mark poulson

Check the sticky about Why I Use PVC.

Dave, It does give you a different perspective on what's really important in life.

Thanks smalljaw.

When I played around with making poppers from artificial wine corks, I pushed a through wire in from the cup, and up from the tail, until I was able to get it to pass straight through. Then I drilled up from the belly for my swivel hook hanger, and shoved it up so the through wire passed through the upper loop of the swivel, to anchor it. I put a loop in the through wire and shoved it through from the cupped head, and twisted a loop on the end that came out the tail. I always had some wire between the lure body and the tail loop. This worked out well, because it gave me a place to wind on some lead wire for ballast, because the cork was so buoyant without it that it still lay almost horizontal without it, and was too light to cast. In the process of playing with these baits, I found I could taper the lead wire wrap so it didn't look bad, coat it with brush-on super glue to smooth it out a little, and then paint the whole bait with nail polish, which held up fine, and was easily repairable if needed. I try and remember that it's not what looks good to me, it's what looks good to the fish, and they don't mind the lead wire.

Dave, My mom grew up in Detroit in the 20's and 30's. She used to tell stories about rats so big down at the docks that people moved to the other side of the street when they saw them. Cats and dogs avoided them.

Being able to hand carve a lure gives you the ability to experiment. By using PVC, waterbased airbrush paints, and UV cured resin, you can conceive, shape, ballast, test, paint, topcoat, and fish a lure in one day. I think molding is for when you've got one that really works well, and want to go into production. For some, it's the destination. For others, it's the journey.

Use peanut butter as bait on your traps, and you'll never run out of rat pelts!

They work for me. Back to air in worms, I would dip a slim smooth rod, or add it down the center of my two piece worm mold, so there is a built-in air pocket.

You nailed it, first try!

Exactly!

I first started using this method to line up my swimbait hinge pin holes. If you're patient, you can put a wooden work top on your drill press and mount a centering pin where the bit lands. When I do this, I mark where I want the hole to enter and exit the bait with an awl. Then I put one end onto the centering pin, using the awl mark as a locator, and then drill down from each end, flipping the lure top for bottom and putting the first hole over the centering pin, so the two holes line up. If my bit isn't long enough, due to the amount of travel my drill press has, I keep the bit in the hole, loosen the chuck, and pull it back up so there is more drill bit exposed. Then I tighten the chuck and continue drilling. If you have a long enough bit, this works well.

I only do a few baits at a time, so I mix flake into clear nail polish, and put it where I want it.

I broke a spinnerbait on a fish yesterday. It jumped, shook it's head, and there were two splashes when it dove back into the grass. All I got back was a perfectly tied Palomar knot in my 17lb. fluoro. I had fished that blade a lot, over the years. It was my go-to blade in off colored water or low light. Here is their current version, which looks just about the same: http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Lazer-Eye-Tandem-Spinnerbaits/product/15395/ I bet I've caught a hundred fish on that one blade. It was a 1/2 oz tandem, with a small silver colorado, and a #5 brass Indiana that I had swapped out for the willow blade that came with it. I had coated the convex side of both blades with In The Spotlight nail polish, so I still got plenty of flash, even though the blades didn't spin like willows. I liked to think it imitated a bluegill, with the extra thump and vibration from the Indiana blade, and I think bigger fish would rather eat a few bluegill than two dozen shad. I even had a 5lb fish eat the blades, so both the main and trailer hooks were stuck up under it's jaw! I have fished other blades during the same time, including some Revenge deep runners that broke after half a dozen fish, but I've never had a blade last, and catch, like that one. I was told Revenge went to a thinner wire "to increase vibration". Seems to me the Indiana blade does the same thing, and with heavier gauge wire. Does anyone know what wire they use, and what gauge? Whatever it is, it's tough stuff.

You need to find out what the forage is in your lake, and find something to match that. Robo makes worms for clear water. Their Hologram Shad and Oxblood Lite/red flake are two colors that catch fish everywhere. Check them out on Tackle Warehouse: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/softbaitbrand.html?ccode=ROBO

I hand pour a lot, and use NorPro silicone cups. I use these insulated gloves: http://www.amazon.com/Bellingham-Glove-Insulated-Gloves-X-Large/dp/B00C3GLT2C They are easy to work with, and I haven't burned myself since I started using them. I have smaller hands, and bought the medium size. I only wear them for a few minutes at a time, and take them off to demold and trim my plastics.

I use Azek PVC trimboard, and hand shape mine.

You first! You have the patience of Job!

I have a close friend who kicked the heroin habit, but could never quit smoking. It is a tough one, for sure.

That sounds like a good idea. Also remember that the closer to the center of the lure you can keep you ballast, the easier it is to walk, because the center of gravity is close to the mid point, but the harder it is to cast. That's one of the reasons I tail weight my poppers so they hang down at a 45 degree angle, minimum. The smaller/lighter the bait, the more important moving the ballast to the rear becomes for casting. Zara Spooks cast like a rocket, so they'd be a good lure to check out, too. Tacklewarehouse has pictures of a clear version of the 4.5" Spook, and you can clearly see how it's ballasted. Just be sure to check out how the lure you like actually sits in the water at rest, so you know the amount of ballast you need to duplicate it.

I don't know about any other putty. All I know is some people here use Durham's Rock Hard Putty successfully. Years ago we used to use it as a filler on construction projects, but I have never tried to make a mold from it. Here's a link to where it's sold: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Durham-s-Rock-Hard-DU-1-1-lb-Water-Putty-1-CAN/100184116

What width strips do you use Nate?

It's called putty.

I use mine for reheating my coffee when I'm in the shop, and I'm still smrt.