Painting jigheads?

[Memory Maker]

I recommend using powder paint if you are fishing rocky areas ......... they don’t chip easily like vinyl paints.

[ronaultmtd]

I buy unpainted jig-heads for all my swimbaits...i caught my fish last year on them...just got another bag of 25 today from Louisiana- all set For 2021...The natural metal lead color works just fine.

[Mark]

I buy unpainted jig-heads for all my swimbaits...i caught my fish last year on them...just got another bag of 25 today from Louisiana- all set For 2021...The natural metal lead color works just fine.

I pour my own jigs and paint them with powder paint. Mostly, I like bright colors, not because I think they provide additional attractiveness to fish, but because I think they look nice. I believe most other anglers, Ron excepted, like colorful jigs too.

I made these lure boxes as Christmas presents this year. One has perch/pickerel spinners that I poured, painted and tied. One contains jigs and twister tails for perch. And one contains heavier jigs and paddletails for stripers:

IMG_4135.jpg

As you can see, lots of color. The recipient loved them and has already put some to use.

Now look at these jigs that I poured and painted:

Gray Paint 1.jpg

They're waiting to become bucktails or spinners. I did indeed paint them with silver powder paint.

But given Ron's comment, I wonder why I bothered. I could have left them unpainted if I was going to make them silver anyway.

Old habits...

[moc]

I know a guy who dips his painted jig heads in clear epoxy to prevent them from chipping.

[bignose]

I'd recommend coating bare lead with something, either a primer, or clear coat like Sally Hansen hard as Nails.
This is to prevent the lead from oxidizing.

I'm sure you've seen unfinished lead lures start to turn white and "powdery". This potentially could be unhealthy to handle.
Plus, it would help keep the lure shiny.

[ronaultmtd]

Cow nose rays, obstructions and rocks helped keep my 25 bare jigheads from oxidizing last season...I wished I had the oxidizing problem that required painting! Just got in my 2021 order (delayed a full week in shipping by the very slow Mail) of Deathgrip Jigheads from Marrero, Louisiana...and that may last a full season...hopefully, a very productive season as good as or better than 2020...

[Mark]

Since I make my own jigs and jig spinners I view them as disposable or at the worst recyclable. I've re-melted the lead and even re-used hooks on occasion. Also, I have re-tied tails on shredded bucktails, replaced the trailers on jig spinners and touched up the paint on the jig heads. Not that it matters to the fish. I believe the thumping of the blade(s) on a spinner is the biggest fish attractor. Jig spinners will work even when the trailing materials on the tails are nearly gone. That's no surprise. Some Mepps spinners come brand new with no dressing on their hooks at all.

As to paint chipping from the lead jig heads, nothing will prevent that. I seal my powder painted jigs and spinners with Sally Hansen clear nail polish. It's actually called "Hard as Nails" -- a clever play on words for its intended use. The nail polish adds sheen and may offer a little extra hardness. But a couple of collisions with riprap will result in paint chips just as sure as a runaway shopping cart will scratch your car door. Again, the fish don't care about dings on your jigs. However we (anglers) do. A lure attractive to our eyes gives us more confidence. I believe that can lead to more catches.