Musky bait build, June and Ready for paint.

 A few photos to see what was going on, from Archimedes to propionate.

There have been a few different things added and removed from the build this year. As you view the pictures you will see some of the new and the old.

10" thru wire Grande

10" Extreme thru wire

10"Perch thru wire

14" Perch thru wire

6" Egret

7"Extreme

6" Shore raider

14" Perch double line tie

7" Perch

6" jointed Shore raider

10" Bammer

3/4 aspen jerk - glide with worm screw

3/4 aspen jerk-glide drop belly with worm screw

3/4 aspen glide with worm screw

3/4 aspen drop belly glide

3/4 aspen drop belly jerk-glide

3/4 aspen glide with worm screw

 The first, is the use of Gorilla glue for lip installs. I have stated this before but this urethane glue really holds and is clean. Frank, Al and Tom followed the rules and scuffed the lips before glue and install, I did not. There is no noticeable difference in strength. The amount of glue needed is minimal and cost wise is cheap. I also used it to install the screw eyes, some are tight and others I can turn. This application would probably be done better with their version of super glue. I think this is the result of not getting enough glue in the hole.

The second change for me , was using the Archimedes dunk test. I was a little ahead of the game last year when I ran across the tackle underground article, after I had put my weight in. Which by the way is a great site for information and seeing what others are doing.

Anyway, I was able to use the dunk test and it was impressive, as to ease of use. The only thing you really have to do is, make sure the bait is sealed. If it is not totally sealed, once it is dunked it will soak in water as you are weighing it. This will result in an inaccurate weight

I took my batch to the edge allowing a little room for eyes and paint. I am looking to get as close to neutrally buoyant as possible. These crank baits will serve as, trolling baits, twitch baits and jerk baits.

Just so we don't have to keep guessing, we will take the time to weigh the baits before and after paint so we have a reference point in the future.

The third change for me was in propionate. I wanted a soaking verses a coating, and it worked quite well.

The soaking gives me a deeper seal and allows me to still tweak the bait with sanding. After every thing was completed, I used a paint brush to put a coating of propionate on the outside of the lure. I found that if you brush it on and keep brushing,  propionate will coat the bait without brush strokes. In fact it leaves a rather smooth surface if brushed out. After that, a little 220 grit sanding and it becomes a really smooth finish.

 A couple of other tweaks, were to install worm screws on the rears of the 3/4" aspen jerk/glide baits. Unless you are going to work these very fast, where a rattle would come into play. I opted for a soft tail.

The first few I did not cut the tail section, then I realized the tail of the bait needed to be cut flat to about a 7/16ths thickness. This allowed me to drill a 3/8" hole with the forstner bit and glue in a #8 x 1/2" stainless steel sheet metal screw. I tapered the body to the tail section with sand paper and epoxied the worm screws into the drilled out 3/8" pocket. This let's the worm tail be relatively flush to the wood with no interruption to water flow.

The two worm attachments I made on the 14" perch are exposed drywall anchors, does the same job, but I like the little recces for the worm on the aspen baits better.

The only other twist, was making one of the 14" perch baits with both a body nose tie and a lip tie. I wanted to be able to see what the difference was within the same bait.

So a little more 220# sanding on the pine batch and weight for the aspen, I will be painting.

I have to get some more lips or make them for the rest of the aspen cranks. I didn't like what I originally got for them.

( Keep it in the Water )