BIG M

I crimp one end over on it's self and mash it in a vise. It won't pull out if you do that way. I have done several baits for myself without crimping the end and those have held very well. I just make sure that I coat the line tie and hangers with my topcoat for extra strength. Then just drill out the epoxy and install the rings/hooks.

Natural, shoot the bait with a coat of minwax polyurathane and let it dry for 24hrs. Then if you screw up just wipe it down with windex and try again. If you are trying to be perfect then you will be frustrated over and over. I know because that's how I use to be. I wanted every pattern to be that most perfect pattern. Now I just shoot the paint and don't worry about the imperfections, because I always have some imperfections in my painting.

jbass, I've got 3 of the cheap baits from Jann's with about 100 coats of paint on each one. That's how I come with the color combo's.

No I don't use a thru wire harness. I do not feel it's needed for bass baits and I've never been able to pull 1 of my hangers out. My brother uses my wake baits for Redfish and none have come apart yet.

Here are a few more little round bodies and a lone M-flat.

Good looking baits right there.

Here are a few more I've finished. The little baits with square lips are the bomb.

I drilled a 1/4 inch hole thru the bait. Cut two long rifle casings in half and epoxy in the hole with a single stainless steel ball bearing inside. It's not my perferred way to do the rattle but this person wanted it done that exact way.

Thanks for all the nice words. I wasn't sure about the blue gill bait until I got the clear on it.

The 22 shells are not as loud as the rattle I normally make.

Here are a few more that I just finished. Mixed bag here will a deep runner some fat shallow runners and 1 lone flatside.

Eric, I've never thought about the line tie in those terms. I use to do the two hole method and tried to get away from that one. It's hard enough to drill one hole perfectly centered. On a body style like the bait posted, I tend to fall toward the straight lip. My mag diver pattern has a 10 degree lip angle but it's a much different body style with a deep belly. Jbass the best thing to do is try both methods and see which works the best. My mag diver comes back to you from the other side of the boat. Jbass, keep reading that info posted by Eric. The man flat knows the deep running bait.

Ok, I'll bite on this one. Why 8-11 degrees on the lip angle? Why am I just finding out about this line tie issue? Just when you think you've got it all figured out. I'm going to the shop now >

Here are a few more I just finished. The bottom bait is prototype #2 of a small deep runner. This one is made from 1/2 basswood. The others are just a couple of mid depth divers and a couple of shallow runners.

No the lip is not going to flex, water pressure is not that strong. Master the mid depths and then move to deeper water, that way you will have a good knowledge base for finding answers to the problems you will encounter.

Yes those were float tested first. I always paint and finish a bait before testing because the topcoat can affect the action.

That's a good looking diver. The balast weight looks perfect. The line tie is too close to the nose of the bait, move it out to the halfway point between the nose and end of the lip. You also want the lip to be straight out of the bait or pointing down a few degrees, that one is angled above the bait a few degrees. Take that pattern and draw a straight line from the middle of the tail to the nose. That's where you want to mark the lip slot.

Here are a few new baits I've been working on. 4 inch jerkbait, 2 inch deep diver (pain), and ultra thin flatside (another pain). I've finally got working prototypes so now off to the testing grounds for fine tuning.

If the bait's action is right, you will catch just as many fish on the hand painted bait. idlove2fish is correct by telling you to watch cupons from Hobby Lobby. Best sales on the best airbrush that you will find.

Post a pic of a bait and let me look at it. If it's doing a death roll then I would be the line tie is out position, lip is crooked, lip angle is too steep and not enough weight. Let me look at a good profile shot of a deep diver.

You have been busy. All are very good looking baits.

It's basswood so 1/8 and a prop will make it sink. I would start with 1/16 oz belly weight. You only need enough weight to get the bait sitting right in the water.

I can't really tell from the pic but it looks like you have not drilled the balast port, lie tie, or hook hanger holes. On the next one you should drill those before carving while the wood is square. That way everything is centered and balanced. That's a good start because it looks just like the pattern. Is this bait a walk the dog top water?

That's my version of Texas Shad. Stone grey over pearl white with the pink stripe.

The 10 min wait time lets the bubbles rise and lets the epoxy start to cure a little. It's so thin and runny that it will make waves as it's turning on the drying wheel. A real pain to sand those down before the second coat.