mitcheal

Thanks for the info. Do you use a router for final shaping or are you turning the bodies on a lathe? I'm a former charter captain and live in Gibraltar, MI and from late June to mid August from 1985 to 1996 I used to do a lot of fishing out of Erieau, Ontario almost directly across the lake from Cleveland. Primary baits were huge cranks which were run off boards, and spoons off dipsey divers or jet divers. Amazing how those big fish were so good in the pan too! Fishery died of (maybe too much pressure from sport and commercial fishermen) and never came back. Erieau is still one of the best Lake Erie ports for summer steelhead. Mitch

Outstanding lures! What type of wood did you use? We use a lot of Rapala's trolling the Detroit River and it can get expensive. Mitch

Recently while watching the DIY series on auto repair, I saw a guy powder painting engine parts with some type of spray gun. After applying the powdered paint he baked the parts in an oven (kitchen type) at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes. They came out beautiful. I know many powder paint users are trying to perfect containers that keep the powder paint loose prior to applying. Perhaps this gun might be another way to go.

Has anyone tried the powder paint spray guns advertised by Canadian TackleMakers? If so, what were your results? The ad almost seems to good to be true! Mitcheal

after selecting a camera, your next purchase should be a tri-pod. digital cameras are generally light weight, making them subject to vibration. To shoot the best photos with any camera, (especially close ups of your lures) a tri-pod is indespensible. I use a small one I bought for $5 at Big Lots. Makes it easy to set up on a table or workbench. To reduce vibration even further and increase sharpness, use the timer on your camera, that way you don't impart any movement while depressing the shutter-button. Just my two cents worth after having sold several thousand photos to various magazines and newspapers. Mitcheal

I have a friend who bought a lot of stuff from the estate of Charlie Helin (the originator of the Flatfish) several years ago. Included where both drawings and wooden patterns of many, many Flatfish models. They were used for the original wooden versions and the Canadian made Quickfish. If you are interested I could give you his name, address and phone. He doesn't own a computer. Mitch

You just jogged my memory, Arbogast did make the "mudbug". I stand corrected. I have several old ones made from wood that have really not aged well. The plastic versions are in pretty good shape but might rework all of them next winter. Will also try and make a few of my own per the tutorial. Mitcheal

Very nice job. FYI, I believe the Bomber lure you have duplicated was known as "the mudbug" one the first truely deep diving lures put on the market for bass in the 1960's. I have used them for a variety of species, including trolling for walleyes on Lake Erie. They seldom turned over like so many other deep divers when a weed or some other debris became hung on them and never went out of tune. If you cranked hard, you could get this lure down below 10 ft. Your tutorial is a model for others. Particularly enjoyed the good photography you exhibited. Keep 'em turning. Mitcheal

That is probably an excellent diagnosis my friend. Many people take the lead melting processs as a ho-hum operation but it can be very nasty.

The stories about exploding rounds while melting lead bullets are interesting. Just to add some color, while serving with Special Forces in Vietnam, after each operation, we would take all of our unused ammo, generally 5.56 and 7.62 mm. and discard it, as we didn't want to carry any stuff that had been exposed to the elements too long, especially 5.56mm. as this could cause stoppage of operation on the M-16's. We would generally dump the unused ammo into a 55 gal. drum placed away from our camp, then pour in several gallons of diesel fuel mixed with a little regular gasoline. Using a fuze igniter, we would start the diesel burning and cook off the ammo. I never remember any holes put into the barrels or rounds flying around. Without the gas constriction like that caused by a rifle breech, the ammo seemed to merely pop and the bullet would fall out of the casing. I do recall a number of dents to the inside of the barrel. Sort of sounded like when you microwave popcorn. Could be that higher heat used when melting lead can actually cause the powder to react as if the primer had been crushed. We didn't use many 9 mm. or .45 cal. pistol rounds, so I can't say much about how they reacted in the fire. I do know that big stuff, like 20 and 40 mm had a bit more umphh to it. On the cable show, Mythbusters, they disproved the story of the guy who used a .22 long rifle cartridge to replace one of the fuses in his car. Supposedly, the round got hot, cooked off and shot the guy in the leg. All they could do on the show was get the round hot enough to harmlessly pop open. The danger here is not in the bullet, but in the explosion spraying lead. I remelt all suspicious lead in an old iron plumbers pot on my turkey fryer outside my shop. my .02 cents

I have a number of what appears to be stainless steel surgeon's bone chisels and gouges that were used by a doctor friend for sugery. When he got new tools, he asked me if I wanted some of his old stuff. Natually I jumped at them and became the proud owner of about 50 pieces of surgical tooling. There are many different hemostats, clamps, etc., which I know how to use for fishing and other great tools for making lures etc. I promised him not to perform any surgery with his old tools. I sold half the stuff to a veterinerian friend but held onto the really good things ( it think). My question is, would the gouges and chisels make good tools for my lathe and how would I shape them? They are all one piece items including handle but much slimmer than wordworking tools and chisels. They appear to have been forged then ground (not plated) to a near mirror finish. I know this is to insure they can be sterilized easier and thoroughly. Mitcheal

as an outdoor writer with credits in numerous national and regional magazines, let me offer this to you guys looking for product exposure. I have fished with some of the top pro's from both the bass and walleye tour and watched how they are sponsored. While it would be nice to get a national TV show host or writer to fish your baits, start near home and set up a trip with a local writer and local pro using your baits. Most upcoming Pro anglers need the exposure, as they also have resumes to build in order to get more sponsorship. Any stories written about them lets their sponsors know they can get publicity for their products. Most writers welcome a good lead to an interesting story. Figure out how your story is different and find someone to tell it. There are plenty of people who dream of producing the next wonder bait, but just sort of never get around to it. They certainly enjoy reading about it however. If you have a local paper with an outdoor column, invite the writer to try your baits, tell him why they work well and be sure he knows how much effort goes into making them. Most of these guys make very little money for their efforts and you can get a lot of ink here for donating a few baits and also provide a great human interest story. Remember, make everything easy for the person you are trying to impress or sell your product through. Also, be careful in your choice of Pro's to sponsor. The best anglers are not always the best representatives for your baits. Often, their egos get in the way of them remembering how and who got them there. Do you want some Pro sitting in the local bar wearing your logos while terrorizing the female population of the establishment? It happens all the time as small town boy (bubba) makes a few good casts and suddenly wins a pile of money. Been there, done that. Often, great craftsmen don't know how to sell their own stuff. Sometimes hiring a sales rep. to carry your line is the way to go, but again, beware here, If it doesn't make as much money as another line, guess who's product gets the most exposure, which is what we are talking about here. Just my .02 cents Anyone wishing to know more can contact me anytime. May even have a few names to drop.

Thanks to both you guys for getting back to me, the info was vavluable.. I know a few guys in the automotive business here in Detroit, and I am going to call in a few fishing markers I have with them. Will pass on what I find out! Happy New "FISHING" Year. Mitcheal

Riverman is right on! If you have any questions take advantage of the taxes you already pay and visit a small business administration office or at least call or visit a their web site. If you are a veteran or handicapped, there are even special loans and other sevices available to you through SBA. Don't let others make you give up your dream. Only you can fulfill it or tell when it isn't going to work. Good luck.

Has anyone here had any luck using one of the Big 2 "Devcon" or "Evirotex" on spoons? What are the best types of paint to use on the spoons before clearcoating and if one side is to be left polished and unpainted, is it a good idea to also clearcoat that side? We use a lot of spoons for both salmon and walleye around here, and as soon as one gets hot, the finish starts to fail. I must have a ton of spoons in various states of finish failure. While many of the spoon manufacturers use lacquer, these also begin to crack, scratch, rust and in general lose their appearances. Thanks for any help.

The last time I looked, a good pair of needlenose pliers was only a few bucks less then good pair of split ring pliers. For the time, gas etc. to bend a pair, why not just buy them already made? I have several pairs, and prefer the ones with the tooth meeting the other half of the tool rather than passing over the end.

Whack off the tail of the deer as high as you can reach (make sure buck is dead first) then rinse the blood off all the hair in cold clear water, pop into a freezer bag and freeze until needed. In order to dye them, you must first degrease the tails. Soak them in household detergent and hot water for about ten minutes, rinse and allow to drip dry for a few hours then put them into a pot of hot vegetable dye. Rit works OK in most basic colors. Allow to dry then throw back into freezer bag and refreeze. To air dry, debone and salt the inside of the skin and and hang until dry then put into plastic bags. I personally don't like this as it tends to make them brittle. Just my opinion.

Nathan is right on about making money in the fishing business or any other business for that matter. Even the best products of any type are no good unless you know how to market them. In order to get charters here on the Detroit River, I might do 4 to 10 sport shows a year in places where walleye fishing is a hot item, ie Chicago, Indianappolis, Milwaukee and guys are looking for trophy fish. I generally have far more business than I can handle, in fact my partner and I have been booking for other captain's also. We are getting too old to run doubles, but would have no trouble booking them. At the shows, we have lots of photos of big walleyes to reinforce our fishing claims plus a fiberglass mount of the MI record walleye. Stops them in their tracks. But the main factor here is that we produce and word gets around. Your lures must also produce fish for those willing to pay the price to purchase them. Having been around tourney fishing since it began (both bass and walleye) I can assure you that a unique lure or technique that will give an angler the edge is a genuine hot ticket item. I remember when the first of the so called fat or alphabet lures (the Big O) hit the B.A.S.S circuit. Guys were actually renting them for tournaments. They were sold by the half dozen in egg cartons for $30 a pop, an unheard of price back then, and the fact a feature article in Field and Stream appeared back in 1971 or 72 really gave the product a boost. Like many things, timing is everything. Within a few years there were so many similar lures on the market that the Big-O sort of faded into obscurity with a bunch of other crankbaits like Fat Albert, The Big-N, etc. The fact the originals were wooden, handmade items but the mass produced ones were plastic also had an effect as the plastics didn't seem to be as productive. The fishing lure industry is full of table top lure makers coming up with winning items (Charlie Helin, Tom Mann, Al Linder to name a few) but they only seem to really make it big when properly marketed by others. The Big-O probably represents tourney fishing and tackle marketing more than any other crank ever made. With that said, keep on trying, as someone somewhere will invent the next Big-O and like it's inventor probably not make much money off it.

Lexan is only one tradename for polycarb, there are a number of manufacturers. I get mine from a local guy here in MI that makes things like dispaly cases, fancy photo frames, signs, etc, . I buy his small left over stock for about .90 per sq. ft. in 1/4", 1/8" and 1/16" thicknesses. These are approximate as they are actually sold in millimeters. He has a small, 3 man shop and is happy to sell the stuff. After giving him a few lures, he doesn't even measure the stock anymore just says, "give me a coupla bucks". I searched all over for awhile and heard about this guy from another lure builder. He is practically in my neighborhood, less than 3 miles away. Mitcheal

LaPala, Look up fish decoys or spearing decoys on the net and you will find a whole different type of carving world. Not that the carving techniques are that different but the end uses are. Some are truely works of art. Fish decoys are in fact some of the only true American folk art forms there is, that and duck decoy carving. I'll try and send you some photos from my collection. Mitcheal

Can we call that a "Spoonerism"? What a unique example of the artsy portion of lure making. Great piece! Do you get any ideas like this when making love? Should be interesting.

Excellent work but a bit scary and serpentine. I would probably hit it with a stick if I saw it laying around. A museum piece for sure. I'd call it "The Terminator Minnow" or how about "Robo-Bait" ? Mitcheal

I also own a Worth tool and have made hundreds of spinner shafts with it also (weight forward spinners are standby lures here on Lake Erie). However it is difficult to use with some of the heavier gauge stainless wire (.035 and up), especially if you are making spinner baits for big pike and musky. It is also time consuming in that you also have to prebend the wire to get a good looking loop with most wirebending tools. All I do with the vise-grips is grab each end of the wire, put it over the mandrel and wrap. No prebends or threading wire and not much waste either. I've gotten to the point where I work off the roll of wire so have eliminated pre-cutting. For those with arthritis in the hands and fingers, this is either the best way or a complete bust, depending on the severity of the disease, as it does require a certain degree of hand strength. I hope this helps explain my madness. Have a great holiday and catch lots of big fish in the coming new year. Mitcheal

If you have trouble with the belt or wheel on a sander clogging you can purchase a rubber block from most woodworking supply houses, some lumber stores, etc. The material is like the crepe on so called crepe sole bottomed shoes that were popular many years ago. The blocks aren't cheap but if you can find an old pair of the shoes, you have enough for a lot of clogged belts. Simply turn on the sander and then pass the rubber block across the belt or disk as you would a piece of wood. Mine works great and really extends the life of my sanding belts.

In Michigan, Cabela's in Dundee is the No. 1 toursit attraction in the State followed by the Bass Pro Shops store in Aubrun Hills. Between them, 7 million people pass through their doors. Tourism is Michigan's second largest industry after automobiles. What I don't understand is the idea that both fishing and hunting licenses sales are supposedly on the decline across the country. I do some freelance outdoor writing and for the most part, payment in that area has stayed pretty much the same for the last 10 years or even declined in some magazines like Fishing Facts. At one time they paid nearly 30 cents a word, today they pay less than a nickel per word. Go figure eh?