frenchman

This is where I got the idea of modifying this bait: http://www.westernbass.com/utah/library/view.html?id=2089 Here's a couple pics to show what I'm talking about. The picture with the red line is meant to show how the bait stands in the water. The red line illustrates the water surface. The other pic just shows the lip. Now my question is, how can I get a tighter wobble. Right now, I need to go excrutiatingly slow to keep it balanced. If I shave the sides of the lip off will it get better? Thanks for your help...I could always use the trial and error method but now I have glued the bill so well it's not moving, ever! So I can't efford 1 error..

I'm currently trying to fix one my castaic shad swimbait. It's one of those half soft half hard swimbait with a thick lip. I Have already fixed some issues about it like running straight. Among other things I inserted 2 tungsten nail in the belly. But I find the swimming motion way too wide. I would like to lessen it, to tighten it. I would like to know how I could go about it? I see that the lip is very wide compared to body of bait. What would happen if I grind it on the side to make it narrower? (assuming I would do it right!) Thanks for your help..I prefer to ask first and cut last!!

I think it really depends on what sort of drag it is. Some are dry drag and others are lubed. If you grease a dry drag it will get jerky and mostly useless. Make sure you don't mix different brands of grease. Shimano grease is very good. cal's grease is good too!

Yes ghost, I've been looking at your site and I saw this. I will have to try. But I think the picture I shaw is a little different. I would think mine is a little heavier and casts maybe a little bit better. The wood is very dense and sink even on his own without any lead. Also the point is to have a treble hook so I get in the boat more of those short bites infamous of buzzbait fishing! So no one can make this?

Hi guys, I'm a newbe here and I'm very impressed by the craftsmanship of many members. I was wondering if anybody could be making a few copies of a bait I assembled using a hardwood body a friend made to my specification. It can surely be improved too! What I like about this design is that is sinks very slowly, and I can either use a treble hook for open water or a double hook for fishing over pads or other vegetation.

Not much to add. It's easy really. And once you do that you know what each part do so later on when you buy a new reel you know what to look for. If it's the first time you're cleaning up your reel I'd say it can take a few hours to get it completly clean. On some bearings it's possible to remove the shields. Some have a little clip that hold it. Look with a magnifying glass if you can see it. You can remove it with a fine needle. It's easier to put it back on! That will save you a lot of time soaking and shaking. Make sure you wait enough for the bearings to dry. Not much point adding lubricant in a solvent stuffed bearing! I save time with one of those air-blower cans used for cleaning up keyboards. And it will double as key-board cleaner!! I would suggest you use an old kitchen towell to work on. That way parts won't roll their way to the floor. As I take parts away I lay them on the left corner of the towell on the order I remove them. That makes a little path I just follow in reverse when I re-assemble the reel. The most annoying thing is realizing you missed a part and have to take apart something you're just done reassembling! To spin the bearing clean I use one wood chopstick. Its cone shape guarantees that I'll always have to proper diameter. It's fairly soft wood so it doesn't damage the bearing! Except for bearings and small parts, I clean everything in warm water with dish-washing soap. I don't have a dishwasher so I just use the regular old fashion version. I heard simple green or something works fine!! A used toothbrush helps a lot too!

Thanks spike, I wouldn't want you to try going across in a bass boat! Although you have no idea how many times I thaught about that myself! That would be a first, wouldn't it? I see we share interest no only in fishing but in malted beverages too! rjbass: we have largemouth but mostly the southern half of the country. Here is pike land! we have a whole lot of walleye too but I don't care for them much. We also have here in the Seine river one big predator that looks somewhat like a catfish but it's really not a cat fish. I'll try to find a picture later. By the way, I see you're from Sault St marie, I thought that was canada, or is it right on the border? I drove thru once on my way to ThunderBay! I love this whole area! I've been to just about every continent in the world and I have yet to find nicer people! And lovelier ladies!! Anyways, thanks for the welcome!!

Hi guys, I've been reading many posts on and off in this forum and always found what I was looking for. I'm from France, from a small town just 20 minutes away from Paris! I went to college in Oklahoma (OKCU) and I fished there quite a bit. Unfortunatly I live in a fairly small apartment so I cannot build lures the way I wish I could. But I like to tinker with them and to tune reels. Someday I will have a work shop and all the knowledge acquired here will pay off. On the mean time, I write for an outdoor magazine here and I intend to introduce my readers to the wonderful world of small production lures and custom work. I'm also a member at tackletour and I'm known there as Fbass. If you ever come to Paris let me know, if you're tired of shopping with your old lady we can probably figure something out to get you out on the water!!