Skeeter

Spray white lacquer paint on it. It will stick. Then you can go from there. Skeeter

Muskie magnet, I understand, what you have to say is a valid concern. The alliance would probably not be rating baits as to how they catch fish. Only the craftsmanship and materials that was used to make the bait. They might also rate the action of the lure. I really don't know. But it seems to me that to ask the Alliance to put up the money to take submitted baits out on the water for fish catching evaluations would be unreasonable. If a person makes a $200.00 bait and he wants it rated by the Alliance, then he would have to caugh one up. The Alliance would not solicit baits from baitmakers. The baitmakers that send their baits in obviously want their baits evaluated by the Alliance. It is not the fault of the Alliance that he has decided to make $200.00 baits. I agree, but I don't know how the Alliance or anyone else can guarentee that this does not happen. But if the Alliance started to receive alot of complaints about a lure for the reasons that you mentioned, then I would think that they would just purchase one on the open market and do some more testiing. I think that too many folks are looking at the Alliance like it is some kind of "Iron Clad" guarantee against all things bad. I don't see how that can happen. But, it can clean up alot of the garbage that is starting to plague our craft. Setting some standards is better than setting no standards at all. Skeeter

You have said it better than I ever could Tally. Every last word. Excellent !! Skeeter

jaime, Let me tell you and everyone else that is against this rating thing where I come from on this subject. I believe that a rating system is a good thing. It is too easy for someone to say that they are a master bait maker or master carver and charge alot of money for nothing but garbage. Good handmade crankbaits are expensive. If I put out $18.00 for a crankbait and got nothing but garbage, then I doubt if I would buy another one. Those that work very very hard at their craft deserve to have their good name protected. Through the Alliance customers can check out a craftsman before they make a purchase. They can do some home work and make an informed decission on who they buy their bait from or who does work for them. Your darn right that the tallented craftsmen of TU proudly display their work. They put countless amount of hours perfecting their skills and their baits. Lord knows how many failures that they have endured, along with the amount of of money that they have invested in tools, power equipment, paint, etc. And lets don't forget the amount of time that they have spent reading also. These hardworking craftsmen don't deserve to be taken down by some clown that comes onto the site, reads some material, turns out garbage, and calls himself a master craftsman. There are some crankbait makers that have been doing this for a long time that don't make baits worth a crap either. How much time do you think that Art Brush and Coley spent on learning about foam. Then they unselfishly share it with all on this site. How many folks do you think learned from me and Blackjack on making wooden crankbaits? It took Blackjack and I years and alot of hard work to learn what we have. I have never heard Tally refuse to help anyone on weighting their crankbaits. And LaPala has put up pictures of his work and always shared everything that he could with the community. And lets don't forget folks like Cullin8s and Blaides and Baits that have answered Lord knows how many questions on how they paint. This does not include many of the other excellent baitmakers that I have failed to mention in this post. I always talk about crankbaits because that is what I do. But I have in no way forgotten the many tallented spinnerbait makers and plastic pourers on this site. This is why I buy my own personal takle from TU members. There is no company that can make a bait better than TU craftsmen. There has already been talk that there will be a division between those with a tax ID and those that do not. I think they call it professional and hobbyest. That would make me a hobbyest. That is what I am. I accept that. But I expect the Alliance to protect my good name along with good names of those that have worked so hard to establish the recognition that they have earned. I will stand behind that any day. Skeeter

Blades, The ones for the test are done except for inserting the lips. That will be done this comming week. I have some new deep divers that I will be sending for the auction. I have been using this new bait for the entire summer. I haven't even sold one of them yet. And I am not sure that I will for some time. Skeeter

Take the back red casing off of the air brush when you shoot. This way you can have access to the adjustment knob for the needle. Skeeter

It does not matter to me how the lures are sold. I will leave that up to the organizers. Whatever they feel is the best way to auction them is fine. The main goal is to get the maximum amount that they can bring so that the money can help our neighbors. I will get them together and send them out this comming week. Skeeter

I would be willing to donate 6 handmade crankbaits to the cause. Just let me know where to send them. If I can get more made by then I will send them also. It is the least that I can do. Skeeter

I have been using the 4 gal pancake compressor that is listed on the same page for over 4 yrs. now. I have not had one problem or complaint. Skeeter

I have never seen a Lohrs bait made from foam. How do you know it was foam? I am not doubting you, I am just curious. I know one of the people that he bought the business from. I do know that the previous baits were made of wood and cut from routers. Sometimes the bodies got pretty sloppy. It would not suprise me to see him go to foam. He could do alot more volume that way. Skeeter

Happy Birthday LP!!!!!!!!!!!! How old are you? I'll try to find you a duck!! Skeeter

#1 Skeeter

Instead of Lexan ask for polycarbonate. Lexan is just a trademark name for polycarbonate. Try a glass shop. Skeeter

I lived in Biloxi for 6 yrs. I can't believe what I have seen on the T.V. All I can do is donate to the Red Cross and pray. Skeeter

I'm flip flopping. I guess that I will change to #3. It has the words world and association in it. I think that pretty much covers what we were talking about. At first I agreed that alliance was a pretty strong word. But the work association seems to add some professionalism to it. Skeeter

If the bait is rolling it is not made correctly. Skeeter

I live in Lexington, N.C. We do a little crankbait fishing around here. We have some guys that are pretty decent with a crankbait in this little N.C. town. Regardless if the crankbait is built correctly or is something special...... the number one thing that everyone has to remember is that you have to find the fish. Like Rick Clunn has said "There are no more secrets". There is no such thing as a secret bait. Only a correctly made bait and a sharp mind. Send me a PM or an email with your questions. I would be glad to help you out. Skeeter

In crankbait making there is not to do anything! The baits were never sealed. They were dipped or sprayed with a thick white lacquer primer. The weight being off center is why "Real" crankbait fishermen pay top dollar to a professional crankbait maker for their baits. Or they learned through trial and error how to modify their own. This is also why Fritts use to say that he finds 1 in 100 that has the right characteristics that he requires. Mass produced baits just don't cut it. You can make those baits right. But you will have to go through the process of what weight, paint and clearcoat you are going to use. I have been modifying Bagley and Poes baits for about 4 yrs. now. Anytime that you remove something or add something then then everything changes. You have to figure and rework the whole equation. There is a reason why the finish on those baits is cracked. I have posted it on the site. Do a search for Poes. Poes from Wordens, has the thickest clearcoat that I have ever seen. I will tell you that it is a sprayed clearcoat. Their lips on the baits are no good either. As far as the RC-3 goes, did you have the hooks on the lure when you tested it? Lets not forget that the RC3 and RC1 has won a Classic. The wood that Poes uses will absorb water quickly. I have also put some posts on TU that talks about the water absorbtion of different types of woods. Make sure that the bait is completely dry before you work on it. Good luck.Skeeter

Tune the baits the way you will be fishing them. If you use snaps then tune them that way. If you tie to a split ring then tie to a split ring. But if you are just going to use a snap just because you don't want to tie a knot then you are wrong. I think you have answered your own question. Skeeter

Interesting thought Coley........ Skeeter

Excellent Skeeter

Isn't it just amazing how the high dollar bait tilts. Guess the bait isn't right. Tell me about the lure. How long, wide, is it a flat bait, round bait, etc. Also, I need to know how much weight you are putting in the lure. If you don't want to put all of that information in this post then send me a PM or email. I should be able to help. Skeeter

basstech, I understand what you are saying about getting both gears. But the problem was that the spool would not completely disenguage when the button was pressed. The pinion would not completely clear the flats on the spool shaft. You couldn't tell it when you depressed the button. Then when you made the cast the inside of the pinion where it goes over the spool would strip. Eventually the inside of the pinion would round out. So, it would happen alot. It also happend on 3 different 1NGs. So it wasn't just one bad cookie in the bag. I never fished the old Lews reels. But the reason that they were probably good was because the were made by Shimano. I have seen and held these reels. But I have never fished one. Skeeter

OK, now let?s take a look at it from another perspective. I am sure that all of us at one time or another has bought something and gotten ripped off. I know that I have. I felt like an idiot. So the next time I went to buy that item again I started asking questions to my friends to see what they have done. I want to be able to make an informed decision. Like the point that I posed to Skully. How can someone that does not get a chance to see what you make know that it is any good? How does a fisherman trying to make a decision know that the lip in a crankbait won?t pull out, or that the blades on the spinnerbaits that he wants to buy won?t rust after a week, or that the plastics that he just bought won?t color bleed all over everything else in his box? The Association could be a place where someone could find a skilled craftsman to either make the bait that he needs or do work on something that needs to be repaired. If you have an old crankbait that has a broken lip, a faded paint job or a spinnerbait or jig skirt color that you want reproduced, how do you know who to pick to do the work? The Association can help folks make informed decisions. This could help all that are bait makers, from semi skilled to master craftsmen. Not all tasks need to be done by master craftsmen. There are plenty of journeymen that could do much of the work that needs to be done for others. The Association could recommend someone to a fisherman. Not everyone wants to pay top dollar to have something done. Oh yeah, one other thing. I am just a bait maker like the majority of you. I do not do this for a living either. I do not have a big shop with a lot of tools and power equipment. I do my painting over a cardboard box in a leaky and hot garage. I developed my skills through hard work. I have had my successes and failures just like the rest of you. I am nothing special. I am just a crankbait maker?? and that is all. Skeeter

I understand your point Skully. But what about those that buy off of the web or through catalogs? Those folks do not have the opportunity to see a persons product before they purchase it. Skeeter