ROD W

Sorry for this post. I was wrong.

This is kind of what I had in mind

Imagine if Al Lindner worked a tackle show. He would probably sell out by noon Being friendly and enthusiastic is everything

I'm on a Face Book page for a guy who makes hand made baits in his shop. Every month folks send in photos of the fish they caught with his lures. Most of the photos the lure is in the fishes mouth. For you guys in the north country put a 1 ounce weight on the back set of hooks and jig it up and down in the ice hole. Just crazy enough to work

When I saw this post I wondered if you were talking about the Des Moines and Omaha shows. If have done the Omaha shows for about 10+ years and Des Moines just once. Just one time selling my own lures at each venue. Have you done either of these 2 shows before? I will message you with my phone number if want to ask questions about what I think you can sell

I do these every year and it depends on the venue. Some shows you can do well others everyone has "gator arms" The real key is to be friendly and have fun.

Fool I like your baits. And I'm glad you agree it would be fun.

This could be a friendly contest where there is no winner. Just have fun. Kind of like a sandlot ball game that you played as a kid. The judges would be anyone who viewed the photo. They could say nice catch or wait till you see what I'm going to catch. My opinion only, lures are made to catch fish.!

Hey how about a new idea for a best home made lure contest. The 2 main things is that it will need to be hand made (no blanks) the other is that the photo is of the lure hanging from some fishes mouth. How about it gang? Might be fun

Love it. Build it and try it. The best way to learn if thru trying and failing and don't give up

I like the way you think

Just wondered what the advantage of using a split ring over a snap would be. Most everything you see has the split rings but Pre - Rapala Wiggle Warts used the snaps in their later models. What does the group say...................

This post was geared to the guys who start from scratch to design a lure. I want to look at a block of wood and say, " What if maybe" I put a small spinner blade where the front hook goes or what if I give the lure a hump back. Maybe it works maybe it goes down in flames. Yes this hobby is fun but building a lure from scratch and catching a nice fish on that lure is an absolute HOOT. Boys keep on building those lures. Thanks

Thanks for all the good ideas. I do have a proven design BUT there are factors in construction that I need to consider. Hard to believe but I have created a few negative thinkers that now are key chains or hang in the wall of shame. When I give or sell the baits it's a comfort level to me to say, I have tested each and every one. Now top waters and shallow diving minnow baits I have no worries. The divers are my worry.

OK, Old Man Winter is not so far away here in the mid-west. Ice will soon close down my field testing facility (AKA local boat ramp). I can't in good conscience sell a lure that doesn't run correctly. Mainly I'm talking diving baits here. How does the rest of the cold weather guys handle this problem? You warm weather types don't reply.

I do sell my lures. The profit thing maybe not so much. Most of my "Pro Staff" is made up of 10 year old kids who come up to my table at sport shows and talk fishing. They get a lot of free lures to be field testers for me. The others are sold for $5 ( one ABE = 1 lure) But on to my point. There is nothing wrong with art but what if the thought process was out there to create something unique and innovative. Not just a shot term money making gimmick, but something with legs. Beings we are making lures from scratch anything is possible. This post was not made to make light of any ones vision of this hobby. It was made to create a thought.

I sometimes wonder if we the members of the group who make our lures from a solid block of wood and not purchased blanks are doing ourselves and maybe the tackle industry a disservice. Hear me out here, we have the ability to create the next great lure. Maybe if we would look more towards the innovation aspect instead of trying to create a flawless realistic paint job someone from this group might create the next big thing. The tackle industry in generations past had many lure innovations brought to the market. Some good some bad (real bad). The thing is they were trying. With the tackle industry being dominated by bigger companies buying out the smaller guys all the time, innovation has been replaced by more lure colors and slight variations of the same lures. So maybe next time we get out the scroll saw to shape a lure, stop and think. What if................................

You did great. These lures look like fish catchers to me. The picture shows what I do. BUT I don't have the steady hand to use a hack saw. I went out and bought a scroll saw makes it a lot easier. Keep up the great work

Great job!!! Plus they are proven fish catchers. Tell me how you made them.

My first batch of lures were some square bills. They are a cross between a KVD and Fat CB. Ran fantastic caught fish. I was going to be the next James Heddon. So I thought I was smart and modified the angle of the diving lip to get some extra depth. Lures ran terrible no way they would catch a fish. I went from glory to ghetto. I agree look a some lures you like and match the angles but don't stop thinking outside the box. Maybe......................................

NICE JOB GREAT FISH!!!! That is a great area to fish looks like you had a good time.

I tried real hard in Minnesota this year to get a "boogered" up lure to post, but all the pike we caught this year were delicate flowers who didn't know what chomping down was all about

I agree. Lures are made to catch fish

You must not be after fish with teeth. Up north a bait with no marks is a virgin bait

It might just be me but I think lures look the best when they are hanging out of some fishes mouth