SW Lures

X2 to Travis and Mark. I have just started designing (carving) baits. But to answer your question I deal only in pine, cedar and poplar. The test I have done is in the weaker of the three (pine). The test was done in a straight pull down. These two people above have much more experience then I, but I have found that the gel super glue will hold its own, pun intended. To tell you the remainder of facts about my test is, the sudden impact test created 777 lbs.+ of stress as long as I kept it equal to or greater than a 8" drop. Hope this helps, Dale

Very nice V-Man! Let me know how it turns out. Your design program must be FANTASTIC! Believe it or not I try to do the same thing on grid paper, measuring each grid to get the look I want. Then send it to the computer to save and for printing the pattern over and over again. To me that's part of the fun to. @ Woodie I know that there's no magic bait, but the type of person that I am makes me try to give my friend the best I can do. With y'all's help I believe I got a chance. The satisfaction will be a picture of a nice fish caught with the bait(s). Thanks, Dale

@ Woodie, lol I bet. @ Mark, Now that I'm getting ready to draw the design of a prototype. I'm very interested in your thoughts about the V shape of the bait that I'm getting ready to make. I'm setting here thinking of the hydrodynamic of that look in a 8" bait with a perch/chub (sucker) look. I'm really thinking about going with your suggestion. After reading most of last evening I found that a forage fish for Muskies in that area is a Redhorse Sucker, this is a thank you to JR. Both has a head down look (a thank you to V-Man), which will make things easier for shaping. If you have anything else that can think of Mark I would appreciate it. Then there is Dieter, nothing but respect.....eye's reading anything he writes. He said a 8-12' runner, what about the angle and bill size? What do you suggest? Woodie thanks for your hands on experience. Cheers, Dale

I use Paraffin wax when I start the melt, then use saw dust for the final and skimming. That was and excellent read. The author talked about something most people don't think about is the "other metals" which have different weights (densities). If these metals are melted into a bullet it can change everything. So I think it's important in baits also. That's why when melting old lead material it's important to stay close to the temperature that lead melts, because most of the other metals are at a higher temperatures. Rayguy spoke of porosity (air pockets) which is a concern being trapped inside a pour of a final jig, bullet etc. where you don't see them That's why the author spoke of using beeswax during the casting of the bullets, I believe. Take Care, Dale

JR everything helps in one way or another. Everyone's help is very important to me. Woodie I wish that Some day I can take a few weeks and fish for these monsters that I hear about. I guess people up there would like to fish for some of our critters. Thanks for your knowledge. I'm believe I'm going to make two of the same size. I'm going to look into the White Sucker Fish. The Perch will be for clear water and the other for stained water. I'm interested in the Gizzard Shad for the fishing that I do in the spring. Now that could be a good three piece swimbait project, for freshwater Stripers. Thanks, Dale

I have never tried spraying because of the surface area to paint, not very big. I use an air “Fluffer” to put the powder on. You can use air toys for kids to mist another paint on, to give an effect before baking. The imagination can make some excellent results. But to use an airbrush, there is no need and at the price of them I won’t try. As far as the clear coating, I do use it. I have found that it helps with the life of the paint. Try tapping to do an eye (like Gone2long stated) putting a color on just after coming out of the oven and overlaying that with a pupil. Then bake it again, but not as long. I have to make a lot of them soon and I’m going to fine what will work. Once I get the majority of them done, just for some fun. I don’t normally do that much detail on bucktails or jigs, but what the heck. See ya in the wire part of TU soon. Dale

It really does look like the Pike and Musky like Perch and a bright “Fire Tiger” schemes , the way the manufactures keeps close to these schemes, Dieter. Yeah I finally got on the computer to get into TU. I appreciate all of you thoughts to help me. Mark that was a very good post and has helped me a lot. But when I saw this sentence this morning I woke up the house laughing and I’m still smiling while typing this. There are a few others that I would like to hear from on this subject. People that dedicates their time to these species of fish. Y’all’s information has helped a lot and I’m going to blend it all together to try to design a good lure. By the way, how do you like my new profile Pic? I have several more completed baits but can’t dang well figure out how to post them in the gallery, unless I have to do what I did here for the profile.The other baits I think is better then this one. I’ll give it a go later. I sometime finish with “Cheers”, but I like these lil guys. That’s me on the right. Dale

Regarding to Marks post, I have a bait design that will not allow a long hanger wire so I tested 1/2, 3/4" & 1" lengths recently. I use super glue in a gel form because I tested it against 2 Ton Epoxy and found it to hold just as well. The 3/4" hanger mentioned earlier is in a twist form. I got sick last week and I forgot the hanger was in the shop holding 50+lbs of lead up for a week. Last night I finish the test by giving it a sudden impact test three times. Dropping the lead from a distance of 8" or greater. My point is that this technique is a good one that these people are suggesting. I myself did not believe that glue or a epoxy could hold standard wire or even more so stainless steel, but it does. Dale

I understand the lower head of the perch species. I have thought about a swimbait. V-Man I have never made a swimbait. Well I guess this time is as good as any time, maybe a two piece. I'm wondering what type of henge can be use and would survive of a moderate-large strike of these super predators. If I lost one and learnt from it.....it would be somewhat ok. But this is a friend that I want to give a weapon not just a bait. He will not go up there until spring. But it takes me time to test and get it ready. Also I have let the conversation to dry up. These are going to be a surprise for him, and I'm not a last minute person to get things ready. Now you know the whole story. Thanks and will be checking in, Dale

I didn't have time this morning, so here I go. I'm making some baits for these critters. These are being done for a friend who ask me to do a few for him. He fishes northeast US and across to our friends in Canada. One place is the St. Lawrence River. He told me that a Yellow Perch (Ring Perch) is a forage bait up there. I have never fished up there, I'm a southern boy . I was thinking about two minnow shape baits. One about 6-8" & one about 4-5", both with a 3/4" width. The 8" will have lower belly and the other with a thinner look. They both will be made from two pieces of poplar with a SS through wire (trust me it won't break). I'm going to glue them together and then dowel them together with SS pins. My questions is 1) Is the size of the baits right? 2) Is the color scheme right and what other scheme can I use? 2) Is the wood correct? I wanted to stay light but give some strength. Hooks will be beefy, believe me. Coatings will be as strong as I can make it. Any thoughts are welcome. Thank you, Dale

I have "liked" Travis's work, it's very clean and uniformed. Very nice work. I'm going to throw something else out to you. I use what Travis uses and I also use "TIG" welding rod, in 308 stainless steel with a .045 diameter. It's harder to work with, but it's just another way to do the same thing. It's always good to be able to do something in different ways. Good luck, Dale

Watch for a thread I'm going to start about that soon. I have some questions. Good luck, Dale

I use pine, but I'm very careful about moisture. Just picking it up from a work site will get you in trouble in time. That stuff is shipped in anyway, uncovered or whatever. I agree with the others. Pine is hard to work with at times. It tends to break out around hard grains, which took me to using files. Not much troubles now, except for making a starter hole with a awl near the hard grain. I'm working with poplar now, a little easier considering its a hard wood. I'm using it for musky baits. Creating them for a friend. Yep the soft woods are easier to work with. Good for fish with sand paper teeth. Honestly I have gotten use to working with these woods. Dale

Lol Mark!!! @JR A tooth pick and a very lil bit of super glue should do the trick. The glue picked up by the tooth pick will break away with hardly no effort as long as it is at the surface. I use round rod of lead for ballast this includes belly hangers. Doing this will save trips back and forth in testing. While chatting about testing, I do three types. First one is a weight test (float/or not), swim (in small area, tub or pool) and then actual river, lake, pond etc......Woops..forgot one more, "does it catch a fish". Lol the most important one. Cheers, Dale

I'm starting to fall towards Wicked and Auto Air. I have Createx mainly right now but I'm switching over right at the moment. With using wooden blanks now and plastic blanks, I'm concerned with bonding of the wooden ones even if I'm using Auto Air sealers. I do use 4011 reducer and will continue to use it. I have had no problems with them either way, other then a error of my own doing. Cheers, Dale

I agree JR, we all have our own ways. But when testing I'm going to use your trick and mine to change ballast on the test site (river, lake etc.). I will carry with me a hand drill and bits I need. Now, I will take a little container of Vaseline . Great way to keep testing in a location away from my shop. Dale

Hey JR, I put a small hole in the weights that are now dedicated for testing and use a screw to remove them if I want or need to. I put a light sealer over them and the bait. This way I can pull them out if I want to change the weight. I believe that the ballast needs to be close as possible, to being in place to be accurate. Vaseline is a interesting idea. Nice! Dale

Mine are just coming off the line. They are going out to be used shortly. Hang tight, more to come. Dale

Big, Big Fun. What's really satisfying is when they grow up and they tell you that you were important in their life and their sport life. Life is the most satisfying to me. Dale

Wow....didn't think of you people as being so diversified. I'm a sports nut and a outdoor enthusiast, that simple. Enjoy golf (being with friends), children participating in sports (coaching them) my playing days are over, after them it's fishing....fishing.....fishing!!! Through all I have done, fishing was always in the mix. From a very young age. Dale

Wow..... I will let that digest for awhile. I'm glade I couldn't comment on that one. I would have put my proverbial foot in my mouth about "some" engineers that I most deal with. That is a whole different topic, that has nothing to do with baits. I'm trying to fit what was said to what is needed for a bait to stay in place or at rest. Inertia is by definition, "a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged". We want movement which is energy, which involves weight balance with many other factors in play. We are looking for mechanical kinetic energy that is controlled in a way that creates the action, depth of run etc. I may be premature in my response to this and need more time to think about it. But you have me thinking which others say is scary. Thanks Dale

I appreciate your responses. The lip is just going to be a learning curve for me and that's ok. Not wanting change the subject, but I have noticed something. I have noticed while watching videos on lip location and styles from this group. The best action comes when the tow eye is at or below the X axis on lipped baits. It can be under the nose or out on the lip. But approximately in line with the weighting. The hydrodynamic movement puts pressure on the top and sides of the bait, which keeps the bait in a line and of course creates movement. I have created more questions. Oh well, I will start looking for the answers that work for me. Thanks Dale

@ JR I agree with the speed, but when I moved the tow eye out on the lip it made a positive difference. @ V-Man I saw a subtle change in each change of a few baits. At this point I'm thinking that it is all depending on design of the bill, but mainly the design of the body that will best match the lip. Which will take experimenting with each design. If this is the case, then it is what it is. So I will have to take the time to find the best result for each design. ie: shape, length, angle, location and tow eye location for each design. Am I right in my thoughts? One thing that is good, I got the deep diver at its optimum design that I was looking for. Also I'm starting to paint now to. They should be ready for my fishing trip in the spring. I'm making my friends some to, as requested by them. V-Man I really like the action of that lure!!! I also like the way you tucked the tow eye under the nose of the lure. This location has a lot to do with that action, IMO. Am I right? Thank you Dale

Ok, I've search for questions and answers that I'm looking for in the forums, but I have not found them. So here I am to ask some questions about bills/lips. I understand some about body design, weight locations and tow eye placement. What I need to know about is the lips. I found that square lips do very well with deep divers. But when I put a paddle shape lip on the same lure with the same weight and location, the bait just did not have the same action. So this got me thinking, do they act different and how. I don't have the time at this moment to experiment with each type of lip shape. I have divided the lip shapes that I have seen into categories so I can describe them quickly. They are sqaure, paddle (includes pointed, oval etc.), box and modified square (coffin shape). Then there is the hybrid bent lips (concave and convex). I know they change in the action and depth. My question is, is there a way to know or is it this a learning curve again? Dale

Let me clarify my statement about plastic baits. When you have bought a bait that is suppose to dive to 25' but does not hit structure at 20', it does not work for me. This is one of many examples. Dale