KcDano

Perhaps the "kill spot" is perceived by the bass as the eye of a bait fish. And from my understanding most bass prefer to swallow a large bait fish head first, which if true, could possibly explain the bass targeting the kill spot.

You won't be disapointed with house of kolor paints. They have been around for a long time. Their Flip-Flop is neat stuff, if you shoot light coats and build the effect gradually. Taking in to consideration that it will intesify once the clear is overlayed. The effects one can achieve with pearls are hard to beat. I knew of a bike painter that could take different colors of powder pearls and stage them at different depths in the clear for some bizzare effects. He would take a certain grade of sand paper (he wouldn't divulge what grade) and score the finish with a straight pull in one direction. With the intention of leaving straight score lines in the paint. He then would dust a light coat of pearl on, and lightly wet sand the area after it dried. Then spray a light coat of clear. Upon the clear drying he would then repeat the process again, except he would score at an angle to the original scoring and would use a different color of pearl. After he had done this several times with numerous colors of pearls and angles, well the tips of the flames came alive. With some tinkering this might work on a lure. Something else to think about you can take a natural sponge and dip it in pearl and dap it onto a lure for a nice natural looking effect.

Nice Job! Very informative!

Nice looking bait you got there, Tally

Tally, I heard you mention that you were using base-coat auto paint. I have been using Dupont's Chroma-base without hardner and thinning it with lacquer thinner . It has worked good for me, no problems. Wondering if you are using hardner?

Charles, If I do have to thin the paint, I use lacquer thinner in enamel, epoxy or lacquer spray paint. In most cases it will spray straight out of the can. I have 3 old airbrushes all are paasche model H's and are equiped with #1, #3 and #5.

Skeeter, If you are determined to use the the airbrush, drill out the hole on the spray can nozzle with a small drill bit. This will allow the paint to come out in a stream, you can then easily fill the jar or cup. You might have to thin a little maybe not. I do this with many different types of spray can paint and it works great.

Could be the oil base version of kilz, could be white lacquer primer as well. Might be the old white lead used years ago. Fender quitar company used some white fill product (name escapes me at the moment) that they sprayed on quitars in to seal and fill the wood and could be used as a base color for the custom red candy paint jobs. Lacquer primer surfacer will sand like chalk if it is of good quality!

If you are using lacquer primer you can dip the lure, since you are going to sand the bait and if you thin it just right you will only have to give a rub with a grey scotch-brite pad. Virtually all the old established tackle companies dipped wood baits in white enamel to provide a primer for the the finish.

Richoc hit the nail on the head: Cob/Spider webbing is the result of improper thinning (not enough) or to fast of thinner for the temp and humidity. They made fluid nozzles and air caps specifically designed to do cobwebbing for custom car finishes back in the day! Artbrush: Are you talking about freak spots a spray dot with legs? Jed: If you are having difficulty spraying a clean line thin your paint cut back on the mixture ratio and make several passes. If the paint spatters up the air pressure (if it is properly thinned) and keep the nozzle clean.

That is a great idea Artbrush! Something I have been considering is shrink tubing for a stencil, if they make it in a large enough size. Slide the lure in apply heat and the stuff will shrink down tightly around the lure and it is a tuff material which should last.

Yes, thin with lacquer thinner even though most nail polish is enamel. Thin with lacquer thinner and it will dry quicker as opposed to the dry time when using reducer. You might run into problems if you you topcoating with clear lacquer, don't pile it on or it might wrinkle. Ureathane clear usually will go over it with no problems. Its a cheap way to go if you only need small amounts of some colors, I have known a few custom bike painter's who have used it with no problems.

Some of the talented folks here at TU claim to construct bullet-proof baits. Well, lets see some real testing at 10-yrds with various calibers and loads

Yes, Nice equipment!!!

New book pertaining to Bagley's: Collector's guide for the Bagley "fanatic" by Johnny Garland Site with some old Bagleys with prices: http://www.tuff-tackle.com/blures.html

In regards to the debate as to bagleys being thru-wire construction. I can definetively say no! I took a ohm meter and measured the resistance from the line tie to the rear wire loop, infinite resistance, open..no wire thru-construction. This was tried on brass wire and newer baits, with the exclusion of Bango's! In addition, the belly wire wasn't connected to either the front or rear wire.

You might consider trying leaf foil and spray sizing...what sign painters custom car painters use. I have considered taking a lure and wrapping it in mesh, spraying the sizing on as you would when painting scales and then applying the leaf. Ideally it would be like a painted scale finish, with the exception of the scale would be in foil. This would be a tedious operation but it might be worth the effort.

I have had numerous baits over the years that would hunt (i.e... dart to the left & right and return to original line of retrieve). The most notable, a Bag-O-Mad bait which was produced in the 30's. It's basic shape was that of many of the baits of that era, Heddon Basser, Bass Oreno and many others, however, that is where the similarities end. The Bag-O-Mad has 2 channels drilled into the mouth which continue to the center of the bait where they intersect a channel at 90 degrees that is only open on one side. I had one of those baits as a kid that I never really had much luck with in the ponds and lakes that I fished, however, once while fishing a fast stream in southern Missouri and having no luck. I tied it on and tossed it in the current, the bait came alive here there and everywhere it went. The faster I reeled my zebco the more radical the action was, until it almost travelled in a sinewave fashion, which did manage to put a couple a nice smallmouths on the stringer. I have never had another bait act like that Bag-O-Mad did and have spent countless hours tinkering with various baits trying to duplicate the action, without any success. I would like to build a bait that would act in that fashion and is similiar in appearence to modern baits. My thoughts are there is some harmonic imbalance created by the speed of retrieve and the action of the bait. Which throws the bait off course until the resistance of the line overcomes the initial force causing the bait to move sideways, this causes the bait to slow and track back to center, until the threshold (whatever that maybe) is reached again and the bait moves off course. However, who knows for sure! Skeeter, you did a fine job on that tutorial! I appreciate the input from everyone, which gives me plenty of food for thought! Thanks!

I have question for the Bagley experts here. I have a Bagley brass wire lead lip Monster Shad that on occasion will hunt on a fast retrieve. My question: What is responsible for that action?

Creek chub also made a yellow gar minnow.

The cupped or dished face of a diving plane provides more surface area as opposed to a flat plane of the same dimension and the cupping reinforces the plane.

Your welcome, I understand that, trial and error can be expensive with no better results.

There are different grades of lacquer, what is used on wood is not as clear as automotive and will darken with age regardless of uv exposure. The heat could play a role in the yellowing of the finish.

Sudsy Ammonia if it is not a annodized aluminum finish, has a cavitation action good stuff!!

I understand now, I never realised you were using a double syringe to meter the mixture, I agree that makes it rather difficult to add to much hardner. The lacquer yellowing makes sense to me and now there is evidence to the fact. Progress!!