Attaching plastic tail to wood body bait

[fishingwaters]

First off, I'm glad I've found this site - it seems it's a great resource and y'all seem very helpful. I am very new to making my own lures but I'll try to keep the questions to a minimum.

I have been playing with an idea in my head for several months now and with hard water arriving in my backyard I've decided to take the plunge and see what I can do with the idea.

This is intended on being a muskie/pike bait.

I'm sanding & carving the body of the bait but one thing I have yet to figure out is how I can securely attach a paddle style tail to the body of the bait in a fashion that it can be replaced easily. The style of tail I want to use is similar to a Reaper tail (beaver tail).

Right now I will use an actual Reaper tail as I work through the design and the crafting process until I can get time to figure out how to pour exactly what I want. I figure the learning curve on the carving / shaping skills are enough to tackle at this point.

Anyway, I could use some suggestions as to how I can attach the tail securely and yet still allow for changing the tail when it gets damaged. Any ideas?

I was thinking about boring out the back end and using friction/glue to secure it but I doubt it would hold up to much use.

[LaPala]

Two small hole & toothpick might just do the trick. Check out the LC Live Bait that has a tail & interchangable with a blade, they use toothpicks (included in the box too)

[Nathan]

You can use a piece of heavy guage wire,and epoxy it into the wood of the lure.Then slide your Reaper on the wire and add a drop of super glue to hold it in Place...or,like Ken told me to do,...use a finishing nail instead of the wire..Nathan

[kellure]

I made a couple topwater hardbaits with small plastic grub tails moons ago that placed the grub inside an arrow insert (as in bow and arrow)...I then slid the insert inside of a hole in rear of the bait. It did okay, not sure its practical by any stretch nowdays, but it might trigger a thought or two.

[robert giberson]

try a small piece of wire , like nathan said, but at the end that is going into the tail make it coiled like a pigs tail, this way you can screw it into the tail , another way to do it is to take a long shank bait holder hook( with the barbs) and cut the hook point off, epxoxy the other end into the bait, and then you slide your tail section over the barbed shaft end which will hold the tail, both methods will allow you to change the tails with ease when needed! hope this helps Rob

[cullin8s]

The arbogast A/C plug uses pins like you would use in sewing. They are put in at oposing angles so that they hold the plastic well. The biggest problem with those is the paint is not worm proof and the tail eats the paint on the lure where they meet. Might be worth using a clearcoat that is worm proof to protect your paint job.

[fishingwaters]

Thanks for the responses guys. I had a feeling this was the right place. I'll be sure to follow up with my results (or lack of them).

[Coley]

I asked the same question of my friend Lincoya,

I will share with you what he sent me.

Coley

[cullin8s]

I had a little more time today so i drew out a schematic of the way they put the AC plug tail on with the sewing pins.

[AlamOso]

www.trailures.com

[ckarren]

If you look at the Mania Squirrely Burt or the Llungen Lures Squirko musky lures they have the tails on them. All it is a tail that has been superglue on. If I were making it, I would drill a hole just a little bigger then the round part of the tail. Put a nice topcoat on first, cut off the depth of the hole above the flat part of the tail and superglue it in the hole. Keep several tails on hand, if it turns out anything like the Squirko or anything you buy with tails. The first pike that hits it will take the tail and it will not work anymore until you replace the tail

Good luck!

-Corey.

[Nathan]

Another problem with how the AC plug is done is all the sharp edges left in the tail section..it allows to much untreated area left exposed to water,thats one of the reasons the paint crack so bad.Also,those pins are a pain to deal with..Nathan