jonister

Around here there are tons and tons of fire belly newts in some ponds. I never thought the bass would touch them as they are poisonous but I could see them killing them if they were raiding nests. I actually was working on a salamander but tossed it aside a while ago. Maybe I'll go back to it.

Idk JR, I tie on one of my own crank baits and lose a lot of confidence ;D . I think for me it isn't the fish catching, so much as it is the engineering. Figuring out how things work is a Ton of fun! It is a plus though when a lure catches fish.

I have seen kwikfish blanks around. I think lurepartsonline or jansnetcraft might have them. I've never seen J-plug blanks though.

I was out the other day trying to fish a tube straight on a offset hook a while back. I made a good cast around a dock, and the stupid thing floated! I'm going "who needs a tube that floats?!" Then I thought about it and decided I'd keep that in the back of my mind incase it could come in handy. I would tell you what they are/we're, but they are in a clear plastic bag..

Surf, if you are looking for smaller eyes, have you checked LPO? As mark said, they have all different sizes. You usually can get like a hundred for a couple bucks. They have some of the best prices I have found on screw eyes. They have the perfect sizes.

Surf, that is what I am talking about. It seems to be that the. Hardware stores only really carry stuff for Sat picture frame hanging and such. Nothing with a good screw to eye ratio. I think I will just use the pin system, like mark talked about. I'll still keep my eyes open for the right thing though.

I might have to tear up some bicycle tires. I'm starting to think of just going with the .92, or twisting my own, and then using a pin on one side, instead of connecting both screw eyes. I didn't have time to hit the hardware store today. Maybe tomorrow..

Bob, I forgot to mention, the idea of using screw eyes in this situation would be to tune the lure while on the water. With a handmade eye it would be fixed with epoxy or super glue. I do get what you are saying though. When I run out of my screw eyes, or if I just don't want to use them I will twist my own.

I don't want to post someone else's lures, but basically they are on some big rat wake baits, counter sunk into the wood at the hinge point. I have been on vacation, so I have not had time to check out the hardware store, but I plan on hitting up ace hardware when I get home. My plan is a large wake, not something huge but probably 6" or so. Pretty big around too. Just a big rat.

I mean I'm not building a chain link fence. ;D I will have to stop by West Marine or home Depot. I think that those big heavy duty screw eyes at the hardware store have enough length to them. I'll have to go look in person. I just noticed some big bait makers using them and decided to take a look. Unless they are custom, they must just be regular old screw eyes. Anyways, Thanks guys, just tinkering with ideas!

Mark, I use those on glide baits and such for hook hangers, but they aren't the size I'm thinking of. Lure parts online doesn't seem to sell the size I'm thinking of. The lure maker Wooden Swimbaits, who makes topwater rats and wake baits uses them. I think they have a facebook page. I wonder if home depot would have them in stainless? I wonder though if homedepots would have long enough screws.

Well I fixed it but accidentally double posted. Can some one please delete this one? Thanks!

I recently have been noticing hand made swimbaits with these giant screw eyes for the hinges. I have noticed them on some certain topwater rats and glide baits too. I was just wondering if anyone knows a source for these. It just has me curious, as they look like it would create a more free flowing joint with little resistance, and make applying epoxy around the joint easier. Just tinkering with ideas. Thanks guys!

@Dalesw, I do understand where you come from, and agree that strength still is important! I fish the rivers around here and the smallies can be brutal, especially in the rocks! :haha: I prefer through wire most of the time on anything that I think might pull out anyways.

I think if you do hook a big fish, use your drag, and "don't horse em' ". As dad always says. you will be just fine! I know we all want to know what our lures can take though! Haha. Mark, I google this material you are talking about and understand what you said earlier about the price! It was more than I was expecting, and more than I want to drop to carve a few cranks!

It sounds like great stuff! I might have to give it a try if I ever go back to azek. I love wood but hate having to seal it, especially on big baits.

I'd imagine jb weld would also be a pain to work with on large scale and at 8$ a tube it would take quite a bit, and get quite expensive. The Silicone is great stuff. I believe it is smoothe-on that sells it. It is high strength and high heat resistant, and will take hundreds and hundreds of pours before it starts to break down.

Barry can you pick me up on your way!? Haha! Mark do you know the source of the pvc? I would like to try some! Is it close in consistency to Azek? If I can pick it up at home Depot or Lowe's I think I'll have to try it too!

Wait mark are you talking about making a mold or adding to a mold with jb weld or using it on the lure? If jb weld could hold up to the heat could you make a whole mold out of it? @ Albogator you might get better answers in the wire/jig forums, but if you could find that exact bait and the insert for it, you could make a mold with some heat resistant silicone. They don't last as long but are cheaper than an aluminum mold and if you end up not liking the lure, it won't break your bank and leave you with a custom aluminum mold you won't use.

Ben I posted first! Haha!

Make a jig, or cut it flat with a table or band saw while it's in its square shape, before you have carved or cut anything besides the 2D shape. Without those flat edges it will never really be perfect. I am very good at just starting a random lure with nothing really layed out. my best recommendation for these kinds of projects is to take it slow with at saw after laying out the angle on both sides with a protractor. It is hard to get it looking semetrical and you may never get it perfect. Sometimes having bad or not so perfect cuts and symmetry are what make the baits special though in my opinion. I'm sure someone who is more of a perfectionist that I will chime in! Just my 2 cents :smile: