SW Lures

Another thing I believe that person is a member here. I'm trying to lure him out. Pun intended! I don't think that this may happen tho. Dale

I use everything from gold leafing to duct tape that you buy from a "dollar store". Check out holographic tapes. I use these for eyes at times also. You can get imitation copper, siver, gold leafing or whatever from a craft store. Real gold leafing is ok and is a conversation piece but I won't do it again. I had some left over for a wood consignment job. Had to do it at least once. Dale

Thanks Mark, but this was a solid material. I just got curious as heck how it was done. If I put fins on a plug it will be for show anyways or maybe a low profile dorsal fin. I believe silicone may do it, but needs to be a natural thickness for me. I was thinking about something about wax paper sandwich over some thin, clear, soft stick type bone look. then a light thinned out painting over this. Not sure if this would work. Wax paper may not work. If I can get silicon thin enough that would be better I think? Never worked with it yet. Thanks again Mark, Dale

Thanks, Will the silicone accept water base paints? If not, what type of paint would I need? This would only be used occasionally. I was just impressed with the bone coming up through the fin and how realistic it looked. Dale

I haven't been a op for awhile. My question is, I have been using soft plastics on some fish replicas for contest. That maybe a little much compared to how other maker's do it. Soft plastics needs paints that will adhere to it. I have even used a milk jugs at times and it doesn't do well but it's ok. I've heard of using bill/lip materials. I was looking at a bait the other night and was amazed at the detail that was in the fins. It was a warmouth bream bait, and very nice work. I didn't ask the designer because I thought be a improper move in front of everyone. I was wondering if the fins were shaped in some way and details was added to give then depth. Do you have any ideas on what is used and how? You may wonder why I call these types of baits, replica. Its because most baits don't have fins. IMO the fins could get in the way of a strike. Heck some are so big that these may be just for show. Thanks, Dale

Sorry, I've been on a fishing trip. I use a drill hole just large enough (5/32) to except ,30 TIG SS welding rod with a barrel twist. I rough up the wire some, just for extra. I trim the wire to the hole depth. I put a little epoxy in the hole and butter the wire, As I insert the hanger I twist it into the hole allowing the epoxy to run freely in the cavity. I clean up the over run of epoxy at the eye, to level. I've caught northern pike at best and other species, not a musky. No problems for me with these. I've done extreme test just to prove it to myself.........I'm a believer now! I don't think pvc is a strength problem as most have stated. Dale

BobP I believe likes #3. The reason why is becuse of wedging losen the screw with twisting stress I believe. Woodie is one that you should pay attention to. The reason that I state this is he and his friends are musky people. My little knowledge of hangers are from making my on twisted and testing that I did on them. Trust me about this when I use epoxy on these with ss heavy wire/rod the wood or pvc is going to give up before any thing else. Think about this, if you are using thin epoy. The epoxy is going into all crevices in the pours of your material. I'm not sure about wedging but if it doesnt happen often, you ain't got a problem. I got hung up not long ago and didnt want to lose the bait and did everything that I could in fast water. I stressed the heck out of the connect, inculding pulling a 20' boat all over the place. It will hold!

I agree with Mark about a reducer suited for the paint type. MARKNY makes a point about clears. Some clears doesn't work well with certain paints. A clear can pull against a painted suface as it cures. Finding a clear or using a paint manufacturers clear before a clear like Etex or KBS can help. Adding glycerin to paint will not flash off (evaporate) like a solvent. I can't find what transpar base paint you are using. This happening tells me most likely water base.

I wonder if a clear coat might bring it back to clear. I'm probably wrong but I had that problem or someone else did and it cleared up. Give it a try on a small spot, can't hurt Ravenlures.

Man more brushes the better. There is never too many! That old boy has got a lot of miles in painting. I hope you can get it back to going, Dale

@ Vman; So you have two vortices moving at the same time, one being created from water going across the boot and one being created at the head. So if you have the bait at a certain lenght Dave, could these two null out the other at a certain speed? Honestly if all is equal, I would think that if you pull a bait through water there is an equal pressure on each side of a tail. Or to make an engine to start the movement. One side could be a tad bit narrower from center let's say. Now we are not perfect in a design, therefore movement happens because we are not. I know....this is probably hydrodynamics 101. Still to design, a person must understand. I'm thinking about a design that I'm looking at. Dale

Being a layman at best with hydrodynamic vortexes around objects. You have two supports on the boot and body/tail, one on each side of the tail and boot. The nose of the baits starts the vortexes that runs down the length of the bait as the baits move through the water, which genterates more power to the vortex. I believe that these reinforcements disrupts the voxtexes as each makes contact with the boot. I agree with BBB, that removing them and thickening the tappering body to the boot would help. If you harden the material you could be changing the material for the wrong reason. The movement relys on a limber/supple material. It's a fine line we tight rope on sometimes. Just my, Keep us up to date.

I assumed that you looked in the Cook Book at the top of the hard bait forum. You may find one there.

I fish for them but I have never did one for a plug. I wasn't going to post because of that but I thought of something that I do when painting something new. Find a pic of one, then think from the lowest layer to the top. Look at the shades and think of what colors or layer (ie foil) that would follow the next. Someone may come along but if not try this and think it through and write it down as you go. Dale

I agree about the water thinning the paint down if its an internal-mix brush. If not you may have seal issue.

Took me back to science classes. Yes it did. I have fished for Tuna but the rods where with the guide boat. I remember the rods and how the first mate told me to handle it. I'm telling you a shark, tuna can wear you out. However some fresh water species are right there with them, pound for pound with the right equipment. This all started because of me thinking about a design and material for some plugs and going very light on braided line, for me. I was making some plugs for a friend to musky fish in the Great Lakes. I made him some last year and he asked me to make a few more. I was thinking about stress on a two jointed swim bait that he wanted. In the mean time I went on a fishing trip and made me two. The first got hung up on a sunken tree I think, 25'+/- of water. Believe me I put it through a stress test. I had braided line and I couldn't get it back. The other plug caught a 41" Striper while trolling. The line was a right good ways back. No problems but my old ticker was going. Its nothing like catching a nice size fish with your hand made bait. That's what just hung me up on making my own and this group helped me (too many names to give a thanks). I am pretty well confident in my baits now unless some one ask me to make a salt water bait. Wire through is in order then. My friend caught some nice Musky, not no big ones but the baits held up. A little battle worn but nothing that can't be fixed or replaced. Thanks, Dale

You have the right idea about looking at the grades hard. The more greener the wood is the less I want it. I myself haven't used much balsa because if I can't see it, pick up and feel the grain I don't want it. I'm not against buying on line but it's been proven to me not to be worth the aggravation. It's been stated that balsa is 1000 times better then any other wood for baits. Ive got plugs made out of balsa and other woods, same design. I know I'm getting old but my eyes are doing well and there is not much or any difference in the action. Find a stand up vender from these guys to buy from, thats my advice. Then grades second, the vender will help you with that. Dale

I am surely one that makes mistakes and I know that we all make errors. Yep using water base paints helps. But as you do a process more and more you make less and less. You also will find techniques that helps and makes things easier.

Well.....yes. But I'm not going nowhere near the Congo River, nor will I probably get back south of the equator. Still yep I would show them proudly, if I was lucky enough to get both back in.

I've fished in many places for many species, from ocean waters to mountain rivers, for toothy fish to pretty much gummies. These days I enjoy floating flowing rivers in the mountains or coming out of them, ponds and small but very well stocked lakes (private). I like going where many don't go for one reason or another. I repaint wore out plugs, got one in the a thread in this forum. I lose a lot more then I repaint, by fish or by structure. It doesn't matter to me if it's a toothy fish or not. I'm happy catching a big bull bream with a ultra light and 2 lb. test line. I just enjoy fishing and looking for big fish with very light tackle. By the way peacock bass don't have anything you can call toothy, They are more like the north american black bass (bucket mouth), same family. Just sayin. So I don't have any, sorry? Dale

Try Jannsnetcraft, normally I will not post them here because they are not a sponsor and competitor to LPO. Not sure that they have this picticular part. Dale

Thanks everyone, that is what I was thinking but was not sure if I was right or not. Well somewhat right. I have been pondering starting pouring plugs. AA (Anglinarcher), I smiled when I read that you use rasp and files, I thought I was one of a very few that does that. Nah Mark, in the long run the answer was totally explained. That is the most important thing for Double T. Thanks, Dale

Woodie, I'm learning from this as you and I have communicated about in the past. The smaller voids I understand and repair is just something we do, but the large opening in the last picture seems to be a venting issue. Maybe even more of a set up problem before a full filling of the cavity. Why did that happen? Dale

I agree with BobP on the time between paint and top coating. I have had some issues with Wicked and Createx when I first started like this. I even had this after heat setting paints. I now allow time for the baits to set, normally 24-48 hrs. Too much heat will blister the paint, so I allow them to set at the end.

This is interesting question, In the field that I'm in. Bubbles/porosity (gas pockets) make objects weaker. However in baits you need them in resins, wood, plastic cavity blanks, soft plastics and pvc to have buoyancy. The more in the back the bait should keep the bait upright. You could and should if needed to put ballast in the belly to keep the plug upright and swimming true. Like Mark, I'm a person looking in.....well somewhat.