TheHammer

You can jerk any minnow style bait...however, I think most designated jerk baits have a more neutral buoyancy so that they can suspend when you pull and pause.

$220 is expensive for the Iwata Eclypse....check ebay too...you should be able to get those for under $150

Call Mike Fauple from Alumilite, he is a great guy and will help you with your problem. 800-447-9344

I use whats called a California Air Tools....It is by far one of the quietest ones I've ever heard and oiless and has leasted me 2 years so far and thousands of baits!....I love it and works in the same room as me without knocking me off my feet from the sound. Been using the Iwata HP-CS since I started....started with what I felt was the best for what I'm doing without skimping. http://www.amazon.com/California-Air-Tools-CAT-10020-10-0-Gallon/dp/B00889ZYOW/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1461155816&sr=8-17&keywords=california+air+tools

Are these wood or plastic?

Resin is resin...I use Alumilite for now. I let mine settle for a week or more before doing anything with them....scuff sand and wipe down with an alcohol/water solution, prime coat and paint with minimal issues. Some folks even go as far as washing their blanks in the dishwasher with dawn dishwashing liquid prior. Overall, patience is key....don't RUSH any process. Good Luck

I try not to ever let this happen...the freezing will mess with the properties of the paint and could cause it to lose opaqueness, thickness and blending qualities. Store them at room temp for best results.

I've always used Sakura Pen Touch paint pens for signing.....gold or silver

Try Zinsser or Kilz water based primer instead ;-)

I feel there are a few things that drive the traffic to a site most. 1. Offering a quality product 2. Social media like Facebook 3. Updating and Events 4. New Products 5. Word of mouth First off, if you have a site which promotes a specific product, it should obviously be a quality product which is in demand. Connect your site/blog to a good social media page like Facebook....I know, for some, FB can be a pain in the butt, however its a great vehicle to reach thousands of people in a short period of time. I am constantly updating my website; so it is a good idea to learn how to manage your site YOURSELF, without having to rely on someone else to do it. New products offered from time to time helps as well. Finally, word of mouth....have your site on a card or tell people about it all the time.....They will spread the word. Good Luck!

Well...My goal is "balance" offer up a nice design and quality finish with an awesome action and success rate. I think I have achieved all of that. I want to offer a great lure to those looking for "craftmanship" and good looking bait and offer to those a bait with great functionality, durabilty and fish catching qualities. I use ONLY the baits that I produce and my muskie catching success has not gone down at all, but rather increased for me. I could care less if they have gills, fins or fancy color....for me its about catching fish and when I designed my bait, action was number one for me....The paint just comes natural.

I would encourage anyone who wants to try to make their own lures to DO IT! Then and ONLY then will you realize why many hand crafted muskie baits cost upwards of $30 or more! GOOD LUCK!

I would have to agree with FishOnSon....I would go bigger on the size...8" or larger. I make a 7.5" bait that many of the guides up there run, but it moves water more than most baits that size and will get down 25+ feet. I also make a 10" straight and jointed models that will be available soon and made just for the "big water". You want something that will also be able to dive a good ways IMO. The water on the Larry is very very deep and clear and those fish tend to suspend a bit deeper. My baits are constructed of resin, so the material really isn't an issue IMO. Some of the hot color patterns up there are as follow: - night shiner - perch - walleye - black sucker - shad/cisco All in various belly colors Good Luck, Paul Fec

It is all really about experimentation Dave...and all about what you want to achieve...You can even get to a "foamy" type consistency that would be much like balsa wood, but stronger; IMO still requiring a through wire construction. I personally use SS screw eyes so I want my material buoyant yet strong enough to hold those eye screws tightly. Another nice thing about the resin is that you can unscrew those 1 1/2" screw eyes in and out a hundred times, and there is minimal wear unlike there would be in wood. When you screw into it, it creates its own threads per say. Paul

Here are my thoughts...As a resin/plastic lure manufacturer. You may think I am impartial and I am in a way. Simply because I have been doing this for awhile and I have had experiences not only making/building, but also using various types of baits for over 25 years. My most heavily targeted species are muskies, and we all know they can do a number on baits with their gnarly teeth! Lets talk about the materials.... WOOD: Wood is found in many different densities depending on types and wood is fairly easy to mold, cut, sand and shape. Buoyancy of some woods certainly can give a bait more action and erratic movements under or on top of the water. All really good qualities of wood. Here are, however, what I find to be the disadvantages of wood...You cannot control God's creation and even if you're dealing with the same type of wood, you can NEVER control densities. Therefore, as a manufacturer, it is difficult to maintain consistency without hand selecting or weighing out each piece which can get very tedious. Also to be considered is durability....wood is generally softer and not as durable and less "repairable" good for the maker, not so good for the buyer. Wood also needs thoroughly sealed....though I have seen every process of sealing wood under the sun, it will never truly be sealed, no matter what anyone tells ya. Especially in the moisture environment they will be susceptible to. Every wooden bait I have ever actually put to use, has split or cracked due to expansion. Wood waterlogs and once that happens, the lure, especially a crankbait usually never runs the same. PLASTICS: I used to be a die hard wood guy trust me. I moved to resin because of allergic reactions to cedar I was using. Based on my experiences as both a builder and avid muskie fisherman; I will NEVER look back. First, a common misconception of plastics is that you get what you get weight wise and its usually never as buoyant as wood. Wrong! With today's research and technologies, resins allow you to control the weights you want without compromising strength (pretty much). Its pretty cool being a chemist and lure maker the same! LOL Total CONSISTENCY within micrograms and as a manufacturer, I love that control! You don't have to seal resin/plastic...you can pretty much paint right on it and go. Teeth marks or punctures will never compromise the action or buoyancy of a resin bait. It will never waterlog.....Can wood type buoyancy be acquired? Absolutely. IMO Resins have any quality woods have and MORE. In my mind the comparisons are like that of the use of carbon arrows today as apposed to aluminum. Some folks just have a tougher time with change.... Back in the day, plastic lures just did not have the "action" wood lures had and I totally appreciate that because I'm all about erratic thumping action when it comes to muskie fishing. My baits are made from solid resin material and I have yet to see any wooden bait manufactured that I can truly say thumps or has more/better action. Are there good wooden baits out there? Hell yes there are! And I respect all of them and know they catch fish, but there are folks out there who actually still believe that wood is somehow more effective and that is simply untrue these days. Hope this helps...

There are two important factors that many overlook when pouring resin baits. You may think it doesn't make a difference, but it really really does... First off, I use Alumilite resins and pour into handmade silicone molds....Coat each pour inside your mold with UMR mold release spray...I've probably poured over a thousand this year! 1. When you mix your resin + micros....mix by NEVER lifting your mixing tool off the bottom of your mixing container...this makes for less air bubbles in your mix. 2. When you pour your resin....string pour it at an angle into your mold like you would pour a heavy beer into a glass trying to eliminate too many suds....allowing the resin to run down the inside side of your mold if possible. Finally, as the resin is setting up in the mold, I always give the outside light taps as I turn the mold around to allow any air bubbles to rise out the vent hole (this is only about a 10 second process which helps)

I really do not think there is such a thing....if you're looking for "non-toxic" without hardeners to spray through a brush; you are really not going to find anything that is "strong & durable". If I were you, I would seriously consider epoxy coatings....there is NOTHING more durable IMO.

Createx is basically an acrylic latex paint...nothing really special other than some thinning properties which may allow the paint to flow smoother out of an airbrush and thats it. Many of my hand made colors are using basic acrylic/latex paints and thinned with windex....Thinning is fine and based on how easily it flows for you while using a brush to apply. Just like with airbrush, its all trial and error to how much each color will need thinned....Good Luck

Jdee: I looked up the Solarez products....which one do you use? There are a bunch.

When supply prices go up, so do my lure prices...its that simple...so I use the BEST components and materials available and not worry about costs.