How to Paint Fishing Jigs

You can paint jigs yourself using vinyl or powder jig paint.

A fishing jig is a type of fishing lure that comes with a lead head that acts as the weight and makes it sink, a hook and feathers. Painting the head of the jig makes the lure more attractive to fishermen and the fish that are looking for their next meal. You can buy pre-painted jigs, or purchase special jig paint and other supplies to make your own.

Things You'll Need

• Fluid bed
• Jig paint
• Finishing coat
• Drying rack
• Pliers

Instructions

1. Choose your paint. Jig paint comes in a variety of colors. The bright colors sometimes feature glow-in-the-dark properties or a glittered finish, which attracts the fish in the water. The paint is available in liquid vinyl or powder form.

2. Clean your jig with soap and water. Particles on the jig make it more difficult for the paint to adhere to the lead. Dry the jig completely after washing it.

3. Heat your jig. If you choose to use powder jig paint, you need to heat the metal so the powder will adhere and melt. Either hold the jig with pliers and use a lighter to heat it, or heat it in a pan in a 400-degree oven.

4. Dip the jig in the liquid paint or powder paint. Use pliers to hold the jig and dip it in the fluid bed filled with paint. Using the dipping method creates a thicker, more even layer of color compared to a sprayer. If you decide to use powder paint, lightly tap off the excess powder in between dips.

5. Allow the paint to dry. Hang the jig on a drying rack and allow the paint to dry at least 15 minutes between coats. Ideally, two or three coats will suffice. When completely finished, let the jig sit for two to four days so the paint will set. Bake in jig in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 10 minutes to set the powder paint.

6. Apply a finishing coat. The finishing coat adds gloss to vinyl paint, but it is not required for powder paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint on any additional design elements. Use a brush and jig paint or a paint marker to decorate the head of your jig with polka dots, stripes or even add eyeballs if you want.

• If you want a two-toned effect on your jig, dip it in a lighter color first and then in a darker color.

• If you heat the lead jig too much, the paint will bubble and you cannot use it. If you do not heat the jig enough, you will need to reheat it to make the paint shiny.

• Do not paint over powder paint with liquid vinyl paint.

References

• CS Coatings: Applying Vinyl Paint
• Jann's Netcraft: Basic Powder Painting Instructions
• "Ingenious Angler: Hundreds of Do-It-Yourself Projects and Tips to Improve Your Fishing Boat and Tackle"; Keith Walters, 2001