mark poulson

Only my toenails, and they're red!

I use a Rigid (Home Depot) ocillating combination belt and spindle sander that takes a 4X24 belt. It makes shaping lures a dream, and it has a dust collector connection in the back for a shop vacuum.

I find the black sharpies don't run, but the colors do. Heat setting the sharpie colors helps to make them run less, and coating them with Createx clear before I top coat helps, too.

My forehead is cupped from the "doh!' moments I keep having.

I put them in before I paint, and use a centerline on the bill to line up with the hook hangers on the lure, which I added using a centerline on the lure.

I was wondering the same things. That wood carved perfectly, with no grain that I could see. Maybe it's not wood, but some kind of fine grained, strong foam or resin. Either way, he's a master! I've watched silver leaf being applied to ornate mirror frames, and it is really thin, flexible, and strong. If he's using real silver, I'm guessing it's adhesive backed, so he just has to remove the paper backing and smooth it onto the lure.

I just build or paint lures one at a time for myself. I've tried foil, but it took too long. Now I use silver nail polish. Sally Hansen 220 "Celeb City". It is really shiney, and durable. I got some on my thumbnail a week ago, and it's still there. I put the "Hard as Nails" clear over it on lures. Not perfect, but really shines, and if you dab it on over clear lures, you get a 3D, see-thru finish that's great for clear water.

If I made something that beautiful and intricate, it would never get wet! Thanks for the video.

Ben, You might try filing or sanding a shallow, concave groove into the forehead of the bait, like for a rattle trap. That would trap more water, and might exaggerate the amount of resistance the thinner lure's head would have. I've found that the reason baits "walk" is that the rear is slightly heavier than the front, and so the water resistance on the front causes it to slow more quickly, letting the rear catch up, like a jack knifed truck.

Someone on Tu suggested drilling a thru hole at the eye location, and adding a single ball rattle like BobP talked about there. The lure eyes can go in the recess after you glue in the aluminum discs, and the side-to-side action of a spook-type lure really makes the one knock rattle. I drill 5/16" recesses for the eyes, 1/4" recesses for the aluminum discs (I use a hole punch to make them), and 3/16" thru holes for the rattle.

Mike, I hope she pulls through.

Thanks guys. I did have Castaic and Pyramid in mind when I decided to make them. Anyone who has fished there has seen the sculpins. I tried them yesterday at Castaic, but not for long. I got slammed on the 4", but no hookup. I wonder if it was a small bass, trying to stun the sculpin, or another scuplin, trying to drive away a rival. The top fin got shredded.

You probably want to use a water-borne urethane, which has almost no odor, and not bad fumes. Dip the baits several times to achieve a stronger coating.

I just finished a mold for 3" sculpins, to go with my 4". I posted pictures in the soft plastics gallery.

I use a wire coat hanger bent into a square bottom U to stir my plastics in my NorPor cup while I'm pouring. I use a large chip clip to pinch down the cup into a small pour spout, and stir every time I finish a cavity. I leave the hanger in the cup as I pour, so the plastic on it never cools and lumps, and it's easy to stir between cavities. I wear leather work gloves, and they keep my hands cool enough with small batches. If I'm pouring a big batch, I'll lay a second glove or a piece of cloth in the palm of my left hand, which holds the cup, while I use my right hand to guide the pour.