danthefisherman

I think the inclusion of video (for the appropriate bait making categories) is a great idea...maybe not as a requirement, but definitely as something that could be considered/preferred in the judging process. Lure making is definitely a form of art, but we make functional art to catch fish otherwise our baits are merely trinkets for our own eyes. Anyone can slap a few hooks on a pretty hunk of wood, but in my opinion the real work comes in all the fine tuning, testing, problem solving, revising, etc. required to get a bait to perform at or above our expectations. There are some entries that are beautiful to behold out of water but could actually be duds in the water. In reverse, there are other entries that are relatively simple but could secretly have an amazing action and fish-catching ability that no one will ever see. A video linked from YouTube or something similar would provide a method to showcase the build in its entirety...from the aesthetics to the action. Making video as a requirement would turn a lot of people off I think as it could easily turn into a video editing contest. Video could instead be used to verify functionality of a design or when deciding between contest winners.

Agreed with this. It'd try concentrating most of your ballast between the lip and front hook hanger. You could also try placing the lip more perpendicular to the body or the line tie under the snout. Good luck!