fatfingers
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Everything posted by fatfingers
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This is a jerkbait I devised about 2 years ago. I originally made about a 9 inch prototype for muskies, which worked well, but this is the first time I've gone back and tried to modify the original to see how variations would perform. This one is 7 1/2 inches long. The shovelhead is a dive-and-rise style of jerkbait and this one runs about 16 to 24 inches beneath the surface with a very easy downward sweep of the rod tip. The first fish on the original was nice fat 42 incher. This one also has subtle gold snakeskin-style scaling on the belly: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/vc1111/shvlheadbellyshot.jpg -
You betcha, Homes. Purple and blue pearls just for fun. -
Nice video (Thanks for not slamming it with rap or heavy metal.) Excellent spoon design. Very impressive.
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Great work! I love the coloration of the fins. -
That is one impressive paint pattern. I hope you post some more of that technique. -
That things just pops! That largish elongated scale makes the whole scheme work. -
Love those subtle vertical markings. Excellent stuff! -
Dead nuts on the money! Beautiful. -
Modified Tennessee Shad pattern with pearl undertones. -
7 1/2 inches -
Figured I try a new color or two this year. There is one particular color that seems to work very well at one of our local musky lakes. I thought I might try a Rocket Shad with a slightly modified version of that hue and then give it an orange belly. -
Modified to run slightly higher in the water column. -
The bait was tested with and without the very slight weighting. There is no noticeable loss of action and it actually seems to perform better as the speed goes up. -
Didn't have this color in my box. Weighted for speed trolling.
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Weighted for trolling. Sort of a brown tiger pattern, although there really is no brown paint used in the pattern. This is a color that is productive on one of our local musky lakes called Leesville. It isn't that fancy, but I can't wait to get out and try it. -
Purple, aztec gold, gold mine gold, blue, and blackcherry pearls. -
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Carved from hardened cedar, handmade eyes, 6 inch lightly weighted. -
Good grief, that thing is perfect! -
Excellent work as always. The detail in the forward are is outstanding. -
Guys, if you don't know who this is, you should. Leo is one of the country's finest bait makers...ever. His baits have put some amazing fish in a lot of guys boats over many, many years. Welcome aboard, Leo. -Vince
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John's post above is extremely important in my opinion. Be careful what you wish for...because you just might get it. I have ruined a few hobbies in the past by getting too serious about them and/or by trying to make serious money while doing it. Photography is the first one that comes to mind. I used to live, eat, sleep, and breath photography. After I did it for money for a while, I began to hate it. The only pictures I take now are of baits and fishing trips. Jed's point is also one that should be given a lot of consideration. There is competition from "mass production builders" out there. You are simply NOT going to compete with machines that can more or less automatically crank out a bait every 4 or 5 minutes or so. If that is not enough, much of the mass production of baits is done overseas where the cost of labor is unbelievably cheap. I do sell a few and like Jed, I use the funds to finance my bait-building addiction, nothing more. My 'market' is guys who want a truly custom, one-of-a-kind, hand-made fishing lure. I do not try to compete with the businesses who make a $12 musky lure. My primary goal is to have some fun with all of this and make a few friends along the way. Can you "make a living?" Jed once told me, "You'd probably make more money delivering pizzas." I think that is still true for a "basement builder."
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That is a excellent idea! Can't wait to try that. I would only add that you should also be careful to avoid over-tightening the tip too. It really easy to strip those tiny things and they're very expensive to replace. I know...from experience.
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Nice work as usual! -
Just excellent baits.