Trimming Jig Skirt Lengths : How Do You Trim The Bottom ?

[ChrisD46]

As the title states - how do you like to trim your jig skirt lengths : Cut straight across the bottom of the jig skirt or randomly cut various lengths of skirt threads off shorter to look more natural to mimic something a bass would eat ? There is no wrong answer - I have just scratched the surface to do tricks with jig skirts to make them appear more full , or thin out the skirt for a more finesse look , etc. *I thought best that how / why you cut your skirt bottoms for football jig , swim jig , etc. would make for a good topic in itself ... Thanks for replies .

[WRB]

  Silicone jig skirts.

pinch the skirt between your index and middle finger resting on the hook bend jig head pointed down and cut straight across about 1/4” to 3/8” above the fingers, skirt is about 3/4” to 1” longer then the hook bend.

Living rubber.

Same as silicone skirt except even to 1/8” above your fingers.

Hair, I don’t cut, leave the tapered hair ends as is.

Tom

[Catt]

Nuthin! 😉

[ChrisD46]

*I've watched some Elite Pros who trim a silicone skirt trailer cutting individual strands to uneven lengths with such precision it's like watching a Jig skirt haircut ! ... Always been curious if the bass notice ?

[WRB]

It’s important that you have confidence in what’s tied on the end of your line.

Tom

[Catt]

2 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*I've watched some Elite Pros who trim a silicone skirt trailer cutting individual strands to uneven lengths with such precision it's like watching a Jig skirt haircut ! ... Always been curious if the bass notice ?

 

 Nope! The bass don't care!

 

I use to do all of that but guess what?

 

When I stopped nuthin changed, still caught bass, still caught big bass.

 

But Catt how do know it doesn't matter if you're not doing it?

 

If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.

[Deleted account]

My skirts is one place where I am fairly fanatical. I don't think it's a matter of being uneven, I think it's the way it pulsates when it is shorter and sparser, which uneven begins to accomplish.

[rangerjockey]

Manufacturers leave the skirts and weed guards long so you can trim them to your liking.

I usually trim the skirt to just below the bend in the hook depending on the trailer and thin it some.

Weed guards I cut to the hook point and fan it out.

 

 

[ChrisD46]

Good tips - when I trim a weed guard down I may also remove a couple of fiber strands as well of the weed guard so it's not overly stiff once I've trimmed the weed guard shorter (just past the hook point). 

[Jig Man]

Personally I am with Catt.

[A-Jay]

On 11/19/2022 at 5:18 PM, WRB said:

  Silicone jig skirts.

pinch the skirt between your index and middle finger resting on the hook bend jig head pointed down and cut straight across about 1/4” to 3/8” above the fingers, skirt is about 3/4” to 1” longer then the hook bend.

Living rubber.

Same as silicone skirt except even to 1/8” above your fingers.

Hair, I don’t cut, leave the tapered hair ends as is.

Tom

I'm with Tom @WRB on this deal, but I like to trim just about 1/2 inch or so past the hook bend.

Happens on most every jig, swimjig, vibrating jig and even spinnerbaits

and for two main reasons.

One, I'm often targeting smallmouth and do prefer a 'slightly' smaller profile. 

Two, never want the skirt length to interfere or impede the action of whatever trailer I might be using. 

Depending on the bait & trailer, I may shorten the trailer too which makes the skirt length even more important.

YMMV

A-Jay

[Bird]

First thing I do when unpackaging a jig is sharpen the hook, trim the skirt and weed guard.

I can't speak for the fish but it looks more inticing this way.

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I'm with Tom @WRB on this deal, but I like to trim just about 1/2 inch or so past the hook bend.

Happens on most every jig, swimjig, vibrating jig and even spinnerbaits

and for two main reasons.

One, I'm often targeting smallmouth and do prefer a 'slightly' smaller profile. 

Two, never want the skirt length to interfere or impede the action of whatever trailer I might be using. 

Depending on the bait & trailer, I may shorten the trailer too which makes the skirt length even more important.

YMMV

A-Jay

I’m pretty close to this, but…I trim the top and bottom halves separately. I start by separating the skirt halves and trimming just the bottom strands to 1/4-1/2 inch below the hook bend depending on bait type/style. Then I gather just the top strands together above the bait and trim those a bit shorter than the bottom strands. I forget the exact ratio, but there is one - lol. Then I notch the top strands  so they are slightly varied in length for better flare. 
 

That’s the basic cut, as I have a certain visual profile in mind that I always try and attain. Other alterations depending on bait type could include weedguard trimming, thinning, or flaring as well as adjusting skirt count (for less bulk/smaller profile), or even decreasing or completely eliminating certain color strands to get my final finish.

 

Beyond that, I adopt Catt’s philosophy and fish the bait regardless of appearance until there is little left of the skirt - as long as it keeps getting bit 😎 then rinse and repeat the process all over again with a new replacement skirt.

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, Bird said:

First thing I do when unpackaging a jig is sharpen the hook, trim the skirt and weed guard.

I can't speak for the fish but it looks more inticing this way.

 

I buy Siebert jigs so I skip all of those steps and just fish them.  When I tied it on I'll splay the weed guard a little and mash it down closer to the hook point, but that's about it.  I like the length Mike ties at and the hooks are A1 out of the pack.  

[roadwarrior]

Mike's jigs are ready to go!

 

Grid Iron G2, Kent Craw

https://siebertoutdoors.com/products/ols/products/grid-iron-brush-jig

[casts_by_fly]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:09 PM, roadwarrior said:

Mike's jigs are ready to go!

 

Grid Iron G2, Kent Craw

https://siebertoutdoors.com/products/ols/products/grid-iron-brush-jig

I’m purple craw, native craw, and pbnj for a pitching jig in the dredge brush jig. Swim jigs in blue oyster and mudshad. 

[roadwarrior]

51 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’m purple craw, native craw, and pbnj for a pitching jig in the dredge brush jig. Swim jigs in blue oyster and mudshad. 

Try my color, the Kent Craw. I think your fish might like it a lot! I use the Rage Blue Craw as

the trailer.

[casts_by_fly]

6 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Try my color, the Kent Craw. I think your fish might like it a lot! I use the Rage Blue Craw as

the trailer.

next order then!  Already have the trailer so let’s rock and roll. 

[NorthernBasser]

On 11/20/2022 at 10:39 AM, ChrisD46 said:

*I've watched some Elite Pros who trim a silicone skirt trailer cutting individual strands to uneven lengths with such precision it's like watching a Jig skirt haircut ! ... Always been curious if the bass notice ?

If I want a more uneven look, I'll use some hair thinning shears.

 

[casts_by_fly]

On 12/3/2022 at 6:05 PM, roadwarrior said:

Try my color, the Kent Craw. I think your fish might like it a lot! I use the Rage Blue Craw as

the trailer.

 

On 12/4/2022 at 12:29 AM, casts_by_fly said:

next order then!  Already have the trailer so let’s rock and roll. 

just got my order from Mike. I understand Kent craw now. The picture on the website doesn’t do it justice. On the website the color looks like a pretty uniform drab olive kinda color. In person you can see that it’s actually a green pumpkin base color with brown and pearlescent blue mixed in. I got a couple heavy g2 to drag and I like it a lot. It would be a good muted bluegill swim jig color too here for clear water. 
 

I grabbed some bull gill swimjigs and they are also a great color.

[roadwarrior]

Hope it works out for you. Please report back.

 

-Kent

[RB 77]

On 11/20/2022 at 11:23 AM, Catt said:

 

 Nope! The bass don't care!

 

I use to do all of that but guess what?

 

When I stopped nuthin changed, still caught bass, still caught big bass.

 

But Catt how do know it doesn't matter if you're not doing it?

 

If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.

 

 

I love this BTW. Such a good outlook for fishing and life inn general. 

 

As for OP's original question, some I cut some I don't. I like to have a box of about half and half of both. Same thing with trailers. Some get full length craws, some get cut down shortys depending on what size profile I want to throw.

[Munkin]

I carefully spent 30 minutes on each jig cutting every stand to a different length.  They are then lost within 15 minutes of fishing but I know its the cool thing to do now.

 

Seriously some of you are way overthinking this! Skirt just needs to go past the hook and not interfere with the trailer. Stand count depends on what you are trying to achieve with the bait. For me swim jigs are 30 to 44 count, finesse 44 count, flippin 55 to 66 depending on weight, and heavy football jigs get Starflash skirts.

 

Allen

[Brayberry]

I’m convinced the cut matters. I take the bottom and cut even to within 1/2” of the hook bend.  Then in cut upward from the bottom randomly 7-8 times. Turn the jig upside down and trim near the hook with thinning shears. Then flip the jig again normal and cut random skirt individual pieces 1/4”-1/2” from head. Maybe 12 total pieces. Lastly I then go thru and make sure each individual strands are separated from each other for independent movement. 

[Bdnoble84]

I tie/trim my jigs and spinnerbaits different. Jigs, when I tie them i try to have just over half the tab on top and the underneath is shorter. I then trim it from 1/2 an in to 1 in below the hook. Depending on trailer, i may take more off. I also like to thin out my weed-guards so they aren't so stiff. Spinnerbaits I tie the top shorter than the bottom. I want the top to umbrella out and reach just to the hook curve. The bottom I like to be 1 1/2 to 2 in past the hook bend. I do this because i dont often use trailers on spinnerbaits and i also like the pulsing action from the umbrella’d top spirt layer.