jtexas

Is it the heat that releases bubbles from epoxy or the oxygen-consuming property of an open flame?

At electronics stores they have a device used to hold IC chips for soldering - clamps to your workbench & adjustable to just about any angle you could want. I've seem 'em for under $10. jtw

Haven't tried it on gooey epoxy, but I believe MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) will do the trick.

Nathan, I found at least one believer - says they give the lure body lots more motion. http://www.texasfishingforum.com/.ubb/Forum2/HTML/006916.html jtw

Would you add corn and new potatoes to the pot like with crawfish? These things are way harder to shell and not nearly as tasty! jtw

I appreciate Riverman's dissertation - sort of a back-to-basics type discussion. Nothing in nature looks anything like a spinnerbait, yet there you are. Also I've heard countless bass pro's say that confidence is more important than lure color. You have the reaction strike, where they just react to flash and movement, then you have the sight-oriented strike, like Riverman's example when the fish seem to study the bait and either swim away or inhale it. We've all seen fish in tanks do that. And if Nathan is right then eyes on a lure will make Mr. Bass a more effective predator of your lure. I just wonder how to make eyes on lures look more realistic to another fish. Jann makes another good point - but I think you left out voiding the bowels to lighten the load. Has anybody here ever made a lure that mimics bodily functions?

Hey red, it's an excellent tutorial, and there are contact lense-specific warnings right on the calk tube. I've calked many many times & should've known better :oops: . I appreciate having the benefit of your experience - Keep up the good work. jtw

How do you like the Aqua-vu? Has it helped your fishing? Have you got a polarizing filter for it? Just curious - I read a theory that fish have some kind of polarizing vision. thanks, jtw

Stare deeply into a fish's eye and to me it looks flat black, no reflected light at all. Take a flash photo and you never have a problem with redeye on a fish, yet they say fishes can see better in low-light conditions, like cats and dogs, whose eyes reflect light like crazy. So, what do a fish's eyes look like, to another fish, underwater? I happen to be a firm believer that, all else being equal, a lure with eyes will outcatch one without but what, really, is the optimum appearance for the eyes? Any opinions or insights? jtw

I made my first silicone mold last night using the tutorial on the board - it worked great, but I failed to read the warnings on the silicone. I worked the the lislicone some with my fingers, then later on removed, cleaned and stored my contact lenses for the night. Put them in this morning, and, talk about pain! Flushed the eyes and they're okay, but I tried again this evening and still no luck! According to the silicone packaging, residues can stay on your hands for days. I'm getting some latex gloves for my next foray into silicone molding! jtw

Theoretically, evolution would push prey species toward this kind of coloration. If you're right then sound, scent and motion are even more important.

Ever notice how Senko's seem to self-destruct upon contact with a hook? I found this forum while searching for an affordable alternative - looks like I hit the jackpot! Been fishing my whole life but I just got my first boat last fall, when, at age 83 my dad decided the bass boat (his first, a 1980 vintage purchased 3 yrs ago) was just too much trouble, so now it's mine. Got a shop manual for the outboard, and the first chapter says you have to take 'em out & run 'em every 3 weeks or so. That was all the evidence I needed to convince the wife that at least one monthly fishing trip is an absolute necessity. Well, it's worked so far. We have two teenage girls - they used to like fishing, but now it's just clothes/makeup/boys. This is a great resource and I appreciate the effort. jtw

I just started reading the forum in search of an affordable alternative to Senko's, and it looks like I've hit the jackpot! I haven't yet tried to pour a single worm, but after reading some the posts about scent additives I couldn't help making this suggestion: go to a plant nursery and look in the liquid fertilizer section for Fish Emulsion. It's basically concentrated liquified fish in a bottle. I sprayed it on my garden once, but the odor was so offensive I will never do it again! I diluted it as recommended but the smell was so horrible that 3 hours later neighbors were still complaining. I plan to try this stuff eventually, but it might be a few weeks before I get started, and I thought maybe somebody else might want to give it a try in the meantime. But wear a mask when you open the bottle! BTW I've seen it at Lowe's, but not Home Depot or Walmart. Thanks for all the tips, this is a great site. jtw