tlr567 Posted January 15, 2020 Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 I’m wanting to make a diving water rat imitation but I’m unsure what kind of fur to cover it with? any ideas or experience would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 15, 2020 Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 I have never done this myself but if I was it would be looking at synthetic options that don’t absorb water. Natural fur would not be a good long term option because of weight and it breaking down. Might want to go though a craft store and see what they have that has a light weight backing. You can always give it a hair cut have you considered flocking it?or are wanting hair that flows in the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 8 hours ago, Hillbilly voodoo said: I have never done this myself but if I was it would be looking at synthetic options that don’t absorb water. Natural fur would not be a good long term option because of weight and it breaking down. Might want to go though a craft store and see what they have that has a light weight backing. You can always give it a hair cut have you considered flocking it?or are wanting hair that flows in the water? I don’t know what you mean by “flocking it”? I wanted it to look like a water rat and I thought fur of some kind would give the best result. Ive seen a few lure parts stores have ‘Pseudo Hair - Imitation Polar Bear Hair’ . I just didn’t know if it would be good enough to survive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 15, 2020 Report Share Posted January 15, 2020 30 minutes ago, tlr567 said: I don’t know what you mean by “flocking it”? I wanted it to look like a water rat and I thought fur of some kind would give the best result. Ive seen a few lure parts stores have ‘Pseudo Hair - Imitation Polar Bear Hair’ . I just didn’t know if it would be good enough to survive Flocking is like a spray on fuzz not really hair. I have seen it used on lures and I have waterfowl decoys with it Craft fur might be a good option for what you are thinking. Honestly can’t think of anything that would really take abuse. It is likely one of those things it will look cool but not worth the effort if catching fish is the main goal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Thanks mate! Craft fur it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 9 hours ago, tlr567 said: Thanks mate! Craft fur it is! Post a pic in the gallery when your doing I am curious on what it will look like when your done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Haha the shame of it. it will be rough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 This is a Mudeye lures “Thingy” it’s a great lure. And where I got the idea from. I borrowed this from a mate who swears by them for trolling. Trouble is I want a sinking lure that I can cast in against structure that would closer Resemble the feeding habits of a water rat/otter type thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 The body fur looks to be a craft fur of some sort, (can see the netting underneath) and the tail is definitely natural I’d guess and say a strip rabbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Give me a few weeks and I’ll throw up a few versions of my own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 You Australians definitely have a unique style of lure building. I am still on my morning coffee so can’t remember what it’s called but there is a synthetic subtle for rabbit strip. I will check my fly tying kit to see if I have any to get the name. I know my rabbit strip flies that last a long time the leather starts to rot or stiffen up A while back a member here commented the one of my crankbaits looked very Australian so out of curiosity I started looking into the different designs you guys use. Some of my crankbaits are definitely lost somewhere between North American and Australian for shapes at times I am actually working on a surface paddler similar to what you guys use for Murray cod. After learning about this style of lure I want to try it on pike here in Canada 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Who knows maybe I will glue some fur on one of my crankbaits to see if your onto something 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Yeah I’ve noticed our fresh water lures are very unique. But hey they work! Throwing those surface paddlers is the most exciting and addictive fishing I’ve ever done. You never know if the next cast will explode or not and usually when you are getting complacent that’s when one will strike. They strike so hard they make a loud crack sound that if your not ready for will scare the piss out of you! id be very keen to find out what the imitation rabbit is called. i think it’s funny you’ve been looking at our lures, because I’ve been looking at your lures for inspiration. Especially Muskie lures. some of our native lures Mudeye rattlesnake can’t remember AC invader jitterbug 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 no luck checking the fly kit. Next time I see it in the tackle shop I will write the name down. It’s basically like a string with fur coming off it. It has kind of a fox tail look I have been carving baits with a curve similar to that AC invader before I even seen an Australian crankbait. I just have had good results with different banana style baits. Actually just paint a new deep diver to test out with a slight curve. The paddler is going to be my first intentionally Australian inspired lure. I will be trying it on shallow water pike What I have learned from fishing different areas and species a lot of lures plus fishing styles transfer over to different species really well. The funny thing is most fishermen won’t try something new till someone out fishes them using it lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlr567 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 11 hours ago, Hillbilly voodoo said: The funny thing is most fishermen won’t try something new till someone out fishes them using it lol Yes definitely true! I enjoy trying new stuff out and making my own just takes it to the next level. I bought a couple of Muskie Sized whopper Ploppers and I’ve had a few mates buy them now. that Ac invader is a great lure, Australian custom also do one called an AC slim. My go to trolling lure. The body is a Chartreuse and green banana about the size of your pinky but they are for golden perch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 I am that fishermen that basically refuses to use the local favourite lures lol. One of my fishing buddies is the same way. 2 of the small towns we lived in over the years we completely changed how the locals fished some species from locals catching onto what we were doing lol Here is a prototype I am working on to give you an idea. Like I said my carving style can fall somewhere in between the North American and Australian style crankbaits. This one does not have as much of a curve as some of my others. It’s a 20cm deep diver and odds are if it eats fish and can fit it in their mouth they will bite it Odds are everything I make would work in Australia just like a lot of your lures would work here in Canada 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robn510 Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 "It’s basically like a string with fur coming off it." Its called "Zonker Strip" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
