diemai

............have you watched this , ....one propbait with homemade props to be seen in there ? greetz , diemai

Here is a little video made put out by my friend Hubert living in southwest Germany . His English is quite poor , ...so he did not want to post it himself but gave me permission to do it . He makes it look just so easy : Some other luremaking videos accessible on his own website : http://www.deranglerundmehr.de/ Apart from one vid all in German , ........but if still interested , look for terms "bauen" and "basteln" on left green column to click on to access lurebuilding topics and videos . greetz , diemai

I'd like to chime in wishing all of you friends in here a Merry Chrismas and a Happy New Year as well , ..........."Tight Lines" for the new 2012 season as well ! All the best to you all and your loved ones , ..........Merry Chrismas , Dieter

OK , ...I figure out a bit more now , ........over here in Europe the causes are a bit different , but the results for us anglers are the same in the end . Over here it's not the big business but rather a very strong environmental lobby in the politics and society in general , .........if the treehuggers had their way , there won't be no more fishing and hunting , ......and the struggle is constant ,...... and anglers most likely seem to be on the loosing streak . Also green ideologies have already infiltrated the officials of the anglers associations , even the heads of single fishing clubs , ........I could name a few examples , but this would get out of topic in here . The problem is , that everything about fishing is well organized , at least in Germany(more fredom in other countries in Europe) .......one can hardly get access to any good fishing waters , if not having membership in the fishing clubs , so they've got a good control over fishing individuals . OK , enough off topic now , ..........greetz , diemai

Hi , folks , After these lures are finally completed after months(posted them in my gallery yesterday) , I've made a bath tub test video this morning : Sadly two lures did not work out to my satisfaction , ....one even is a total reject in my opinion . Anyway , .......did not expect the paddle wheel lure to perform well right from the start , never had much of luck with the few lures that I've made with such wheels before , anyway . But the minnow lure is a total reject , as it does not flip over to proper swimming position . Anyway , .....I'm not feeling too uneasy or even ashame to display my failures as well , .......probably they might at least still serve the purpose of teaching fellow tinkerers a way to make it better ? greetz , diemai

If I may chime in again as an European , ..........this statement above decribes the situation , that we're into over here , pretty well ! Our opponents are using what in German we call a "salami" tactics , ........a little cut-off here , a little draw-back there , .......another restriction against carp anglers ,.....after a while a new restriction against lure fishermen , ....just bit by bit so nobody would sense it clearly , ........or just say , ......."well , it's only on the other ones , not on myself , so I won't raise my voice !" . But in the end ALL anglers will be left with nothing , ...maybe some put-and-take trout ponds only , ...if at all ! Another big , big problem is the unity of all anglers , talked about the reasons above , ............and second , .......vast majority of fishermen just wanna go fishing , enjoy their leisure time in the outdoors and not visit any meetings , go through lawsuits and dicussions or the work in large fishermen organisations comparable to the shooter's organisation NRA , that you've mentioned . And even such organisations do not always work for the needs and demands of the simple anglers , but join into larger politics , ........at least here in Germany ! I'm wishing you the best of luck in your struggle , ...as it would surely touch European anglers as well to see the realtive freedom of fishing in the USA going down as well . Cheers , diemai

@ mark poulson Must be a very interesting book to read , Mark , ...... from 1979 'til 1982 I've gone through an apprenticeship as a tool , -or die maker , ...by that time it already was a dying breed in this company , that I'm still working in . At least I still learned some of those old handworking techniques , that nowadays nobody uses anymore , since modern machinery does the job easier and quicker . In 1984 they've shut down that particular branch , did not make any stamping tools anymore , .....so I've ever worked as a grinding machine operator there , .......at first on coordinate grinding machines and since 1992 I'm doing relief grinding on hobs , most likely of carbide , but also tool steel . If interested , .......here is a video of the place , that I'm working ,...giving an impression on hob production , .........all of fellas shown there are my workmates , .........I'm not working on hobs as big as the ones displayed at first , .......mine are of about the size shown during the quality check and packing process , ...... and also still smaller ones , ....but specialized on carbide , not toolsteel as much. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjHjK33v6V8&feature=related (Sorry , only German version available) But at least all the things , that I've learned through my apprenticeship are also good base to operate ANY metal working machinery , ....but of course also for my hobby lure making ! Thanks again everybody for your kind words ! greetz , Dieter

Hi there , Just browsed through briefly ,................ I'm pretty much surprised , that obviously nobody suggested using single strand wire leaders to work glidebaits properly without fouling the hooks into the line . These leaders are essential for our local European glidebait pike fishing , .......they serve two purposes , .....preventing the toothy fish from snapping the line and also to prevent hook fouling . You may attach such leaders with duo-lock snaps , ....or plitring provides a connection with even less play . "American Fishing Wire" offers wire coils of different diameters to make your own leaders , .......also in bronzed "camo brown" color , .....such leaders often do not need to be made much longer than the bait itself , .......at least when targeting non-toothy fish only . greetz , Dieter

..................Mark , ......you make me blush , my friend ! greetz , Dieter

Thanks again , folks ! Ben , it was not that much af a shaping I did on these , .........those coathangers were already close to perfection , .....just tapered sides and underside towards the blade and on the top of the front portion of the handle I've sanded a little indent as a thumb rest . John , .....and these corks are artificial ones , ......guess it's a bit easier to run the blade into them as on natural corks . @ crankpaint ..................good hunting to ya ! greetz , Dieter

Thanks again , fellas , ........spent some time down the shop today to make some better handles for my blades . Found an old wooden coathanger on my scrapwood pile , so it's two tips now serve as knife handles , ...........just cut a fitting groove into them on my routing machine and epoxied the blades in , finally closed the groove with some epoxy putty and worked the excess flush after curing . Not that pretty , .........but as you say , Ben , ........would fully serve the purpose , .......utilizing those bottle corks to protect the blades(or any flesh in the vicinity , if you will ). BTW , ......Ben , was it that hacksaw knife blade that you ran into your finger the other day ? greetz , Dieter

................reckon that it's not too far from it , .....such blades are just too sharp to test with the tip of the thumb ! Cheers , Dieter

Thanks a lot , folks , .........in fact the tempered steel of a file(except the handle portion on hand files)is very brittle , one can even break a smaller file with a hammer , if laid upon some kind of a two-point mount or clambed in a vise , .........but for those small blades of only about 1" to 1 1/2" length the material is OK , so far you'd just them for wood carving and paper or leather cutting exclusively and f. e. not as a screwdriver , ........really have to take care not to drop them on concrete floors as well . But as John said , they really do hold a good edge , after a few softwood lure blanks they'd still shave the hair off someone's arms ,....... only after working on harder timbers they'd require a few strokes over mentioned fine grade sandpaper or a fine sharpening stone . thanks , ....greetz , Dieter

Looks like over there in the States you're starting to head into the same issues we European anglers are already used to face ! greetz , diemai