cadman

I like catching crappie as well. Especially when the bass aren't biting.

Is the red actually red or more brown. I'm just trying to get a close match. I have plenty of orange

Allen, What skirt numbers are those? I assume you got the skirts from fishingskirts.com?

Well fished at my local pond today for about a hour and a half. 3rd cast of the day I got a 15" bass. Nice and healthy. That was it for the whole time I was there. Well there is always tomorrow.

I've been fishing since open water and just recently got my first bass. Seemed they should be hitting already, but it has just been tough. Went out yesterday and no fish going to try this morning in awhile and see how I do. Hopefully have some pics to post later today.

Well I went out shore fishing on Friday. Got my first bass of the year (13") on a spinnerbait and also got a couple of crappie.

Yes, more strands will make a bait fall slower, however this also has to do with spinnerbait head weight and blades. Smaller blades and smaller body (1/4 oz) with a thick skirt will fall much slower than a 3/8 oz spinnerbait with bigger blades and the same skirt. Also, you can get a bait to go deeper or shallower depending on how fast you crank. There are a lot of variables to consider. As far as tracking I never seen a difference regarding skirts, however more strands will have more resistance. So if you put on 80 strands of starflash skirt material, you might feel more resistance when cranking versus 40 strands of silicone. This is just my opinion, but find a spinnerbait that you like, and try to copy it with head, wire and blade size, then you can put on a skirt and the rest will be in you reeling slow or fast.

If you're using silicone tabs, I use about 2.5 tabs that is 55 strands (not folded over) If you're using round rubber in fine or medium, I use 1 (1") tab x 5" If you are using Starflash 1 full skirt This is what I use, the more strands you put on the slower the fall, but the fuller the skirt. Just personal preference.

I went shore fishing, Tuesday and Wednesday at a local lake by my house. Water is still cold. No bass but caught a couple of small crappie. Hopefully the ramps will be open in WI by May. I believe Long Lake is open. I am supposed to fish a small tourney mid April, however I believe that it has been canceled. Hope they don't close ramps since I'm unemployed, I would like to take the boat out and go fishing. Slonezp, are you working?

Thank You for the info.?

Loochy, How hot is the plastic you are injecting. I am curious as I would like to fill the PLA/ ABS/PETG with lead. However I think the lead will melt the plastic mold. Lead melts at around 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

I'm using my 3d printer for all kind of cool items for the boat. Pedestal seat plugs, clips to hang buoys on my boat, cup holders, misc. clips and gadgets etc. There are many many useful things you can make with a 3d printer. I am just curious how these parts will endure a hot sun in the middle of summer. I also want to screw around making crankbaits to see how they work. I can use ball bearing for a ballast or lead since I pour my own jigs. My main goal is to make jigs out of PLA (ABS ,Nylon) to see how they last from constant casting. I'm thinking the PLA will eventually crack. Printing part is the easiest. Design is what takes time. I am still new at 3d printing, so I will do a lot of trial and error. The designing is no problem for me. I just need more hours in a day. Any moderators hear can answer this question. Can I post pics of jigs/crankbaits I make? I sell jigs for a hobby, so I don't want anyone thinking that I am trying to sell them here.

I'm using PLA. Just be careful with ABS, although it is very good for heat resistance, it is toxic to breathe when in the molten state. I am currently sticking with PLA , if I decide to go with ABS, I will probably either do this in the garage or somehow vent out. Be safe

I don't fish a jig any heavier than 1/4 oz and that is in 10 F.O.W. I mostly fish with 3/16 and 1/8 oz. Add a trailer and you are about 3/8 of an ounce. Never had issues getting jigs stuck in muck or weeds. Casting even with a 1/8 oz jig + a trailer is no problem. I do not like heavy jigs, I can't feel the fish pick-up the bait. The max jig I will go is 3/8 oz and that is in 20 feet of water. This is very rare for me as I normally don't fish that deep. Also I will use a 3/8 oz jig if I want to punch thru a lot of vegetation, and get my jig down fast but again this is rare for me. I mainly fish weed edges and thru sparse weeds. I find, that the fish like the slower fall of the jig. But that is what works for me.

Yes on a metal spoon, I would lightly sand with 400 grit sand paper. Wipe off the blade with alcohol ( not the drinking kind, save that for later) and then powder paint the blade. Make sure you bake everything, baking hardens the paint. If you would like I can send you some pics of some blades I made. PM me your e-mail.

Mostly soft muck bottom. I cast out, let it hit bottom, pop, let it fall, stop. In early Spring, I will fish really slow. You have to fish a jig slow especially after ice out. The fish are really sluggish. There are many times, I will cast out let it fall, let it sit there for count of 15 seconds, reel 2-3 cranks, wait and let it sit and see if you get a pick up. This is very tedious, however it works for me. If you cannot fish slow, then a jig is not for you.

Yes they do spin, I was thinking something else when I was originally typing my reply.Do apologize.

I live in northern IL, and I always start with a jig and a twin tail grub or a jig and a craw. That's pretty much what I throw all year and it works really well for me.

On a jig, I would take the skirt off and any rattles. Drop the jigs in paint stripper. Wait for about 15 minutes. The paint should then wipe off. Next wash them in soap and water and let dry thoroughly. Re-apply powder paint on jig to the color you want, bake jig, let cool and then hand paint your stripes on the jig. You can do the same to spoons or blades.

Nail polish will work mas well.

You can try Devcon 2 Ton 30 minute. It will definitely seal everything in, however it may add some weight to your crankbait.

Post a pic of your assembly(ies) so we can diagnose your problem. Like Jig Man mentioned, or maybe too small of a clevis or burrs on the clevis and or beads if they are metal. Also the second blade does not actually spin since it is on a clevis and not on a ball bearing. It will only spin on the initial cast when it drops thru the water column. When you retrieve the spinnerbait, the secondary blade wobbles on the clevis.

It is cast aluminum, see if a sheet metal shop can possibly weld it for you, or at least fuse the seams

Yes, the ideas and possibilities are endless. on anything you want to make. Only thing I need is more hours in a day.

I got a Creality Ender 3 Pro. Printing crankbaits won't be an issue for me. The biggest issue is to get the weight placed correctly in the cranbait, so the bait hunts. My final goal is to make flexible frogs out of flexible filament. But that is a different beat to tackle. I'm pretty stoked about all of this. Printed some parts for around the house that broke.