flaswimbaiter

I use disposable gloves to spread the glue, you just can’t stay in one spot too long or the glove will become part of the lure. Paper towels can also be used. I basically pour it on, spread and then sand the build up afterwards. WEAR A MASK when sanding superglue soaked wood!

That’s doesn’t make sense, a bait sealed like that should not take on water unless you have a crack or water is soaking in where the hardware is attached or in the joints. Superglue is a pain but I believe nothing seals better. I use it for experimental baits, baits I am going to mold I use the polyurethane.

It was a pain, prob last time I use these joints.

It’s a suspending crank down.

That’s bad ass have always wanted to get a big cat on a swimmer. We don’t get them like that in my area.

This has been on the back burner for a quite a while, I knew it was going to be a pain, which it was. But, it came out alright, still testing, but so far I am loving the action. It’s a suspending bait to be fished slow and deadsticked. IMG_2371.MOV

Thanks Doc. It was a chunk, not long, just thick.

Was down south for work and was losing fish and getting rained out each day and only got a small freshie snook. On the last day in Ft. Lauderdale, rain or no rain, which of course it did, I was determined to catch something. Good that I did, because I caught two peas and two snakeheads, including this chunky one. On my way back from Miami I scored a few more peas on a peacock swimbait I painted. All of the others were caught on the Yohan shad glide.

Oink oink

I like Tupelo, but basswood is how I started, it’s easy to carve. Poplar, for me at least, can be a pain, but it does make a nice bait.

This is spot on, but I did want to add that you can also adjust the action by screwing in or out only one of you screw eye in the joint. But, that’s after you have tried Dan’s suggestion first.

I personally love Tupelo wood Buuuuut I like to put a lot of detail in my baits. When learning you should just put an eye and worry about function not form. Sucks putting a lot into a bait and have it fail, which I have been doing a lot lately. IMO Basswood for floater and poplar for sinker should work for you for now. I have been trying to make a mini mullet glide it took three failures to finally get something I am somewhat happy with, the version that worked only has eyes holes, it’s predecessors had gill, fins, etc. How is your bait look from the top? I had a few I believe failed because I had to fat a nose or not a good taper. Most good glides out there are shaped like this Yohan. You can vary the thickness, but the basic shape should be similar. I believe the cut back you mention has to do with the angle of your cut, I use 30 degrees, but just learned recently if you sand both cuts back a little you get a more fluid glide. Baitmaking is like fishing you are constantly learning new things and have to experiment a lot to improve.

Poplar is more dense than basswood or Tupelo, I know because I use it sometime when I want a bait that needs less weight. It’s a good wood to work with, just a pain to carve across the grain.

This guy didn’t just choke the bait, he swallowed the back hook. Thank goodness my neighbor eats these. I actually hooked a larger one that bent out my hook and this guy ate it as I was reeling it in.

Holy Crap(pie) that’s a beast

I hate painting gills. There are so many variation from species to species and even male to female. I found a pic online and just stuck with it until I got close.

If that is a stiff plastic tail that could be causing some of your problems. Post a pic of the baits from above. Glides can be very fickle and difficult to work with. I have one small glide that looks horrible. The joint is too far forward, but it glides amazing. Then I have another shad glide that is shaped perfectly, it’s symmetrical it’s well balanced and it will not even glide one little bit.

Congrats, that a fattie. When I switched to big baits in salt I broke my trout PB like four times in a couple years.

You can do both, I have seen guys like Marlin put split shot in with the resin. I prefer adding the weight after so I can test the bait and get the right sink rate. Great part about resin is it’s Waterproof, you don’t need to worry as much about sealing the holes you drill for the weights.

Don’t know where you are, but for my area thats a beast trout. They like wake baits too, used to catch all sizes on the wake jr.

Very cool

I don’t really see a problem with your baits action. Most of my rat style baits roll like that. I believe it creates more commotion. I believe if you move the line tie up or down, you may get a different result.

The bit you are using is very similar to the one I use. I believe that starting small and working bigger keeps you from making bigger mistakes if that makes sense.

I do it exactly the same way, you just got to take your time And putting the bait in a vice helps. Like Big Epp said….practice practice practice

I made a silicone mold and make my own weight the same size as my bits. As for the distribution of weight that depends on the style of bait. For a glide you need to distribute it evenly, for floater and divers you could prob get away with putting weight in the first section. It’s really something you need to experiment with. I hot glue my weights and test the lure until I get the desire rate then install them. for sealing I use thin superglue for baits without detail and Minwax fast drying polyurethane for those with detail. That’s because superglue can crystallize or gum up the surface which requires a lot of sanding.