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unc_ross

Lure Design

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I have a question for making musky baits. I use to make some topwater bass plugs on a wood lathe years ago and don't really have access to lathe any more. I am interested in trying to make some musky sized cranks and glide baits. I have not fished with any glide baits excet the manta's. I have used some grandma's and jakes in the past.

For you guys that make your own, do you just make your own design, copy baits already made, or is there instructions or patterns on here or the net some where I could print out to get started. I don't think the jakes should be that hard to make, besides figuring out whether to weight them or not and how much? The gliders on the other hand I have no idea where to start, espically with the weighting.

One more question, is there a way to save threads as your favorites or something, I have been on here reading half the day and would like to be able to find the ones I realy like quickly without having to read through a hundred posts to find it.

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I have a question for making musky baits. I use to make some top water bass plugs on a wood lathe years ago and don't really have access to lathe any more. I am interested in trying to make some musky sized cranks and glide baits. I have not fished with any glide baits except the manta's. I have used some grandma's and jakes in the past.

There are several sites that sell Wood Plug Bodies for muskies. You can also find used lathes at auction from time to time.

For you guys that make your own, do you just make your own design, copy baits already made, or are there instructions or patterns on here or the net some where I could print out to get started. I don't think the jakes should be that hard to make, besides figuring out whether to weight them or not and how much? The gliders on the other hand I have no idea where to start, especially with the weighting.

Your going to find that there is no one answer to that… you can start by looking on LUREMAKING.com http://www.luremaking.com/index.htm Mind you, they provide some general guild lines, you’re still going to have to “learn” the art of tackle making, and that just takes time.

One more question, is there a way to save threads as your favorites or something, I have been on here reading half the day and would like to be able to find the ones I really like quickly without having to read through a hundred posts to find it.

You can just create a folder in your MS Explorer favorites and title it “TU Favorite Posts” and add a link to them there. I can’t think of any other way.

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Thanks.... I just found this site in one of the thousands of post on here i have read today and it has the patterns I was looking for. I posted this same request years ago on the sight tacklemaking.com, i think, and some one may have been "Dirk Van Nieuwenhove" sounds right anyways sent me a pack of patterns and I moved and never made any of them. I now have those packed away in storage somewhere.... but a lot of them are on this site for anyone else who needs some to print out.... http://www.lurebuilding.nl/indexeng.html .....

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The lure building index (Dirks) has some great stuff. But there are many, many ways to weight-a-bait. What I like to do is build & seal a prototype or two with out any intention of finishing it. Drill extra holes in it or get some adjustable weight system going and have fun. To me it's time better spent, rather than ending up with a finished lure that looks great, but doesn't have the action you wanted.

Doesn't take long to see why certain lures are weighted the way they are and what to do to make a lure do what you want it to do. After all, everybody knows it's the action of a lure that's most important (right?).

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I am a theorist. I believe that understanding how a lure works is the key to successful design. But I know that theory is not everyones "cup of tea".

Tinman is right on the mark. Make a few proto's, try a few different configurations out, make notes of cause and effect. Knowledge can be gained this way that will save you time and effort in the future. It may even lead to one or two new ideas. The key thing is to keep notes. If you have the equipment to hand, video is a very useful tool.

For me, this is the fun part! I know, strange man.

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Thanks for the advise.... espically the making proto types with different holes.... do you all put the epoxy on the the prototypes and hooks so that it will have the save wight as the finished product?

I think I am going to start out making a few wieghtless cranks twitch baits....

That said I just went to moores lure to place an order for a bunch of musky sized lure parts and they are closed until April.... Which other supplier has the best variety of musky sized components?

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For gliders, weight them so they float horizontal with the front 1/3+- out of the water. Make the bait, seal it, install the hook hangers and eye tie, put on the split rings and hooks, and then float it in a bucket of water. Add weight until it floats right.

Generally speaking, add the weight toward the tail for a glider, and toward the middle just past the mid point for a walking bait. 6" gliders with less weight, so 1/2 of the front is out of the water, will also walk the dog really well. Making a 9" walk will kill you in five minutes.

Good luck.

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Oooohh Unc_ross you know how to pose a question don't ya. I think you will find all types of lure makers here, them with brains, them without, copiers, trailblazers and all in between.

I myself am a reckless no brain designer, jump in backwards eyes shut and hope for the best, if it works it works and if it don't it don't, I can hear Vodkaman tutting his disapproval already :lol:.

philB

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For gliders, weight them so they float horizontal with the front 1/3+- out of the water. Make the bait, seal it, install the hook hangers and eye tie, put on the split rings and hooks, and then float it in a bucket of water. Add weight until it floats right.

Generally speaking, add the weight toward the tail for a glider, and toward the middle just past the mid point for a walking bait. 6" gliders with less weight, so 1/2 of the front is out of the water, will also walk the dog really well. Making a 9" walk will kill you in five minutes.

Good luck.

There's kind of the sticker there. To a Musky guy, a glider doesn't float. A WTD (walk the dog) surface lure does, but maybe to bass guys thats a glider. Or maybe it's just me, dunno. :)I've made some that are kind of hybrids that float but dive under when pulled & have a walk the dog action when worked rapidly. But to some that's technically a jerk bait (like a burt). But also it's an example of the little differences in baits & weighting & what you can do to make them work the way you want. The sinkers can have a walk the dog action underwater, too. And some great hang time, too depending on weight. And some are erratic & glide up & down & left & right.

Recently I made 6 gliders (& jerks?)with exactly the same body shape. 2 floaters, 2 neutrals & 2 slow sinkers. Different weighting, different eye location gives each a different action & application. Now if I can just catch a fish on one!?

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The definitions of all these baits have always had me confused. I have been pulled up a few times here on TU for talking about the lip configuration on what was apparently a lipless bait! Maybe there should be a glossary of terms. I know I would have benefitted from such a document when I first joined and would still be using it today.

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?? Now I am kinda confused.... What determines if it is a glide, jerk or hybrid? I am pretty new to musky fishing and only used a handful of different stuff.... I do have a manta, some suicks ect... How is the action different in these? I watch some pool demos on youtube and fishing sites and a lot of times the actions on the baits are similar....and they are called both jerks and glides...

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Oooohh Unc_ross you know how to pose a question don't ya. I think you will find all types of lure makers here, them with brains, them without, copiers, trailblazers and all in between.

I myself am a reckless no brain designer, jump in backwards eyes shut and hope for the best, if it works it works and if it don't it don't, I can hear Vodkaman tutting his disapproval already :lol:.

philB

Phil.

I know just what you mean about the Vman. I'm sure I may have even got him to pour an extra measure of vodka after reading a post or two of mine. Poor guy, at least I think he's figured me out a bit in the past few months... (:nuhuh: - Damn yank!) <== Vman during most S.A.P. encounters

Looking forward to see you both in April.

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Phil,

I don't make musky baits, so all I can talk about it LM bass and striper lures.

A glider is a top water bait that is worked like a spook, but with longer pauses between strokes, so the bait can actually glide to the side after each stroke. The length of the glide is a function of how light and how long the bait is.

A jerk bait is a sub surface bait. It is worked the same as a spook, also, but it is not worked on the surface. Typically, I work it with a more erratic cadence, since it is seen better by the fish than a top water lure.

A spook-type bait is a top water that, more or less, turns on itself or pivots as it's jerked, rather than gliding. It is worked faster than a glider, in a constant motion that is sometimes paused when you pass over structure, or an area you think has fish.

At least, that's how I categorize them, and how I fish them.

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Phil,

I don't make musky baits, so all I can talk about it LM bass and striper lures.

A glider is a top water bait that is worked like a spook, but with longer pauses between strokes, so the bait can actually glide to the side after each stroke. The length of the glide is a function of how light and how long the bait is.

A jerk bait is a sub surface bait. It is worked the same as a spook, also, but it is not worked on the surface. Typically, I work it with a more erratic cadence, since it is seen better by the fish than a top water lure.

A spook-type bait is a top water that, more or less, turns on itself or pivots as it's jerked, rather than gliding. It is worked faster than a glider, in a constant motion that is sometimes paused when you pass over structure, or an area you think has fish.

At least, that's how I categorize them, and how I fish them.

Exactly, it's kind of hard to exactly categorize a lure. But maybe more by action & how it's worked. For example: It gets kind of fuzzy when somebody says jerk bait. To a Musky guy it might be a Suick or a Burt. But to a bass or walleye guy it's a Husky Jerk. Which might also be categorized as a crank bait or a twitch bait. Same with a TripleD. They're kind of the crescent wrenches of lures I guess.

There's so many variables & subtleties I almost hate to get started. But to me a hybrid has qualities of different types of lures. I've got some lures (old Cobbs) that float, with the eyelet on top of the head making it dive when pulled. It's tail weighted like a glider so I can hold the rod tip up & work it slow on the surface with a WTD action. Or hold the tip low & work it fast & get a WTD action underwater. Or just fish it in long pulls like a Suick.

And a lot of lures use these differences in weighting, shape etc.. in design. Another example is cranks. Some are center weighted, like a Super Shad Rap. Some are weighted both just ahead & just behind center. Some are tail weighted. Mostly to make them better for a certain way of using them. Twitching, cranking, jerking, trolling, casting..... whatever.

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We used to start with tapered table legs and a heavy rasp file and saw to make the origional A/C striper plugs up to 10 inches. we also had sucess starting with oval shaped wood (birch i think) paddles. I now use tapered chair back dowels and a table sander for all my walkers and poppers, i do drill and pound split shot for weights. I have alot of fun fooling around with different designs.

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unc ross-

If you want to learn about glide baits, search for RiverMan's posts on the subject. I've built some really nice baits based on what I've learned from him on this site. He's the man! Also check his web site (Bikini Bait Co.) He can also paint!!!

Thanks... I will check him out... I am looking forward to making a few and tryong them out...

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