Step 1.  - Make a tail  Cut a 4 inch piece of stiff mono and insert it in your vise.  The jaws will crush the end and leave a nub that will help to retain the tail later.  Leaving a long (6 inch) tag end, wind 5 loops of monocord tying thread onto the monofilament right at the base of the vise.  Snip off a section of bucktail (add some flash if you like) and, holding it against the mono, affix it with 10 to 20 winds of thread.  Finish by using the tag end to manually tie it securely to the mono.  Add a drop of Zap-a-gap over the thread.  Trim the excess hairs off the apex of the tail, creating a hydrodynamic profile.
	Step 2.  Attach tail and rattle After the glue has dried, measure the tail against the jighead and cut it to the desired length.  As you did before with the tied end, now insert the bare end into the vise to crush it and form another retaining nub.  Insert the hook end of the jighead into the vise and anchor the tail with a few loops of thread in behind the nub.  Hold a rattle in place on the hook shank and tie it into place, further fastening the tail's monofilament, using 25 to 50 winds of thread.  Apply the Zap-a-gap so that it flows onto and between the threads, locking rattle and tail into place.  Allow to dry.
	Step 3. -  Add  upper body and flash Snip off a large section of contrasting color bucktail and apply it to the upper part of the jighead.  Secure the upper body section with several winds of thread.  Add strands of flash so that they trim the left and right sides of the upper body.  Secure with thread and then seal into place with Zap-a-gap.
	Step 4.  - Add lower body and trim Turn the jig in the vise and repeat the process above using the contrasting color of bucktail for the lower body.  Distribute the strands so that they drape both sides of the hook.  Wind thread to securely fasten all bucktail and trim, then glue carefully with Zap-a-gap.  It won't make your jig piranha proof, but it will hold up better and last longer despite a good pounding by hungry peacocks.

Colors - A wide variety of colors can be effective, depending on water conditions.  Natural colors, such as olive and white, black and white and lightly shaded, less contrasting patterns work well in clear and very lightly stained water.  Darker black-water conditions call for brighter colors.  Red and yellow, red and white and chartreuse with plenty of bright flash are more readily seen in water with lower visibility.   The onboard rattle further helps the jig get noticed in these conditions.  Don't be afraid to experiment, but keep water color and clarity in mind.

Hooks - The wide gap, 5/0, extra-strong hook is a critical component.  If the hook gap is not great enough to get around the fish's jawbone, the point will embed in bone and is unlikely to penetrate to the barb.  Additionally, the resulting position will provide enough leverage so that a big, strong fish will readily straighten the hook.  Any 1/2 ounce jig head with any hook will catch the little ones, but bigger fish will make short work of mediocre hooks and hardware, often leading to a serious case of angler heartbreak.

Material - Another key factor is the use of bucktail.  There are many synthetics available that are often easier to tie and less expensive to buy.  Resist the temptation.  Real bucktail is a unique, hollow fiber that imparts an all-important natural pulsing motion to the jig.  It's well worth the minor extra effort and expense it incurs.

Complete jig building kits, including all of the tools and materials specified, are available from Tackle-box.net..