RiverMan Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 I'm thinking about a slight modification to a flatfish for salmon and wondered how hard it is to make a flatfish from wood. Quite some time ago I tried carving some flatfish from wood but never did get around to weighting them.....I am thinking a large size, like 6" long flatfish. Anyone ever built them successfully? jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oncorhynchus_tshawytscha Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Jed, Are you talking about one of Worden's Original Flatfish, or one of the similar lures? Cause I would like to lend any assistance that I can. I actually just bought one from Steve's Archery and Fishing here in Walla Walla, pretty much because it was on clearance. It was either the M2 or the T50. I think it's made out of plastic however. Not sure how it would be in wood. Probably would have to be a really light wood, like balsa. Maybe pine or cedar. "The Complete Book of Lurecraft" actually has a couple of patterns that the author created to imitate or reproduce the action of a Flatfish. Brock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Jed, I believe you can achieve similar action as the flatfish in a big bait without having the carve the rather complicated shape of the original flat fish. I made a large bait based on the South Bend Teas-Oreno that I used for saltwater, it swam 'almost' as good as the original. I have also seen a salmon bait called a Nelson Banana plug that was shaped a lot like a big Teas-Oreno. I know the Flatfish and Teas-Oreno swim differently, but I think the Teas-Oreno is easier to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 I will probably be using a light wood Brock. Mallard, Have you tried to tried to build a big Oreno? Like 6 inches long? I want something with a big wobble just like the flatfish. Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallard Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 The only Flatfish I own is a small two inch version so I am not sure of the exact action of a full-sized flatfish but I am assuming it is like a Teas-Oreno or a Canadin Wiggler but a wider S swin pattern. I have built a six inch Teas-Oreno type lure, it had more of a snake type swiming action, but that was the action I was going for. It was also very heavily weighted to add casting distance. I am no expert, but I have come up with about five different kinds of lipless swimming lures from two to six inches. The one constant I have found is it is all in the shape of the face of the lure. Think of the face of the lure like the diving lip of a crank bait, action is mainly a result of lip angle, size and line tie placement (plus proper weighting). I think if you duplicate the face of the flatfish on a thin round bodied lure you will be able to get very close to the action you want. I would also weight the lure near the front to assure the face sits with the proper angle in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oncorhynchus_tshawytscha Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I tried to make a big Oreno out of poplar, but it was way too hard to use properly. Didn't realize that fact when I started. Brock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
out2llunge Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Jed, send me an e-mail and I'll forward a template from the "Lurecraft" book. It looks pretty straight forward. It even has some tips for how to adjust the bait and what effect tuning will do. My addy is out2llunge AT yahoo dot ca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish03 Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I've got an old one around here somewhere that must have been used for musky at one time. Its wood and is about 5-6 inches long. So it can be done Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Yea the ones we use for salmon here are big, like 6 inches long and have a huge left to right wobble, really cool! I want to modify one but can't do it with the plastics on the market because they are hollow. The "flatfish" design is a very old shape with lots of versions. Here is my email lunge and thank you! tossmealine@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
out2llunge Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I'll send you the files tonight Jed, they're on my home 'puter... Just curious, do you ever use Lymans? They're killer here for salmon, lakers and rainbows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Thanks for sending them lunge, they are perfect!!! I hope to give it a try this wknd. Thanks to everyone else for the input. Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the greek Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I have been messing around with this one for a while now. It's not a true flatfish but I built it with it in mind. I need to move the line tie closer to bottom of the lip and I think that will solve some of its problems. It really digs in and heads for the bottom quickly, but rolls out real fast when you get a steady retrieve going. Its around 4 1/2" and about 1.25 oz. Thru-wired with .062 s/s weld wire and has 2/0 hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitcheal Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I have a friend who bought a lot of stuff from the estate of Charlie Helin (the originator of the Flatfish) several years ago. Included where both drawings and wooden patterns of many, many Flatfish models. They were used for the original wooden versions and the Canadian made Quickfish. If you are interested I could give you his name, address and phone. He doesn't own a computer. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted November 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 I would be interested Mitch altho maybe he is looking to make something on them. I could build a kwikfish from scratch but was hoping someone had built one already. Lunge sent me some plants which have helped. I am still interested in working on this project. thx. jed v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
