mark poulson

Predator Bass and Bustin Bass have good knockoffs. Some just require a little ballast tweaking.

Those are some neat looking pliers! We use similar, but more primitive, wire twisters for tying rebar. It's all an adaptation of the old Yankee screwdriver technology. I just ordered a pair of 6" pliers from Harbor Freight.

It is really nice to have a community of like-minded nuts to commiserate with. And, as for sharing info, "You can't take it with you".

Smithers, let loose the hounds!

And it's hard and strong, so it holds screws and resists teeth. But the dust is irritating, so always use a dust mask when you're machining it, or even hand sanding. I have been a carpenter for almost 50 years, so I may have over-sensitive sinuses, but every time I sand or machine PVC without a dust mask, I have a runny nose that night and the next morning. It's really annoying! Grrr....

I got that from another TU member, David Sullivan, or CaptnSully. Almost everything I know about building baits I learned from others here at TU.

I've never had issues with the hooks pulling out. The hooks I use are preweighted, with an offset at the eye to hold plastics, so it holds fine when it's poured in. I pour one day, and fish them the next, and I use Bear's 2601 medium plastic.

Thanks. When the #1's get here, I'll know if they'll work or not. I was hesitant, since #1 rings are small, but I don't know if the Excalibur sizing is the same as for standard split rings. I'll let you know, one way or the other.

You did a beautiful job on that bait!

Try moving the needle back by hand and spraying. Your needle may be stuck, or the nut holding it in place may be loose.

I only use AZEK decking and trim board, both of which are very buoyant. I find using material that floats well lets me add hardware, bigger hooks, and ballast to the lures without worrying about killing the action, or making them sink. It's not hard to add enough ballast to get them to suspend, or sink slowly, if I want that, too.

When I make jointed swimbaits, I also use screw eyes and hinge pins. I use either .072 or .092 stainless steel screw eyes, and stainless bicycles spokes for the pins.

Beautiful bait!

I find the main difference with originals and knockoffs is weighting, and weight transfer systems. Knockoffs don't always have the proper ballasting, so I add BBs, and most don't have weight transfer systems, to help with casting, so I try and figure out how to add BBs to do that, too. There is no doubt that the weight on a cable system used by Zip Baits, and other high end Japanese bait makers, is by far the best. But I don't want to lose a $20 lure in snaggy brush, when I can by one for $1.75, do a little work, add hooks and split rings, and fish without sweating whether or not I get hung up. As it is, I keep a lure reliever on my deck whenever I fish, but windy days make saving cranks a risky proposition at best.

I agree. It does seem like a relatively simple fix, but, having a black thumb when it comes to all things computer, I don't want to say it's easy. I asked them about it a year ago, but the woman I spoke to didn't have an answer. Maybe she does now. Give her a call.

Thank you Hughesy. I've bookmarked the site, and just ordered some. I hope you get a commission from the referral. They only list the #1 size. Are bigger sizes available? I love the Switchback, too. I have a 1/2oz model that won't switch back to rattling anymore, but it catches more fish in the silent mode than my rattling cranks. You do a mean paint scheme. That sexy shad scheme catches them everywhere. And Tim Horton does seem like the genuine article. I never see him without a smile on his face, and a positive attitude, plus he's a great fisherman.

Amen!!!!!

If it's not damaged, leave the old paint and finish, and just do like Big Bass Man says. Scuff it with a scotchbrite pad, or wet sand it with 400 grit paper, use an exacto knife to scratch the parts you can't sand, wipe it all down with clean acetone, and you're good to go. All you're trying to do is get a surface that your new paint will bond to, and roughing it lightly does the trick. If you do it like we said and there is still an adhesion problem, there are rattle can primers that are specifically for plastic adhesion. I don't know exactly what they are, because I've never needed them. Light sanding always works for me.

I tried them both, but I couldn't find the teardrop-shaped split rings on either site. They do have the oval rings, but I'd really like to find the teardrop split rings, if they are available.

Thanks.

Are the teardrop-shaped split rings that come on the Switchback Shad available anywhere else? I like how I can vary the amount of wiggle by which end I tie to, and I think tying to the pointy end cuts down on the amount of grass the lure picks up.

Crymdawg, There's no need for any glue or cement with wire. It holds fine by itself. For me, it's pretty easy to tell when the wire is tight, because, instead of being a nice straight twist, it starts to bend. When that happens I stop, and cut off the excess. I've never had the wire cut the skirt material. Jigman, I had no idea the new collars don't rot! I just got so tired of opening my spinnerbait boxes and jig boxes, and finding a bunch of loose, gooey skirt material and naked baits that I started using braid and crazy glue. Now that I've found the wire, it is so easy I use it exclusively.

Mazel Tov on your child.

Go to page 5 of the soft bait gallery. Both Pancho and I posted how we cast weighted hooks right into the swimbaits when we pour them.

Man, you picked a tough material to build from for sale. When I built from wood, I used poplar and still had headaches from failed baits due to water intrusion, no matter how well I sealed the wood before painting. Jointed baits have too many places for water to get in and swell the wood, causing paint and top coat failure. I do still have some old wooden one piece walking baits that I painted with rattle can paints, and they are still usable, so maybe yours will be okay. Just seal the heck out of them before you paint them. I switched to AZEK PVC decking, and then their trimboard, because I didn't want any warranty issues with the lures I sold. I stood behind the lures, but told people the paint would get scratched, hopefully by lots of big fishes teeth. Good luck.