Finished Swimbait

[Capital Fishing Lures]

**This is my 1st swimbait**

Not the best on earth by any means but I have been working on it for about 3 or 4 days and it is finaly done. It is a Topwater/ swimbait. It acts like a dying fish on the top. It is about 6 inches and Its weight is about 1 ounce(not positive)

Please let me know what yall think about it

thanks for looking

Hunter

[Capital Fishing Lures]

Edited December 11, 2009 by Capital Fishing Lures

[diemai]

@ Capital Fishing Lures

Does it have any weights in it's belly ?

The single joints are absolutely not of advantage , as the single sections have too much sideward play or twist against each other like this .

This way the bait looses a lot of its hydro-dynamic features enabling it to swim in its typical(and desired) "snake" pattern .

I know ,........ jointed crankbaits are also jointed with only ONE interconnected pair of eyes , but here the movement is generated by the diving lip ,.......... a swimbait "snakes" due to vortexes generated by the first section and moving down the sides of the bait, pushing the rear sections sideward into the typical motion , any sideward twist of the sections against one another would render the power of those vortices less effective .

A tow eye like yours placed symetrically in center might not be of advantage as well(though there certainly are baits like that , that work absolutely well) , ....I like to place the tow eye in a way , that the oncoming water pressure on the head portion of the lure would cause leverage around the line tie to help the first section break out to one side ,.........as a result I would not shape the nose of my swimbaits symetrically nor place the tow eye in the symetrical center .

So basically there are three paramount features to be looked after on a swimbait :

1. Jointed in a way , that possibly no sideward twist of the single sections can occur(two pairs of interconnecting eyes , hinges , "eye-and-pin" connection, etc....) .

2. Near neutral buoanycy , either slowly rising or slowly sinking is also possible .

3. Unsymetrical head portion and tow eye positioning to cause kinda leverage around the tow eye .

Another basic swimbait rule is , that all the hinged sections together should have a minium of 90° sideward swing from first to last section .

Does your bait do the snake pattern on a straight retrieve even ?

Or you have to impart an appealing action with rod tip manipulation as you've only mentioned a "dying fish" action ?

Only one ounce of weigth for a 6" bait also seems pretty light to me , ........there is a theory , that swimbaits work best , when their body volume weight is at about the weight of the surrounding water , meaning that they would suspend .

In reality off course there are floating and sinking baits , that still do work well , but in theory those vortexes mentioned above could move a neutrally buoyant bait best , .......sounds logically to me , anyway !

To view typical swimbait simming patterns go to My link , type in terms like "swimbaits" , "swimbait testing" , "swimbit building" , etc . into the search bar there , you will find heaps of videos on the subject there .

good luck , diemai

[Capital Fishing Lures]

I know the lure is not the best ever I took it out on the water today and I got a hit! I dosent swim like a snake either. But it have belly weight! Im going to make another with all the tips you said and from that site, so ima going to work on it and make it worth my time. I liked the action tho because it stays on the top of the water but it mves alot and splashes like a ding fish on the surface. So i think it will ctch fish sooner or later haha.

Thanks for all the tips,

Hunter

[diemai]

Hi , Hunter ,

Have a look at my signature underneath each post of mine ! True words , I guess !

I am very sure , that your are going to improve and soon find out about what makes a swimbait swim like it's supposed to do , ......Rome wasn't built in one day , but with the help of this great site you should hit it right real soon .

Seems that you're already obsessed with big enthusiasm , so nothing should go wrong !

good luck , Dieter

[Capital Fishing Lures]

Hi , Hunter ,

Have a look at my signature underneath each post of mine ! True words , I guess !

I am very sure , that your are going to improve and soon find out about what makes a swimbait swim like it's supposed to do , ......Rome wasn't built in one day , but with the help of this great site you should hit it right real soon .

Seems that you're already obsessed with big enthusiasm , so nothing should go wrong !

good luck , Dieter

Ya the next one I do will be alot better, now knowing what it should have!

Also i did notice your signeture. But I didnt relize i said it till just now, LOL

Thanks, Hunter

[mainbutter]

That looks a lot like my first lure, design-wise!

Keep up the good work, this is a wonderful community.

[Capital Fishing Lures]

At Mainbutter

Ya as you can tell this is my first swimbait No were near my first lure ever made tho haha

[mark poulson]

Hunter,

I've found that the problem with one screw eye hinges is that, unless you have a joint that prevents rotation, the screw eyes will unscrew eventually.

One way to prevent this it to have V shaped joints that nest in each other.

I went to a screw eye and hinge pin system to eliminate this problem, and to make it easier to disassemble my lures after painting for top coating.

[nugene]

HUNTER....I WISH MY FIRST BAIT LOOKED THAT GOOD......KEEP TRYING AND YOU'LL KEEP IMPROVING AND LEARNING WITH EVERY LURE....GOOD START......NUGENE

[Capital Fishing Lures]

HUNTER....I WISH MY FIRST BAIT LOOKED THAT GOOD......KEEP TRYING AND YOU'LL KEEP IMPROVING AND LEARNING WITH EVERY LURE....GOOD START......NUGENE

Thanks you, This is just my first swimbait not my first lure tho I have been making topwater a some cranks for a while.

[Cthulhu]

The paint job reminds me of the first spook-type bait I made 20 years ago.

Looks like you may have used model paint or acrylic from a tube with a brush?

Have you tried using simple spraypaint?

The effect of a spray is much more realistic and subtle, and the micro-droplets mimic the natural stipling seen in real fish and other critters.

Not that I think paint scheme matters much...I believe action and presentation are much more important.

And I use a brush and acrylic when painting rat baits since it looks like the fur of the original when a brush leaves its mark.

But a spray finish might help out a trout-looking lure.

Just a thought.

Otherwise, congrats on making a working swimbait!

Edited December 17, 2009 by Cthulhu

[Capital Fishing Lures]

The paint job reminds me of the first spook-type bait I made 20 years ago.

Looks like you may have used model paint or acrylic from a tube with a brush?

Have you tried using simple spraypaint?

The effect of a spray is much more realistic and subtle, and the micro-droplets mimic the natural stipling seen in real fish and other critters.

Not that I think paint scheme matters much...I believe action and presentation are much more important.

And I use a brush and acrylic when painting rat baits since it looks like the fur of the original when a brush leaves its mark.

But a spray finish might help out a trout-looking lure.

Just a thought.

Otherwise, congrats on making a working swimbait!

Thank you sir, I im saving up for an air brush kit so then i dont have to us paint brushes.