GT hunter

Hi guys, I just started fishing the driftless area of SW Wisconsin and I like to hunt for giant brown trout. I've noticed that when I made the jump from 3inch to four inch streamers, I got more hits and bigger fish. So, I am taking a leap to 7 to 9 inch streamers or bigger. My question is:should I investigate tube flies or should I continue in the direction I am going now with jointed streamers? Either way, I need a hook in the back and preferably a short shank. I am also starting to tinker with articulated streamers. Thanks all!!

Please post a pic of your finished product! I'd love to see it!

As long as you don't use too much glue, it shouldn't be too big of a problem to use super glue. Personally, I grab the guide with a forceps, cut a really thin strip of masking tape, stick one end of the tape strip to the side of the blank, hold the guide in place, and then gently wrap the tape around the guide on the first round and with more tension on the second. There are many different ways of holding the micro guides steady, and most of them work very well. Let us know how the super glue works. And as I'd mentioned before, as long as it's a small enough dab of glue that it doesn't interfere with the thread wrapping when it's dry, it should be just fine. Hope this helps.

I paint blanks all the time. They look fine years down the road if you do it right. Do it wrong and you know right away. There are many different ways to paint a blank. This is just the way I choose to paint my blanks and I haven't had any problems with them even ten years down the line. First, I sand the factory top coat a bit. Some people sand it off, I prefer to just try to evenly rough up the exterior. Then, spray paint whatever color you like. You may need several coats if the blank is dark and you're trying to paint it lighter colored. Then, I like to add one to two layers of clear paint...really thin layers. Let the paint really dry for a awhile. Then, mix up some epoxy finish for rod building, put on a latex glove and apply the finish to the blank with your gloved hand. Make sure there is no powder on the latex gloves! Make sure to really squeeze the blank tightly when making this application. Let this dry for several days in high heat and low humidity of possible. There are many other ways to do this, but this is a very easy way that works. I've found that without the clear coat, any nicks and dings that penetrate the outside finish also remove paint. Also, if you don't scuff up the factory finish, the paint doesn't seem to hold as well for me. Hope this helps. Again, there are definitely better and/or more advanced ways to paint a blank, but this particular method seems to work ok.

That is completely awesome! Field and Stream continues to be a prestigious magazine these days and for them to acknowledge a custom lure is a great honor. Giant congrats!

Thanks for the info guys. After looking some more info up and trying to get my head wrapped around everything here, I've decided to hold off on the idea until I can accumulate the proper equipment and some experience on lesser spoon projects first. It is blatantly clear to me that I am heavily undergunned for this project but from the responses I've read on this thread, I am confident that it is in fact doable....just at a later date. Thanks again to all for the info and advice. I will be reviewing the info on this thread constantly as i gear up for the project.

ratstar, you can build a rotating drying motor by simply purchasing a rotissiere motor for grilling from your local hardware shop. Or, you might be able find a bargain online. Then, just grab some scrap pieces of wood and build a mount and stand for it. It takes about ten minutes to slap one together. After that, just fine either a piece of wood with felt or glue some pieces of cardboard together into a stand-like creation with a v-notch in it to help support your rod. You can fashion a "chuck" to the drying motor using a gimbal cap or you can use masking tape (four holding pieces of masking tape from the skewer to your rod, one piece going around your rod and the four holding pieces of tape and one more piece of tape securing the four holder pieces of masking tape to the skewer.) Just adjust the height of the support stand and the v-notch stand to make the rod somewhat level. Some people prefer the rod pointing tip slightly down, some dead parallel with the floor and some tip slightly up. Your choice. Good luck.

Ratstar, My two cents on beginning rod building is to start as simple as possible. Once you build up some confidence and know which areas of the rod building are the most personally challenging for you, then you can start to advance your craft. It is one of the most exciting and rewarding arts in existence, but that's probably just my own little opinion. Good luck and please post some of your rods!

I think I will be making a wooden rattle lure of the dimensions I need to cover this area of my arsenal until I can learn more about spoon building and accumulate the appropriate equipment. This seems to be a wiser choice right now.

I think my next step is going to be as earlier suggested: I gotta figure out what thickness I need in order to achieve the weight I'm looking for. I think with my limited supply of tools, I will be looking at lots of elbow grease with the stainless steel...probably going to try cutting with a hacksaw. I didn't know about using a liquid to aid in the cutting before so thanks for that! I was thinking about using a treated hardwood block to help me hammer a curve right down the center lengthwise to aid in the action and then I was going to pound the &^%# out of the head area to make it a touch thinner than the back. What do you suggest for a polishing compound?

OK, uhmmm, I don't know squat about stamping nor do I have the capital to begin such en endeavor which leaves a mold. Would that be a wood mold? Also, how are you melting the tin? Sorry for so many mundane questions, but I really have no clue how to even begin here! The tin thing is definitely sounding like the way to go!

They look like they have everything, but I don't even know what metal it is I should be looking for. Stainless steel? If so, what type? I have no idea how to even get started but I kinda know what I want to end result to be. Again, any help or advice is much appreciated.

I'm currently trying to source out a readily available in small quantities raw material for making some heavier set giant spoons in an attempt to imitate the general profile and shape of 1-2 pound giant trevally or big eyed jacks (jack crevalles look similar) I'd like it heavy enough so that it can be retrieved really fast and I have a rod that can toss a 30 ounce bait so weight isn't much of a factor. Any help or advice is much appreciated. Thanks!!!

Make sure you tape up the blank ahead of your intended sanding area with masking tape so that you don't scuff up your blank. I learned that one the hard way!