Skeeter

I use a testors model paint brush that I get at wall mart. It is about a dollar for one brush. It is the one with the metal sleeve holding the bristles. I take a paper towel and squeeze out the excess devcon. Then I put the brush in acetone to soak. When you take the brush out, give it another squeeze with a paper towel and either use it again or put it up. The bristles will seem hard once they dry. But you can just move them back and forth with your fingers and they will soften right up. I can usually do 30 baits with one brush before I have to toss it. You can still use the brush to coat jigs and stuff. But it eventually becomes to stiff to spread devcon smoothly. Skeeter

Save yourself a ton of problem and just use a brush to apply the devcon. Trust me. Where are you in Ky? I was born and raised in Louisville. Skeeter

Find some true lacquer paint. That will hold just fine. Skeeter

Blackjack does excelent work. You will be happy with his baits. Skeeter

Another way that this is done is with the paint itself. If you use translucent paints then the effect can be accomplished with multiple coats of really thinned out paint. But to really do it right is a patience game. You have to spray a color and let it dry before you put on the next coat. If you don't have the patience to do this it will not turn out properly. You can shoot a second coat when the first coat is tacky. But if you build too much too quickly, then the paint will crack before it cures. You have to thin your paint so much that it may take 10 to 20 coats (depending on the color) before you reach the desired depth of color. Alot of the Japanese are achieving this because they are shooting on a clear plastic bait. The clear plastic really helps in achieving this effect. As far as a clear, you will need to spray about 3 coats of Dick Nite's stuff to get a good thickness or just one coat of Devcon. That is how it is done. Skeeter

Great work. You've done well. Skeeter

Sorry Dean, But I got ya beat. I am a honor graduate from the "Blades and Baits School of Painting". Harvard and Princeton cannot even match that kind of higher learning. Skeeter PhD

Individuals viewing the lures decide whether they like them or not. If there is some moron just down grading lures for grins, then he is wrong. Seems like plenty of you (myself included) really loved Fat Fingers lures no matter how they were rated. That is what counts. Skeeter

Take a Zoom finese worm in your favorite color and put it on a 1/0 hook with no weight and 6lb. line on a spinning rod and throw it. It is slow fishing but it works. If the worm is too light then put on a french fry instead. If they don't bite this.... then all of the fish are dead. Skeeter

If you are stuck on Diawa then I would go with the Fuego. It is the same real that was sold in Japan for years known as the Air Metal. Exact same reels except the Air Metal was silver in color. The Air Metal (which is no longer made) is the exact same reel as the $350 TDZ's only with less ball bearings. That is the only difference. So you are basically getting a TDZ with less bearings. Weight and everything else is the same. Skeeter

Just how much extra depth do you guys feel that you gain by using micarta? Skeeter

No. I make a U out of the wire. Put my two holes in the lip. Run the wire ends through their individual hole. Then I bend the wire back to the end of the lip. The channel is cut into the bait where the bottom of the lip will go. Since the wire runs along the bottom of the lip then it will need a place to go if you cut your lip slot the exact width of your lip. For instance, as most of us know, Bagley cuts the channel in their lip and the wire runs in that slot to the back of the lip. But what if that channel was not there? You would need to cut the channel in the bottom of the lip slot for the wire to go into. Skeeter

The one hole metheod is NO GOOD. Why? Because eventually the hole will slop out and get bigger. This allows the wire to move around freely in the hole. Make 2 holes and make a U out of the wire and put it through. Again, it is VERY important that the wire fits tightly in the holes. If it does not the lure will never stay in tune. It does not matter if you twist the wire or just run it back to the end of the lip. I cut a notch at the back of the lip and bend the wire into the notch and cut it off flush with the top of the lip. I have never had a lip pull out of one bait that I have made. Don't forget to cut a channel in the bottom of the lip slot so that the wire will have a place to slide into. Otherwise the lip will not sit level in the slot. Skeeter

The best thing that you can do is make sure that everything is straight. Body, lip, hook hangers, etc. This is one of the biggest problems that most people have. If everything is straight and in line then that will help alot. Making sure that the lip is square is another thing that will help. If you know that you have a long enough lip, then the next thing is chest weighting (loading) the bait. You have to know what you are doing and be real familiar with your bait. But it can help. Skeeter

Hard as nails is resin based. It is tough. It will take whatever you throw at it. 2 coats should do well. Skeeter

I was spraying this stuff over 5 yrs. ago. So again, assuming that the formula of DNLC has not changed,...... It will not kill your gun. It holds up well in acetone. As long as you shoot your baits and then just run some straight acetone through the gun you will be just fine. If you follow what Dick tells you, you will be just fine. Dick is a good guy... he won't tell you wrong. I have used a number of his paints. What he sells is good quality. And he knows how to use it. Skeeter

Dean is absolutely right. Just contact Dick. He is a super person to work with. He will tell you all that you need to know. I have sprayed DNLC and it is easy to do. It is no different than shooting lacquer paint. That is... if the formula has not changed since I shot it. It will take about 3 coats to get it as thick as 1 coat of devcon. You do have to let it flash between coats. It can run like paint and if you get too aggressive with the spraying, it will bubble. Just take your time and follow Dicks instructions. Skeeter

Seems like life at times does not know when to quit kicking you. I guess we have all had it at one time or another. My prayers are headed your way. Look forward to having you back at full swing KB. Skeeter

Well TU can add another member to the article list. I was looking through my latest issue of Bassmaster and low and behold... there was one of Nathans' swimbaits pictured. Best looking one of the bunch if you ask me. Congratulations Nathan! Skeeter

Well Bob....now you can teach me something. Explain the "mechanical" SV4. How does it work. All of this time I believed it was magnetic. And I will agree that the Scorp 1000 is not the smoothest of reels. There is "noise that you can feel" in the reel. I would love to have an Antares AR. That reel is the smoothest I have ever felt. But that extreme smoothness will run me $400.00. Maybe someday. The longer handle will change the ipt (inches per turn) on the reel. The speed will increase. Maybe not that much, but it will increase. But hey, I have always preached that it is the individual that controls the speed of the reel. If you fish with intensity, then it should not be a problem. Water will not bother the SV4. I have proven that to my self time and again. Of course I believe in a clean reel. Equipment performing at its peak is always a plus. But you cannot keep dirt from the reel by putting teflon tape on the spool. Water will always find a way in no matter what you do. Maintenance is the key. And regardless of how you or I do it.... at least we can both agree on that my friend. Skeeter

If fishermen are looking for the best in paint. You can't go wrong with Bobby. Congratulations my friend. Skeeter

Bigbar, Some of the Abu reels are ok. The C series are tough reels. But their performace has alot to be desired. But boat anchors weigh less than those reels do. Plus you have to have hands like Shaq to palm them. I have a EON that I use. It is a nice reel. But the sheer weight of the spool is just a backlash waiting to happen. When that reel balls up, you are in for a very long sit on the front deck picking it out. All reels need to be maintained. If you do not maintain your reels then they will not perform. Period. The Revo is ok. I have seen them. But they will never match the performance of the Scorpion. Plus, they cost more. If you ever get a chance to hold a Revo next to a 1000, then the choice will be clear. Skeeter

I have been throwing Scorpion 1000s since 2003. I use the short handle and throw large crankbaits alot. Trust me... nothing will bind. If you have that feeling in your reel, then you better fix it. I have never felt this. This short handle thing is junk. Jun has been recommending the long handle forever. If you have real big hands, then maybe you want one. But it will change the speed of the reel. They use the blue loctite on the screws when they come from the factory. They are a real pain to get loose. I put mine back together without it and they stay put just fine. The deal with the Teflon tape over the spool is not neccessary. Water won't get to the inside of the reel. I used my reels in 6 tournaments last year. 4 of the tournaments were in POURING down rain. All of my reels were on the deck. No problems. The brakes are magnetic, rain does not bother magnets. The thing that really makes this reel great is that I have been throwing them for 4 years and have NEVER had a mechanical failure. Never. Everytime I engage the clutch is works. And everytime I turn the handle after the cast it locks. Everything works the first time, every time. That is just plain reliability. Skeeter

I should have just taken them to Calvin Johnson in Greensboro. He is a Bagley expert. But I just had to know what I had. Someone here in town gave them to me for a coffin lip that I make. He has a tremendous collection of vintage crankbaits. Skeeter

Welcome to Devcon University Bug. As you can see Professor McClain is conducting todays class. Professor Tally can answer any of your questions. They are both experts in this field. Skeeter