BIG M

Vman, there is a lot of talent on this forum (spinner baits, jigs, plastics and hard baits). I want to see some of your creations posted. I follow all your work on TU but you need to spread the wealth.

Here we have Bang-O lure style, a Jitter Stick, and last but not least the Slop Frog. All made from balsa and 100% by me. What is a Jitter Stick you ask? It's my Sammy style walking bait with a slight modification and Jitter bib. This was a shot in the dark and I nailed this crazy looking critter. It just plops and blurps all the way back to you at a slow steady pace.

All of those baits look sharp Ben. Very clean work indeed.

Where are the plain baits? All I see are great looking baits with a boat load of detail.

Marc, I don't have the patience or talent to paint baits like you do. I admire the awsome paint patterns that custom painters like you come up with.

Here are a few shallow running square bills and a jerk bait. Of course the paint is plain but I'm a plain paint guy. I leave the high detail painting to Marc and Cliff.

A regular pair of needle nose pliers works for me and I've been thru every brand of split ring pliers out there. You just have to find the tool that works best in your hands.

Good looking flat side. We need to discuss a trade sometime. I would like to see the bait in the water up close.

JW, that is a good looking bait and it has that fishy look.

Marc, can't say a thing but great work on both patterns.

I bought the bibs from lurepartsonline and it's the small bib. bosshog, the bait is as perfect as I can make (I think). I've never fished a jitterbug but this one just waddles across the surface with a very nice blurp, blurp sound.

Ben, it's 2.5 inches long, approx 1 inch tall, made from 1 thick stock. I just carved/sanded until it looked like a frog to me. 1/8oz ballast just behind the deepest part of the belly. I do not have a finished weight yet but would guess in the 1/2oz range.

Tried something new and I'm very pleased with the end result. I've always wanted to build a wood frog that can be fished on/over grass. This is my first step in the process. The bait has a great surface wobble at a slow steady pace. Now to catch a few fish with it.

Good looking baits and don't worry about the painting skills. I've been at this for yrs and my painting still sucks (fish don't care). I don't know how you guys can enjoy working with PVC, tried it and still love my balsa wood.

Good looking baits Marc.

That's a nice looking swimbait Cliff.

La shad is cool but the paint work on all the baits look real good.

Here are a few more prop baits and a couple of little cranks.

Here are so new top water baits, jerk baits, and few cranks for good measure.

It's not the size of the bait but the lenght of the lenght of the lip that keeps the bait at the 14ft range. If you go with a circut board lip and stretch it out another 1/2 inch that same bait will run 3-4 feet deeper. It's a great looking diver and I can't wait to see some paint on it.

That's a good looking deep runner. Cool idea of lead right under the lip. How's the action and what depth will it hit?

All the baits look great but #2 really catches my eye. You did an excellent job all around.

I started building cranks to make something different than was on the store self. I like smaller sized baits and did not like what was being sold in the big box stores. I made my first crank with a coping saw, pocket knife, and sand paper. The bait was made of cedar and painted the belly orange and back black. I caught somewhere around 40 bass on that bait and I've never stopped. I use a scroll saw, drill press, compressor, and airbrushes now for building. I still do all my carving/sanding by hand (my fav part of the build). I have no artistic ability but I'm stubborn so I keep trying until I figure out how to paint a pattern I like. The trick with painting is simple, lots and lots of practice.

Kb, You will have to bend lexan bills to match the exact style of lip in the KVD baits. I cut the lip slot at 38 degrees for that style of bait and it works just fine. Install the line tie right on top of the lip and the bait will have a really nice wobble. Glad to see you are making baits again. Send my your address in a PM and I will send 1 of my baits to try.

Very nice bait John, I've got one of the small fish catchers also.