diemai

@ LooksLikeSinbad Here is one of my very early lures made more than 10 years ago after a catalog picture . If my memory serves me right , the original was a "Mann's" lure called "Pogo Shad" , but I haven't seen it since anymore , suppose , that it was quite short lived:? . It still float's up with its tailfin just breaking through the surface , I am sure that the original hangs different or even sinks , never held one in my hands ! I fish it in a jerk-and-pause manner , the offset tail causes it to roll and vibrate at quite a high frequency and it goes down to one foot this way . It has a hollow chamber inside the center of body with a BB , but since I lacked experience those days , that rattle chamber is not very loud being furnished of wood exclusively . It is weighted heavily under its chin to stabilize its running , the cross-section is oval with the belly a little fatter than the back . It is carved out of one piece of light teakwood , but I think to make the shaping easier , one could also screw a metal tail(homemade of aluminium or a fitting Indiana-blade) onto such a lure to achieve the same action , one can maybe even test and/or alter the action by bending the fin to different angles . I guess a fin set at approx. 90

@ALC609 Vodkaman is darn right , only sharp and well maintained tools will provide best results ! I also agree with him , that the spur point bit would work best in wood , but rpm speed and feed must be matched to the kinda material , that you are working on , for balsa I'd suggest a very high speed of the drill bit and a moderate feed to prevent wandering and chipping in that rather soft material . Also pull the bit out of the hole a fraction ocassionally whilst drilling , so that the woodchips would come out , his provides a better quality of the bore . The problem about drilling in wood , also with these spur point bits , is the exit of the hole , not so much the entry ! As the bit has almost passed through , one hardly can avoid the thin remainder of wood to crack up and chip under pressure of the bits feed . I have found out about this , when drilling crosswise holes through lureblanks(no balsa)for inserting rattles . Not that important , since I'd close the holes with some sort of putty again , anyway . But to achieve a clean exit , I drilled carefully as far through for just the spur point of the drill bit to slightly come out , after I switched the workpiece around and finished the bore from the other side , using the small spur's hole for centering . Since one only drills a fraction deep from the second side , the little lack of alignment of the two hole directions may be ignored . If your workpiece is still plane at its bottom side and you have a chance to lay it flush upon a piece of scrabwood whilst drilling , this chipping of the exit won't easily occur ! But in my case drilling through already rounded blanks I could not do so ! Maybe this would help a bit , good luck:yay: , diemai

@ Ellie Mae Alright , have you already drilled pilot holes for screw eyes or embeded any weights into the lure:? ? This should possibly be done and also be tested PRIOR to painting the lure:yes: ! Even with the best , detailed paintjob applied , the lure might not have a proper function without weight . As a crankbait these shapes of lure might only perform a smooth "wave" swimming pattern , no wobble at all , if tow eye attached at the nose and weighted in the belly . If toweye attached somewhere at the back of head and heavily belly weighted , it might turn(I repeat , MIGHT !) out a vibrating lure(like a "Rattling Rap" , "Ratt' L Trap" , etc.......) , but without rattles , of course . If you don't wanna fit in a lip , I'd use this lure shape as a sinking jerkbait , weighted slowwwwwwly sinking in a horizontal position . In this case the toweye would be placed at the nose , hook eyes at tail and somewhere behind the deepest part of body , the weight somewhere ahead of belly hook , so that the lure sinks horizontally(has to be tested , when lure is still in a blank condition) . Gotta go now , feel free to call back in for questions:yes: ! Greetz , diemai

Heck , a 1970's vintage Japanese no-name copy of one of the models mentioned above ! Got a few just the same lips down in my basement , bought them 17 cents each some years ago from "Moore's Lures" ! greetz , diemai

@ Ellie Mae Hi , welcome in here ! Would be great , if you could post a pic of your bait , much easier to determine about eventual problems that way , also specify about your questions ! Could only help you about your wooden bait itself , not much about the painting , since I am not familiar with American products to be used for the purpose , I live in Europe . Greetz , diemai

As from 1st of January thru 1st of May is predators closing time in my area and I won't get to fishing for non-predatory fish before end of march(don't expect too much ice anymore in Northern Germany these days) , I shall have some more time to spend in my workshop:yes: . I want to make some more and different smaller crankbaits , that should have an appeal to perch and pike alike . Also working on some new prototypes of a three-section swimbait , consisting of wood and metal sheet . My firts bath tub tests looked promising , so if things get along well with that design , I just might go deeper with it in winter . Also could use some more medium-sized spoons , lost a few this season so far , just to fill up my stock : Loose one , build three new , and you'll never run out of lures , lol ! Greetz , diemai

The closest-looking I could find in my literature was a "Millsite Minnow" . Greetz , diemai

Though the mind may still be strong , but the flesh may already get weaker and we just can't seem to face the facts , I'd still like to wish you a jolly , HAPPY BIRTHDAY , Dave:) ! All the best , Dieter

Also from myself , Happy Birthday ! Aussi de moi , Bonne Anniversaire:yes: ! greetz:tipsy: , diemai

Nice musky , congrats:) ! Best moments for those endless hours in the workshop:yes: ! tight lines , diemai

@ Luretrekker Hi , Manu Very nice lure you have built there , a great technical challenge , I suppose . In the dark of the depths is really has something of a monster appearance , lol ! I understand , that the light is transmitted through light-leading cables , but what is the source of the light ? I see something like a casing sticking out of the back of your "banana" , do you insert a chemical light ("Knicklicht" in German) , and if yes , is it one of 4,5 mm or 3,0 mm diameter ? Or is it battery operated ? Or is it a secret:huh: ? Greetz , Dieter

Alright , some more "monsters" ! The ones painted in a chessboard pattern are not as old , maybe 7 or 8 years , but I had problems with their linseedoil treatment .The colors yellowed , the liquid is coming up to the surface . I guess , nowadays I have solved that problem by utilizing different kinds of paints and laquers . Anyway , they're here to show , what a lurebuilders mind running wild is able to create , just like "Frankenstein" , like Mark said , lol ! A square cross-sectioned lure just to be able to paint it in a chessboard pattern ! The one with the metal-plate lip doesnt even work too well ! The small "Swim Whizz" type I carved together with the weird ones shown in previous post . Actually this is the one , that kept me going on with carving back in these days ! On first trip , first trial it produced a 33" pike , that was the evidence , that I needed to proceed making lures ! These "Frankenstein" creatures could never achieve that ! Greetz , Dieter

@ mark poulson Hi , Mark Guess , that you're not that far wrong with your "Frankenstein Lures" and monster names . Now I know , why my fishing is so slow presently ! THEY'RE TOO SCARED TO STRIKE ! Now , here are some real "Frankenstein" creatures from my very early luremaking days , about 12 to 14 years ago , don't remember for sure . Also don't remember about their action , haven't used them a lot , since back then I quickly learned , that it is impossible to overcome the laws of physics , lol:huh: ! But these ones pictured are not entirely rejects , I suppose , I remember to have littered some others , so I kept these for some reason . Only remember the big black "pregnant" lure with the downward flat tail to wiggle a lot and cause a wake on the surface with its tail . I have learned a lot by these "creatures" , so don't laugh , otherwise the monsters are comin' to git ya ! greetz , Dieter

@ rofish Alright , here is the second , real weird one from Finland:eek: !

@ rofish Sorry to have caused you so much brainwork , lol ! One thing I'd say , you are a true wire-bending artist , I like your multiple toweye design . But I wonder , wether your lures would have a nice wiggle or only swim in a "wave" pattern on retrieve ? They are quite flat-bodied , hence lack sideward stability , I suppose . At least a wider lip portion would provide a better "grip" and counterbalance in the water . I have pictured two similar lures to your designs for you to figure out better about my statement . Both lures are made by unknown Finnish builders , got them in terms of lure swaps with my Finnish friend "Jio" . Both of them have a nice , frequent wobble , and are obviously made of balsa , since they are quite light . keep on carvin':yay: , greetz , Dieter