JCswimbaits

You are in too deep man, we have all been waiting so long just mold it so we can sleep at night.... lol seriously looks great I say don’t bother with scales, I think it gives a better canvas for a premium paint scheme and I think without the ridges of scales catching on the the hooks via hook rash the paint lasts longer, but with a smooth canvas you need a more refined paint job, just my 2 cents

Thanks man it’s been fun, I have a cheap scale but I am measuring my balloons by volume to a specific weight of resin

Bait wakes and walks great on the first swim test stuck a 3 pounder 3rd cast IMG_7451.MOV FullSizeRender.mov

I tried to get this bait done for the swap but it just didn’t happen. Worked on this prototype about a year and a half ago and have caught nearly 200 fish on the wood original, and needed to mold it because it has worked so good and has been about the perfect size to get a lot of bites but also appeal to some bigger fish. I have been working on the mixture of resin and micro balloons and have finally gotten it down to a consistent recipe and have been playing with some different paint schemes. Let me know what you think, and let me know what paint scheme I should do next. Thanks.the black one is the masterstill working out how to pour a bait without air voids

Both look really high floating, you may need to add more weight to get a wake at slower speeds. I’ve had that problem before, glue some lead on the bottom in different areas and test them first, doesn’t look like you need to cut the bill down in my opinion. That joint may have too much play on the rat, the head is using all the vortices or energy swirling from the water being displaced and the tail section is being dragged behind, in other words reducing the joint play may force the back section to move more.

Looks like a good start! For myself I would hold off on the scales and focus on getting a bait that swims properly first, it can save yourself a lot of time. Are you planning on molding the bait? For a glide the joint looks a little far forward to achieve a wide classic glide bait swim, but I think it would be perfect placement for a 3 piece swimmer. A glide can be tricky so if you are molding I would mold it as a whole and cut the joint after so you can refine the placement and weighting without the labor of a whole new bait. Good luck, for me the joy of lure building is learning from every bait what to do and what not to do it can take a lot of work and some paperweights to get some baits that work well, but it’s always worth it when you have something no one else does and the fish want it!

I got to go with the crawler @chefchris

I am pretty good with a Japanese saw by hand, but I am setting up some jigs so I can slide a bait in have the joint placement and angle guided for perfect cuts every time.

Looks like you have a good start. I personally thinks if you are planning on molding several times you should fill the joint and mold a full blank first, this will allow you to make a multi joint bait and play around with joint placement, and do scales later. What I have found is a bait without scales opens up to have some incredible paint schemes and a bait with scales requires less of a aptitude for a detailed paint scheme. If you mold the bait whole with no joint you have more options. Just my two cents.

Have not has the time for the wake bait I was planning on so I am submitting a bait I have already complete. Trout 3 piece Poplar wood construction 4.7 oz st36 hooks slow sink

Looks killer chefchris, will have my eye on one of these if they make it in the swap.

Well life always seem to throw some curve balls and that has been this year so far for me , I won’t get into the details but I haven’t had the time to get to much done as far as the swap goes but making some head way finally. I made a great wake bait last season by chance, it was my try at a wake. After catching nearly 200 fish on it last year it was the first design I wanted to mold and get out there. The finished baby bass bait is the original and the black one is the master for molding. I am going to make a single joint and double joint from this master. I’m really excited and inspired by everyone that puts there baits out there, so thanks for the inspiration SU community!

I have had some baits with some imperfections like that I have been able to lightly sand to level out the surface and buff them out with compounds and wax or clear coat them again. Also you absolutely need to do a baby bass pattern, that is my go to summer color scheme. Baits are sick!

Looks really good, adding a broad tail should create more surface space as it cuts side to side through the water and push it further side to side. Generally a longer glide will have a wider swim. Also if there is a lot of articulation in the joint that can contribute to a narrower and harder cutting action, you may want to try less play in the joint to achieve a wider swim.

Love the attention to detail, really clean carving. What are specs on the bait?