[B BUG]

I read last week where someone was using 1/4" dowel for an anchor in balsa baits. I understand why, however I was wondering if one could use a hole just a bit larger than the screw eye and pack it with 5 min. devcon to achieve a secure anchor for the rear hook? Does anyone have any bad experiences doing this or are there any negatives associated to this idea. I have always used thru wire on flat baits, but was thinking about trying some bigger round bodies with screw eyes for hook hangers.
Thanks, Les

[Vodkaman]

I would be vary wary of anything but through wire.

The way I wire all of mine, flat or round is as follows.

I drill from the eye location through and out of the bottom of the lure, as shallow an angle as I can, drill length allowing.

I then cut a trench with a dremel cutting wheel down the belly to the tail hook eye position. The trench should be deep enough to take the wire and a generous dump of epoxy.

I form the line eye. Then thread it through the hole. Set it in the trench and estimate the hook eye position, allowing for shortening due to twist.

Pull the wire out of the trench, form the hook eye and epoxy in place with five min.

If you use a belly hook, just add a single twist where required.

Once sealed and sanded, you will never see the trench.

[BobP]

It depends on the hardness of your balsa. I wouldn't do anything but thru-wire with soft balsa. I've epoxied ballast in soft balsa and had it shoot out of the lure the first time it was slapped on water; so don't think an epoxied screw would be strong enough. As long as you scribe a center line around a balsa bait while it's still "square", it's easy to split them with a single edge razor blade.

[mossy maker]

I also use the thru-wire method. I make my baits in 2 halves. Using spray adhesive put 2 blocks together and shape as normal. After that I pry the 2 halves apart, bend my wire, Dremel out a groove for it and 5 minute the halves back together. This way you are always in the very center of the bait. Clean up the glue edges and finish sand. I typically use cedar. Balsa may be soft enough to just press around the wire.

mossy maker

[B BUG]

Thanks guys, The reason for this question was back when I first started playing around with makeing baits I took some 3" balsa blocks and cut out my body on a scroll saw. Needless to say they were not the same from top to bottom. What I planned to do was "rip" the body into 1/4" thick slabs that when matched up made two perfect halves. Well it did not work out as planned and now I am wanting to see if this wood can be used in a different application ie... round body lures.
By the sounds of it I might try cutting these into 1" thick baits and then and give vodkamans trenching a try.
As for the new babies that have not been hatched yet, I have been doing the two halves like mossy maker mentioned.
Thanks for the info.