Rollo

Short pours drive me nuts! Can someone explain exactly how to put vents in the mold? Thanks!

Hi Dockboy- I've tried it with so-so results. First, you need to be sure the inside diameter of the hole in the clevis is large enough to allow it to spin on the wire shaft. Even with adequate clearance, in my experience, the quick change clevis didn't spin as freely as I would have liked. Also, I lost lots of blades somewhere in between the spinnerbait leaving from and returning to my rod tip. What the heck- give it a try. It may work fine for you!

I've heard of guys using dental floss to tie bucktail. I've never tried it, though. (Except for running it between my choppers!)

Beautiful paint jobs! There's no way to cover up mistakes with transparent paint! Where did you get the lure bodies?

It's more than just PETA and the other "antis". Kids are being not so subtly brainwashed by a number of animated films featuring cute talking animals that think and behave just like real children. (Bambi, Open Season, etc.) Who are the villains in these movies? The cruel brutish hunters out to murder them and their parents! It's a bit unsettling to realize that film makers' political agendas are being aimed at children who don't yet have the experience and ability to consistantly differentiate between fact,fiction,lies.half truths and reality. As parents, (or grandparents) it's a part of our responsibility to present our side of the story. Take a kid fishing! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Crane baits are in the same family of Grandma's and Jake baits and they're made of balsa that's about 1/2" thick. They use a through wire line tie / hook hanger system. Just food for thought for your cedar version.

I've had the same problem with stainless lips. Stamina carries(or used to carry) 3 different sizes. I replaced the lip of my subsurface musky jitterbug with a smaller size and it worked fine. If you use stainless, you will definitely need to use a bulkier. more buoyant body. Incidently,you can get aluminum lips from Moore's Lures. They come in two sizes. the small one is perfect for bass, and the large one is for big honkin' musky baits.

Corey- Here's a method I've been using: First, pick a tallywacker style bait that runs well to use as a model. This will keep you in the ballpark as far as functionality is concerned.Slide the fin into the slot you cut in the rotating tail section, and draw or scribe a line along the fin where it meets the tail. This will give you a reference point to help you determine where to bend the tail to match your model. For sharp, angular bends,(like the fin on the Buchertail Top Raider) I put the fin in a vise between two pieces of oak, and bend it over the edge of the wood to the desired angle. I bend by hand and use a ball peen hammer when I need to. For curved bends, I bend the fin over a steel rod secured in a bench vise. Put the fin back in the tail and compare it to your model. Repeat the process until it matches the model. Then epoxy the fin into the tail. When the bait is done, you'll need to fine tune it until you get the sound and rotation speed you want. I use needle nose pliers (with tape wrapped around the jaws to reduce marring) to fine tune the fin. I'd love to learn how others do this. I'd like learn a better way! Rollo

Joshua- If you have a full size drill press, you may want to consider an attachment called the Vertilathe. Like you, I was looking into buying a mini lathe when I found this other option. If you're interested, Google it for details. (Shop various vendors as the prices vary.) I've been using it to turn pine, basswood and jelutong and am very happy with it. The best part is that it cost less than 60 bucks. That left me an extra couple hundred dollars to blow (I mean wisely spend) on other lure making stuff. Rollo

Like B&B suggested, you can make your own. I have some of Frenchy LaMay's older handmade "LeLure" toppers which use hand cut props which look to be made of stainless steel. The biggest of them are about 2-1/4". I have used some 2-1/4" brass blades with an integral bearing which I bought from Moore's Lures in Woodruff, WI. According to their catalog, the blades were made in the early '40's. They look,spin and sound great. I highly recommend both the blades and Moore's.

You may want to try blue Spike It blade dip over a nickel plated hook.