Lincoya

Wait a minute!! 1) KCDano 2) Beer 3) Wait 12 months Which one of the above does not go with the other two? Gene

Official Name: TU Lure Exchange Overview: The TU Lure Exchange is a voluntary lure exchange for both paid and non-paid members of the TackleUnderground forum. To Join: You must be a currently subscribed member of TackleUnderground. Frequency: As announced. Guidelines: 1.) Lure Exchanges will be conducted by category as announced, i.e. Hard Bait Exchange, Spinnerbait Exchange, etc. 2.) Lures will be exchanged for like lures in the following categories: Hard baits – crankbaits, topwater - 1 for 1 Swimbaits (hard) – 1 for 1 Swimbaits (soft) – 10 per pack – 1 pack for 1 pack Jigs – 5 for 5 Spinnerbaits – 1 for 1 Worms – all soft plastic – 10 per pack – 1 pack for 1 pack 3.) Each Lure Exchange will have a maximum of 10 participants. 4.) Each participant will make one lure (or set as indicated above) for every participant of the exchange including one for themselves. 5.) Lures will be mailed to the TU Lure Exchange Coordinator by the posted closing date of the Exchange. Size and Time Investment: This is up to the individual. Sign your work with pride, and date/number as desired. A Word on Skill Level: The TU Lure Exchange is intended for lure makers of all skill levels - it is not about how good you happen to be; it's about sharing your work with other lure makers. Beginners should not be reluctant to participate because their work "might not measure up" to the work of others in the list. Remember: we all started somewhere! Process: 1.) The TU Lure Exchange Coordinator will post a message on the TU forum announcing the opening of the commitment period for participation in the exchange cycle. Committing to a cycle means that you have (or will have) 10 COMPLETED IDENTICAL lures or packages in hand and ready to ship to the TU Lure Exchange Coordinator within twenty-one (21) days of the end of the commitment period. 2.) ALL commitment responses confirming your intent to participate MUST be posted on the forum in the Lure Swap section. No PMs or emails will be accepted. 3.) Package up your lures, with the appropriate shipping costs (indicated in the lure swap post), include three (3) shipping labels with your name & address, ship them off and you are done! 4.) When all of the lures have arrived, the TU Lure Exchange Coordinator will re-package all of the lures and mail them back to all of the participants. An Important Note: This is a voluntary program and no fees are charged other than shipping charges. By the same token, no guarantee is expressed or implied regarding the quality, size or timeliness of delivery of an exchange lure. Questions, queries, posers? Email the TU Lure Exchange Coordinator, Gene Graham, at ggraham5ATjunoDOTcom. Please be sure to include "TU Lure Exchange - Questions" in the Subject field.

All, Nathan has changed the date for the Clinton TU Get-together. Specifics can be found in the TU Events section of the forum. Gene

Pete, That's great to hear! It will be good to see you again. And the same offer that I gave you last time still applies. You're always welcome at my house. Just don't try to damage the bricks again this year. Gene

Very well said Bob! Gene

Ksredneck, If you are looking for an easy lure to start with, you might consider a topwater prop bait such as a Heddon Torpedo. Poppers are also easy to make. They can be a little frustrating when it comes to sanding the concave face though. You might also consider joining us in Clinton, MO in April for our annual TU Get-together especially since you are already in western Missouri. We can give you some one-on-one instruction and answer your questions while you are there. Plus, the food is great! Gene

Everyone, I'd like to make that you know that your wives are also welcome at the event. Gene

Someone had mentioned that they would like to see an x-ray of a DT-16. I don't have an x-ray but I do have a cut-away view. Inside the red line is the actual weight. It is molded to the shape of the lower front belly and weighs approximately 1/2 oz. Inside of the yellow line is a plastic piece that contains a hollow channel (designated by the green line) that holds a rectangular block of lead. This block is capable of moving side-to-side in that plastic channel. The second photo shows the "finished" side of the weight. Gene

If you're using acrylic paint, there is a crackle medium that you can buy at Wal-mart or most any other place that sells acrylic paints. It is applied between the two colors. As the top color dries, it will "crack". Gene

ShowMeBass, The get-together is at Nathan's house in Clinton, MO. There are two Clinton's in Missouri. Nathan lives in the Clinton on the west side of the state just southeast of Kansas City. If you need accomodations, Nathan will post that information before the event. If you have any more questions, just ask. Gene

Hughesy, Don't try! Do it! I know you'll have a good time. Deb's shrimp dip is worth the trip. We'll look forward to seeing and meeting you. Deb & Nathan, You know we'll be there. Gene

Snow Crash, Here is a cut-a-way view of a #11 Rapala Floating Minnow. Maybe this will help. Gene

Phil, Thanks for the compliments! You're too kind! Gene

When I was a young GI in the Air Force I was stationed in Montana. My fishing buddy lived next door to an old man named Virgil. He was one of the finest people that I have ever met. Virgil would water his lawn most of the afternoon so that we could hunt nightcrawlers after dark. We would be out there with our flashlights and coffee cans preparing for our next fishing trip. Those were much simpler times: rod, reel, hooks, nightcrawlers, and minature marshmellows at the start of the day and a stringer of trout at the end of the day. Gene

Milia, I have been hand carving my baits for the past 20 years. I am currently considering molding a couple of my baits (more for consistency than anything else) but it still won't take the place of hand carving. I just believe that carving my baits is what I'm supposed to do. I love the feel of the knife cutting through the wood. That's why I do other types of carving. Besides, I'm not in it for the money. I just enjoy making them. Now, if I could just enjoy painting them! Gene

Mike, One way to splatter paint is to put a little dab of paint on a piece of paper, in a jar lid, etc. Then take a toothbrush, dip the bristles in the paint, and then pull your thumb across the bristles. The more paint on the brush the larger the spots. I would suggest testing it on a piece of cardboard or other material until you get the pattern that you want. Gene

Have you emptied your moisture trap? Gene

Finlander, $4.70 is a great price compared to what Bass Pro Shops wants for it. I found Devcon 2-ton in the Nashville store a couple of nights ago for $6.99! Gene

Welcome to the site J. D. We're glad to have you here. I hope your stay here is long and enjoyable. There are a bunch of great people here that are always willing to answer most any question that you may have. Gene

I'll guarantee there's no Nathan Bettencourt blood in that baby. She's too pretty! Congradulations my friend.

Doug, Here is a link to an article that I wrote a few years ago that I put together from posts from the old "Tacklemaking.com" site. Maybe this will answer some of your questions. http://www.angelfire.com/tn/treetotreasure/lips.html Gene

I have a Quantum Accurist AC 500CX that has a "growl" in it when I'm reeling my lure in. I have cleaned it, re-oiled the bearings, and regreased the gears. It still "growls". Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Gene

Happy birthday my hard-headed friend! I'm surprised that you made it to 60 after the incident at my house.