Already shared this with a couple of baitmakers on BR that there is an alternative to using screw eyes for joints or hook hangers. Stainless steel or brass wire twisted into your joint hardware will give you a very close joint. The picture is of .041 stainless steel wire formed into the joint. These are epoxied into predrilled holes in the bait body, very strong and can be made in any size you like.

The second picture is the same stainless wire .041 and a brass wire 19gauge twisted and epoxied into a 3/4" pine along with a length of 300 lb. cord. I carry this when I go to tackle shows, so if there is a question on holding strength, you can hand it to them and say pull it out, you can even use a freind to help. It has been in one piece for three years.

Thanks Whittler. I may have to try that on the next one I make.

kb here    when you fasten eye to bill do you put a groove in back of bill and bend over wire in the v notch kb

Been looking for a better way to join the two sections without using eye hooks. Thanks for the info will give this a try.

Ken, I don't cut a notch in the lip. When the twisted wire is inserted through the lip and bent back along the bottom it will extend past the back of the lip and into the bait, once epoxied in place it will not come out, at least I've never had one come out.

What I do is use a screw eyelet and screw it into the bait at an angle.  Once it's screwed in I bend the eyelet straight.  That way you are not relying on the threads to hold your relying on the strenght of the screw itself AND the threads and the wood or whatever you screwed your screw into..  If you just screw it in straight you have a better chance of it just pulling out. This is how most of the big name swimbait makers do as well as the Musky guys.

Mike

A picture is worth, well you know the rest. Here is the problem I have with screw eyes opposed to twisted wire. The block, 3/4" pine has a .092 stainless steel screw eye inserted into it and using the same 300lb. cord, its obvious where the problem is with screw eyes. Since it is not a closed eye it will open up. Now having shown that I will tell you that there many other things that will fail long before any of these joints. Years ago wooden baits simply did not use the sealers and epoxies we use now and what happens is water is absorbed around the hardware and over a time rots the wood around the eyes or hook hangers. Next season when we hook that fish of a life time the screw eye pulls out and the fisherman swears that if the screws were heavier and longer that would not happen.

Whittler,  Man I haven't fished with 300lb line lately but there isn't anything in my waters that can pull 300lbs of pressure and open up an eyelet.  Also helps to use a drag .  Musky guys have used the eyelets for years.  If it can handle a musky it can handle anything us bass anglers can dish out.

Mike

kb, drill a couple of 1/16" holes in the back of the lip, fill with epoxy and these holes give the epoxy another anchor point besides the wire.  No way does the lip come out with the nose of the bait coming apart.