[OHBlake]

Hey Everyone,
I just found this website the other night and was really excited to become a part of it and show you an idea I've thought of, and see if I can get some feedback on it as well. I know there are a few types of different duck lures out there but I wanted to design my own as the ones I've seen are just too fake looking to me. I've seen duck lures that look like something a child would play with in the bathtub. I've also seen one that looks like a full sized duck, yet it's supposed to be a duckling. I wanted to design something that would have the most lifelike representation of a baby duck that I could. What I came up with is below. Keep in mind, this is still in the prototype stage, if you will. What we have is basswood covered in a fuzzy waterproof fabric to give it a lifelike appeal. The legs are made out of a sturdy hydrocarbon polymer (essentially rubber) and 3 screw eyes are placed on the body. The one I'm holding is where you would tie the line, and the other 2 on the bottom are where the trebles will go. The lure is about of 3.5" long and about 2.5" at it's widest point where the head would be. I decided to go with the "no head" approach for one reason. A fish is not going to see that part as it's above the water. The main attractant to the fish is the lifelike movement of the feet under the water. I feel as though that and it's basic shape and movements are what is going to trigger the strike. It sits in the water very well as the bottom half is completely submerged, yet the top half stays above, just like a duckling. The feet are attached to the legs with a split ring which helps to give the feet a lifelike swimming motion when reeled. I'm not sure if I need to add a shallow diving lip to give it a slight wobble or not. Again this is just the prototype and is not completely representative of what I'm fully trying to accomplish. I'm hoping this lure will catch lunker bass, muskie, and pike. I'd love to hear any feedback you might be able to give me regarding the design itself. If it swims well, will it catch fish? It's winter up here in Ohio so I'm not able to exactly get it on the water yet, but soon. Please let me know if you have any ideas or criticisms as well. Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you!

Blake

[OhiOLurMakR]

Well i wish I could remember where I found a site last year, Im sure it would interest you..It had life size & very life-like duckling & mouses for sale..They were for stuffed toy making but the materials used were weather proof so they claimed.. I saw them & imagined slipping them over a wooden handshaped body..Would have worked great Im sure..
Do fish actually eat ducklings?..LoL.. I live in Ohio too & I got to say, If I see a Duckling disappear off the water's surface knowing a fish ate it, it'll be the last time I go swimmin' in that Lake for sure!..

Speaking of Ducks,, LoL...When I was a teeneager fishin' a strip pond.. I was fishin' for bass.. I made a cast with a brokenback Rapala.. A duck of some kind passed by at the same moment, swooped down on my Rapala, in mid-air, & got hooked on the lure!.. I left the bail open, and as the line was spooling out, my buddy turned to me & very calmly asked "so what ya gonna do now bonehead?".. We just sat there watching as the line came to its end & the 6lb test snapped off at the end of the spool..
Oh well, this has nothing to do w/your post but I hope your lure works out fine for ya, looks neat so far..
John~

[Crimson_Death216]

Fish eat small birds and mammals all the time. Here check these out.

Bass eats a chipmunk - http://youtube.com/watch?v=kKxE_Ct3_SM
Another chipmunk - http://youtube.com/watch?v=mMqDO3jIzHw&feature=related

Use the "related videos" on the side to look at more videos of people feeding bass that they keep in tanks as pets.

[redg8r]

It's a great start, but I have to disagree on one point:

Originally Posted by OHBlake

I decided to go with the "no head" approach for one reason. A fish is not going to see that part as it's above the water.

All gamefish & bass respectively can see well above the water surface. Bass have been known to strike out of the water to prey on items such as spiders & resting dragonflies.

Would a headless duck hamper its effectiveness?.... probably not, you've probably already figured that making it headless improves the overall action.

About 3 years ago I carved a duckling with its head parralell to the water surface as if it was skimming the water with it's beak, that might be an option to look into. If I can dig up that carving I'll post a pic for you.

Best of luck with it, if it catches anything, it should be a big one.

[mark poulson]

Ohio,
You made a wise choice not to try and "land" that bird, although I might have tried to break it off sooner.
When I was a kid fishing the pier in Santa Monica, CA, I accidentally caught a seagull.
If an older man hadn't come to my rescue, I'd have either been beaten and clawed to death, or thrown my fishing rod off the pier. I never guessed how many sharp parts birds have, especially when they're hooked and po'd.

[Crimson_Death216]

Haha, I've never actually caught a bird. I should probably be thankful. I have caught rocks before though.... probably should kept that to myself...

[Palmetto Balsa]

This on got me thinking about a fishing trip last year. (I feel kinda bad about this one)
I was on a private lake in a small fiberglass boat and paddling back in. I saw a small diving duck and its baby crossing the lake and thought I would like to see the baby duck scurry across the water so I paddled a little faster. As I got closer the baby kept up with the mom for a second then the mother bolted across the water to draw me away and the baby duck dove under. I had seen what I wanted to see but it didn't scurry very good. I pulled away fast so the mother could get back to the baby. The mother came back over to the area and the baby never came back up. I was sure the baby must have popped up some where but the mother duck never found it for the 15 min. I stuck around to see. Now I read this and am thinking that it might not have come back up. I guess I won't do that again.

[Tony Maxwell]

Might also make a good Snapping Turtle bait. I'm from just north of Cincinnati. What part are you from OHBlake??

[Terrydabassman]

My wife and I were fishing at Piedmont Lake Ohio one evening and down to the waters edge comes a big mama coon with 5 little ones.
To my surprise, this huge musky came up and almost onto the shore like an orca or something and grabbed one of them baby coons and was gone with a huge splash.
No skinny dipping in Piedmont thank you very much.

[OHBlake]

Awesome stuff everyone! I really appreciate the feedback and the stories. I'm not sure who asked the question, but I'm in Cleveland... and it's cold. That warm weather can't arrive fast enough! I will definitely keep everyone posted with how it's coming along. And if all goes well, I'll get some pics of lunkers on the board to show everyone. Ha I hope anyway. Have a good one everyone, and keep dropping a line if anything comes to mind about this little idea.

Blake