Going For A Minnow - Update 07-19-10

[islandbass]

Going for a Minnow First Attempt To Make A Minnow-Type Bait

After what I humbly call a successful venture in the making of a crankbait from balsa block to finish, I decided to give making a minnow style bait a try.

This is my ugly but inexplicable fish catching crankbait.

Just as I did with the crankbait, I started with a small, rectangular block of balsa. I outlined the shape of the minnow type body. After whittling, carving, and sanding away the unneeded material, I eventually arrived at the desired shape.

The slot for the lip and the hole for the lead have been made. If you're wondering, I accidentally drilled completely through the minnow's body. Fortunately, it is repairable and should not negatively affect the lure.

I took a sheet of lexan and carved out a lip. Since taking this picture, I have sawed off the two vertical angled sides with a coping saw rounded the top with sand paper. It didn't dawn on me to use my Dremel tool make the cuts. Doh!

Also like the first successful crankbait, I am doing this on the fly. In other words, learning as I go. I am relieved that with the weight and lip in place, the bait lists upright in the water.

I plan to use the through wire method. A couple things still undecided is whether to make it a floater or suspender and its color scheme. So far, so good; I hope this works.

[BIG M]

You are well on your way to having a nice jerk bait.

Make a floater and forget about suspending, nearly impossible with balsa wood.   

[NateFollmer]

You are well on your way to having a nice jerk bait.

Make a floater and forget about suspending, nearly impossible with balsa wood.

x2 Make a floater than you can experiment with adding weighed tape and get it close to suspending. Suspending is a tough thing to make, even with plastics. Water temps can effect the buoyancy. 

[islandbass]

Thanks, guys. I did fiddle with suspending last night and said screw it.  ;D

[islandbass]

July 19, 2010 Got through the thru-wire and lip.

I finally got around to shaping the lip into its basic form and forming the through wire body.

Although I was initially apprehensive and reluctant to use 5-minute epoxy (I use 30- minute as a clear coat but didn't want to waste any of it for securing the lip and thru-wire.  It's getting harder to find in my area), I am relieved to now know it is great for use in holding the thru wire in place and gluing on the lip.  5 minutes is plenty of time to secure the thru-wire and the lip.

The next step is to secure the lead ballast and belly hook to the minnow bait, after which I will fill in the belly and hole on top with wood putty.

I am open to any suggestions or ideas for a simple color scheme.  Let me know.

[BIG M]

Foil it and paint the belly white, back in black, with a red throat.   Tried and true color pattern.

[islandbass]

That sounds awesome! Do you have a sample picture of this? I haven't done any foiling type baits, but I think I do have some foil tape. Thanks!

[islandbass]

July 20, 2010 If it floats your boat

This is always the, I sure hope it lists upright and straight in the water, part for me. It would definitely be a major let down if this minnow didn't float upright. I plopped the body into my low-tech testing tank (A CD case lid. Hey, it does the job!).

I think that I am getting the hang of getting the right amount of lead for the bait. It seems to be getting easier.

After filling the holes with wood putty, adding the wire for the belly hook, doing a final sanding and priming the bait comes the hardest part for me Painting!

Oh the irony; I work hard to get this far, and I only have the skills of a first grade art student when it comes to painting.

[BIG M]

Here is a little round bait with foil in that color pattern.

[islandbass]

That is an incredible job!! Thanks, BM.

I have a couple of questions though.

1st epoxy coating - I have been hearing more and more that crankbait makers seal their baits with epoxy before priming. I made my first few baits before knowing about this and wondered what you use for this first coat. I was planning to use DC 2T as the top coat, but to use it for the first coat, I believe might make my bait "thick" and maybe too heavy. May I ask what you use for both the 1st and 2nd coats? I hope it's a one coat treatment for both.

2) Is foil tape the right material to use and how did you pock mark it for the scales. It really looks good.  If I can't figure that out, I might have to forego the foil, but it looks too good to pass up.

Thanks!

[fourbizz]

Use whatever epoxy you want to seal. Thin it with denatured alcohol to a very thin viscosity.

[islandbass]

Alright. Looks like I'm headed to Home Depot. Any ratio preferences or do you just eyeball it? Thanks.

[BIG M]

ibass,

Here is my sealing process start to finish.   1st- I rub a coat of super glue on the bait, makes the wood hard as a rock.  2nd- 1 coat of epoxy, not thinned.

3rd- prime and paint.   4th- Clear coat

Thinned epoxy will work very well for sealing your baits.   There is not enough extra weight to make a difference unless you bait is weighted to max.