Fishing Forum

Hi, I bought some tackle craft items and I admit, I didn't know enough and I failed on some sizes. The biggest fail was the body size/weight, and the blade size. I bought #3 willow, (to small right?) and .20oz bodies (to big) #3 clevises, .040 wire. and some 3/16" hollow brass beads. I bought the hooks in town, don't know what size. I cut a piece off of a body to make it smaller and lighter. When I put it all together, My blade won't spin, I later made part of the body thinner with a grinder, but it didn't work. Today I went and tried it out in a small pond we have, and it didn't work (last night we were trying it in a tub [laugh] ). What is the problem? Sizes? Is the clevis too big for the blade (I had to pinch the part where the wire goes through to get it through the blade, obviously it wasn't made for that blade,but it still spins fine when you turn it by hand), but would that affect the spin? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks, Claudio
[signature]

Hey Cladio,
I know nothing of how to make the lures you speak of, but what I do know is there is a forum devoted to making tackle and such. You would probably get a quicker answer there.
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/gforum.cgi?forum=128"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/gforum.cgi?forum=128[/url]
[signature]

ok, I'll post there, thanks!
[signature]

that is a good board to go to,

first thing that comes to mind is you are reeling in to slow.

second thing is the clevis may be to small for the wire you are using, there needs to be lots of slop between the wire and the clevis holes. also when holding your lure upright, the blad should be vitical along side the body of your lure.

to make your lure lighter, use plastic beads insted of brass.

If you can, post a pic of what you are making, If I can see it, I can probably tell you right off what the problem is just from the photo.

I think I have one I made laying around the house, I will see if I can find it and post a photo for you here.
[signature]

You can click on the photo to see a larger asembly veiw.

note the clearance inside the clevis,
[signature]

Here goes. Maybe you're right that the wire might be too thick for the clevis, but it spins fine when you turn it by hand. It seems to me that the clevis is too big for the blade (the clevis loop where the wire goes through, had to be flattened somewhat to get the blade through.) Thanks, Claudio
[signature]

well you just identified the problem, and your photo confirms it.

two problems, Crushed Clevis and Cheep Steel.

Clevises are cheep, I would save those and go buy another packet a little smaller.

squishing the loop where the wire goes though even tho is spins freely, it dosnt when you add in all the other factors when passing though the water.

I would deffenantly go with a smaller wire, you can go to Michells hobby craft or order from them on line. they have a nice sturdy stainless steel braclett wire that is .26g , that is the same wire you see in my photo, It comes in coil form, difficult to work with but is well worth the effort.

You can if push comes to shove, put the blade in between a doubled over sock in a vice and take a smaller than the hole drill and oblong the hole so you can get the clevis though with out damaging the clevis.

the reason for going with stainless is that it has a super fine micro finish that dose not drag on the workings of the clevis, it wont rust, it wont cake up and oxidize like regular steel. And it is relitively cheep.

you can call to find the nearest store or order from them over the phone.

by phone: 1-800-MICHAELS.
[signature]

I just checked with Cabela's,

they have two products that will work better for you than what I first suggested and what you have.

I think I will order a couple packets of the first one for my self, maybe even a packet of the second one just for good measures. For those prices it is well worth the labor savings.

Stainless Closed Loop Wire Shafts

[ul][/ul]
The Stainless Steel Closed Loop Wire Shafts provide maximum protection against rust and corrosion even in saltwater. Variety of lengths to serve your needs. Per 100.
Diameter: .026"
Lengths: 3", 3-1/2", 4", 6", 8".
Regular Price: $10.99 - $14.99

---

Stainless Open Loop Wire Shafts

[ul][/ul]
The Stainless Steel Open Loop Wire Shafts provide maximum protection against rust and corrosion even in saltwater. Variety of lengths to serve your needs. Per 100.
Diameter: .026".
Lengths: 3", 3-1/2", 4", 6", 8".
Regular Price: $5.99 - $9.99
[signature]

Thanks a lot for all your help! I'll try what you said about making the hole oblong, and I'll polish the wire with polishing cream. Yes, the wire is too thick, this problem is due to my ignorance and not having asked on a forum about the combination of products before buying. The problem is that I live in Costa Rica, and I can't get tackle craft items in my town, maybe I can get some out in the central plateau. I got a friend to bring these down from the US. The place where I bought the wire claimed that it was stainless steel, I know it looks more like galvanized. So you think it isn't stainless? I don't want to spend more on this, at least not right now, so I'll see if I can make this work. Thanks again! Claudio
[signature]

here is a helper for ya,

you dont have to use steel wire,

a heavy gage fishing line will work just fine. I make them that way too, "with out the heavy brass head"

for this you will need to know how to tie a snell knot and a loop knot.

[url "javascript:;"][/url]

here is a pic of one I made with a heavy gage fishing line. you can use any thing from 15 pound test to 75+ test fishing line.

as for the wire you have being stainless, looks can be deceiving - there are so many different grades of stainless, it looks like bailing wire to me, but I could be wrong.

Fortunatly there is a way to test it, grab your self a glass of rain water, cut a peice of wire and set it in the rain water, Let it set for a week, if it starts to rust it is not stainless.
[signature]

Finally some success. I got one to spin, only I have to add more weight in order for it to ride lower. Since I have to reel it in fast, I comes too far up, I didn't use one of the brass bodies, but only beads. I polished the wire with polishing cream, did what you said about the oblong hole, and added a bigger (bigger than my brass hollow) bead at the top. It's probably the first "jeweled" spinner in the world, since my sister gave me a faceted glass bead from a bracelet that she bought to get the beads off. [laugh]

I didn't know that a person can substitute with fishing line. Good thing to know. I'll have to try the wire in water. It's certainly hard wire, and that = hard to work with. Thanks again for your help! I hope to catch a fish the size of the one in the picture one of these times. [] I haven't had very great luck since I have started fishing again. We used to have a pond with some "tilapia" in it, so I used to catch there, although I can't tell how big the biggest one I have caught was, I was small back then.... Claudio
[signature]

adding more weight makes it go faster, that will be a problem for you, many fish do not agressivly chase after fast moving baits, "other than cisco or musky"

you may still want to hang on to it only to serve as a reminder of mistakes made.

adding feather strands to your trebble works well. you can use any kind of thread so long as you use super glue or a wax to seal it. It dont have to be pretty to work. [:p] I pick up feathers I find all the time. Crow, pheasant, goose, chicken of all colors.

Half the fun of fishing is making a lure to catch them.. at least it is for me.. I just luv it when something I make works. [cool] I have even carved plugs out of cedar branches. With little sucess I might add. I have made my share of duds. The upside is that I wasnt out anything, not even time cuz I lernt something for my efforts. and all the components are still in working order.[:p]

many times nessesity is the mother of invention, if you have access to wealding materials, brazing rod wooks.

the trick is making a pattern and finding a presentation to accomidate the pattern. Every lure has a presentation that works best. some times thay have several.

heavy spinner lures are genneral used for trolling behind a boat in deap water 20-40 feet.

If your casting you are right, you want something that has a slower presentation.

Are you in an area where there are tackle shops? If not you might have a prime oppertunity to start a tackle shop with the things you make. We used to have tackle shops around me when I was a kid that had shop made lures, that was till the big box stores ran them out of business with cheep imports.

Even a part time lure shop or cart may do a little busness in the right spot. Provided you can make something that will catch fish.
[signature]

I haven't given up yet, although you could probably tell me that I'll never manage to make anything good with the components I have, with all your experience. I made one just today, I'll probably go try it out tomorrow Lord willing. Yes, I am casting, but maybe the weight I added isn't enough to make a problem. I should have bought French blades, I have a spinner that was given me, that has a French blade, and it spins so easily.
I can imagine it would be fun to catch a fish with a bait one makes, I hope to experience it some day. :-)
I have access to welding materials, but I don't know if there is the kind that you mean.
In my town there is a nice sports store that has a fishing section, and they sell tackle. Apparently somebody makes at least some of the in-line spinners that they sell there. I had thought of making lures and selling them to them, but with the start I got at tackle craft..... and I don't know if they would buy them anyway. I was there today, and was there the other day and bought Mustad Ultra Line 19-point-whatever lb test, for my spinning reel, also bought there. (I got the reel as a birthday gift ) And yes, "Provided you can make something that will catch fish." Exactly what remains to be seen. [laugh]
[signature]

hint... hint... hint....

colorado blades spin best. []

that is the type that I used in the above photo
[signature]

Aha...you are ambitious. i hope you can make something that can catch fish and sell them well. Good Luck.
[signature]