My first Bucktail Spinnerbaits

Hi . Joey

I don't know that much about spinnerbaits , though I own a few , also homemade ones .

They are not that popular over here in Germany .

I like the way , that you've tied those bucktails , they are really looking fine , maybe they'd require a trailer hook ?

But I guess , that you should probably alter the angles of the wire arms , bend the lower arm a bit upward where it exits the leadhead and bend the blade-arm a bit backward around the towpoint . In this actual condition , I think , the hook would ride in an improper position during retrieve .

Concerning the blue-tailed lure : Obviously you have employed a spinnerbody to act as a spacer at the blade-arm , I guess , any additional weight there should be avoided to help the lure riding upright all the time .

Simple , weightless spacers can be made of fitting plastic tubing(cable insulation sleeve , ear cleaners , etc.....) .

Also think , that the bigger blade should always be mounted on top of the wire-arm , not vice versa .

There is a relation between blade size , weight of leadhead and length of blade-arm , that you ought to match to , as good as possible , to provide best hook-ups . Always have these three features in mind .

Example:

Bigger blades with their higher tractive force would tend to ride behind the hook , if not counterweighted by a heavier leadhead and a shorter bladearm for less leverage backward , thus may hinder safe hook-ups .

Round blades provide more lift , they let the lure ride shallower , slim blades vice versa .

When I make such baits , also in-line spinners , I would at first make only one lure and test it .

If I am satisfied , I would rig all the rest in exactly the same manner , and nothing can go wrong anymore .

To learn more about blade-baits I recommend the book "Luremaking" , by A.D. Livingston , Ragged Mountain Press , ISBN 0-07-038152-6 , paid 16,95 $ for it some years ago .

Good success with anything you're up to , diemai

Good tips Diemai, I'm just learning so any tips are greatly appreciated. Someone else told me about the wire forms not being on a 45 degree angle, and I have fixed that. I realized myself that I needed a trailer hook and have since bought some. As for the blades, I'll have to re-read your notes a few more times to get it right, but thanks very much.

Joey

Sorry , Joey , but maybe I haven't expressed my self correctly , since English is not my motherlanguage .

Once again , you should really try to get a hold on that book , that I mentioned , maybe also through a public library , it definately will answer all your questions and you could become an expert in bladebaits with it .

Here is another booklet , that I have , that deals upon all kinds of homemade lures , but only in brief , though very informative : "The Canadian Guide To Lure Making" , by Steve Brunke , A Real Pro's SportFishing Guidebook , Code :70-02-00 , 7,95$ USA , 9,95$ Canada , www.lurmaking.com . Contains a spinnerbait component chart , also a chapter about blade arm lenghts and how they alter the lures performance .

Greetz , diemai

The tied Bucktails look awesome! As far as the other componants, if I remember right you were limited with what you had on hand for supplies and they hadnt sent the correct ones. Am I correct? If so the correct sizing as Bruce pointed out in that post and diemai did above is critical to a good bait. But keep it up. your off to a great start.

Yes, you are correct. I was limited to what I had on hand as they sent the wrong sizes for almost everything. But I have learned alot and now realize putting the additional weight may not make the lure balanced, and the blades need to be changed on some. Thanks for all the tips. I'll get it yet.

Hey Joey,

It looks like your making real progress in your spinner craft. People never like to hear this but it's true; you will learn more and remember something best if you actually get out, try a few things, and make a few mistakes along the way. One question for you, is there a reason for going with the safety-pin coil over the twisted eye wire bend? In the past, I seem to remember my line getting trapped in the coil during casting. The twisted eye will still allow you to use a standard wire leader, but the line can't get trapped. I see you didn't go with the R bend eye... those require a tied wire leader and those can slow you down changing bait.

You may want to check this link for how to bend different spinner eyes. http://www.tacklemaking.com/default.php?pageID=93