BIG M

John, those little baits look yummy, I bet you are wearing the bass out.

thanks for the kind words Bassman that is netting from the fabric dept at Wally World.

Here is few balsa baits thrown in for good measure.

Here is a batch of traps I re-painted in Tenn. Shad.

The baits I make do it for me. I can cover eveything from the surface down to 18-20 feet.

flat sided balsa crank with a tight wiggle 3/8oz. always made by me.

For cleaning get a big bottle of windex, some people cut 50/50, I like to use at full strength. Get some metal color cups to fit a passch vl, that way when you want to change colors just pour in the windex and shoot until it clears the brush. Pull the needle out and wipe off any excess paint also. I even pour a little windex thru the back of the brush and for my final clean up. INHO, you got a great brush to learn to paint with. Look at the gravity feed brushes when you ready for the next one, use less paint and easier to clean.

mustad short shank round bend trebs

snaps on cranks and jerk baits.

I started with Iwata and will never leave, best brush for the money. I use a gravity feed and love it. I can shoot with 1 drop of paint and clean up is simple. I also use only waterbased paint, wildlife colors by Smith Paints. But there are still some createx colors I use, along with com-art and golden. Practice on the pvc, it will help become a better painter without messing up baits while learning. painting is my least favorite part of building baits, but after several years of practice I feel like I'm getting the hang of it.

Thanks for the kind words fellas, these are my fav. sized baits to make.

That bait should not be any more difficult to tune or keep tuned than any other crank bait. That hook sticking out the back should not affect it's performance in any way, if it was made right to begin with.

here are 5 inch wake baits and a couple of Balsa B copies.

Here is a batch of shallow running baits I finished this week. These are smaller baits 3/8oz or less and 2.5 inches long down to 2 inches long. All of these run approx 6 feet and less. I hope Ya'll like em.

John, that baits looks to cool for words. That is a work of art. I also like the little fins next to the gill slit.

very, very nice indeed. I really like the looks of the handmade bait.

To copy a bait is pretty easy, if you have the bait is just a matter of putting on a copy machine to get the exact profile of the bait. Take a few measurements of the body and bill, then get the weight. cut out the blank, carve, sand and paint. It is just that simple. Now design your own bait from top to bottom, get the lip angle and action just where you want it, that is the real deal about lure making. Now if you want a bait that is better made than Bagleys with a similar action to a Honey B, that's a bait I can build.

oh, bubble gum. I guess that does sound better than pepto pink. thanks for all the nice comments.

Here are a couple of plastic baits re-finished and some wood I had laying around. You got to love the pink :-*

Whittler's method is the proper way to refinsh those baits. Now I have two faster methods that work but these are not the perfect way to do the job. 1. scuff the baits real good with 100 grit sandpaper then clean, now give the baits 5 dips in a moisture cured urathane and it will take a minimum of 24 hrs to dry the baits in between dips. then prime with painter's touch sandable primer it's the best IMHO. Now your ready for paint. 2.Scuff the baits as above and coat with devcon 2ton epoxy, you need to turn the baits while the epoxy cures and allow 12 hrs drying time. Prime and paint. I have refinished baits all three ways and I will do my #1 method 90% of the time unless the customer wants me to go the long way. You really want to be using a airbrush to make those baits look really nice.

Hookemdown, on theroy that bait should dive to 22 feet on a really long cast, but it hasn't been tested to that depth, it will wear 18 feet out all day long. John, you've been holding back. I know you have some new baits to show, I just couldn't pull the pics up at work. Kelly, I'm proud of that spring craw, but what did you think of that shad bait on top. Those two are partners and one cannot go anywhere without the other

Finished a few wake baits too.

This is how I spent the weekend.

Thanks for the kind words there fellas, I'm real proud of that little bait (got stiffed on the money for it) but I've got the pattern now and more of these little baits are soon to come.

Here is a copy of the old Hedd Hunter, very nice little shallow running bait with an extra wide wobble.