Skeeter

Either sand it off or use Acetone. If the bait is plastic be careful. The Acetone can eat the plastic. Keep the Acetone off of lips also. It will cloud them. Skeeter

Jaime, There are two ways to go here. You can either just reclearcoat the lure and fish it or completely repaint the lure. I would not replace the lip in it since it is the weighted lip. I really don't know how you would get the lead into a new lip to stay. The lead in the lip keeps the lure at the digging angle throughout the retrieve. Most belly weighted lures just belly out and run flat when they hit bottom. The lead keeps this from happening. The only other way to do this is to chest weight the bait. Unless you know how to properly chest weight then I would keep the original lip in place. If it does break then worry about it then. I would just sand the bait smooth. You don't have to strip it bare unless you want to. undercoat it, paint it, clearcoat it, and fish it. You did a fine job on the other one. Bagley baits are weighted light. They can handle the extra clearcoat just fine. They will still have a great action. Skeeter

You hit the nail on the head BassNator 1. TM put your hard earned money into some good baits that you will use. I think Rick has given them all the input that they would ever need. He has made a pretty good living with crankbaits. I think he knows what they need to do. Skeeter

If you know how to dry shoot lacquer you may be able to get by. Skeeter

I would be willing to write critiques. How would you like to set it up Red? Skeeter

jamie, Personally I would refinish the lure. You could probably get 15 - 20 bucks for it on ebay. But since you have those blemishes then you may not. I have seen some pretty beat up ones go for that much though. But I would refinish it and fish it. How much do you want to referbish the lure? Just so it could fish or completely to make it pretty again too? Skeeter

Check the ingredients part of the bottle. I have found many that were acrylic lacquer. These can be cut and shot though an airbrush with MEK, or Acetone for a thinner. In other words, it's lacquer paint. Skeeter

I think this would be a good idea. But maybe we could also add lures that we make also. We could post what we have to trade and then use PM to do the transactions. Skeeter

Rattles can be used in almost anything. I drill through the side and glue it in. Fill the holes with whatever and then put your side dot over the hole. Hides it well. Skeeter

30 min. won't yellow. I have baits that are over 3 yrs. old and have never had a problem. Yellow spots from the 30 min are caused from incorrect mixing. Skeeter

It could be Flex Coat that is used for fishing rods. It is flexible and many baitmakers still use it for clearcoating. Skeeter

Tally, I would have to say that it is in part to the line tie placement and the weight used in the lure. Also lip placement and angle are extremely important. Skeeter

Bill, I use glass rattles that are made here locally. They are made for crankbaits. They have 1 steel piece of shot encased in the glass. I pay about $45.00 per 100. They will fit into anything 1/2 inch or wider. I install them above the belly hook hanger. They add over 1/16 oz to the bait in weight so you might need to adjust your weight in a hardwood bait. I can get you the number for the tackle shop that sells them if you want. Skeeter

Thanks TM. I did not know what year those wedge lips were made. You are right. All of the BI, BII, and BIII's all sell for a fair amount of money, especially the ones with the brass line ties. Skeeter

The 30 min. epoxy is the long cure that most of us are talking about. It is suppose to mean that you have a 30 min work time with it. For our purposes you really only have less than 15 min. for spreading as a clearcoat. The 5 min. will yellow. Especially if left in the strong bright sun for a day. I have only had one that went a true amber color where I sealed a lip in with it. Maybe the 5 min has the clear hardener, but I promise you that it gets allot hotter as it cures. Skeeter

Welcome fellas. I am Professor Skeeter. I will be instructing you in Devcon 101. Real quick like, 30 min Devcon has a tensile strength of 1500 lbs. per sq. inch. Long cure Devcon has 2500. 30 min Devcon should be used to glue in lips, weights, etc. It sets fast. But it will also yellow. Which is why you should use long cure Devcon for clearcoating. The reason that the 30 min Devcon has a yellow type of tube is because the hardener used in the 30 min Devcon is much hotter. This causes the resin (in the other tube) to harden quicker. It is also what makes the resin more brittle and yellow. Any questions? Skeeter

TM, Excellent point about the wedge lip. Do you know what year the lure is. You have some fine looking lures. Many seem to be in real good shape. Tally, Yes, the lure bodies were basically the same as far as size is concerned. I have noticed that the ones made in the Dominican Republic have a more of a pointed tail. The bodies are pretty crooked also. The rattles that are used in these baits are an aspirin shaped piece in a little square box. It is installed slightly behind the belly weight up toward the middle of the bait. I really haven't figured out how it was installed yet. But it was a real neat job. I see no evidence of glue, putty, or cutting of any kind to get it in there. I know I am missing something, but I have a better eye than most. This was one slick job. The line tie will change the action. Just like changing the position of the line tie in a lip. I really can't say much about the lure other than that. I have never fished one. Skeeter

Since Bagley has been sold several times then I guess that there are different qualities of these baits. The lead in the lip is to help the lure maintain the proper posture while the lure is on the bottom. This posture can be obtained several different ways. The double line ties are to change the action of the bait by changing the tow point. Other than finding one that is made just right (straight body, lip etc.) which people seem to brag about when they find one that is made right, I am beginning to see the value of collecting these things. I don't see why folks don't make their own. The big thing for the collectors over the past couple of years has been the brass wire thing. Amatuers believe the brass wire is what makes the baits possibley hunt. Therefore they throw tons of money away on Ebay hoping to buy a bait that hunts. They are advertised on Ebay a full brass harnesses or just brass wire harnesses. Many believed that there was a wire harness in the bait. I myself thought that the older ones had a wire harness from nose to tail. But after what was posted on here about which Bagley baits had a true wire harness on them I felt like a fool. So what would be the difference between these "collector" pieces and on that you would make yourself and just "screw" your wire in the nose and the tail? If you take your time you will probably make a better bait by far!! There are baitmakers that can take these lures and make them perform the way they should. Some buyers get lucky and buy a good one off of the shelf. I make mine with a full two point brass wire harness. The bodies and lips are straight, the clearcoat is superior and some of them really do hunt. I think I will put them on ebay and sell them for $80.00 plus. Skeeter

WAY TO GO Coley!!!! That's the way to test them dude. Sometimes you just have to sacrifice hard work to find stuff out. I am using aircraft grade balsa. I will have to check the tags to see if there is a grade on it. Balsa makes good baits. Bagley and Rapala have made alot of money from them. I find this all very interesting. Maybe this is why I had the problem with my bait from last fall. Skeeter

TM My suggestion to you would be to go out on ebay and see what they have and what they are getting for them. I would not refinish any of the ones that you are considering to sell. Bagleys are underweighted. Most balsa baits are. You could use 4 coats of Devcon and the baits would still float and perform. But I will be honest with you. I think that too many people that really don't understand anything about crankbaits are parting with their money for nothing. I have seen one BBII go for $68.00 on ebay. If you ask me he would have been much better off buying 3 of Tim and Jeff's baits. Skeeter

.040 Copper wire is just fine. It is plenty strong enough. It is used in the dbait. Skeeter

Tell em Coley!!!!! Now that's a great list. Anyone that follows that will be in great shape. Skeeter

I bought 40ft. of 3X6 wood. I knew that there were different grades but I did not know what they were untill now. I get mine from a hobby shop that sells balsa that is used to build RC planes here in my home town. I guess I got lucky and he has good quality stuff. Skeeter

The Rick Clunn rod is a little heavier since they clearcoat the rod. The Loomis rods etc really don't have the coating. While this does lessen the weight, it also leave the blank open to knicks. Big enough knicks will weaken the blank. The Clunn rod has Fuji SIC concept guides. According to Mattman on Cermit guides are above these. I have caught 34 lb. cat fish on my rod and the rod came through without any problem what so ever. No bent guides or nothing. The rod is not as light as an IMX but it is allot lighter than All Star or Falcon. Do you have a Bass Pro Shop near you? If you hit it right they will go on sale from 49 to 59 bucks. I still like to see what I am buying. I hate crooked guides or crooked blanks. I have found both in just about every brand of rod. Send me an email. Maybe I can help. Skeeter

Getting a hunting crankbait is a hit and miss deal. Your best shot at a store bought bait would be a Balsa BI, BII, or BIII with the short square bill. The only problem with these baits is getting one with the lips square and straight. Skeeter