whittler

Guys if you really want to know what the latest, Secret Finish is just go to Tackleunderground, Hard bait section and you can read all about the newest of the secret finishes. It is a topic there about once a week, at least since 2003.

Another backlash post, I'm probably going to step on a few toes but here goes. Like Chris my father started me on a bc at age 11, but unlike Chris I'm 69 now. Pflueger Nobby reel and a True Temper tapered square steel rod. A Pflueger Nobby has no free spool(direct drive), no drag, no ball bearings and no magnets. Complaints to me about backlashes usually just draws a grin, make that big grin. Practice is the key and when you practice casting you will indeed get plenty of practice picking backlashes. I really beleive that if most would simply learn to rely on their thumbs instead of adjusting gadgets, buttons and dials a lot of problems with baitcasters would go away. The worst of the modern baitcasters are head and shoulders better than anything out there 50 years ago. Did I mention Practice?

Exceptional work there Ben. Like your bold color combinations. Now that swimbait may be a sissy looking bait but I'll bet it is a bass magnet. Keep up the carving your baits get better every time you post.

Some really neat stuff there Marty, love the color of those top baits.

This kind of post always bothers me, does it ever occur to you to check the sharpness of your hooks before fishing? In the words of John Wooden " When opportunity knocks its to late to prepare"

You are going to get a lot of different opinions on this but here are mine. 1. If it is a wood bait and the finish is cracked or damaged I remove it and reseal before painting. Plastic baits I sand with a sanding pad just to scuff the surface then wipe with alcohol then a tack rag and prime/paint. 2. I use gravity feed, Iwata HP-C and and HP-CS, would not reccomend a siphon gun for baits. 3. I use a lot of Smith paints along with Createx and Auto Air. 4. Practice, you will develope your own style. 5. If you use an epoxy top-coat you will need a drying wheel, unless your just doing one or two at a time with fast curing epoxy.

Really nice work Ben, enjoy watching your progress as a baitmaker.

Especially like the spatterback with the coffin bill but they all look great.

Tough to pick a favorite Marty, I like them all.

Most fish are camouflaged to blend into their waters, painted upside down the camo makes them a target. Back in the early 70's Tom Seward, a frequent writer for Fishing Facts, started a bait company which featured reverse camo painted baits. His lure company was sold to Lazy Ike and the baits were marketed under the name Natural Ikes.

Barry, sounds like we use a similar storage method for DN, the only thing I do different is use a shot of Bloxygen in the bottle before sealing. I have only been using DN for a few months on a some experimental baits and the jury is still out on the stuff. Beside just using it as an only clear I have tried it over D2T, and E-Tex, plus under both epoxies.

Wow,really like those Wart style baits Marty. See your still using that nasty old poxy, when will you ever learn?

Great stuff there Marty, cream always rises to the top.

Ken, I'll send you some .019 stainless wire to make some weedguards. The heavy weight mono does work well if you have any. The garbage bag wires are too soft and will bend everytime you hit a snag or fish and will have to be reshaped. Pm me your adress if you want the stainless wire.

Count me in with Marty on using epoxy. I have a cabinet full of finishes that I thought at the time of purchase were the real deal but most do not hold up in the water or to the abuse a crankbait gets. From Dick Nites to polys to automotive type clears have not found anything that matches the strenght, durability and finish of epoxy. If you can't measure properly, mix properly, apply properly and wait untill it cures properly then do not use epoxy. On the other hand if you do not need a durable finish that will withstand immersion in water and not peel off or turn yellow within a week then give me a call I'm sure I have a partial can of about any type of finish. Been doing this a long time and I have a bucket full of mistakes to prove it.

They all look like keepers to me.

Some good stuff there Marty, really like that black bait. How do you like the redwood?

Halleujah, its a Miracle

Really like that pattern, the purple tint and sparkle looks great.

Water absorbstion is an easy fix no matter what top-coat used. Make the bait from PVC, about the same weight as basswood, and the stuff will not absorb water if your finish is compromised by a rock or some toohty critter. My father, who was color blind, simply picked baits by picking the one with the most teeth marks when the fishing got tough.

Living in Indy you are right in the middle of some great smallie fishing. The White river which runs through the center of Indy is very good and there are several others good streams within an hours drive. Pick up a copy of the Indiana DNR publication on Fishing Indiana, it will have lakes and streams listed,(by county) along with acess points. Most tackle stores will have free copys.

Exceptional work there Ben.

Wow, great looking swimmer there Marty.

Beautiful baits Marty but I would not expect anything less from you.

About 95% of all the hard (crankbaits-swimbaits) that I use are homemade. I have purchased 1 hard bait this year, a Sebile swimbait, it has all the action of a sharp stick, if it had lead in it it could be used for a pencil.