Spinnerbait Assembly

[Zebco202]

Question:

I've been painting my own jigs for a couple of weeks now and I've got the hang of everything.  So now I'm ready to move into the world of spinnerbait making.  I'm not interested in pouring them, too much mess so I'm planning to order some unpainted from Jann's or Stamina.  I know how to paint them but my question concerns putting them together once they are painted.  The skirt I can handle, but how do you attache the blades?  What are do I need to be able to do this?  Can any one here give me a little step by step on spinnerbait assembly?

Many Thanks!!

[dink]

If you have already mastered the painting part, the rest is simple.  Obviously you will need some beads, spacers, swivels (ball bearing type preferably), clevises (hangers for the front blade) and of course a good selection of blades.  I came up with my own blade configurations by looking at existing ones on the market.  This is where trial and error can be a little expensive yet fun nonetheless.  As for bending the wire into a loop at the end for the swivel, I searched out a pair of craft pliers specifically for wire bending.  They look like needle-nose pliers except the jaws have no grooves or flat sides where they should mesh.  They are both perfectly round and make a nice even loop on spinnnerbaits.  Remember, let your imagination run wild and have fun with it.  One of my favorite baits that I make is a 1/2 oz white tandem Colorado/willow white blades, but the Colorado blade is a little oversized.  I was told by a bait shop owner/tournament fisherman that it would not run right like that.  Three 6s later, I still don't believe him.  Happy building.

[Zebco202]

Dink,

Thanks for the tips.  Can I get those pliers that you are talking about from Jann's or Stamina?

That was really my question because I could not understand how you attached the blades to the wire arm.  So I just attache a blade and then loop the wire around to hold it in place??

[dink]

I got my pliers at Walmart in the craft section. Assembly instructions for tandem-blade baits:

1. On the arm of the spinnerbait, start by sliding on a bead.

2. Now put on the clevis (hanger for the front blade) with the front blade already hanging on it with the cupped side AWAY from the head of the bait.

3. Now add another bead and a spacer and another bead or two or three or four etc. but not too many, you still have some bending to do .

4. Grab the end of the wire arm with pliers leaving a little stem (1/16th of an inch) sticking out the other side of the pliers (meaning don't grab the VERY end)

5. Hold the bait and pliers very firmly and twist (quickly and smoothly) the "stem" around to touch itself (the wire arm).

6. On the loop you just made, you can now attach the ball bearing swivel with the split rings already on it. Note: Make sure the spinning half of the swivel is toward the rear blade.

7. Last, attach the rear blade to the spinning side of the swivel.

8. Put a skirt on it.

9. Catch a fish.

Have fun

Dink

P.S. For a single blade bait, skip to step 4.

[Zebco202]

Dink-

You da man.  That was exactly what I was looking for.  I think it's time for me and bait monkey to surf over to jann's and pick up a few things.

Many thanks!!

[SuthernProg]

I'm waiting for my Stamina componenets to arrive in the mail. It looks exciting and the possibilities are endless. It'll be really cool catching a bass on a bait I designed.

Prog

[Vyron]

Also check http://www.tackleunderground.com/ for additional info

[billco]

You won't want to stop once you get that first fish on your own creation. My own pb 6lb 7oz large mouth on a home made spinner bait.

bill