Curved Twitch Bait

[Birdman]

Someone contacted me and asked what a curved twitch bait is so here it is. There may be another name for this type of bait but curved twitch works for me. Unfortunately this one isn't a very good example but everthing else is in the boat in winter storage.

The best way to explain it is this bait does everything wrong. It rarely does the same movement twice which is maybe why it is so effective. The wood used is nothing I've seen metioned here at TU and there in lies some of the explanation for its action. Weight is in the head and the split blade is on a clevis at the tail.

Because of the twisting action, a swivel up the line is a must. Homer Circle once told me to never make a bait with only one treble hook but I did it anyway. The body has to be balanced to get the desired action consequently additional hooks won't work.

[Vodkaman]

Very nice design. Do you have a video of the action?

We did discuss curved bait design ideas, with the intention of fishing parallel banks on canals. I built an experimental curved bait, just to see, about 2 years ago. I did not persue it, but learnt from it.

Dave

[diemai]

@ Birdman

A very interesting design to me , is the spinning blade essential , or do you also have versions without a spinner locked up in your boat ?

Such special designs really do spice up my lure making activities , eager to try my hand on such one day !

greetz , diemai

[JBlaze]

Never saw anything like that. I bet it does a very erratic action. Looks like it might turn itself backward 180

[Birdman]

No video to speak of. Over the years I've played around with this design never intending to produce it. (I have to keep something for myself!) I've made the bait larger both with and without the spinner blade but I like the flash on this smaller version. Last year at ice out was insane.

However I have to admit Uncle Homer is right about using two trebles. Even with the very best treble on the back, fish can use the bait as leverage and throw it from time to time-about the same ratio as a spinnerbait. It also is a bait that can be easily overfished resulting in line fowl.

I'm a firm believer fish become conditioned to lures they see day in and day out. They lure (often the hard way) that it is not food. Pure Fishing's tank tests will bear this out. They'll initially slam a bait then over time ignore it no matter how hungry they become. So a bait acting erractically peaks their interest and since they don't have any hands, the only way to determine if it is food is to eat it. Good deal!

[diemai]

@ Birdman

Thanks about the further info you provided on that lure ,.......I surely respect your decision about keeping your secrets on that design , no way !

I also agree with your point about fish getting used to certain lures and ignoring them , if these lures are used intensively .

Heard from Belgian and Dutch anglers , that certain lures might get "burned" after one or two seasons , the fish notice them as being "dangerous" and ignore them , so one always has to be on a search for something new and fish different to the rest .

Thanks again:yay: , diemai

[Birdman]

Diemai,

There really isn't any secret about this bait. I was taught to design baits conducive to production and if a bait is too difficult to make by hand then it's entry point will price it out of the market. This bait does not fit those parameters (unless it was made in plastic) so I'm happy to share it here. In fact, if anyone wants more details (type of wood, weight ratios and locations) PM at your convenience.

Thank God fish become conditioned to lures over time! It is probably one of the main drivers of this industry. Can you imagine what it would be like if fish hit a lure over and over? We'd still be fishing James Heddon's first frog bait! That's why many of my designs are based on some of the early lure concepts of the 20's, 30's and 40's-all good ideas fish have not seen for some time.

[Vodkaman]

I guess it could be molded in RTV, but the cast material density would not match your choice of wood. The density of cast materials is a bit limited, either too light (foam) or too heavy (resin/microspheres).

I agree with your theory of familiarization. As long as the fish do not communicate bad experiences from generation to generation, then your idea of basing new designs on the old favourites is a good one.

I would like to know what the density of the wood was, my guess is on the light side.

Dave

[Birdman]

Nope. Actually the wood is very dense, near neutrally bouyant if not slightly negative bouyant (depending on the piece of wood). So add a little weight in the nose and as it sinks, it darks, spirals, even falls tail first sometimes, very weird bait.

A lighter weight wood would be interesting-possibly in a larger version for durability. That's another reason I'm using this Brazilian Cherry-I can go small and still have lots of meat.

[diemai]

@ Birdman

Thanks again for more info , that's enough for me , still need to do some tinkering about it as well.............!

I have some new and different lure projects going presently....can't really afford to add one more right now:(, but this curved twitchbait really is something for me to remember , when the day has come .

I am really fond of "little unusual" lure designs !

So many ideas , so little time:( !

Thanks again , greetz , diemai

[mark poulson]

That's an interesting design.

I now own two identical Specialty Tackle jerkbaits that decided to bend, one to one side, and one to the other, while they were in my boat's locker.

I'd repainted them as baby bass, and thought the paint job might have cause the bending.

I can't wait to throw them to see if they're as erratic as yours.

[jamie]

I like this profile as well, very interesting.

Edited March 4, 2009 by jamie
edit

[NoiseyCricket]

Here

[Birdman]

The weighted version is close to the action of my bait only I've placed three seperate pieces of lead in the nose to counterbalance the blade, beads and hook on the tail. The vidio shows the erratic qualities these baits produce quite nicely.

A customer emailed some time ago and explained how he used one on schooling bass. He said once the bait sunk beneath the bait ball, larger fish were jumping all over it. Sounds feasable.

[diemai]

@ NoiseyCricket

Thanks for having provided that link !

Though it's a German mailorder shop , I have only visited their site on one or two ocassions so far .

These vids are a very good source of visual info about such lures , I prefer the action of the nose-down weighted version .

But I think , that only one tail hook renders the lure a bit "minor armed" , especially with it's lively action pike might fail to hook up quite often(I guess , not a problem with bass that much ???) .

If I'd ever try my hand on such design , I'd rig three trebles , at tail and two opposing ones at greatest width of back and belly , just to keep the balance .

greetz:wink: , diemai

[diemai]

Hi , folks ,

Some days ago I have made a sketch of my version of sucha curved bait , yesterday I have shaped the first prototype from beechwood , about 4 1/3" in length .

As I wrote in my previous post , I designed it with three trebles for better chances for hook-ups .

I have just now watched the video link posted above again and I have found , that my assumed weight location on my sketch must be wrong , since I did not remember well about the swimming position of the bait .

I have thought , that the lure would swim with its concave side downward , but after watching the vid again , I see , that it is vice versa , it is positioned in the water like an airfoil:huh: .

Now I wonder , whether I could still achieve this swimming position with my version , since due to the two opposing hooks must not tangle , I have made the body reasonably wide , thus it would be difficult to have the lure body flip over to proper position concave side upward !

Well , anyway , I'll still try to achieve that by making the weights as flat as possible and put them into the front portion at the convexe side ,...... located as far to the outer body as possible .

I guess , even if the bait would sink concave side down , one would still get an erratic action out of it , it would only be different to the one shown in the video ?

Probably the bait would then have a tendency to dart more up ,-and sideward ?

What do you think , opinions welcome ?

greetz , diemai:yay:

[Lure--Prof]

The weighted version is close to the action of my bait only I've placed three seperate pieces of lead in the nose to counterbalance the blade, beads and hook on the tail. The vidio shows the erratic qualities these baits produce quite nicely.

A customer emailed some time ago and explained how he used one on schooling bass. He said once the bait sunk beneath the bait ball, larger fish were jumping all over it. Sounds feasable.

More than feasable Birdman; totally logical, especially for any schooling fish exhibiting typical slash and pillage feeding behavior. Whether they're highland reservoir smallies annihlating schools of threadfin shad, stripers tail-swatting schools of herring pinned beneath the beaks of diving gulls and the terror below, or sailfish tightly balling-up schools of bait with their sails in order to slice and dice with bills for their brethren waiting below, the erratic action of stunned or mutilated bait erratically drifting downward from that surface smashing mahem above are exactly what those fish are waiting for. That action says supper, served right now.

Even the bend of the bait is a visual cue signifying an injured bait that's lost its ability to flee (yeah, pick on the one with the bad back!) So, while there are a lot of baits that may get an explosive response from surface slashing schoolies, there is no better bet for a solid hook-up than a lure which exhibits the kind of action that fish are waiting to eat.

And it isn't just limited to schooling action either. This would be a great "come-back" lure for any fish that's just missed your topwater bait, or any fish in casting distance that has broken the surface. A lot of experienced fishermen keep an outfit rigged and ready for breaking fish at all times. As a striper guide on Lake Cumberland, not only did I catch many stripers by having a lure ready like that, but also a lot of big smallmouth.

A trick long-used by fishermen jigging lead spoons is to bend the lure slightly in the middle so that it resembles a "curved twitch bait".

It seems good ideas always hang around for a reason.

Dean

[LaPala]

Check out the Turus Ukko big jerk too. Google should lead you to a picture of one

[Birdman]

Very interesting. I've never seen that bait but a very similar concept. You guys really impress me with your depth of research.

One thing I don't recall if I mentioned but you absolutely have to have an in-line swivel or the line twist will kill you. You want to keep the size of the swivel down so as to not affect the action and I usually tie it on about 18" above the bait. The longer the leader the harder it is to cast and get any distance. And distance is pretty important with this type of bait.

[diemai]

@ LaPala

I have a cheap knock-off of that "Turus Ukko Jerk" somewhere , I guess , that its weighting is located at the behind of it's "sort off" bill ?

@ Birdman

I always have a snap swivel at the end of my main line , also add one to my homemade toothproof leaders , so not too much trouble with line twist .

I am even thinking to directly attach a rigid wire leader to my lure prototype , loop in loop , to possibly avoid the two sideward hooks tangling with the leader.......but I have to do tests about that , when it would be finally done .

greetz , diemai:yay:

[Birdman]

I used that same twitch bait pictured on this thread to catch two nice smallies this morning-a three pounder on the second cast. Then I had it bitten off, possibly by a brown trout. That hurts but that's why they make paint, hardware and wood. Still I hadn't planned on sacrificing baits to the fish gods so early in the season.

So my dues are already paid. I'll get another half dozen made up by next weekend in the unlikely event the gods demand more tribute.

[diemai]

@ Birdman

Sorry , .....this is many a lures destiny !

Though quite a nuisance !

Fingers crossed , that you would get those new ones , that you're planning on , equally good to the one lost.......and take revenge:flame: .

good luck , diemai:yay:

[LaPala]

Diemai, I have only the pleasure of owning an UKKO original catalog . At the time when UKKO was still an independent company and the lure going for USD20++ was a bit too rich for me then. So I have no idea at all what the actual action and weighting is like but can only infer from what is in the catalog literature. I have always been intrigue by the UKKO designs. Could it be Rapala Tail Dancer "improved(?)" on the original Turus UKKO but that is another topic.

[diemai]

@ LaPala

Guess , that the original "Turus Ukko" was out there prior to the "Rapala Tail Dancer" . In my opinion they do not have a lot in common , apart from a certain alikeness in their side view .

The "Tail Dancer" has a rather round cross section and a tapered , thin tail(top view) , whereas the "Ukko" has a more "square" cross section with rounded corners and a flat tail section , viewed from top its body keeps same width over entire length apart from head taper and the rounded tail end .

I own a 8" "Ukko" from Finland , but I am not sure , whether it is a very good homemade knock-off or an earlier handmade lure from the original designer of the "Ukko's" , at least it is signed "Taurus Ukko" , but lacks the signature of the designer ,..... that I guess , all of the "Ukkos" have printed on them ?

The "Ukko Jerk" looks entirely different , rather a bit similar to a "SwimWhizz" , but with flatter cross section and with a very thin tail portion(viewed from top) .

greetz , diemai:yay:

[jamie]

Here