Big Epp

I haven't gotten an airbrush yet, but probably will at some point... As I was looking at the different airbrushes (specifically the Iwata Neo), I noticed some are gravity fed while others are siphon fed. What style do you prefer? What are the pros and cons of each style (or I suppose of the style of your choice)?

I've never heard of one, but it would be sweet to put one together with folks from here and other custom lure makers. They used to have regional and national contests for bird carvings and such, complete with judging and prizes. Such a things for lure makers would be really cool. We could even break it down into classes similar to what they do for the annual lure contest on here, or break it down even further: jerkbaits, glide baits/swim baits, crankbaits, muskie/over-sized baits, and micro-baits. Get some judges, test-tanks, and display tables and we'd have ourselves something to get excited about. This is completely biased, but the Midwest is obviously the best option for location, as it is centrally located...

@eastman03 Apparently you set the hook like a man-beast! That's one difference between heavy-duty fishing and some of the light-duty stuff. A muskie has a much stiffer face than a bluegill. I had a buddy who was a strict bass angler, and he set the hook in a way that would literally rip the lips off a crappie. I hope you connect with a big one, and I'm envious of your far-north waters! In terms of the topic at hand, I make primarily smaller baits (around 3" ) geared towards bass and panfish, though I've done some bigger stuff, but still geared towards bass. For most of my bass-sized baits I use twist wires in .032" or .051". I also sometimes use .062" for larger joints (especially if there's only one wire connection in the joint). The .062" stuff is pretty hard to bend, and requires a little more muscle. I've only been doing this for a couple years, so I don't have any long-term data, but one of my poppers in particular has caught over 30 bass and is still going strong. For smaller baits (around 1") I prefer to use a through-wire, as the bait itself is more delicate and more likely to break if surprised by a fish larger than a bluegill or crappie. This summer I caught 3 largemouth bass over 20" on baits I made, with twist wires, and they held up just fine. That being said, if I ever shelled out $100 for a bait of any sort (which will never happen, as I make my own baits largely to avoid such expenses) and it broke like that, I would probably cry.

So... I took it out to some real water today, and if I real with any speed, it spins around quite like I'd imagine the tail on that frog thing does. I'll try it again with a deeper body and more strategically placed lead. Design, Build, Test, and Improve!

The finished product:

Anyone try this? https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Gravity-Feed-Paasche-Flow-Pen

I've certainly made my fair share of kindling... Some of my duds are still pretty enough to hang on a Christmas tree as ornaments I suppose. I'll tack on question of my own...what products are typically used to seal the bait for testing, before painting? I was using Minwax wood hardener, but it adds density to the wood and makes it sink if I let it soak too long. Unfortunately, I left the lid on my container cracked open, and went to dip a bait only to find a glob of wood hardener goop.

Alright folks, here's what I've got: https://youtu.be/ffrOD9sH9_0 First time I've tried to put in a video link... let me know if it doesn't work.

Yeah, it's an interesting action for sure! I started cutting up the old paint roller handle last night, so we'll see where this goes...

Huh, looks neat! I think I'll give it a shot.