Back in the day, it wasn’t uncommon to run a jig skirt between a bullet weight and a worm for added action. I hadn’t done it in years, but remembered the ‘trick’ when tying a punch rig. It was a great way to entice reluctant fish to commit and was likely the  father of the swim jig. 
Any of you still rig a worm this way?

It stared for me back in the 70s when I use to make lures, one night I decided to stuff a bullet weight into a rubber skirt. It was so difficult I gave up after only making a half a dozen. This little trick when paired with a craw worm won me many a tournament.

 

Scott's Marina on the Texas side of Toledo Bend is a one room building, a small wharf big enough for a couple jon boats, and a launch. Scott sold Community Coffee which is the #1 coffee of Cajuns and why I hung around. He had maybe a dozen packs of worms, 4-5 spinner baits & traps. On one particular morning I notice some new lures lying on the counter, I picked one up & the little card read "Big Red's Flying Jig". Inside was the lead head of a spinner bait, a skirt, & a 3/0 offset hook with a hitch hiher attached. I bought em all!

 

This was the perfect answer to putting a skirt on a bullet weight!

Later I found Barlow's Tackle sold just the weights and then Cyclone Lures made a Slip-n-Jig.

For some anglers its how they can get a bullet weight through cover easier than a jig, a problem I don't have with jigs.

For me it's changing the profile of a t-rig, the added action of a skirt, & eliminates buying a skirt bead.

Like with a jig I use skirts with round strands, flat strands, fine cut strands, or wide cut strands.

 

I can't really explain its fish attracting abilities but what I do know is I've fished behind guys throwing t-rig & jigs and caught fish they missed.

 

Is it the bait? I don't know but it works which is all I care about!

Works for me. 

A-Jay

I use a “punch skirt” about 60% of the time when pitching a creature bait in moderate cover. Never felt the need when actually punching. 
It adds bulk and gives a different look than almost everyone else’s presentation. 
 

Another thing I do is I’ll add a skirt to swim worm..speed worm, Cut R, ribbon tail etc. The trick to those is every once in awhile I’ll pull or give a few quick turns of the reel to make it flare and then kill it. 
 

You’re Welcome 

 

 

 

 

Mike

About half the time I'm punching a worm, creature or craw into thick matts, I'll have a SK Slither Rig in front of the hook instead of a regular bullet weight.

The first Texas rigged bass I ever caught was done that way . I was being skunked and I met another guy on the lake who said he was doing good with a jig n pig . I didnt have any jigs or pigs . So I slid on a bullet weight , then a black spinnerbait skirt, a worm hook and t rigged a black Mister Twister Twin tail . I hopped it down this rip rap bank and felt the "tap" . I reeled in the slack and set the hook like a boss . That was the single most important bass I caught in my life and changed the way I fished .

 

 Now I make my own skirted weights with a spinnerbait mold like Catt described .

Improvise, adapt & overcome

i like the skirt sometimes when im fishing heavy grass. gives a bigger profile and makes it easy for fish to locate in vegetation.

13 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Works for me. 

A-Jay

Basically the same set-up I mentioned, but I use a regular worm weight not a punch weight.  I would, but I have enough specialized gear without adding more technique specific weights.  LOL  Plus I can use light worm weights like 3/16oz.