Unique wood plugs

[Daren]

Hi, my name is Daren and I am new to this board. I registered awhile back just because I saw it had a tackle making section. I am an Illinois fisherman , I mostly fish ponds. I had an idea some time ago and I would like some comments (positive or negative, I am O.K. with either). I run a saanother sitell and do a little woodworking. I have for years been saving little pieces of "special" wood, cause I knew one day I would think of a way to use it. I make some simple plugs like the old style wooden lures, but with a twist. I didn't paint them, this is raw wood with just marine varnish. The colors and patterns are in the grain, it is rare stuff like curly maple, curly elm, curly walnut... all figured stock. I think they are cool (I am a real wood nut). Pictures don't do figured wood justice, they look different from any angle almost 3D. Kinda makes them look more organic and alive than paint I think since they have depth.

[Daren]

A little closer shot to show the grain. I may some day want to make these to sell, so I will be asking more questions about that here probably.

[Guest whittler]

Beautiful wood and beautiful work, they really look great.

Daren you must have one heck of a scrap pile with wood like that.

[Daren]

Daren you must have one heck of a scrap pile with wood like that.

Yea, like I said I have a saanother sitell. I try to use every last piece of the good stuff though, it's not easy to come by. I have a 40x40 shed full of regular lumber (walnut, cherry, cedar...) and only a 55 gallon drum of "lure scraps". I am always on the hunt for cool wood. I guess if I run out of wood I can saw up my desk : , it is one solid slab of curly maple 24" wide.

[justtrying]

oh man,

daren, WELCOME!  

you know when someone begins like that, they always want something!  Wheeeeeeeeeee

first, & seriously, your lures look Fan Tas Tic!  almost too pretty to fish.

next - i've just bought a lathe & am building rods.  ..just today was wondering WHERE i could find some scraps of Good wood to make reel seats, etc., out of.   ////now, maybe i know!  LOL

great pics, keep them coming

[thomas]

Great stuff Daren,

Welcome aboard.

thomas

[RollONTwo]

I have to agree with justtrying. They are to nice to fish with however I think you could catch fish with them though  

[Daren]

They are to nice to fish with however I think you could catch fish with them though

YUP, here is proof. This is my fishing buddy (my wife) with a decent bass for Illinois she caught on one of my prop torpedos. I ain't going to pull anyones leg and say "The fishing was tough and that was the only thing in the tackle box that would catchem'". That is not the case, this picture was taken at my Grampa's pond and we are the only ones who fish it and the bass are plum crazy. It is good fishng out there, a guy/gal can set out there and catch 20 of these or bigger in an afternoon. But my lures don't scare the fish away at least, it got this one.

[Daren]

I'm not ALWAYS holding the camera, some times I am holding the fish. This one went for my "chugger" thrown up by a little patch of cattail.

[Brian_Reeves]

I've been looking for some wooden topwater "walk the dog" baits for awhile.  Those look great!  Let me know if you ever get to where you wanna sell a few of those.  I'd pick one or two up.

[justtrying]

daren, daren,

be careful my man,  ...those kind of pictures will have everybody within a 100 mile radius heading over to "gramps pond" LOL

[senko_77]

Those are amazing.  Be sure to send me a PM when you start selling them.  I will buy some of the propped torpedoes.  Excellent looking baits.  Just wondering, do you hand carve them, or do you work with a dremel or power tool?  I just started makin my first wooden baits, and have been using a wood carving knife and sand paper, but i think a dremel will make it easier.

[Daren]

justtrying, that little pond is ate up with good fish. It is only 1 1/2 acres, but I have caught 17 lbs channel cats, 7+ lb bass and 16" crappie there. People always ask me "Are there any fish in your Gampa's pond"...I always say "No, we never did stock it, it's just a swimming pond"

[Keithscatch]

Darren,

Those are fine looking wood baits you have there and sure are unique.

[D.James]

Wow! Simply awsome Daren! i get most of my stock as mill ends from a local cabinet maker. I can't wait till he does something exotic like that! I doubt he'll let me dig through that scrap pile though!

[Captain Cali]

WOW! Those look amazing. Great work!  8-)

[IneedAnewScreenName-i098509]

Those are some great looking lures you have there. I bet they will fetch a pretty penny on Ebay  

[Daren]

I bet they will fetch a pretty penny on Ebay

I thought so too, man was I wrong :-[ , the one I put there went for $.99... I had $2 worth of hardware on it. I could have sold the piece of wood I made it out of to a "ink pen turner" for $1+ I used to sell my scraps to them before I thought of this idea. Oh well, live and learn. The guy who bought it at auction sent me a note freaking out, he couldn't believe how nice it was in person.

My problem now is I spend more time "hunting", hunting for cool wood, than fishing. This stuff isn't broom handle wood 8-).

[Daren]

My "hunting" really paid off earlier this week though. I got my hands on some quilted rock maple, AWESOME stuff, and it was split and stacked in a guys firewood pile. I have been working with wood long enough I can spot the good stuff from 20 paces .  A picture can't do it justice.

[Kayak_Fisher_Greg]

Just wanted to drop a compliment on your work. I'm also curious as to whether you carve, lathe, or dremel. VERY nice work, put me on the buyers list.

[Other.]

Some of those colors would be nice for a crawfish color.

[what]

AMAZING i nkow snook and tarpon will eat it for shure in florida

[BucketmouthAngler13]

does he sell those awsome things? i might want some....

[Daren]

senko77 and Kayak_Fisher_Greg you guys asked how I made them. Here it is, a mini lathe. I also use a belt and drum sander to do some of the work. I have a dust collector hooked up to the set up too. I am a woodworker and my shop is too small, the lathe is srewed to the table top when I am not using it I just fold up the sawhorses and hang the lathe table on the wall to make room for other work. Some day I will have a bigger shop, for now almost everything is portable.

The most important part of my setup is the swivel fishing seat bolted to a barstool base  ;D. So when I am making lures on a nice day instead of fishing at least I still get part of the experience of setting in the boat.