muskyslayer96 Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hello all, I am extremely impressed with all the great information and helpful suggestions from the other users. I am completely new and need some direction on where to get specific info. Is there a good resourse for large Musky hardbait templates (I've been through Lurebuilding101); or is using purchased baits the best way to start. The weighting of baits is also a little confusing to me. Is there an advantage to adding splitshot weights to pouring lead? I know you guys get these basic questions all the time so just a point in the right direction would be great. Thanks to everyone in advance and I look forward to meeting everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boskabouter Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi slayer, Welcome aboard. This is how I started and perhaps is a way for you to start also. - Get yourself some wood (mahogany or whatever). - Draw your selfdesigned template onto the wood - cut it out - round off the edges - glew screweyes into the body: nose, tail and belly - prime the bait - lay your bait on a pencil to find the centrepoint - drill two holes in the belly, each the same distance from the centrepoint - put as much lead in both holes till the bait (horizontally) just floats - paint it - clearcoat - you have a slowsinking glider As far as goes for lead, I use leadbars is different sizes. Grtz & goodluck Paul Holland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi , muskyslayer , At first , welcome to TU ! Don't think , it's of advantage using splitshot as ballast for large musky baits , since these most likely are too small , so you would need too many shots . Leadshots I only use for rather small baits . For bigger gliders or crankbaits I use olive inline sinkers or stripes of roofing lead sheet , that I tightly roll up to a "drum" shape , but one could also make a simple mold to cast cylindrical weights , either in ready-to-use sizes or they can also be cut to approbiate length . I guess , Boskabouter is refering to gliders in his post , weighting crankbaits is probably a little different : I'd temporary clearcoat them and assemble all hardware and diving lip , after I'd test them for action in my bath tub , stick on weights with plastic tape to find out about proper location and amount of weight . Crankbaits most likely need to be weighted somewhere inbetween lip and belly hook hanger , often also just behind the belly hook . After I'm done with that test , I'd disassemble hardware again and drill holes into the lure to glue in the weights at proper location . I'd buff the temporary clearcoat for the first primer coat to adhere well . good luck:yay: , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 (edited) With musky baits I think shots maybe used to fine tune a bait. Edited February 28, 2009 by jamie edit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 The problem with pouring lead in drilled out holes is that its hard to get the same weight on each pour. Try making a lead mold for the ballest weights I think there was a good tutorial in the members section on making these molds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskyslayer96 Posted March 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 :yay:Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I'll be bothering everyone again with questions in the future. Thanks again for all the help and to a great resource! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 @ muskyslayer96 You're welcome:)........keep'em comin'.........and there ain't no questions dump enough:nuhuh: ..........as long as you learn from the answers:yes: ! good luck:yay: , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskyslayer96 Posted March 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Thanks for the tips. I have some follow up questions: "until it just floats horizontally" so a glider should be weighted so in the tub its balanced upright and the top os just floating above water level? How about a cranckbait? Best wood to use for both? My plan is to seal the wood with envirotex, then prime it (should I rough up the envirotex befor priming?) What is the best primer? Should I dip it or spray it? Add weight (use bondo to seal holes?) paint, then seal again with envirotex. Sorry for all the basic questions, all your help is very much appreciated. I am extremelly unimpressed with a lot of the commercially available musky lures and tired if having a bait disinegrate after being hit (It was a big musky though) There are some amazingly talented individuals here, and very kind to help others enjoy their passion as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I also make musky baits and gliders is what I like the best. I like to use maple or oak for gliders the wood is less bouyant and doesnt need as much lead to properly weight. If useing e tex you will need a good drying wheel for drying. When weighting these baits start making a bait that you can experiment with. A bait that you can move the weight around to see what action you can get. Keep your weight low in the bait and if you weight too high in the bait it can cause a indesireable or maybe a desired action depending on what you are looking for.I like my gliders to just hang in the water, I dont like a floater or a fast sinker but on that you can work through cover . There is a lot of thing to cover and if you need any help pm me and I will try to give you some advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 @ muskyslayer96 -Boskabouter was referring to a SLOW sinking glider , when weighting it unpainted and without topcoat , it should (only very)slightly stick out of the water , the weight of the final paint ,-and topcoats would render the lure a slow sinker(maybe 1" or 2" per second). To do the weighting , I also attach a larger paperclip or piece of wire to the line tie to substitute the wire leader that you would later use for fishing the lure , since most likely it is desirerable to have your glider sink in a horizontal position , not head down . Certainly a slow sinker has more hang time to offer a target to the musky or pike , but when fishing deeper water , a slow sinker takes sucha long time to go down , so for these conditions a faster sinking lure is better . The sink rate limit of a FAST sinker is considered at about 12" per second , faster sinking lures tend to look rather unnatural . Always have in mind , that your finished gliders would always sink a little faster later , than you had determined in your bath tub . Obviously it is easier to achieve a faster sink rate rather than a slow one or even near neutral buoancy , you might also tinker with hook sizes and strengths(thicker wire) , also with leader size . -I would weight crankbaits by action rather than by their sink rate . This means , that I leave my cranks most likely unweighted , stick on weights on their belly with tape and try the action . If you do this for the first time , you will immediately find out , what I mean , just by changing amount and location of weight on the lure blank , the action and/or swimming pattern will chance remarkebly . - I have the opinion , that one must make a choice of the wood material to use , accordingly to the kind and size of lure , that one intends to build . The smaller your lure , the more buoyant your wood should be , just to be able to carry lip , all hardware PLUS balance weights , paintcoats , and still remain buoyant sufficiently . On the other hand , it would be useless to make a 7" glider or crankbait out of very buoyant wood , you'd probably need to put so much weight inside , that it would kill any action . And if you don't , it would stay up like a bottle cork . Sorry , I can't name specific woods , since I am not familiar with the woods available and used over there in the US . -Also can't tell about sealing with Etex , haven't done this before , but I don't see a reason why it shouldn't work , but roughening that coat up prior to priming really increases the adhesion of your primer coats . -I glue in my weights with epoxy glue , also use it to fill up the holes , sometimes I mix sawdust in it , to have a kinda putty . Your weights should sit close to the belly outline , anyway , since the more inside of the body they are , the more the action of lure would differ from what you have determined by sticking the weigths on the outside . -After I have painted my lures , I'd put two coats of acrylic paint to protect the color paints and especially my felt pen signature , since some topcoats do harm some paints . But I strongly advise you to look around on the site about painting and topcoating , there are a lot of guys around here a lot better than me in painting , I can only provide some basics . And one more thing to consider is , that I am in Europe , I am not familiar to all the paints and products accessible to you guys over there in America . If you want to extend the lifetime of your wooden lures , you should also seal your blanks "interior" , meaning , that you should soak and/or treat them with some kind of sealer , that reinforces the wood from the inside , so water sepage won't harm it as much or even not at all . Again , I am not familiar to your local products over there , but there are threads about it , that's for sure , try the search function for "wood sealer" , "wood hardener" , etc...... ! Hope , that this helps a bit ! good luck , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boskabouter Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Great post Diemai. All the answers I was thinking about. Though I guess all the answers will certainly raise some new questions What a great hobby, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 @ Boskabouter Hahaha , thanks , Paul , obviously you are right:yes:.......it really is the nature of the business:) ! greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
