I've been making my own jigs for 20 years.

I buy egg sinkers in the weight I like.

Put in a vise and cut half way open width-wise with a hack saw.

Open up with a flat head screwdriver.

I insert an Owner worm hook into the sinker.  (You can insert your favorite hook on every jig this way.)

Add a drop of super glue and tighten the vise on the sinker/hook combo.

Done.  Paint if you like.

No melting lead or molds.  Great for football head uses.

 

 

Okay, this seems like something some guys might try, but for me this is much easier: 

http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/

 

Welcome to the forums. 

Bak in the day I used rubber core sinkers. Same idea, but I could put one together while on the water. Jigs with bigger hooks were hard to come by and the ones that were available were expensive. 

 

20 hours ago, Bartableman7 said:

I've been making my own jigs for 20 years.

I buy egg sinkers in the weight I like.

Put in a vise and cut half way open width-wise with a hack saw.

Open up with a flat head screwdriver.

I insert an Owner worm hook into the sinker.  (You can insert your favorite hook on every jig this way.)

Add a drop of super glue and tighten the vise on the sinker/hook combo.

Done.  Paint if you like.

No melting lead or molds.  Great for football head uses.

 

 

              do you add a skirt somehow ?

You lost me at the hack saw.....

...but.... why?

This is funny. Can you post a picture of this... Talent..

That's actually a good idea, have you ever done it with bullet weights? It would be a nice grass jig.

A rubber core sinker eliminates the need for cutting a slit in the lead with the hack saw.  Just remove the rubber, place your hook of choice in the slot and squeeze the sinker around it. 

You might be a redneck if.....

Good idea.  Thanks.  

I've been wanting to use a stout hook with small weight so I figure I can use split shot. 

There's more than one way to skin a cat

 

Sorry some people felt compelled to make fun, welcome to the forum!!  Also, check out the Tackle Making forum, there's lot's of great DIY stuff over there.  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/9-tacklemaking/

BTW, what you are doing is probably how lead head jigs were invented in the first place!!  There wasn't always a Bass Pro Shops or Tackle Warehouse, all of these ideas had to come from somewhere and I can guarantee you, the bass have never heard of either of those anyway  

Yes they may poke fun but I've learned you can't  buy everything.  You need to use all you do have to it's fullest.  

 There are times fish won't take what you offer unless it's presented different from the norm within reason.  Small subtle tweaks on pressured water have prevailed for me when nothing seems to work for anybody. Throwing a jig together on the fly or before a trip can and will benefit me I'm sure.  Thanks again 

On 12/23/2015 at 5:53 AM, papajoe222 said:

Welcome to the forums. 

Bak in the day I used rubber core sinkers. Same idea, but I could put one together while on the water. Jigs with bigger hooks were hard to come by and the ones that were available were expensive. 

 

Those are handy!  They are a good way to add weight to a spinner bait or to make a homemade keel-weighted hook as well!!

I use basically this same method to save on tube jigs, where I don't need a skirt collar, bait keeper, or paint job anyway.  Quality jig hooks can be be had for (relatively) cheap and you can choose the wire diameter, hook size, and line tie angle you prefer.  Lots of sinker shapes to try out; changing the distribution of weight on the hook will alter the jig's fall and how it behaves on the drag. Even those fancy, expensive, 'goby profile' tube jigs are not out of reach.

A great wintertime activity for us northern anglers who aren't set up to pour our own!

I grew up fishing crappie jigs on the banks of the Mississippi river . If I lost a couple of marabou jigs then I was forced to improvise . there were a couple of times where I clamped split shot on a hook to make a jighead .