Third batch 2012 Muskie Baits

This is six pictures, three each of four baits. I kept all six to try and show the different look of the prism tape, hope you can get something from it. These are 10" thru wire.

I might be able to get one more batch done, which are a few of the 3/4" aspen. Then it is prep work to actually go use them!

( Keep it in the Water )

Second Batch 2012 Musky Baits

Well, this bunch is a little better than the first batch. If I was dipping these in Envirotech they would really look sharp. But I pushed the edge on weight, going for neutrally buoyant and can't afford to add any more.

I still haven't found the right edge to use when trimming the prism tape on the 3/4" baits. These are a full round over for the sides and I still don't care for the line it takes when cutting the tape.
The little gold guy in the first pic and the one walleye looking guy in the last pic are 3/4" baits. I had messed up the tape on the two walleye and just used some Kandy to put some life back into them.These were a couple of the first that I was clearing with Envirotech spray and sanding to loose the tape edge. The Envirotech spray has always been good to me, except this time. Could have just been the temperature and humidity but it wasn't getting clear, always left a haze. I will try some more later on. 
The coolest part about using the tape for me is, the ability to use a Kandy ( transparent paint ) to add, change, blend and enhance any color of tape you choose.
The top pic with the yellow looking bait and the second pic with two yellow looking baits is the chartreuse tape. It goes from solid chartreuse to yellow to a pearl green blue, very nice stuff.    
Hopefully I can get a another batch done this Sunday.

( Keep it in the Water )
 

The first finished Muskie baits for 2012

These are the first in my batch to get cleared out. I am still working on a set of stencils for gills and a fin, along with how to spray them. This batch I tried to detail the areas with a Sharpie, probably should have left them alone. I don't believe the detail catches more fish, but it is fun to play around with it and really helps to understand how to use the airbrush. By no means do I claim to know how, but I do enjoy doing it.

The last two are of the3/4" aspen and  pretty  rough, but the green one has the mirrored silver and the prism silver on the blue. I used a scale look tape ( clear scale tape ) from Moore's Lures to try and salvage the baits. I wasn't to happy about it when it showed up and was a pinkish pearl. The tape is like the hologram scale type, very thin and flexible. I wish I had bought more, it is pretty cool tape.  Even though it appeared to be pink, it takes on the colors of the bait. Now all I have to do is decide which baits will use the rest of it. This tape would work well over a paint job and have a very thin tape edge.

( Keep it in the Water )