SW Lures Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 I am refurbishing an old Luhr Jenson Woodchopper (top water). This is a bait that I have caught a many fish on. If you have ever had a bait that you just can’t do without you know where I’m coming from. This old boy has caught a many very nice size fish. I should have took a picture before I started removing the tap and eye’s. I have got the front propeller repaired and straightened. In this pic you can see the end grommets they are con vexed/cap. These will be an issue when I seal the wood. These are a little lose but not much. I need to do some fine sanding and I am ready to seal. Here you can see the belly eye’s and these are concave into the wood. I am thinking on just thinning the sealer down and let run into the voids and sealing them off that way. The through wire is really not in the category of a wire it’s a rod. LOL Yes that front eye is twisted and I am not going to bend it straight, a big largemouth did that to me in a down tree ..... I got him tho! The hooks originally were mounted to the eye of the through rod. No way any pull outs on that or split ring failure, line breaking is another story. Ugh....... I don’t even won’t to think of that! I was wondering if any of you have tried sealing this type of bait and could give me some better ideas on how to get this seal as best that I can get it. Thanks for any thoughts, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 I would just dip the whole thing in a thinned sealer and let set for about 1/2 hour. This should coat/protect the inside real good. Then brush off excess back into the container. Lastly wipe outside down real good with paper towels till all sealer is removed. Hang horizontally to keep any drainage away from blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 Thanks, that's what I was worried about is the blades. I wish that could change them out, but I can't. On this bait they came up short IMO with the soft aluminum. I wish that I could turn the blanks, I would make more. Thanks again Fshng2, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dauds Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 I agree with fshng2's suggestion. However, did you give any consideration to using super glue? While it's not my personal preferred method, I think it would be thin enough to soak into the voids and possibly eliminate the slight looseness you mentioned. However, that might 'lock' you into sealing the whole bait with super glue, though. I only say that as I'm not a fan of 'mixing' sealer types here and there on a bait (again, personal preference). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 If the wire spins inside the body, cut off one loop and pull it out. Install a new wire after you've refinished the lure. That will give you a chance to change the blades, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 I am also restoring one of these. Mine does not have wire but very long screw eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrybait Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 I am working on a luhr jensen Nip-I-Diddee and it has screw eyes. The ends look the same as in your pictures above. I don't know how they would do a thru wire without us being able to see the finished wire whip so maybe you also have screw eyes on the wood chopper. I am curious, is the difference between the nip-i-diddee and the wood chopper mostly the style of props and it also looks like the wood chopper is typically a larger bait ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 Woodchoppers came in many sizes from about 2.5" to Muskie size. I have had tons of them and all had long screw eyes. Dale, does yours take eyes or are they painted on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 The eyes were painted on Monte. This is a thru wire Mark that bends from the nose/tail to the belly eyes I believe. You can't move them at all. Barry this about an 1" in diameter. The body is 6" long. The hooks are a heavy galvanize that gives the bait ballast. These hooks needed to be removed. I weighed them and will compensate for them. I'm worried that may change the way it sets in the water. I'm going to try to fine some hooks that are comparable. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 I guess the larger Choppers only have the wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 Interesting Woodchopper Facts Dale you probably know most of this but I thought I would post it for those that didn't. On August 2010 Rapala announced they were discontinuing production of one of the most famous lures ever made, the Woodchopper & its extended family of top water lures. Originally designed as a muskie lure by Ozark Mountain lures the line was purchased by Luhr Jensen in 1991 and quickly became the holy grail of Peacock Bass fishing. If you went Peacock Bass fishing anywhere in South America where the mighty Peacock Bass lived and didn’t have at least a couple of Woodchoppers, Amazon Rippers or Peacock Bass Specials in your tackle box, you were looked upon as a complete novice! Doc Lawson was casting a Peacock Bass Special when he caught the 27 lb All Tackle World Record Peacock Bass in 1994 and Bill Gassmann was casting a Big Game Woodchopper slim when he broke Doc’s long standing record with a 28 lb monster fishing with Captain Peacock Expeditions in February of 2010! The list of variations on this prop driven Peacock Bass fishing legend are many, the Woodchopper, the Big Game Woodchopper, the Big Game Woodchopper slim, the Ripper, the Amazon Ripper & the Peacock Bass special. The melodious sound of the big props on huge wooden top water lures will forever stick in a Peacock Bass fisherman’s mind, “Rippp, Rippp, Rippp,” punctuated by the vicious sound of what seemed like a crazed Peacock Bass smashing the lure. These huge lures up to 7 inches long and weighing over 2 ounces can be cast into the next area code, leaving only a few winds of 85 lb test braided Kevlar line left on your bait casting reel. These lures were so valued by the Peacock Bass fishing guides that they would climb a tree or swim into Piranha infested waters to retrieve them when you made an errant cast and got hung up. When the present stock of these lures is exhausted, they will be only a memory. Phil Jensen now 73, the owner of Luhr Jensen of Hood River, Oregon until he sold the company to Rapala in 2006, told me that his company grossed around 15 million dollars a year of which only about $300,000 was derived from his famous Peacock Bass fishing family of lures. Phil said that the publicity generated from the Woodchopper name and fame as well as his love for Peacock Bass fishing more than justified keeping these lures in production when he owned the company. It seems that Rapala, after continuing to produce the lures for 5 years, decided that the “niche market” of Peacock Bass fishing that had made the Woodchopper family of lures famous was not worth the bottom line. And this was only about 5 months after the new All Tackle World Record Peacock Bass was caught on a Woodchopper!Well, as with the rest of life’s tragedies, we must learn to move on as everything in this world must die…..no matter how famous or if deserved or not. What do we use when the existing stock of Woodchoppers, Rippers and Peacock Bass specials are gone? Around 2000 Terry Jertberg of Florida and High Roller lures came up with a woodchopper clone called a Rip Roller.I have used this top water lure for 10 years now and it is a good product. Not quite as long, more streamlined and lighter than a Woodchopper, it makes almost the same sound, and all who have fished a Woodchopper know it’s the tuning of the prop to produce a particular sound and cadence to the retrieve that makes the difference in catching and not catching Peacocks. One of the newer entries to Peacock Bass fishing is Caribe Lures “Pavon Prop,” again another Woodchopper knockoff with square ends instead of the tapered ends of Rip Roller. Both of these will come in several different sizes and color patterns and both are effective replacements for the venerable Woodchopper. Where the Woodchopper, Rip Roller and Pavon Prop are brash and noisy in their approach to attracting the mighty Peacock, Heddon’s 4 inch Super Spook mesmerizes Peacocks into hitting with a rattle and the old “walking the dog” action. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Dale cover blades with two small plastic bags. Flatten bags to remove air, then take some monofilament and tie them tightly around the rods ends. Transfer sealer into a small dia container if you don't have much sealer. (Soda can, shampoo bottle etc.) Dip lure for about 1/2 hour. Then brush excess back into the container while leaving some sealer on the outside. Hang vertically till inside and outside are dried. Remove bags... done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I'll do it Fshng2. I think you are right about giving time to get the sealer soaked into the wood. I'll tell you what about the bait it's a go getter for bass period much less peacock bass. The old ticker gets to motoring when a swirl engulfs the bait. You know you can't beat a top water strike. Its the ones I remember the best. Dale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 I have an old Ozark new in package Woodchopper. Tried to sell it a couple times for six bucks and no one was interested. Old baits get no respect sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 That's is very true Monte. If its not whats new it is over looked. Just to help out someone down the road with any bait with blade(s). This what I did last night, I took a Q tip and silicone and smeared it over the areas on the blade, shaft and grommets at the ends of the bait. im letting it set up over night. I was thinking about what Fshng2 was suggesting and came up with this. Once dry, which will be tonight ill dunk it in sealer. I'll clean it up and hang it up, still leaving the silicone on. Once painted and a clear to opp coat I'll remove the silicone with little to no problems. Thank you for your ideas and conversation. The bait will have another chance to get another one. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dauds Posted March 7, 2017 Report Share Posted March 7, 2017 Seems like your response got cut short. I assume you meant to type, "The bait will have another chance to get another one HUNDRED." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 (edited) Lol Dauds, I hope so! I almost made an error by posting here. So I had to put the pic in the gallery. Here is the link, Anyways I have the bait back in action. Take a look, let me know what you think. Was listening to Hendrix when painting, may have something to do with the scheme. Dale Edited March 25, 2017 by DaleSW Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigblue2 Posted March 25, 2017 Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 On 3/6/2017 at 4:54 AM, DaleSW said: Thanks, that's what I was worried about is the blades. I wish that could change them out, but I can't. On this bait they came up short IMO with the soft aluminum. I wish that I could turn the blanks, I would make more. Thanks again Fshng2, Dale hey dale I just found this post do you need some lure blanks of your old lure maybe I could help just write me back with info thanks big blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 No thank you Bigblue, I have a friend that will turn all I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Glad to see you got him back in shape, just in time for spring. I am sure this left you inspired. Do you plan on making any from scratch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 I have thought about it. I need to find some hardware that would fit this style. This one has two fitted through wires going from nose to the first hanger, same for the rear I believe. Reason why I think this is the hanger moved when work on the tow eye. I epoxy it back in. Yep thinking about it. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clemmy Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Just brainstorming, but could you melt some wax, then dip the prop sections in it? Then when all done, including clear coat, you could pull of most, and melt the rest off? My only worry would be compatibility with the clearcoat. another option would be soaking in a boiled linseed oil mixture like the stripper surf plug folks do... craig 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StriperCandy Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Clemmy, love that wax idea! I soak all my lures in wood hardener before dipping in primer. The hardener would infiltrate the gaps pretty easily. Any bigger gaps could be taken care of with a wood filler skim coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 (edited) Like that wax idea Clemmy. I was thinking about a silicone but felt it would be hard to keep off the paint area. As far as a wood conditioner I've been using minwax harder from the being of making wooden baits. I have found it to be an excellent base sealer. Especially after several dips w/sanding, then a primer. Nice brainstorming Clemmy! On an original blank that would differently work. Dale Edited March 26, 2017 by DaleSW Added to comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 26, 2017 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Dale, found chopper blades $1.30 ea. http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Propellers/Chopper-Prop.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
