Swimbait Tail ?

[weighinalimit]

Was looking at some different swimbaits & just wondered what differences (action, max & min. swim speeds, etc) are there between the single paddle tail ie baby E and the ones with (for lack of correct term lol) a double paddle tail, the one that looks like some of the Tool models, having sort of an upper & lower paddle? Is one better than the other or is the "double paddle" prohibitably more difficult to produce? I've noticed them mainly on higher$$ baits, anyone have info or opinion?

[mainbutter]

Was looking at some different swimbaits & just wondered what differences (action, max & min. swim speeds, etc) are there between the single paddle tail ie baby E and the ones with (for lack of correct term lol) a double paddle tail, the one that looks like some of the Tool models, having sort of an upper & lower paddle? Is one better than the other or is the "double paddle" prohibitably more difficult to produce? I've noticed them mainly on higher$$ baits, anyone have info or opinion?

The thing that makes double paddle difficult is you can't do a top pour or bottom pour.

Baby e style swimbaits have a lower paddle because you pour from the top, so the opening of the mold is the top of the lure, and you have a flat top. Therefore, all the "shaping" occurs below the top of the bait, so you have to have a lower paddle.

Lures like suzy suckers have a flat bottom, and are poured in reverse, from the bottom, and therefore have an upper paddle.

Double paddles usually pour from the nose, as I cannot really see another way to do it. These are nice, but you can't easily pour vertical laminates(one layer of color on top of another), but you can do horizontal laminates which can make for interesting vertical stripes.

They all have good action, but I generally like upper paddles the best. I find they have the least roll and the most kick, and I think it has to do with the plastic being buoyant. Just think of an upward force a bottom paddle, I could see it imparting more action to the body and causing a roll. The problem here is that I also like the look of a shaped bottom part of a lure (since the fish usually sees either the bottom or side silhouette of your lure), so it's sort of a trade off for me.

In short, they all work and all have very similar actions. I'm going to be pouring and fishing all 3 this season.

Also, to answer another question, double paddles aren't more expensive to pour. The mold I'm thinking of purchasing costs just as much as my baby-e style mold.

I hope that helps.