Grizzn n bassin Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Hey guys not sure if i posted yet so i guess this will be my first post. Im on a few other fishing forums and have lingered around here awhile checking things out overall great forum! Anyway, This fall started fiddling around with making some top water baits. Figured it would be a good way to start off. I need some help with the bill placement and the hardware for connecting the two halfs of the bait together. Should i get the magnum screw eyes or is the wood I'm using to soft/ Also how do I know where to cut out the space for the bill. Thanks, Griz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 (edited) Welcome to TU Griz. You don't mention the type of top water your wanting to build or what type of wood you plan on using. Is the reason for the lip because it's going to be a wake bait or were you wanting to build a top water swim bait or jerk bait? What type of profile are you planning on? Is it going to be cigar shaped or more of a fish shape? We really need to know these things before we can be of much help. Ben Edited December 7, 2014 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Hey sorry I thought I put that in there. I made a top water wake bait. It's shaped like a rat single joint. 7 inch long using yellow poplar. Woild like to be able to twich/wake. I prefer a slower pace wake where the back Of my bait can swimg back in forth on the retrieve. Thanks, Grizz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 (edited) The poplar I've used in the past is plenty strong to hold screw-in hardware, as long as you use a glue like super glue to strengthen the screw threads by running the screw eye in and them back out, to cut the threads, and then coating the threads with super glue and run it back in. I use the brush on kind, so I have some working time, and the excess kind of locks the shank. The strength of the hinge material needed depends on whether or not you're putting a hook in the tail section, and on how many hinges you're using. And, of course, on what you're fishing for. I've never make a musky or pike lure, so I can't tell you what works for them. My experience with jointed baits is from making bass baits. On the successful rats I've seen, only one hinge is used and both sides of the V joint are cut at a 45 degree angle from the centerline of the bait, to all a really loose joint that still won't be able to rotate and unscrew the hinge hardware. If you're putting a hook in the tail, I would use a .092 sst screw eye, 1' minimum penetration into the wood, with a sst bicycle spoke hinge pin. If not, you can use a .072 sst screw eye, 7/8" long, and a sst bicycle spoke hinge pin. If you decide to use two screw eye hinges in the joint, you can get away with .072 screw eyes, even if you do put a hook in the tail section. It can't rotate and unscrew, but it won't have as much action as a single hinge. How many hinges you use depends on what action you're looking for. Edited December 7, 2014 by mark poulson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Yeah I'm looking to make this bait for bass fishing. The one making will have 1 hinge also i would like to have a hook on the back. The fish here come up and hit the bait without a full on explosion. On my slammer the do that a lot. So the successful baits you've seen were a pretty tight connection for the hinge ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 The connection was really loose. That's why he made the 45 degree cuts, so the tip of the rear section was still in the joint and couldn't rotate, even though it was loose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Hey sorry I thought I put that in there. I made a top water wake bait. It's shaped like a rat single joint. 7 inch long using yellow poplar. Woild like to be able to twich/wake. I prefer a slower pace wake where the back Of my bait can swimg back in forth on the retrieve. Thanks, Grizz My bad. You did put the type of bait in there. I should know better than to try to answer questions when I can barely hold my eyes open. Poplar is plenty strong to use screw eyes or epoxied twisted wire eyes. By using a lip you shouldn't have any trouble getting the bait to "swim". One thing that will effect how much the rear swings is the length of front section in relation to the rear section. You might have to experiment with the ratio of the front versus the rear sections to get the action your looking for. good luck, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Alright thanks man. Ill check back in when i get a few done. I haven't looked into the expoy or paibt phase yet. Im still a noob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Paint*** Once i get the hardware ill start playing around with the tail length for a better roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Rounder shapes roll more. That's why wide wobbling crankbaits for off colored water are more round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPFLiTE1994 Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 I'm in the process of carving a 3 1/2" wake rat at the moment. I'm basically going off of pictures of the Austin Lures rat (pic below). I'll post up pics and info next weekend when I'm back in town. Grizz, if possible, post up some pics. I'd like to see what you have going. As for hardware, I'm new to making lures as well, so I picked up the smallest screw eyes I could find at the hardware store (about 3/16 wide) which I will epoxy in. Planning on using a twist-on soft plastic holder for the worm tail so I can easily replace them as necessary. The lip is clear lexan I had laying around, which I cut the same width as the lure and about the same length as the width (based on other lure designs). Will update when I get it put together, weighted, sealed, and tub tested. p.s. I have tried epoxied twisted wire eyes on a carved spook and crank bait had no problems with strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPFLiTE1994 Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Snapped a couple pics before heading outa town this morning. Not trying to hijack your thread, hope this helps though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Hey topflite thanks for posting its not a problem I'm better learning by seeing than reading. i like that set up you have. Ill post some pics now im in the process of making the tails but there not coming out as Id like them to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzn n bassin Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 I find that keeping the tail section much shorter than the head results in lots more action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
