[gldnbear93]

Hey Pete,

That is one beautiful bait! I really like your hook hangers. I am going to have to try that some time. Nice clean wraps!

Just curious…why is it that you are using two through wires and joining them in the belly weight? I know it will probably never come out or fail, but if you use one wire and make a loop at the end and do a tail wrap, you will get more flexibility in where you want the belly weight.
If you are looking for that nice clean look at the end of each bait, you could use that two part plumber’s epoxy and mold it around the tail wraps then sand and paint over it. Another method might be to take one of those wires with a single loop, thread it through the thru hole, mark the other end with a sharpie exactly where you want the end of the tail loop, pull out the wire and double it over on itself with the bend right on your mark, thread that end through your thru hole, hook hangers etc. and out the back, then open the bend with a nail set or an awl. You need softer wire for this (annealed) and usually a larger through hole than 1/8.”

Since you are drilling in maple, you might consider using a larger bit to cut down on the wandering. Since maple is so hard, it is easy for that bit to take a left turn at some odd grain angle. Starting the holes with a shorter bit, as you are doing, definitely helps. Try bumping that bit to 9/64, 5/32, or even 3/16. That will cut down on the wander quite a lot. When I first started building, I used 1/8” bits but have since moved up to the 9/64, since it fits a grommet I like to use, and I just finished thru drilling a dozen needle fish with a 3/16” bit, not a bit of wander in those. I thru drill all my baits and do a tailwrap at the end.

[Yake Bait]

This lure is the fifth one that I built with wire this winter, the first two were built with the loops exposed at the tail which I just gobbed some epoxy around while finishign the lure with D2T. The reason that I started playing with wire this year was after making a series of bucktails, I really enjoy making the loops. The "lead lock" idea was based on hiding the wire wraps on the tail of the lure as you mentioned. Your suggestion of pulling the wire back through is a good one if it weren't for the fact that the wire that I am using is for bucktails and extremely stiff to work with. I think that I might be able to do that with 0.051" if I can get my hands on some longer lengths. Also like the idea of using a longer drill bit.

Appreciate the comments on the hook hangers. Not sure if you remember, the round nosed pliers wire bending photos that you sent me last year helped immensely in getting the hang of working with wire.

[gldnbear93]

Yes, that stiff wire is probably 316. I would not try to bend it and reopen the loop, because it is so stiff it is more "brittle" (though that is not the right word). If you can locate 308l or 304l that will work better. If you can locate a welding shop, it is highly likley they will have it in either 36" lengths in .035, .051 and .062 in all three types. They may even have 5 lb rolls of the .035. The last time I bought some .051 308l, I paid less than $7/lb in the 36" lengths.

[kubotek]

I have the wire at my house already i ordered it from a company called Master car. It was dirt cheap.

Yake bait i would love to see some pictures on how you do it! Everyone likes pictures!!!!!!! I like the threw wire idea because then you have no worries of the eye screw every coming out! I think it look clean to!

Worst case you could always put the drill inside the bait. Then put it in the drill chuck, so you start with the drill half way inside the bait from the beginning. Then you would have the quill length that your looking for maybe!!! Just and idea! We do that at my shop from time to time.

Thanks
Kyle