Patterns for Wooden Hard Baits?

[VanBass]

First, thanks for the help in selecting a wood to carve hard baits - I've cut a enough cedar and basswood (1 1/4 inch thick) to keep me busy for quite a while   :)

Being new to carving hard baits I thought that it would be better to make a couple different ones following proven patterns before venturing into (trying) to design one of my own.

I searched for "pattern" and found lots about painting. I'm used to fly tying where patterns are readily available, are there public patterns/plans/templates for wood baits on the forum? Any sites/links to where I can find some?

Thanks!

Van

[Anglinarcher]

I keep going back to this archived web site from across the pond.  They specialize in wooden baits so the patterns that they give can help.  http://www.lurebuilding.nl/indexeng.html

Click on crankbait, jerkbaits or Surface.  Inside that tab are more options.  These are proven lures so that should get you started.

[Travis]

Lure templates as a search will pop up what you are looking for. 

Most lures have side profile pictures so can just copy and paste into paint and resize as needed.  Can then make a template for top down. Honestly pretty easy to just draw something up with a ruler, French curve, and circle template.  I have also just free hand a lot lures.  Just start whittling away what shouldn't be there.

A couple links to solid preforming baits below.  

http://learnhowtomakefishinglures.blogspot.com/2014/03/free-fishing-lure-templates.html

 

[VanBass]

@Anglinarcher

Thanks for that link, sounds to be exactly what I need. I'll check it out! 

@Travis

...hmm the wrong search word problem again eh ? LOL!

Thanks for your comments Travis! Much appreciated!

Being (very) technical in nature I guess that I am over-thinking hard bait design. Seen a lot of videos where they just free-hand a lure profile and start carving, I always wonder how many "duds" they make before getting a bait that swims the way they want.

Yes, lure profiles are easy to get from pictures, it is the lip/bib shape and weighting that is the concern.

Lots of commercial lures in the tackle box that I know the action of. Thinking that studying them (their weight and for they float) would be a good to develop a feel for lure design. 

Looking to be an interesting hobby! 

Cheers! 

Van

[Hillbilly voodoo]

In my opinion you are overthinking it

I can understand if you want to reference other lures for ideas but for the most part you just need to keep things symmetrical. After that float test and balance your lures. If you start researching past and present lure shapes you will find just about and shape you can think of has been used

There is nothing wrong with building a little firewood as you learn. 

[VanBass]

@Hillbilly voodoo

Yeah, agree - enough thinking - time to make shavings 

Van

[Bdnoble84]

Experimenting and drawing freehand is part of the fun. A micrometer is an extremely useful tool. Make your paper template out of cardstock. That way if it works you can duplicate it.

i would start with basswood as it is quite a bit easier to work with than cedar. Also get several different sandpaper grits. I like the the one inch beltsander type with the fabric back. It is very durable.

[Big Epp]

good call with using cardstock! I often draw my patterns on paper, then if I like it I'll glue it to hard plastic to cut the pattern. A while back I re-sawed some PVC deck boards. The hard plastic on the top and bottom are excellent for patternmaking...and they shouldn't fade for 30 years...

[BobP]

You can get just about any lure design to swim but talking guaranteed SUCCESSFUL designs, I favor copying actual commercial baits. If you build them for your own fishing and not for sale, it’s no sin.  I started copying baits by simply tracing a pic and working from there.  That was not sufficient to get a good copy.  What you need to do is buy a bait and get exact measures and weights.  That’s needed especially to copy the cross-sectional shape of the body and get a finished target weight.  From there, it’s a straightforward process of weighing components and subtracting the total from the target weight to get the ballast needed.  I estimate 1/50th ounce for the bait’s finish.  All done, you can get a creditable copy that weighs within 1/50th of an ounce of the original and has a good chance of performing as well.  It should be noted that this method works best on copies of WOOD baits, not plastic, where the variable internal body structure can’t really be duplicated in wood.  My favorites are custom wood baits like the classic D-bait and the WEC E1, which are fairly pricey balsa baits that are no longer available commercially.  

[VanBass]

 

@BobP

I like your suggestion of copying commercial baits, lots in the tackle box for reference. 

There are a couple of baits that I  would like to make in 1/2" increments so that I can follow the length of the forage throughout the season. I like to use a bait (or streamer fly) that is about 20% larger than the baitfish. 

Van

[mark poulson]

14 hours ago, VanBass said:

 

@BobP

I like your suggestion of copying commercial baits, lots in the tackle box for reference. 

There are a couple of baits that I  would like to make in 1/2" increments so that I can follow the length of the forage throughout the season. I like to use a bait (or streamer fly) that is about 20% larger than the baitfish. 

Van

I find doing a float test with the commercial bait I want to imitate helps me figure out ballast size and placement.  I make my knockoff, add the split rings and trebles, and then put it side by side with the original in my bucket of water, and adjust the ballast weight and location until my bait sits like the original.  For me, it gives me a good starting point, and I can vary things from there, one at a time, to get my bait to work differently if I want to.

[VanBass]

@mark poulson

 

Thank Mark - appreciate your  help!

Van

[Nathan]

Mark is right on the money…But the best tidbit of advice he gave you was in the last line…”only change one thing at a time “..Nathan