. It took over an hour to load the hooks by hand and secure the mold. Had to heat the mold and lead before the cast. He wasn't making any money just a hobby that was taking away from his fishing time. I picked out a few bags and was figuring out the total in my head when he gave me a price. When I got to the house I figured I got the small heads for $4.50 and the large for $5 per hundred. We had a free pass for the next day and planned to buy more, he or his table weren't there.