mark poulson

So what is the verdict? What is the hole size? Can they be drilled out?

Corey, I use the #4 rings because they are good for most of the cranks/baits I make. If a ring won't snap back shut after I put it on a treble hook I immediately replace it. Since I use .072 screw eyes for some of my hook hangers, being able to slip onto that size eye is my test. I just haven't found a split ring smaller than #4 that will consistently work for me. I do use smaller rings sometimes, but those are on small baits that are thrown on light line, so the line will break before the rings open up. If I'm using a lighter wire split ring for my line tie, before I tighten my line tie knot I make sure the gap in the ring is in the line tie itself, so my line knot is on the part of the ring that's doubled, and the knot holds it closed.

For me, the only failure I've had with the Barlow's split rings are right when I open them with my split ring pliers. The bad ones don't reclose after I've opened them the first time, so I just discard those and try another. Easy to spot. Otherwise, the split rings are very strong, and I've never had one fail on a fish.

I've been down for a week with "the cold" that's going around here in NoCal. Nasty business. Today's the first day I've felt decent since last Monday. If I feel better tomorrow I'll take some pics. of the bait. It's tied on now, and stashed under the boat's cover.

I originally got into lure makine to replace a 9" Pupfish of my buddies that I borrowed and broke. I was able to duplicate the lure, and it's big side to side action, but never what I now know is the hollow one knocker sound that the original's hard, brittle plastic made with it's huge ballast ball. Same deal with the Luhr Jensen Speed Trap. We call them eggshell baits, because their plastic shell is so thin and brittle it cracks if you look at it too hard. But the rattling sound it produces is unique. So we learned to be better casters! Some lures are just not duplicatable with wood. http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/gallery/image/3593-wall-of-shame/

Owner Hyperwire split rings are bulletproof, but also expensive. I buy heavy duty #4 split rings from Barlow's in the 100 count. 4 out of 5 are fine, but the price is so good I put up that failure rate.

Hey Ben, It's good to hear from you. Mark

I would use a drill bit in a drill press to enlarge the holes. Even if they aren't perfect the prop will still spin just fine.

I could probably repurpose it as another type of lure, but the wild hair that inspired me is to make a bluegill glide bait, so that's the plan, for now. Once I've gotten that accomplished, I'll revisit the original bait, so see what, if anything, I can do with it.

Gliders, salmon are some really strong fish. I caught a 30" plus male salmon here on the CA Delta, on a wiggle wart, and he twisted the rear hook hanger 90 degrees!

JD, I use the same size screw eyes for my hinges, with a piece of either .051 or .062 wire as the hinge pin. I also use the same sst screw eyes for line ties and rear hook hangers. I don't go any bigger on my hardware, because I think it's overkill for the bass I fish for. Is the tig rod softer than the .062 wire form from Lurepartsonline?

My thoughts exactly!

That's exactly what I thought, but it isn't true, at least in my lure making.

I envy you your abilities. I have come to peace with the idea that I'm not that guy anymore. Maybe when I grow up. The Fish Lab swimbaits are light. The bigger one are right around 2 oz. Making one that size and shape that is that light is beyond my mortal abilities.

I would use an older swimbait rod and reel setup that I already have to fish Huddlestons. I've thrown big baits like that in the past, but that was when my body would let me. All of my swimbait gear is at least 15 years old. I'm pretty sure the new rods are much better and lighter.

I have several rods to throw it on, so I'm set. I'll use the same setup as I use for my Huddleston ROF 12s. Whether or not to finish it is an ongoing debate. Once it get it tuned to my liking I'll have to make that choice.

I am fighting a cold, and the bait is tied onto my test rod in the boat. Once I'm feeling better I take some pics and post them.

Exactly.

Guys, I'll have to think about your points. Wayne, the problem is it's too buoyant as it is. I have add so much ballast to get it to slow sink that it's not manageble for me to throw all day. Plus having that much weight hanging out of a fish's mouth, even with swivels as hook hangers, will give the fish a lot of leverage to throw the bait.

When I saw the TU review of the latest bluegill glide bait, I decided to make one. Mine wound up being 4 1/2" long, plus the tail, and about 2 1/2" tall. I made it from 3/4" AZEK trimboard, tapered to 1/2" thick at the belly. I did my usual hanging of lead egg sinkers off of the trebles to get the ballast amount. It wound up taking 90 grams for the front section, and 10 grams for the tail section, to get them to both fall slowly at the same rate. The good news is that the bait does glide like a cover glide, with a tight back and forth, and rests upright on the bottom, sitting on top of the trebles. The bad news is the finished bait weighs almost 5 oz., without paint and topcoat. I will not be finishing it, because there is no way I'm going to throw a 5 oz bait all day! Those days are long gone. So it's back to the drawing board. Maybe a 3" bait will weigh enough less that I can throw it a lot. I have 3" bluegill spybaits that are easy to throw. I just got so carried away with the idea of that 5" bait it never dawned on me how much ballast I'd have to add to get it to slow sink. Doh!!! Live and learn, I guess.

I guess it depends on what you want to use it for. I use .051 sst wire from Lurepartsonline for my whopper ploppers. It is bendable, but it takes some effort. I made one with .062 wire, and almost hurt myself trying to form the rear hook hanger loop. I use sst screweyes for my line ties and hook hangers, and also Spro heavy duty swivels, with a spinnerbait wire pin going side to side through the swivel eye that's up in the bait. When I make cranks with the line tie in the bill, I use lighter sst wire, like in the .030 range, because I have to bend it to shape.

Wow! Those are big!

Clearly you don't need any help! ;O)

Will these work for you, in the mean time? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Dry_Creek_35_Full_Body_Double_Dipped_Tubes/descpage-DCFBDDT.html

I do that, too.