spidergrub6

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the replies. I've spooled up a couple of different reels since I posted this and experimented a bit with the technique. To clarify, diemai, the twist problem was happening while I was reeling the new line on the spool. The line would get really twisted and wrap around the tip of my rod several times while trying to fill up the spool. Diemai, I like you idea about not spinning the filler spool and just winding it off the top but some of the spools I use have a little notch cut into them that catches on the line while it's coming off. When I wound some on last night I had line coming off in the same direction that it was going on the reel. The line went through all the rod guides and it worked just fine. But then again, I have tried this before and had bad results so I think it might have something to do with how the manufacturer winds the line. I also like the idea of just passing the line through the bottom guide, I'll have to try that.

It seems like every time I try to spool new line on my spinning rod the line always seems to get twisted up and wraps around my rodtip and guides. This results in what I call the twist and shout when your trying to cast light finesse baits and your line does everything but what you want. I'm just wondering if there is a certain line spooling technique to combat this. I've tried holding the filler spool in all different positions (spool vertical, spool horizontal, winding in same direction, in opposite direction). It seems like if I'm winding it on with the filler spool positioned one way it will work for a while and then after 20 or 30 yards start twisting again. So then I flip the spool over and that helps for a while but it messes up again. Any tips for a frustrated angler? It certainly doesn't seem like it should be this complicated. Thanks is advance.

Stringjam, that's what I figured that bait was. I think I'm gonna finally break down and buy some of that PVC. Any tips for shaping? I use a wood wrasp for the basswood that I normally carve but is it better to use carving knives on this stuff. I'm thinking it might gum up the rasp pretty bad. Adding weight to the bills could probably work. The Rapala DT 20 does that. The only diffeculty might be determining the best spot to install the weight as it would at like a pivot point for the wobble. This of course would be learned best through trial and error. The "fun" part of lure making

Diemie, I really like that idea in the video to put blades on a crank. I've experimented with styles where the blade is on a swivel where the belly hook should be. What was that that they were catching in the video. Looked similar to our American style yellow perch but somewhat different. By the way stringjam, What type of material is that one raw crankbait made from (with the rectangular bill). I've been thinking about experimenting with some of that PVC trim board that the guys are using on here. Do you guys have any dos and don'ts as far as bait style applications for PVC. I also wanted to try it for jointed swimbaits as it would enable testing and alterations without sealing the bait.

Wow guys, a lot of good stuff here. This is really getting interesting. I'm starting to think I may want to tone down my original goal a little and aim for the mid-teens mark like Stringjam. For one thing most of the lakes I fish are fairly shallow so there's really no need for a 20 footer. The idea was more just a novelty to challenge myself. Bob, thanks for those links they should be really helpful and even if I had found those sites, I would have had no idea what to order out of the myrid products that they offer. Dave, good insight on the postition of the pull point. I've thought about this too, my general theory being that the farther forward you put the line tie the tighter the action and deeper you will go (to a point of course). A wider wobble resulting form moving the line tie back towards the nose. I've got to say I'm quite impressed by the beastliness of bentons crank. That's pretty hard core right there. Nice work