mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Has anyone here tried to make a spybait yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAWGFAN Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Thought about it and had customers ask about them, but haven't attempted it yet. I'm not sure if i'd rather try carving one, or modify a minnow bodied plastic bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I've made one but only tank tested so far. It's made from balsa so weighting was the biggest issue but with props it was not hard to get a sinker. I did a plain shad pattern with foiled sides and used #2 dumbell props, 3.5 inches long and weighes a light 1/2oz with a moderate sink rate. A heavier material for the body would work better with weighting in my opinion. On day I hope to test it fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I just made one, too. It isn't hard to ballast. If you look at the ghost patterns on the Duo Realis baits on TW, they have the ballast split around the front hook hanger, so that's what I did. Mine weighs 16 grams, falls at 3/4' per second. I hope to take it out Sat. for a swim. It looks fine in the float bucket. I'll post a picture in the gallery this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Maxwell Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Have a couple in process. Using balsa so takes a while to seal, paint, etc. etc. Will try to post results as I get done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I just posted a picture. http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/gallery/image/13886-20141217-070125-resized/ I started out with a 1/2" thick X 5/8" tall blank, because I was afraid that I would have to use a through wire if I made it thinner. The commercial bait I used as a guideline is only 5/16" thick at it's widest. I've made PVC baits from 1/2" before, and it's the thinnest I felt safe I could go to and still be able to use my 1/4" lead ballast and .072 sst screw eyes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 The bait looks great Mark. I can't wait to hear about how it works and holds up. Are you saying that bait sinks at 3/4' or 8" a second or did you mean 3/4" per second? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Nice looking Mark!..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Nice bait Mark. I used tungsten balls to weight my version and it has a slightly tail first fall. I used 1/2 stock but if I build another bait it wiil be from 3/8 stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 The bait looks great Mark. I can't wait to hear about how it works and holds up. Are you saying that bait sinks at 3/4' or 8" a second or did you mean 3/4" per second? 8" per second. The ones from Duo Realis fall a foot a second. They are meant to be fished at depth, not on the surface, and the 10.5 grams of their G-fix model makes them cast really well with a light baitcasting outfit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Nice bait Mark. I used tungsten balls to weight my version and it has a slightly tail first fall. I used 1/2 stock but if I build another bait it wiil be from 3/8 stock. I was worried that 3/8" would not be strong enough, once I'd drilled my 1/4" ballast holes, and that's why I went to 1/2". I've made flat sided cranks that are 1/2" thick, and they hold up to fish. I rounded the bait, but left the bottom flat, with rounded edges, so it looks almost like a jerkbait. I think the flat, angled ramp of the chin keeps the bait horizontal on a slow retrieve, providing lift, like with the chin on a Sammie. I think the flat bottom of the mid portion is supposed to cause the bait to shimmy on the fall. And I think the counter rotating blades will cause the bait to rock from side to side on the retrieve, making the glitter flash as it rocks. All in all, they put a lot of thought into the commercial baits. I have caught suspending fish on the Duo Realis G-fix 80 baits. I hope my bait works on them, too, but I am going to try and keep this bait away from the stripers. They are just too hard on everything. I'm pretty sure it will hold up to largemouth bass. I hope to find out soon! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Nice looking Mark!..Nathan Thanks Nate. It was a five hour build, including drying time. Now that I know how to do it, I'm sure it will go faster, if it gets bit and I decide to make more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I have read about the spybaits but don't own one and have never fished one so this post is interesting. Your bait really looks great. Here are some close up photos of the Duo and pics of the inside of the bait http://tackletour.com/autopsyduospinbait.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I have read about the spybaits but don't own one and have never fished one so this post is interesting. Your bait really looks great. Here are some close up photos of the Duo and pics of the inside of the bait http://tackletour.com/autopsyduospinbait.html I hadn't seen that. It's very interesting. I throw my G-fix 80 with a baitcaster, and 8lb fluoro. I did donate one to some deep wood Sunday, so now I'm leery of using anything less than 8lb, and I have a rig spooled up with 10lb to try this weekend. Castaic Lake is down 130', for the first time since it was filled, and there are still oak stumps with volunteer shoots down there that haven't rotted away in more than 50 years! I never throw reaction baits on anything less than 8lb, but I know guys who do, and get bit, too. They have stouter hearts than I! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybait Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Hey Mark, I've been out a couple days and didn't see this thread before I commented on your posted pic of the lure but my comment should be here instead. Do you or have you had any problem with using Azek on a bait that narrow. My concern is that Azek does not have any grain like wood does and the grain gives directional strength. Of course with wood you must orient the wood grain lengthwise or the lure would break easily. So far all my Azek baits have been larger and this is only a concern for longer narrower profiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Barry, When I first thought about making one, I thought I might need to make it a through wire bait, with a D2T layer sandwiched between the two halves for strength. Once I thought about it more, I figured 1/2" thick would give me enough room for ballast, and still be relatively strong. Of course, if I hook a striper, all bets are off, so I'm going to stay away from them. Here's what I replied in the gallery: Barry, that's the reason I started with a 1/2" blank, because I was worried that a long, thin lure might be too weak if I went to 3/8" and had a tail hook. I've made 1/2" baits before with Azek, but none that were this shape. I have a bunch of the Azek decking, which is stronger, but a little less buoyant, that I could have used, but I wanted to start with the more buoyant trimboard, so I could add more ballast in the belly, to keep the bait upright on the retrieve. We'll see what happens when I get bit (I hope). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 I just came back from the local pond. It swims!!! Now to see if it catches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybait Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Congrats! Looks to me like it will catch'em. Good looking bait. I had forgotten about a couple JRHopkins style baits I made with Azek. I had a Wake Jr. type lexan tail pinned between the two lobes or ears extending at the tail section. When I was testing the bait in a friends pool. I clipped the far edge of the pool tile and the pressure on the lexan tail broke off one of the ears. I repaired the bait by epoxying the tail ear back in place. Then I drilled two holes lengthwise thru each tail ear, one hole high and one low. Then I epoxied round toothpicks into the holes to make them a little more durable. ( I hope) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 I tried plano dividers for tails on some smaller swimbaits I made. I attached them with sst twist wire loops and split rings, so the tails swung free. It worked, but it is a pain. Great for off colored water, when all that jangling is helpful to attract the fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Well, my version of the Spybait held up to a 7lb largemouth yesterday! My buddy took some pics, and I'll post them as soon as he does. I'm making two more, and am thinking of using smaller diameter lead wire for the ballast, to keep more PVC meat around the ballast. My first one was 1/2" thick, with 1/4" lead wire ballast, so there is only 1/8" of PVC at the thinnest point. But it held up fine yesterday. Wahoo!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Thanks Mark. The bait looked so good that I knew it was going to be a fish catcher but now I know it will hold up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Glad to hear any the bait and the fish congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Thanks guys. I was worried, too. Now I know it held up to at least one good fish, I guess the combination of 3/8" of PVC over the ballast lead, plus the 1/8" sidewalls, is enough, but I'm still going to go to thinner ballast wire on my next copies of it. It looked just fine this afternoon when I took off the hooks and props, so I could make a pattern of it. I already have two more cut out and shaped, read to ballast. The wind's howling here until Sunday, so I'll have time tomorrow to finish them and have them ready for a swim Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 That was supposed to say glad to hear about the lure and the fish but my tablets got a mind of its own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 That was supposed to say glad to hear about the lure and the fish but my tablets got a mind of its own I figured as much. Thanks. I have to use a stylus to text, because my phone doesn't like my fingers! Hahaha Here's a picture of my fish: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
