Griffond Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 So it's been awhile since I posted a thread on here but I've been reading most of them anyway...I kinda went into hibernation here in Minnesota over the winter. But now I got my hand on some nice Balsa and basswood and was thinking about making some grandma lures as well and working on perfecting my jerkbaits. But its the grandma's I am asking about I have the design from a few websites that we all know on here and have decided to use metal lips on them since the rivers here tend to destroy plastic. But what I am curious is has anyone made the smaller versions of these... it seems most fish in the ole mississippi prefer smaller baits even if there a large fish and the most common bait fish in the river is the chub. So I figured I would try to come up with a chub sized grandma and try foiling it and painting it and all that but just figured I would see if anyone had any input on ballast and any other odd ideas about the design of this lure from large ones to the smallest size. If you not sure what a grandma lure is I'll post a pic below. and Wobblerbau has the pdf for design here if anyone wanted it http://wobblerbaujw.jimdo.com/schablonen/wobbler/#Wobbler (use chrome and hit translate if you browser doesnt offer it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 jake satonica the designer of grandma lures and the original jake now owned by drifter tackle co.. why not use lexan or aluminum lips if you need strength. just downsize the format. are you wiring thru or using screw eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 Well since I have thinner sheets of the woods Im going to do thru wire. And I did plan on using aluminum lips well I am gonna try one other random thing... that is metal as well... was just seeing what other folks on here had to say about crafting them with ballast and wood types and what not... since I searched the forums fairly well and didnt really find much on the design... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 After looking at the link you posted the lip angle, ballast locations, lip size and shape are all provided for you as well as the shape of the lure and different sizes. All you would need to do is copy and paste the sketch into a photo editing program and adjust the size until it matched what you were looking for. I didn't translate it so I couldn't tell if it gave the ballast weight or not, but that is something you could experiment with until you got it to act like what you wanted. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking 56 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 If you're going to build one that's 6'' long, I dug out mine and it's 1/2'' thick. I've never built any that size but you may not need ballast on something that small if you're going to use lexan. The weight of the hooks should be sufficient to keep it below the surface at rest. But you should add some weight to make it suspend. I would put equal amounts located dead center between both belly hooks. s56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat28 Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Try to opt for just two trebble hooks on a six incher. Just upsize the trebbles. Less fouled hooks, and easier release of fish. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 All great ideas guys... I was also thinking about trying the ole penny rattle trick with this style lure as well... just to see if it would work or not... I was waiting to see if Dieter would chime in here if he had ever made one of these or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat28 Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 For some reason, after working with rattles for years, I am now a huge fan of silent baits. I guess the fish in my neck of the woods are somewhat negatively conditioned to rattles now with the increased pressure. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Here I am , ....... ! I've made a few of these before in different sizes(approx. 3 1/2" to 8" , if my memory serves me right) , even some sinking ones of small size . Though the design is said to have a very good appeal on local pike(due to its extremely rolling and canting swimming action), I'm not too fond of the "Grandma" , .....I'm most likely casting from the bank and it's casting performance is just too poor for my liking . But if one could get closer to the hotspots in a boat or for trolling , that lure might be much better suited . Due to the from the first poor casting performance I would not use any heavy metal lips but go with Lexan , as this way a bit more ballast could be placed into the belly possibly improving the casting performance a little bit . Also you need to chose your timber material accordingly to the desired lure size , ......would be rather unfavourable to make an 8" bait out of buoyant balsa , ...you'd have to overload it with lead to achieve the approximate waterline at rest indicated by the dotted lines in the sketches shown in your link(been having these very sketches in my lure sketch files for many years) , ......too much belly weight would be counterproductive , as it would decrease the rolling/canting action , in this case one would have to tinker a lot in attempt to put a certain share of the entire ballast into the back to get back to the desired action . I used abachewood for the smaller models , teakwood for larger ones , beechwood for my small sinking "Grandmas" , .......to play around with the final buoyancy of your blanks , you may vary the given thicknesses for about +/- 10% , ...won't change the action too significant , .....but keep the sideview outline and lip/line tie configurations accurately . When going thru-wired , make sure to have the internal wire form pass a bit upward inside of the body , not too low towards the belly , ...just to gain enough space for weightholes drilled into the belly . BTW , ...in that link it is stated , that sketched ballast positions could possibly vary . To increase or decrease the roll a bit , you could also alter the roundings of back and belly , ......a full radius provides more action , ...just breaking the edges causes a little less of a rolling and canting action . Don't know , if you have already come across , ..but here's some info on the "Grandma" as well : http://www.lurebuilding.nl/indexeng.html Click on "crankbaits" on left column , after click on the symbol above "twitchbaits" and also check "articles" . All in all "Grandmas" are pretty much easy to make at home , ...an all-time classic for the lure hobbyist , I'd say , .......but still , ...I'm not too fond of them , ...might cast better utilizing casting gear , not spinning gear as I most likely do . Good luck , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 I always liked the 7.5 inch Grandma's the best for muskies. I have seen them down to about 4 inches long. They are a tough lure. Rainbow trout is my favorite color. Great for trolling. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flbasspond Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Musky Glen...you have a PM from me Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltwater Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 I guess it is just me, the Grandma looks upside down. It appeals to human esthetics but, does it do the same for fish? When I look at fish, almost all have something of a stomach/belly that is larger than the top/back. Maybe to a fish the lack of a stomach/belly could mean a sick or dying fish ready for an easy kill... I need professional help, I am becoming obsessed with fish LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 I guess it is just me, the Grandma looks upside down. It appeals to human esthetics but, does it do the same for fish? When I look at fish, almost all have something of a stomach/belly that is larger than the top/back. Maybe to a fish the lack of a stomach/belly could mean a sick or dying fish ready for an easy kill... I need professional help, I am becoming obsessed with fish LOL I do not know , why pike and muskie do frequently nail this proven lure model , ......whether it does look like natural forage to them or wether it is just some kinda disturbance in their eyes urging a need to get rid of it , .....but the lure did not earn it's good reputation without any cause ! But nevertheless it would be interesting to furnish one experimental with the body turned upside down , about keeping lip and line tie configuration . ........and if you think , that you might need professional help to cure your obsession , you're definately in the wrong place in here ! Greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking 56 Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Here's a 33'' musky that hit a 13'' repainted Grandma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltwater Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Trying to be light hearted can sometimes backfire. Most of my hand carved lures are downright anorexic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Trying to be light hearted can sometimes backfire. Most of my hand carved lures are downright anorexic. I really did not intend to spoil your light hearted moods , ...no offence , ....I was just trying to be funny , ...since I'm pretty much certain , that all of us in here are a bit obsessed , more or less . My apologies , ...greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltwater Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 diemaidiemai, No offense taken. I have done two lures from the same 2 part mold and converted one. Having one with a fat back and the other with a fat belly. All else remained consistant. The fat belly bait did required additional ballast to keep it trim in the water. I suppose it is from having more surface area below the water line. Any difference in attraction was not observed for one or the other. So inconclusion an anorexic bait is just as good as a fatty fat bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 diemai diemai, No offense taken. I have done two lures from the same 2 part mold and converted one. Having one with a fat back and the other with a fat belly. All else remained consistant. The fat belly bait did required additional ballast to keep it trim in the water. I suppose it is from having more surface area below the water line. Any difference in attraction was not observed for one or the other. So inconclusion an anorexic bait is just as good as a fatty fat bait. I would not have expected any significant difference in general swimming action on the upside down lure , anyway , ....also i see the neccessessity of added belly weights , as you've stated . Guess , one could even shape a narrow bodied lureblank shaped like TWO "GrandMas" glued together on their bellies to gain a high and symetrical body profile , off course the lip would have to be somewhat longer and maybe even wider in that case to be able to generate enough force to cant the higher profiled body left and right . But I would not agree with an anorexic bait being just as good as a fat one , ........around here a doctrine is widely spread , that during springtime and especially summer pike would go for smaller prey , as huge schools of minnows would be easily available to them by this time of year , whereas towards fall season and even in winter those minnows would have vanished , also fish activities generally slow down in increasingly colder water , ........so pike are not up to waste energy to pick smaller bites during the cold season , but would rather go for a bigger prey , as the cost and profit calculation is much more favorable to them(though I don't think , that they'd really be able to calculate ) . So as from October on I'd rather leave my smaller and slender baits at home and pack the larger and more voluminous ones for the last weeks of the season , which ends December 31st around here . Greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Well got the first body carved out did a smaller one out of balsa just to get a feel of making the lure since its so easy to work with now I just gotta get a lip made and should be able to get it to look like a lure anyway lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 @ Griffond ............good luck with it , ...greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Well since the wife wasn't home yesterday I figured I would work on my Grandma's I made one from Balsa just to get an idea of making it easier and one is currently in the works from poplar which I prefer to make it from after making the balsa one first. I still have to ballast the poplar as well now that the D2T is dry... if only I could paint as well as I can carve I would be doing better lol and I crinkled my foil as well its flashy should still catch fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 (edited) @ Griffond Surely it would still catch fish , if the action is right , ......what kind of paint are you usIng , ....solvent based or acrylics ? Greetz , Dieter Edited April 30, 2014 by diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 just brushes with acrylic art paint nothing fancy... I would use spray paint but its been raining forever here and I have no shop or garage to use it in so it's gotta be done outside I did paint the other one thou just a bunch of layers or acrylic paint and d2t to top it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 @ Griffond During my early luremaking years I used to paint my lures in the living room , using modelmaking enamels and a handbrush, .....even employed my wife and my , by that time , little daughter(now she's just turned 31 )for painting , ...both of them came up with some real weird , but in the end catching patterns , ........only did spoons and spinners back then , though . After came many years of rattlecan painting and nowadays I'm back with the handbrush , but using acrylic art paints either , .....compared to the modelmaking enamels these just provide better possibilities of mixing different tones or blending colors utilizing a wet-in-wet paint technique . Not many guys do paint by hand , but as far as I've seen , everyone would develop is own personal style , that one might even recognize by the lures alone . Guess , I've gotta do some redheads as well some day , ....really neglected this pattern through the years , ...you're really gonna have some fun at the water's edge with these GrandMas of yours , I suppose , ......greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 yes pike opener here is next weekend (the 10th) and I am hoping to troll them around a bit and see what happens... I think there a little light duty for musky... especially the balsa one... most musky would bite that one in half without trying even with d2t on it and holding it together... I am going to make some more out of poplar (aspen) thou and try some rattle can finish and some photo/foil finish. Are printer died awhile back and we haven't bought a new one at all but I figure I can go to a friends house and print or just pay a local print shop to print some sheets out for me. I think if a person were to change the lip design you could make these a much better casting bait... and these are a good candidate for coin rattles as well... (which would be good for your catfish lol) we'll just have to see what happens I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
