Beginner In Need Of Help!!!!!!

[Bass Junkie]

I've been lookin' at all the great baits you guys have been churnin' out and the bait monkey has got me. If ya don't mind, could you guys help a newbie out??? First of all, how do I get wood with the grain across where I wanna put the line tie/ hook hangers/ joints??? And is it okay to just drill holes in the bottom of the bait and insert the weights via that method, then epoxy/ file it to form to the bottom of the bait?? Also, can somebody give me a couple of simple paint patterns for like bluegill and shad??? And any other tips??? I'll take anything I can get. I'm ready and eager to learn!!!! Please help!! Also, I'm fishin' a couple of lake that the bass in aren't really all that big in, one of them with TONS, no MILLIONS of shad. The other one has bluegill. What size should I use here????? I would like maybe a 3 1/2" or 4" shad and a three, three and a half inch bluegill????? Maybe????

[.dsaavedra.]

im not sure about your comment about the grain of the wood...i just use pieces of basswood plywood (which has fine grain, but the plywood is layered with the grains facing alternate directions) and it works just fine for me.

its perfectly fine to drill holes in the bottom of the bait and insert weights (splitshot) that way, i think that is the way most people do it. then just fill over the hole with some filler (i've found sawdust mixed with elmers carpenters glue works great as wood filler) and sand it flush with the bottom of the bait.

as for simple paintjobs, shad is real easy to do. just go to the hardware store, pick up matte white and matte black (or gloss, your choice, i prefer matte). paint the bait (mainly belly and sides) white. then take the black and spray it down the back, and experiment with angle and distance to get the balck to fade down the sides of the bait. once you're satisfied with the white-black transition, put the spray paint down and pick up a paintbrush and the paint of your choice (make sure its compatible with the spray paint you used, i just use acrylic craft paint) and paint on the details, eyes, gills, shad spot, fins, whatever. that will give you a satisfactory shad paintjob and you will keep improving the more you do it.

have fun.

[Bass Junkie]

   Thanks!!! What I meant 'bout the grain is I heard Unc Holmer say that you should put the eyes/ hook hangers through the grain, not with it, for strength. I'll have to checkout more 'bout this, but thanks a whole lot!!!!

[.dsaavedra.]

Thanks!!! What I meant 'bout the grain is I heard Unc Holmer say that you should put the eyes/ hook hangers through the grain, not with it, for strength. I'll have to checkout more 'bout this, but thanks a whole lot!!!!

i dunno who Unc Holmer is, but if you're making your bait out of a solid piece of wood, then it would make sense to drill your holes into the grain, not with it. but with the wood i use, the grain alternates, and it doesn't really make a difference at all  ;D

[islandbass]

Man, that is very exciting!  I can feel your enthusiasm.  First, you need to check out the Tackle Underground. Many folks including myself go there and that is where I learned.

www.tackleunderground.com

There is a wealth of knowledge there. The search function will be very helpful there. You will be able to learn just about everything you need to get you started.

However, I think that it would probably best the easiest to learn to make something like a popper or propeller bait first.

Crankbaits are a different animal and the first few tries can be discouraging.  Well, at least they were for me.

Making a popper would give you experience and boost confidence. They do not require nor do they demand that things be right with little margin for error. You cannot deny the effects of physics, but you can confirm them when your bait lists on one side because the bait as a whole isn't balanced.  ;D You'll know what this means soon enough.  

My first three tries at crankbaits resulted in utter and complete failure and this was about 3.5 years ago. This is not to discourage you but to help you prepare for the trials and tribulations of the trial and error process. On the other hand, the rewards are great.

Keep us posted. Basswood, Cedar and Balsa are commonly used. Best of luck and congrats.  One last warning. This is a very addictive hobby. ;D

[Bass Junkie]

Thanks for the responses guys!!! I'll check out Tackle Underground. I know 'bout the whole discouragement thing, as I tie flies, and have nearly given up 'cause my stuff looked like junk. I can't wait to get started!!!! I DON't need another hobby, but I have an opening on my addiction list. LOL. Thanks again!!!!

P.S. You never heard of Uncle Homer???

[islandbass]

Thanks for the responses guys!!! I'll check out Tackle Underground. I know 'bout the whole discouragement thing, as I tie flies, and have nearly given up 'cause my stuff looked like junk. I can't wait to get started!!!! I DON't need another hobby, but I have an opening on my addiction list. LOL. Thanks again!!!!

P.S. You never heard of Uncle Homer???

Very funny. Glad that you are prepared for anything. Dang, this is exciting even if it's only vicariously on my part!  ;D

That would be pretty tough not to know who Uncle Homer is in bass circles. Even I have heard of him and I've only been fishing for about 5 seasons, but it is possible to not know who he is.

[.dsaavedra.]

well jeez, you're not gonna enlighten me??

i think i may have heard of him. i think i may have seen his crankbait making videos on youtube, unless its someone else i'm thinking of....

[Bass Junkie]

  Homer Circle.....................

[islandbass]

well jeez, you're not gonna enlighten me??

i think i may have heard of him. i think i may have seen his crankbait making videos on youtube, unless its someone else i'm thinking of....

Honestly, I thought you were being sarcastic about know who Homer Circle was. Sorry! Anyway he is well known in Bass Circles (pardon the pun regarding his last name) who has written many articles and a book called, "Circle on Bass."

If you have ever picked up a copy of bassmasster magazine, there is a good chance you might have read the section, Ask Uncle Homer.

Sorry for the digression!

[Bass Junkie]

  Also, how do I know the swimbait will swim right? Do I just carve and hope?? And where do I get wood? Does tree type matter??? Sorry if this a lot of ?'s, I'm just bustin' at the seems to get goin'!!!!! :D :D :D

[.dsaavedra.]

yeah, i have never read a bassmaster's in my life lol. i don't think Homer Circle was who i saw on youtube... :-/

anyway, with swimbaits, its kinda just carve and hope ;D there are some things that will increase your chances at getting a good swimmer, but they just seem to well....swim on their own!

some things that i have found will make a swimbait swim are using the least amount of weight as you can get away with, keeping the weight concentrated in the head/middle, and keeping the weight close to joints.

if you put weight in your tail sections then it just makes it that much harder for these to start swinging around underwater.

also, with swimbaits, perfect symmetry seems to make them just come straight through the water....

as for wood, i like basswood a lot. its easy to carve, easy to sand, very forgiving (compared to the also popular balsa wood). basswood is also easily available locally.

[Bass Junkie]

 OK. Thanks for the help. I just started a single joint sunfish swimbait. I am using Beach wood for strength, and putting the screw eyes with the grain instead of trough the grain lik I'd like to. If I cut the wood like I want it i splits with the grain :-/ I am using mainly a draw knife and sanding paper at present. Its a blast. Will report more soon. Anybody else wanna throw in a tip or two??? If so, feelfree to.............LOL.

[.dsaavedra.]

its probably better that you're making the bait with grain running head to tail. if you made the bait with cross grain, it would be more prone to snapping in half.

[Bass Junkie]

  Yeah, I kinda figured that out............ :-/ Hey, live and learn. I'll (hopefully) be doing more on it today.