Muddy Tires

Here's the biggest bait I have made to date. At 10.5 inches you need Superman arms while trolling the thing. http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0903/MuddyTires/Fishing/f00f5df0.jpg

I have used acetone to thin epoxy...a little goes a long way. I have also found that stirring the epoxy with something other than wood reduces the bubbles. Exhale onto the wet epoxy and the bubbles will rise right to the surface.

BassNator1, The question was asked to try and make a comprehensive list of features one could find on a lure. From your post I will add a sidebar and include a few adjectives one would want to see in their lure as well. Let's see, you mentioned "quality", "handcrafted" and "inspected". These are all great features and will be added. Thanks for your input... Greg

Hello all, I am trying to come up with a list of features that you can find on custom baits. As you people are the leading edge in experimental designs I am asking for your help. If you can think of anything that I missed please add them to this thread. Thanks for your valuable input. Greg FEATURE LIST Glow in the dark / fluorescent paint Sound generating devices( rattles, electronics, etc...) Scent chambers Magnets Casting weights Coloured hooks Eyes Gills Scales Fins Bleeding injury marks Lights Skirts Dressed hooks (hair or small blade) Moving limbs Holographic finishes Photographic finishes

Very nice...

Very nice...do you clear coat them for added durability? I wonder what would happen if your cast went awry and you bounced the bait off a rock? Do you plan on selling them? Keep up the good work. Greg

Very nice baits. Are some of the baits eyes those clear plastic domes with the black disk inside? Keep up the good work. Greg

Hi Boatnik13, You were right. The middle hook tangled with the others. I took it off and it solved the problem right away. I will have to remember "hook interference" for my next patterns. Thanks Greg

Very nice bait. I really like the tail. What is it made from? It looks like G10

Hello boatnik13, I take all points of view as constructive information. You are probably right about the hooks getting tangled during a cast. However this lure was made for Lake Trout trolling and probably wont get cast alot. It is almost 6 inches long and is pretty heavy. Thanks for your input it will help me refine my next pattern. Greg

Hi Legendary, The fins do act like a rudder and dampen the wiggle. I found by making the diving lip oversized you can overcome the dampening action. The glue stick eyes idea is very interesting. I will try this and the Walleye pattern on my next lure. Thanks for the compliments and your "name that lure" contest. Greg

Very nice. You certainly brought that lure back from the dead. Keep posting your work. Greg

Please take a look and let me know what you think. http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0903/MuddyTires/Fishing/?action=view&current=Pudgy_Perch.jpg It has an aluminum spine recycled from a damaged road sign, lead ballast in the stomach cavity, two BB rattle chambers, a salt chamber and a Lexan diving lip. Thank you for your input. Greg

Hello Allstate, I got a large bag of 100 from a local dollar store. They had two sizes 1/8 and 1/4 inch for $0.99 a bag. I have also seen them at our local craft store. They are probably not the most realistic, but I like the goofy look they give to the bait. Greg

Hello all, I just finished another Lake Trout trolling lure. This one has a steel spine recycled from an old VCR case, BB rattles, a salt chamber, Lexan diving lip and googly eyes. What do you think? Greg http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0903/MuddyTires/Fishing/?action=view&current=9_inch_Lota_Lota2.jpg

I agree...great site for a great hobby.

Check the Machinists BBS at the Homeshop Machinist website...you may fins some help for your problem there. http://www.homeshopmachinist.net Good luck...

I know that the optics industry uses a UV curable adhesive to hold glass lens/prism blanks on a polishing dolop. The stuff that I saw was not transparent but a reddish brown.

Nice bait. I am inspired to try some glitter on my next piece. Keep up the good work.

Nice job...keep the pictures coming.

Hello all, I have seen some lures on this site with coloured hooks and was wondering if they are custom painted or store bought. The coloured hooks at my local tackle store are very expensive and not easy to find in all the right sizes. How are they clear coated so that they do not look all gummed up? Any information is greatly appreciated. Thank you Greg

Chip, The fins are made from 0.125 inch aluminum plate. It makes the lure a bit heavy but the wood body gives it plenty of buoyancy. I use lead core line on a heavy action trolling rod and have no problem getting the thing down to the depths I want. I have even used a 4 ounce lead trolling weight to get that bit of extra depth during the warmer months. Five colours of lead core with the weight puts it at 40 plus feet, seven colours without the weight gives around 30. The only problem I have found with using the big size lures is that you have to be Superman to hold onto the rod for any amount of time. The drag is amazing. I had to buy a rod holder to take the strain off my arms. Thanks for the comments... Greg.

Thanks...Deadly Streamer.

Hello all, Here's a link to the largest lure I make. I have changed the pattern a wee bit by adding steel BBs for rattles and a salt chamber that uses a felt wick dispensing system. http://www.photobucket.com/display.php?dir=%2Falbums%2F0903%2FMuddyTires%2FFishing&currentPic=0&sort= Comments please.....Thanks. Greg

The fins are made from one eigth inch aluminum plate that I recycled from an old road sign. The body is made from a cedar fence plank and is held onto the aluminum by two stainless steel screws. I made the eyes from a couple of screws I took out of a broken VCR. The diving lip is from a piece of Lexan used to protect around a door lock. It took a few tries at bending the Lexan to get the right action but I finally got it to work just like I wanted.