Jigs (bucktails and metals) allow anglers to work the entire water column for a multitude of species in freshwater and saltwater. Their versatility is virtually un-matched. Fishing them is easy. Storing them is not so easy. Hence, my inspiration to develop a jig crate.
Making your own jig crate is easy. The only materials you need are 1.5″ diameter SDR PVC pipe and a milk crate. The tools you need are a miter saw, a tape measure, and a pair of safety glasses.
The first step is to cut the jig tubes. The length of the jig tubes depends on the type of jigs you want to store. I use 4.5″ lengths for my bucktail jigs and 6″ and 8″ lengths for my metal jigs. A milk create will store 49 1.5″ diameter jig tubes evenly. That’s 49 cuts! I use a piece of 2″ x 4″ stock as a guide/stop so that I cut the jig tubes at the respective length and save time measuring.
Once all the jig tubes are cut, insert them into the milk create. You can use a 11.5″ long piece of plexiglas to sub-divide and organize the jigs, like you would sub-divide a Plano box. I like to separate my surf bucktails from my canal buck tails.
Alternatively, you can use a jig crate specifically for surf bucktails (1/2 oz to 4 oz) and thin profile jigs using 1″ diameter SDR PVC pipe. A milk create will store 81 1″ diameter tubes evenly! That’s 81 cuts!! Use a piece of 2″ x 4″ stock as a guide/stop!!!
Building your own low-cost jig crate gives you a versatile storage solution. You can organize you jigs by size, color, type, or application. You can also stack your jig crates to minimize their foot print. Your jigs are versatile. Your jig storage should also be versatile! 😉
