diemai

.............at least . greetz , Dieter

Hahaha , ....somewhat familiar to me , ........during my French lessons the teacher rather talked about French Cuisine but grammar , so I've missed out quite a bit as well . Used to play skat as well , when I was younger , .....but now I've forgot about it . Traditional card game and extremely popular over here , ......at this time of year public matches are held in bars , hotels and community centers , etc . everywhere , .....for a little entry fee one can win forage prices like a pig half , bacon legs , smoked pork , geese or ducks , local style salami , etc . Always worthwile checking out YouTube with lure-related terms in different languages , as you might discover real little gems , ......human ingeniousity does not depend on ethnics or origin , ......f. e. came across this one recently , a very cool jig made by an Italian fellow tinkerer : Sorry for a little "off topic" , .....greetz , Dieter

You can make your choice between both styles there , ....problem are the limited opening hours at MooresLures , check catalog intro prior to contacting or ordering . Good luck , diemai

@ joliepa I most likely test my lureblanks in the bathtub , at least during winter during local closing time and ice-up , .....this way I could still tweak on ballast amount and location , lip angle and lip size , also tow eye position , .... thus alter swimming action and remaining buoancy , off course only within limited boundaries at this stage . If possible , I'd stick all parts together without glue for testing , ...timber blanks sealed with propionate to prevent water sepage . Some common models or such that I have experiences with , I would not test anymore , but just trim them with ballast in a waterbucket(though one can never be sure of bad surprises . Lure terminiology varies internationally , even within different part of the USA , I guess , .......what we refer to as a jerkbait in Europe , would be called a glidebait , a drop belly glider or also a pullbait in the USA , ..depending on it's general design . The American jerkbait can be a lipped lure or even a soft plastic lure , as far , as I'm concerned , ........and I guess , that the term "twitchbait" was rather defined in Europe but the US , though no so sure about that , .......it would be a lipped bait to be best worked with little twitches , not stronger jerks , I reckon . It is really confusing , as the terms seem to refer to the shape AND the way , one could work the particular lures . Exceptions might be the lures falling under the European describtion of jerkbaits , as these cannot be worked attractively in any other manner but jerking them , ........the lipped American jerkbaits can also be retrieved straight to sport a certain wobble still attracting fish , which would also work for twitchbaits , I suppose . But why is this terminiology so important to you ? Good night , past midnight over here , ...., greetz , diemai

G'day , mate , .................here as well , ....PDF-catalog page 30 : www.mooreslures.com Welcome to the TackleUnderground , ...cheers , diemai

At first I'd advice you to take some time to browse through the topics in here , you'll already find a good share of info . And if you are after a certain type of action , you should probably try and duplicate a lure , that provides that certain desired swimming action , .....it's just very , very elaborate to tell about crankbait dynamics , entire books chapters have been filled on that topic , ...still after almost 25 years of luremaking I can just roughly predict about the action , that a homemade crankbait lure would come up with , .........and , ....info in here as well , but one's gotta find it . If your a newbie to lure carving , you might as well check out YouTube , ....there are countless lurebuilding videos around , just use the search function filling in approbiate terms like "lurebuilding " , "luremaking" , "luretesting" , "lurecarving" , "Kunstköder" , " Wobblerbau" , "Kunstaas", ....etc. ! For example , ...regarding lure foiling , .......here is a good video put out by a friend of mine : Welcome to the TackleUnderground , .......greetz , diemai

@Griffond , @ mark poulson , I don't have a shed for my lures , ....unfortunately , .....they're stored just down the basement , ........the 2 or maybe even 3 cubic yards of lure boxes and bags still have their little corner down there ! But nevertheless sometimes the missus throws the idea about me should be moving down there , .......dunno why , actually ? @ Griffond Can't remember sucha lure either , but must have probably done one like this before , ....I remember about lures with screw-on metal lips , that had an hook attachement hole integrated to rear part of the lip behind it's attachement screws , so that the hook would come to sit at proper belly location . Greetz , Dieter

@ mark poulson Mark , ...really a good idea about the svivel , maybe one should also just switch it between hookeye and hook right from the start for preventation , ........got two or three "Taildancers" somewhere , ....I will do that , if I could ever find them . Thanks for input , Mark , ....greetz , Dieter

@ scrubs Bill , I see , that the lower lure has some kinda of front edge protection on it , .......I find such very senseful and I was thinking to install such to this kind of lures as well , if I should even make some again in future , .......the sheer timber just becomes bruised pretty fast , if the lure is worked over shallow gravel bottoms . Also that tinsel is a great Idea , ......i might try one with a silicone EZ skirt , ...should look great , when pulsating with each jerk ? Thanks for input , ........greetz , Dieter

Just read that thread over again , ......the guy that posted those pictures said , that the failure happens , when netting pike attached to the tail treble and the vacant points of that treble get stuck into the net same time the pike twisting , ......the thin balsa tail end of the lure can't take the occuring leverage ! But another fella also replied there , that amongst some trolling anglers , that he knows , this lure model would be infamous for failing this way , though not specifying about the exact cause of the failure . Greetz , Dieter

Years ago I used to gather lathe turning timber from the local bi-monthly scrap collections , people would put old furniture pieces and all sorts of other garbage at roadside to be collected . I was after table and stool legs of beechwood , and I can tell you , that it takes a whole lotta brute force to take a well done bond of ordinary wood glue apart , often the surrounding timber would crack up around the bond , but the glue would hold up ! In a nutshell , .......I would not have any concerns about a well made lure of two halves coming apart , no matter whether glued with epoxy or wood glue , ....rather the balsa lurebody might snap , if too much tapered down the tail or nose . On a German site there have been discussions recently about such often happening to "Rapala Tail Dancers" , ....hijacked the pictures for you guys around here : PS : When using woodglue to bond two-piece lures , make sure to use WATERPROOF woodglue , at least over here there also is a non waterproof type around ! Greetz , Dieter

I am using fast curing epoxy topcoat to coat my lures , ......has a processing time of about 20 -30 minutes , no need for a Lure rotator , ....just swichtching them over from head to tail in my drying rack for a few times to avoid dripping , ...using simple homemade wire hooks to attach my lures . Buying that epoxy from a special marine store selling all kinds of fibre fabrics , resins for lamination , coating , etc. , ...they offer two different epoxy resins each with a little selection of different catalysts to take influence on the curing time after requred demands , ........I buy the fastesd catalyst . Greetz , diemai

............don't be that shameless , Mark , ........it's inches , ...just inches ! @ scrubs Same with me , Bill , ....any added casting distance off the bank equals better chances for a catch ! Greetz , Dieter

A little update : Fished the two medium sizes of my "Pfeffer" versions in a smaller pond yesterday , ....no fish struck them , though , ....only a 5" perch followed up trying to bite the silver/blue lure , ...they are just too unwilling these days , haven't caught on other lures either ! But what I really mean to report is , that I am pretty much amazed about the casting performance of these lures ! Even the previously mentioned smaller lure casts very far on my 9 foot spinning rod , .....I'm very happy with these lures . Can't wait to throw them into the Hamburg city "Alster" lake , ......looks like they are predestinated for this shallow swim , where further casting is essential to get beyond the shallows close to the bank . Gonna keep you updated , if any catches should occur , ......greetz , Dieter

@ scrubs 6" blanks would surely be large enough to attract pike and musky , ...so good luck building , Bill ! @ Griffond ...............good question , haha , ..no such measurement on the sketch , .......but for the given length there I'd go for a max. width of 15mm , both ends of body would be tapered a bit , anyway . After the sketch the lurebody might probably sit level with given weight positions , .......but slighly head or also nose down won't matter too much , I reckon , ........the lure hanging tail heavy would improve the casting performance and a lure a little nose heavy might not rise up as fast , as any spinning blade generates some lift to a lure , a Colorado blade the most and a Willowleaf the lest lift . Greetz , Dieter

@ scrubs Bill , if you've got one lure blank to waste , go ahead chopping off the lip . But if I come to think of it , ........you might have to overweight that blank to an extend , that it would not be suitable to be used as a crankbait anymore , anyway , ....maybe even when using an ordinary sinking minnow bait in a reversed manner , it might rise to the surface too fast with the spinner attached ? I have never tried such rigs , but read about it in one of my luremaking books . @ Griffond Really some good ideas to tinker with , ....probably seeing some of your results soon ? Good luck , ....cheers , Dieter

Bill , ....why going through all of the effort of an entire new bait then , .....you could make yourself a detachable spinner shaft and rig it to any suitable hardbait like a sinking glidebait or a sinking minnow crankbait(reverse way attached at tail eye , rear hook rigged to previous tow eye , the small lip now sitting on the tail end should not disturb too much) . Plastic shads on leadheads are also very well suited to be attached to a spinner , either straight shaft or also the "L" shape of a spinnerbait . I've also seen book pictures of a detachable buzz blade "L" wire form rigged to the original tow eye of sinking lipless crankbaits like "Ratt'L'Traps" or "Rattlin' Rapalas" . Greetz , Dieter

I have made similar lures to that "BlueFox" lure shown above , but did not put them up in my gallery , ......in fact I had already forgotten about them , right now I remember again ! To make them heavier , I had "carved" the bodies from solid aluminium blocks . But there were some similar models like the one in the book put up in here , I'm almost sure to remember to have seen such before . Also I can't remember any significant catches on these lures , but I do not tie them on very often , I must say(have a few "Blue Fox" to carry along , too) . Guess , that they are basically lures for trout and perch , not suited for pike(or muskie) that much , .........but one never knows , ...if size and size and shape do fit ....... ? But here's something , that might help eliminating mistakes in the build : http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?/topic/25507-why-isnt-the-spinner-turning/ Greetz , Dieter

Don't be scared , ...just get a carving knife out and give it a go , ......you can't lose(well , maybe exept your lure in the mouth of a fish too strong for your tackle ) ! Good luck , diemai

@ littleriver Congrats on you success , Vic , nice fish these are ! Too bad , that you have lost one of your lures , ...but I guess , you would have been more mad , if the rod+reel were gone as well ! Anyway , ......it looks like smaller glide baits are making their way into bass anglers lure boxes as well now ! @ Griffond I guess , "solarbaits" is not that active on the forums anymore , haven't seen a post by him for a while now . Greetz , Dieter

Thanks a lot , folks , ...I' so glad , These "Pfeffers" turned out well ! @ littleriver Vic , without your help I would not not have gotten as far , so thanks a lot again , my friend ! Regarding the desired lure actions at different times of year : Fish are cold blooded animals , so their physical activities depend on the temperature of the water , they're living in . During the summer months water temps around here would be somewhere between 18° and 23° centigrade , so in theorry there would be the highest and most lively fish activity during these months , hundreds of thousands small fry and minnows are moving about in large schools , there is forage enough for all creatures in the water systems . This is the time of year , smaller lures with a livelier action are in order , as the preyfish are also small and lively(due to higher temps) , ...one can even catch better predators with just pinkie-sized lures . Only drawback is , that the higher temps and sunlight in summer enhance algae growth , and this takes oxygene from the water , so at high temps fish are often reluctant to bite during the day , their activities take part around the hour of sunrise and sunset then , some species also at night . On the other hand , as in fall the water temps do chill down again , the schools of fry and minnows had become significantly less in numbers due to having been eaten up , due to the lower water temps the physical activity of the fish also becomes less , not so much forage around anymore as well . Predators do not live in Fairy Land anymore and have to change their habbits , ....instead of wasting too much energy to hunt after a few or the rare small minnows , they'd rather wait , until a bigger bite comes along , that would fill their bellies for less hunting effort . This is why bigger lures are better suited in fall and winter , and since the prey fish do not act as lively in the colder water , the lure action should also be somewhat moderate , just not get the predator wary . I had read about this long time ago , and by the years of my own fishing experiences , I can only second to it , ......though , ...as always , there might be exeptions to the rule ! @ mark poulson Mark , I think that there are a few factors playing their part , not just the line tie position , ...but nevertheless all must match one another . Look at the cross section , it is kinda egg-shaped with the more pointed part being towards the back of the lure . So more buoancy at the belly portion , rendering the lure unstable and providing the tendency to lay on it's side , .......this tendency has to be counterworked with just enough belly ballast to let the lure swim upright at rest again . The relatively high line tie also has a tentency to pull the lure onto it's side(thus guide it into a sideward swimming direction finally leading into the hunting action) , .......and the notch at the chin of the lure angles into the oncoming current at this stage tending to level the lure upright again ,.......the belly ballast also does it's share to have the lure sit upright again . But at this very stage the lure would have already swam out of course to the straight line pull direction , so the force of the pulling line becomes increasingly stronger at one side of the lure and at one momement the lure would change direction towards the line pull to finally sport that certain "S" wave course , that we refer to as a hunting action . Just my own , Mark . @ scrubs Looks like you've got all the info you'd need in here , Bill , ...good luck with these . Thanks again , folks , .....greetz , Dieter