12-15-2003, 10:11 PM
[cool][size 2]Sorry, but that is one area of lurecraft that I have not yet reached a position of comfort in feeling qualified to "download" on others. No "writeups" yet.[/size]
[size 2]My advice is to follow the admonition of a famous sculptor. When asked how he managed to produce such beautiful carvings he simply replied: "If you want to carve a horse head, just cut away everything that doesn't look like a horse head."[/size]
[size 2]The gratifying thing about making wooden lures is that they do not have to be anatomically correct...or color perfect...to catch fish. As long as you can create something of the general size and shape to represent the fish food you have in mind, you can make up for the rest with presentation and lure working skills. And, as has been proven by millions of new lure designs, it is sometimes better to show the fish something radically different than what they are accustomed to seeing.[/size]
[size 2]I don't know if the 2X4 scrap will be your best choice in woods. If you know somebody with a table saw or band saw you might want to cut the larger pieces down into small chunks before plugging in your dremel. That is best for the fine work...and I use mine a lot.[/size]
[size 2]Then again, if you are going to make some musky plugs, you could start with a whole 2X4. But, you will need a baseball bat rod to cast them. Definitely not for your 3 weight.[/size]
[size 2]On a slightly different subject, have you ever made fly rod poppers? They are not only for sunfish and bass. You would be amazed at some of the terrestrial critters you can build around a little cork popper body. Great for casting to the overhanging grass along the banks for big bashful browns in the summer.[/size]
[size 2]You can buy preformed cork bodies, or you can shape them from cork or balsa. There are also some good bodies made of closed cell foam. These poppers also make good strike indicators while fishing a dropper with a nymph or wet fly below. You gotta have some of those before you go to Pelican. When the big 'gills are active just before dark they will smack a popper before it hits the water. And, every once in awhile a chunky largie joins the game too. I used to make big yellow streamers for Pelican, with a cork popper head and mono weed guards. Toss those back into the reeds and try to strip them back out to open water without being molested. Again, forget the 3 weight. Think a 7-8 system.[/size]
[size 2]Are we having fun yet?[/size]
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[size 2]My advice is to follow the admonition of a famous sculptor. When asked how he managed to produce such beautiful carvings he simply replied: "If you want to carve a horse head, just cut away everything that doesn't look like a horse head."[/size]
[size 2]The gratifying thing about making wooden lures is that they do not have to be anatomically correct...or color perfect...to catch fish. As long as you can create something of the general size and shape to represent the fish food you have in mind, you can make up for the rest with presentation and lure working skills. And, as has been proven by millions of new lure designs, it is sometimes better to show the fish something radically different than what they are accustomed to seeing.[/size]
[size 2]I don't know if the 2X4 scrap will be your best choice in woods. If you know somebody with a table saw or band saw you might want to cut the larger pieces down into small chunks before plugging in your dremel. That is best for the fine work...and I use mine a lot.[/size]
[size 2]Then again, if you are going to make some musky plugs, you could start with a whole 2X4. But, you will need a baseball bat rod to cast them. Definitely not for your 3 weight.[/size]
[size 2]On a slightly different subject, have you ever made fly rod poppers? They are not only for sunfish and bass. You would be amazed at some of the terrestrial critters you can build around a little cork popper body. Great for casting to the overhanging grass along the banks for big bashful browns in the summer.[/size]
[size 2]You can buy preformed cork bodies, or you can shape them from cork or balsa. There are also some good bodies made of closed cell foam. These poppers also make good strike indicators while fishing a dropper with a nymph or wet fly below. You gotta have some of those before you go to Pelican. When the big 'gills are active just before dark they will smack a popper before it hits the water. And, every once in awhile a chunky largie joins the game too. I used to make big yellow streamers for Pelican, with a cork popper head and mono weed guards. Toss those back into the reeds and try to strip them back out to open water without being molested. Again, forget the 3 weight. Think a 7-8 system.[/size]
[size 2]Are we having fun yet?[/size]
[signature]