SW Lures

Well Gliders, you have been around for some time and you have seen what it will do. I'll agree with this I've some goofs post before they did things properly. Yet this person is setting ready to get the next person. Boy........ I wouldn't mind shaping the ax if it was me. Maybe not for me but to help the next person coming a long.

Let Mark and I know what you think.

I also came here to TU too create a bait that looked like a gizard shad and would dive to about 30' depths. I couldn't find them in a fishing shop. I have one now and can make one after another and really don't have to test if I didn't want. This is because of the way that I produce them. If thats not innovation, I don't know what is. A lot of how I produce them is my way. The way to create the baits, many on this thread help me to understand how to. Thats not innovative, but it is appreciated and a thank you. Well quite a few thank you. I've have been around for a long time and has seen most that have been out there. Unless it was made by Egyptian, I've seen them or used them. A lot of shapes and designs just come back thru like clothing fashion. My original point was that there so many shapes you can do and still have the engine that Vman helped me to understand. Only so many you can make in a day, so many you can paint, etc. I have a few shapes that I haven't seen before. There are a few that paint original jobs for the big boys here at TU. Have fun with this hobby, make a few bucks back so you can make more. Dale

There are some great bait body venders on TU. Look at it this way if you have a bad taste in your mouth and feel you have done everything you could I would post a pic or two here and say the name. I have seen a few sellers who get very appreciative of you once the word is out and it carries through our community, including Facebook.

This is something that I have thought about from the beginning, about 10-12 years old. Either the TU members that have been here or the ones that have read a post that I have made, knows that I paint to mimic a forage bait 90% of the time. I mainly design my own shapes. However we are limited to a top water, stick or swim as far as hardbaits. I believe that action (includes depth) is the primary strike factor (this includes swim baits), paint scheme is the second (this includes eyes). I have several distinctive designs. One of these I am going to design it a little smaller. This one is productive and unusual. I understand what you are saying, but to me if one catches fish I don't care if it is a work of art. My grand won first place in the National Art Competition (local), 12 and under with a bait that was shaped by her hands and painted by a 8 year old. Her and I have caught fish with it before the competition. I had to put an clear coat on it. The bait is an unique design that she helped me with. On the other hand I have made a multi jointed newt baits that looks great in the water but catches only the air. Sooo...I only concentrate on the dozen shapes that produce. My thinking is, "heck how many can I work with anyways"? Its still something I just like doing. Dale

Sorry for not answering Mark quickly, been fishing. Your right, just to get the run off at first. The dripping I allow to happen on the stand. Mark I was asking if you have seen Rustoleum Crystal or 2X Clears. I've been looking but I haven't seen any. I believe you and I are the only ones using these, but if anyone else knows any knowledge would be appreciated.

I lost a few paint jobs by using a can primer like BobP has stated. After stripping the baits back down it didn't take me long to go back to what I was doing prior. I was painting wooden blanks with a sealer coat. You may do better with a brand you want to use. One brand makes a plastic fusion primer, becareful tho with the break down of the body wall, of the bait and the solvents used in it. I haven't painted plastic blanks for some time now. LOL, I hate to use these words, "trial and error". You may need to experiment.

I use .30 SS TIG rods. I use pliers (large jewelers, Klines, needle or whatever) like the rest, to form the eye then I put the eye in a wood block vice and twist the leads which gives a uniform twist. I'm very aware of protecting the eye. Many people that use my baits like to tie directly up to the baits tow eye, including myself some times. It took me awhile to get the hang of it but now I just get at it. I dont use these type of eyes for all baits just for ones that would be at greater stress than normal. I make some musky baits with these and striper baits. Standard eyelets that you buy from lets say LPO is just fine for standard fishing. The standard types when installed properly will hold unbelieve stress.

Some, I put a paper clip on the tail and hang the head first, I allow it to continue to level and drip. I dip fairly fast and get the jar closed as soon as possible. I also use forceps to put the bait into the jar. Here lately I have been using Rostoleum mainly. To me it gives a more natrual look. As long as the clear coat gives me a good life spand and a look that I'm after I'll use it. Have you seen Rustoleum in liquid?

THAT'S IT! lol, Xylene......Suriously, the mason jars has the seals on the lids. If you keep the lip of the jar and seal clean there should be know problems. I've heard of wax paper being used for sealing, I don't use it. The trash in the bottom doesnt bother me either if it doesnt get churned up. Coming to the end of a jar and I hate to see any lost KBS......oh well, cost of using it I guess. Dale

I use mason jars, wide mouth. I also use bloxygen, but as I'm using it I found contaminates in the bottom of the jar. I now use tack cloths before dipping. Nathan told me and all of us to use a solvent to thin it back down (can't remember the name), I havent had to use it yet. I am going to try Rustoleun layer as a shield, then wipe them down. I just don't know if they will act well together. I'm also thinking about brushing KBS again but it never really leveled out to my liking. May need to use a turner.

Meatball, I have been using Rustoleum like Mark is talking about. I use Rustoleum Crystal Clear also for over three years now, when no one talked about using these products. It takes a lot of coats to get that glass looking finish, about 5-6. There are some pro's for it, it is rugid, it does dry fast and it does well with bleeding. I also dip KBS (Nathan) too, which I like. It's useful and is relatively cheap if your not looking for that high gloss/wet look. I have a bait that I have just retired (my first hand made bait) that is over three years old and has caught some nice fish, which has this as a clear coat. These coates are the original coats. Just thought you would like to know. If I would recommend KBS, I would recommend dipping. Less toxin in the air your breathing. If a rattle can or shooting it........... think safety...safety....safety.

In underground shoring of ditches, douglas fir is the only wood that be used to construct these types of surpports. We in that day had to know what it looked like. From the pic I agree that is douglas fir. Douglas Fir is a grainy wood, however its very strong and can take a horizontal stress like no other wood.

Read up on led lighting and you will find they are better for booths. Make sure you can get covers for the lighting when needed or you can cut out plexiglass for the covers. For me led does not get really hot in the area of my work. LED is higher in cost, but longer lasting though. Just a thought for you.

I have not poured any baits, but I have read that most here do some clean up on the baits, sandng etc. I use a "tack cloth" over a cleaned up bait, which remove any particles left behind. I like Rustoleum and Krylon for many task that I do but I don't like it for a primer/base coat. Water base paints don't adhere to them as well unless mixing in an additive. As far as a certain color base coat I mainly use white, then a primary color with shading of other colors over the primary to give a certain look. Intercoates maybe used to separate the layers (pigments). Just my way and opinion.

They look great, If using stencils don't spray at the edge, spray on the stencil the over spray will create the gill or fin. I don't use closed in stencils (stencil material all the way around) in most cases. I like this effect better. For spots/kill dots I like free hand. You get a light over spray that fades out lightly. Something to practice and I agree with AA, dots and lines of various sizes will help you learn a lot.

Woodie, you help many here, I'm one of them. I agree in the moderators allowing somewhat of a lose rope. Hiro, I have heard much about you from others here and that you haven't been heard from for awhile. Welcome back and will be reading your posts. Dale

Old sayin, "no stronger than the weakest link". I'm the same as Hillbilly. I've been fishing for more than 55 years, you only get so many chances for those WOW fish. Engineer for the biggest and keep the lure in that condition, don't skimp. MO

I use gliter in different sizes with KBS. I "tap" over a uncured (clear) lure then put another coat after allowing the first to cure. All lose falls off, then the second coat. You can do this on a regular color paint also. D2T does not like hard edges if no one has stated that.

I've been taking things around the house, but before that I was working with some rattle can paints as a base paint, Spaz Stix chrome and Rustoleum silvers, golds and copper foil paint. The gold does real well but I can't remember the brand name. Spaz for the money is not worth it IMO for baits, because of the clear. My clear is doing what I want so far, but I haven't completed many baits. I really want to see what the copper foil ends up looking under a pearl purple or whatever. As far as fingernail polish (clear) I add glitter of certain sizes for jigs.

I fish lakes and fast water for stripers. I use deer hair, some synthetics and flash, but mainly hair. Most of the people that I deal with want hair. Tied properly there is no issues with normal wear. I use egg, ball, etc heads with collar to give a body shape of a forage fish. My molds are modified for certain hooks. Weight depends on what you are looking for as far as depth while trolling or just floating and jigging. I troll mainly while fishing with buctails. I'll use weights from 1/4-3/4 oz in 0-50', heavier for deeper. Honestly it all depends on the conditions.

I'm sorry I did have that backwards. I had to go back and read what I posted. Never like adding dots on baits. Unless trolling in open water, is about it for sinking baits for me. When I'm in structure I want it to bump but then the bait can float above the structure rather than getting hung up. Also to me a bait moving even if it's just floating to the surface is better than setting in place. JMO, Dale

Yeah, I use nothing but poplar. I just make sure "white" (what I call it) poplar and at its optimum dryness. To much it has a tendency of cracking to much moisture and everything goes bad. If your going to time dry you will be waiting for a year or more of turning it every few months. I do that with specialty woods, walnut, cherry, oaks and cedars after oven drying. This allows the would to balance out. If you are going to clear the land, might as well get something out of it. Watch the fire place using gums. Dale

I was going to write more. This sums it up, it's not worth it for baits.

I'll give this question a try since I have got trees milled, buy from mills and know some about what wood to use for this particular wood. First off its not easy to get timber to a mill (suggest to talk to mill). Poplar or any woods have different qualities of wood. Ill break the wood down from Grade A. If you have high quality wood that we like to use, meaning no knots, limited grains, grains that run straight, mositure, etc. I look at the wood first to make sure that I got heart wood, not any sap wood. I call this white wood, because most poplar sap wood is a greenish wood. Mositure content is a big concern to me. When buying I pick the wood up and feel the wait while picking it up I look at the color and grain pattern. I'll tell you, I have bought, handled so much wood for this and furniture making that by handling it I can pretty much tell if I want it or not. I got to get the day started, read this and I'll look at this evening and answer you some more.