prop baits- Spin or Spit

[skeeter jones]

I am building a double prop bait, shad shape. I bought some big props. When I tested it on the water they did not spin. I messed around with them and found I could make them spin clockwise or counter clockwise depending on how I bent the prop. One key to getting them to spin was to bend out the tips foward. I tested them on a fan to make sure they spin. My buddy ordered some 22.00 baits and just got them in. I told him to check and see if the props actually spin. He said they don't need to spin, that the props make the lure spit. What do you think. Should it spit or spin. Have you found any ways to make it spit more or spin more.

[BobP]

Duh? Surely your buddy was kidding you. If you want spitting, buy a popper. Props spin in whichever direction the leading edge of the prop is bent. They spin a little easier if the blades are bent backward slightly. They kick up a little more water if straight. It's not unusual to have to tweak props to get them to spin well but they should do SOMETHING right out of the box - especially for $22!

[skeeter jones]

Thanks Bob, I thought I was missing something. I am working on a design that will spin and spit. I am trying to carve in a popper lip and have a place to mount the eye and prop as well.

[benton B]

I don't think you will get the spit if you have a prop in front of the popper mouth.

the props should spin freely and churn up the water, I fish mine like a buzz bait when the action is real fast.

[SmokeyJ]

I don't know, I think this one (daiwa TD mouthwasher) would spit:

I've read good reviews on it, but never used it myself. Looks like it would cause a hell of a ruckus, maybe too much on certain days, but enough that it would work in more chop than other topwaters.

[spare tire]

I make prop baits and the blades were the hardest parts. I wanted a good quality blade like on the old Southbend lures, but you can not find them. the props need to spin smoothly and one needs to turn clockwise and the other counter clock. If this doesn't happen the bait will spin instead of the props on the retrieve. I buy my blades like everyone else then I modify them. I had a machine shop make me a rivet out of brass, then I punch the holes in the props a bit larger then insert the rivet. The rivet costs me .50 cents each, thats 1 dollar for the rivets alone. To get this price I had to buy 1000 pcs.

I hope by this pic you can see what I mean. I hope this was helpful

[BobP]

Wow Spare Tire, $500 for rivets? Now that's topwater commitment! I made a few prop baits recently and the aluminum buzzbait rivets from Stamina fit their #5 props with a bit of persuading. Riveted props do spin much more freely. The Stamina rivets look longer than the ones on your bait, which is a disadvantage.

[clemmy]

if the rivet is that close, you could try heating up the prop a little, it'l expand the hole a bit, tightening back down after cooling...

Clemmy

[benton B]

SmokeyJ, come on that prop is special made to fit in that popper mouth.

You may have a real hard time finding those in bulk.

I need someone to teach me the trick of getting the blades to counter spin, I can never bend the rear blade to the correct pitch.

[SmokeyJ]

I was just saying the design exists, and trying to give an example to skeeter (if he hadn't already seen one of these) of a design that would indeed spin and spit. I haven't done any looking into finding props that size, and you're right, you probably couldn't find them in bulk, but maybe you can. And skeeter didn't say anything about making them in bulk, so maybe he could make some that size himself out of some sheet metal. Just trying to get the creative juices flowing.

[clemmy]

Actually, I think that they make fly-tying minature spinners if you really wanted one in a mouth, but I'm not sure I see any benefit...

Clemmy

[KcDano]

Spare Tire, something you might want to investigate. Little Sac bait Co. in Missouri makes several old style lures with spinners incorporating the long bearing. The old web site mentioned they had purchased the tooling to make the old style spinners. You might get a better price!

http://www.littlesac.com/

[castmaster]

Moores Lures has brass rivets that are much cheaper than what your paying now. Not sure if they'd be the size you need but worth checking it out.

[spare tire]

Thanks, but those weren't what I was after, sometimes you get what you pay for.

[castmaster]

I've been using them for years as bushings for topper blades, soldering them to creeper wings to place pin through, I also use them to glue into the thru wire hole at each end of bait so I can solder the shaft to the rivets thus securing shaft to body so it cant spin.

I make musky lures and have had no problems, not sure why you'd need any better quality wise.

[castmaster]

Heres a couple toppers built with old Musky Monk blades which used those brass rivets as bushings, work excellent. I just solder the rivet to the blade.