SW Lures

Listen to these with experience about the paints and how to. Let me give you some quick thoughts about your thinking. I been there to. You said I'm fairly new to bait making. Then you listen or see these people end results. You just know you can do it! Then the task that you are doing just doesn't happen the way that you expected. It takes time. Be proud of all your best efforts. You will start seeing results in time. BE PATINENT! Dale

I read everyone's comments and agree with all of them for sure. I had to read Marks and Bens post twice to make sure they didn't write this because they help me come up with this. Once I have made my master and I know where the ballast, lip/bib, tow eye and hangers are going to go and the block of wood is setting in front of me. I lay all my marks that is needed for the locations. However now I have a paper print of locations, angles, etc. and I wood glue these to the block of wood. I do all of my drill holes down to about a 1/8", cuts completely. The holes are done on a press at this point. Keeps me drilling straight and I'll finish the holes by hand later. This includes joints. I weak glue them back together for shaping. Then I start to shape the blank. On really thin gliders or micro's no more tear/blow outs. Once shaped I complete the drill holes. Dale

Northeast you stated the golden word. "Confidence" and I can't explain it. I agree 100% with that. I can throw a bait that has no reason not to catch a fish but I just can't. I can take another and not really like the color or whatever and slay them. Once a few is in the boat, I'm in love. Someone wrote long ago, that we may present the baits we trust different then one we may not have as much confidence in........I don't know. Interesting topic tho. Now your other comment about a bait never touching water. Yeah I'm sure people like to show and tell with baits like them. For me I'll take the two rods and the baits that I'm confident with and what I need. My show and tell is pic's of the fish to family & friends, Yepper! Take care, Dale

I was pondering on spraying the clear coat. After posting a thread and getting this type of info, I decided to give it up. Respiratory issue is just not worth it. It's fine to do don't get me wrong if you get the right equipment and keep the equipment in proper condition. I think many people forget to keep the equipment in proper operating condition over time. Dale

That's what I get for going to work and coming back to all this humor. Very funny, I needed a smile. I wondered one time where the name came from. I looked and found that it was booz, very nice color I thought! All tho it really looks kinda like the after affect from booz. Just sayin, sorry I couldn't help it. Haha Thanks, Dale

Plastic blanks......not to hard. The first hand shaped bait, ugh... hurt kinda bad on the first one. Gets better as things goes along so far. I have one that I got hung up in some rocks, that I'm fond of. I thought I was in wood. When it released off the rocks...whew, big relief. Then I thought, I can make another one, well hopefully. Dale

I only think of chartreuse as a greenish yellow, so I mix it that way also in all types of paint. Flouresent, opaque, pearls, you get the picture. I find that not all of these mix in the same amounts to get close to the same results. Must be the pigment and/or the pigment amounts. Dunno? But Ben, the touch of blue really caught my attention. I gotta try that one soon. I mix by bottles mostly. Dale

I didnt hit this scheme color just right (IMO) but I did it similar to what Mark suggested. I washed the black (flat) back, shoulder and head out with a grayish I made, as I worked down the sides. I used a off white further down to the belly with a transfer to a pearl white belly. I then put on the mesh for scales and finished the head and full plate with a flat green. Then the gold to complete. I did do some fins and a light out line of the plate. All createx back then. My suggestion is to use a flat/matt clear coat on most natural schemes. To me it's more natural then the glass finish look. Hope this helps, Dale

I use to sand till Mark. X2 Fshng2

X2 Ben

Looking very good so far on your first steps of your journey. Yes, keep us up to date as you travel. Dale

I understand what your point is Dink Master. This is just a thought. Why then, when using a crank a lot of fish has the rear hook in the mouth first, primary hook up. Usually the other(s) hook have just hooked up somewhere. To me a faster moving lure gets hit anywhere, normally from behind or side. The bait fish will be turned head first after being stunned then taken down head first in nature. A tight line interferes with a head strike in most cases. Slow moving baits, now that a different story, normally sucked in. What the heck, I'll keep on putting dots on baits that are there in nature and every once in a while go crazy and paint abstract schemes. If I'm catching fish I don't care until I look at the bait that caught it. Dale

@ Fishon-son, if I'm painting a scheme from what is in nature. I had nothing to do with the dot or not. I'm just putting on something that's in nature. None of my poor brain is involved other trying to recreate it. What I'm saying is what the predators see in nature they are more likely to attack, I also believe in a reflex strike. It all depends on their mood, just like us. I've seen them stalk and I've seen a very fast reflex turn and hit. I've seen them swim away. I guess it's up to the fish. Good luck/tight line no matter which. Dale

I believe in and try to mimic what's in nature. Most dots are about the eye size or a tad bit smaller. Level or just higher then the eye. Another is the tab on the gill plate as in a red ear bream/shellcracker. Thats their spot, not very large compared to a given fish size respectively. Even tho around here they get to a pretty good size. So....yes I like them. I like them at the size that is in nature which is equal to the bait size and the species that I'm mimicking. Do I feel that I get more hits because of them? Dunno, most has dots on them because that's what's in nature. Don't think that and bigger dots makes bigger fish....I don't think so. JMO Dale

All are saying the same thing just in different ways. I do like layering colors in different amounts. White does give you a shade that is more bold. I dont have just white and sealer/primer. Nor will I start my paint layering with primer showing thru. But I'm not always wanting that. Different color base coatings gives you more varieties then what everybody does (white). Ok, I'm different then many. That's a good thing I would think and feel. I stated everything that has been stated other then going further with shades and colors. Just trying to stir a thought. Dale

I posted this last night but some how it didn't post. Very true Mark on the cross hangers. Never tried nail polish in that area. Dale

I will use flouresents over lighter colors not nessesarily white. Example, let's say that I'm doing a yellow body tiger scheme with orange stripes. Lets say I want to bring the yellow towards the orange color. I'll take a orange flouresent and mist/powder the yellow. If I want it more tone down a transparent orange maybe in order. Then put the stripes on. Dale

Very nice looking baits there. Yeah hook rash is always a concern. I have always found that when using aerosols you should think in light multiple layers. Does the KBS aerosol have that glass look. Sometimes pictures don't show that look. I think I see it but I'm not sure. Thanks for your post, Dale

Automatically we think baits. I have read that you do decoys for spearing but had forgot. Evidently you can. Dale

I finally had a chance to watch the video. If I was looking for a few things to take from it, it would be these. First one, did you hear him say he's shooting at 10 lbs? I shoot at 5-15 lbs just about all the time. The second is, the layering of different colors. This is great and you can get some interesting shade by using pearls, transparent and flouresents. The dots are nice and has been in posts here at TU in the past. Sponges, dabbing soft paper in other patterns turn out nice looks just to mention a few. I come here to learn. TU has sharpen my knowledge and thinking in general in many ways. We do have a cook book here for painting. It's at the top of Hard Bait room. Dale

I started off not watching anybody. I just looked at pic.'s and still do. I basicly know how the painter does the scheme or enjoy trying to figure it out. I do appreciate a excellent job. I have watched dakotalakes, solar baits (Mikko) and a few others. I like looking at the end result here in the gallery and some on Facebook. Maybe I should the way I paint. Dale

Ever thought about .041 SS TIG Electrodes. Harden, but will hold its shape and has spring tendencies. Works pretty good. Little tough to bend but these are multiple rig system.

I'll just keep dipping. I read that and figured on getting what I needed for safety. Just seems to be to much of a hassle. Thanks anyways! Dale

That's a great place to fish Sub Vet. Losing baits will make you look for a cheaper way.

Tariffs are not that high. Second the Roman is made well, unlike the topic subject product. Dale