mark poulson

I build with PVC, so my pin holes are about 3/16" from the joint face. Err on the side of too far in. You can always sand off some material to get the joint looser, but you can't replace material once it's lost. I use a small bit to drill a pilot pin hole, correcting alignment as needed with it, and then use the pin sized bit to ream out the holes once they're positioned correctly.

I drill two 5/16" holes at the drill press, and then enlarge them with a dremel and sanding cylinder. I use sst screw eyes, not twist wires, so I can bend the eyes slightly to limit the amount of vertical play as I need to. I'm not sure twist wire would be stiff enough to hold a bend like that, so smaller pilot holes might be needed.

I'd sure like to see a video of how that is done. It sounds facinating.

Check the hardbaits gallery.

For sub-surface gliders, I would still weight the lure so it sits like I suggested, slightly tail down, and then add the same amount of additional weight fore and aft to get it to suspend, or to sink. The rear weight principle remains the same.

For surface walkers/gliders, I add ballast just past the mid point toward the tail, so the lure sits slightly tail down in the water. But I like them to rest almost horizontal, with 1/3 of the top of the front section out of the water. I think walking baits work because the tail is heavier, so it has more momentum, and it keeps moving when the front stops. That turns the bait to one side, and then pulling it again, followed by slack, turns it the other way. My rule of thumb is the smaller the bait, the deeper I want the tail to hang down. In a small bait, like the size of a small Sammie, it's not hard to get the bait up on the surface and walking, and the additional weight helps in castingt, but bigger baits, like the Lunker Punker or the Pupfish, have a lot of body to move, so it's hard work pulling that tail up and getting it walking if it's hanging down. So my bigger baits hang just slightly tail down, but almost horizontal, and my small baits hand tail down, almost vertical. For me, the best way to figure out how much the tail should hang down is to get a bait that you like, like a Sammie or a Spook, that's about the same size as the one you want to build, and see how it sits in the water. If you match that, you won't go too far wrong.

Just be careful with 5 minute epoxy. Devcon 5 minute epoxy is water resistant, not water proof. I had the unfortunate experience of having my rear twist wire hinge unscrew on a bait while I was fishing it. I had used Devcon 5 minute to set it. When I took the bait apart at home, the epoxy had turned punky and soft. It was bad on the other hinges, too, but they were double wires, so they didn't rotate out. I don't know about other brand of 5 minute epoxies, but I only use Devcon 30 minute (D2T) because it is waterproof.

First of all, that's a terrific looking lure. Great work! I agree about the problem probably being the fins, especially the ones that stick out (pelvic?). Those fins provide lift, and they could be causing the problem. I would try eliminating those first, and then the others one at a time, if it still leans. If you are dead set against losing the fins, try making them thinner, so they don't have enough thickness to act as wings. I go about weighting my four section jointed baits differently than Dave. I use PVC decking, which is buoyant enough that the lures lie on their sides before they're ballasted, even with all the hooks and split rings attached. After I've shaped, hinged, and hardwared my lures, I float them in a bucket of water. I determine my ballast by adding 1/8 oz egg sinkers to the tines of the front treble hook, one at a time, until the bait sits straight. For floaters, I stop once the lure sits level, with only the back and top of the tail sitting out of the water. For sinkers, I add additional weights on the rear hook tines if needed until I get the rate of fall I want. I use 1/4" lead wire for the actual ballast. It weighs about 8 grams per inch, so I can measure the weight I need, and cut it with a drywall knife. Then I drill 3 ballast holes in the bottom of the front section, and add as much 1/4" lead wire as I need to match the ballast I've determined the lure requires. If there's not enough room in the front section, I begin adding weight to the second section until I've got it right. I never add weight to the tail section, because I always want that to be buoyant enough to keep it up when it's swimming, so the lure stays horizontal on the retrieve. I have some baits with weighted tails, and they swim tail down, which isn't the look I want. You did a great job with that mold, and I look forward to seeing your finished lures.

Jeff, I use the Zap gap filler glue a lot for hardware installation. Once I've put some drops in a hardware hole, I push in the hardware, and I spray it with the acelerator. It sets up quickly, and I can add more glue if the hole's not completely filled. When I'm in a hurry, and don't want to wait for bondo to set up, I use the Zap as a filler over ballast holes, too. It doesn't come out as nice as bondo, but it let's me get a bait ready for testing right away. I do find that it is a little more brittle than D2T, so I don't feel comfortable recommending it to other people, but I use it for my own baits. For my stuff, it holds up fine, and I have also had a very hard time removing something that's been set in it.

Bob, If you add Pledge to Createx, does it interfer with the heat-triggered cross link that makes T shirt paints waterproof? I apologize for appointing you the "Pledge expert", but I'm hoping you've done the hard work, and already know the answer.

You're right, they aren't totally water proof. If you submerge them overnight, or leave a bait on wet carpet overnight, it will cloud up. But I've fished cranks and swimbaits coated with SC9000 for several years now, and never had a problem. I do use PVC, not wood, so my paint jobs are much more stable and waterproof. You asked for something that wouldn't take away from the shine of your glitter. Short of an automotive clear that requires both breathing protection and a special spray booth, this is the only finish I've found that fills the bill, and it can be dipped easily, with no breathing protection or storage issues. It doesn't take away from metalic finishes, either, like every other finish I've tried. Not pushing it, just saying it isn't as fragile as some have posted, at least not in my experience.

Nice fish! And nice bait, too. Congratulations. There is something amazing about catching fish on a bait you make yourself, isn't there?

Pete's right, they're all sisters in the dark, or, in this case, in the water. If you want a finish that won't take away from the flash, try Target Coatings' SC9000. It is their Super Clear, and it is that.

Very nicely done. I like how you used the dados to secure the blanks in the precise position. Very smart.

I use sst screw eyes, coated with crazy glue, for hook hangers and line ties. I use D2T for bills, and that is what I would use for twist wire inserts if I used them. For prototypes, and bills that don't have a line tie, crazy glue holds just fine.