Lincoln stuff

[TubeDude]

TD, At least you are getting PDF's to post.  Maybe this site will get up to speed.

I can't even remember how long ago I bought my first Float Jigs.  There were styrofoam I think, the paint they used came off, etc., etc., but even back in the 80's they caught fish.  The bigest problem I had was that they didn't make the ones I wanted that would hold up a big chunk of cut bait.

I'm working on that now.     If we get locked out of work like everyone else, I guess I will have lots of time to tinker.

PS, just playing with the features trying to figure it out.

Yeah.  Finally figured out all the hoops to jump through to post a PDF file.  But the maximum size is 2 mb.  Most who know me and my style know that 2mb is a small file for me.  So I have had to break a few of them up into two parts in order to post them.  And the system treats pictures and other files as separate entities.  And you can't attach anything besides pictures to a PM.  Shall I keep going?  Oh well, we gotta be thankful for what we got.  We could have lost the whole forum.

I hear ya on the big chunks of cut bait.  I found some EVA foam in 1.5" and 2" thick sheets that I use to punch out 1/2" plugs.  I put these on big 5/0 and 6/0 hooks...to make Gorilla fligs and Kong fligs.  They hold a LOT of bait.  They work well for big cats and are even being used for sturgeon.  And then there are the "Santee" rigs...using a large pegged float ahead of a big circle hook.  I make a lot of those floats too.

[a_bow_nut]

They hold a LOT of bait.  They work well for big cats and are even being used for sturgeon. 

I can attest to that.

[fast_randy]

I haven't tried making the big ones yet, Just the medium size. That's why want to buy some from you. I think mine are starting to look ok. I just need a couple of days of fair wether so I can camp in a tent at Lincoln Beach. I will email you. 

[TubeDude]

I haven't tried making the big ones yet, Just the medium size. That's why want to buy some from you. I think mine are starting to look ok. I just need a couple of days of fair wether so I can camp in a tent at Lincoln Beach. I will email you. 

The paint jobs look great.  Two thoughts.  One is that the hooks look like regular jig hooks.  If you can find some big 4/0 or 5/0 heavy bass jig hooks...at least 2X strong...they will hold up better against big kitties.  I scored a bunch of the big 8/0 hooks I use for the Kong fligs and I will gladly sell you a few at a good price if you want some.

Second, on the bigger hooks you can use a longer piece of foam.  Get a 1.5" thick pad...or cut a 1.5" - 2" piece off the end of your 1" pad and then cut plugs down through that piece from the side.  Attached is a pic of how I make 2" plugs.  Use the same principle for 1.5" plugs cut from 1" foam pads.

[Anglinarcher]

I just don't have the time for all of my hobbies so I have to look for semi-production ways to crank stuff out.  

I got some Gamies in 4/0 (couldn't get TD's 8/0 over the counter), some wine corks from a hardware store, and cut the grove.  Glued them in with some epoxy, shapped them to the shapes and sizes I wanted (4 different floatations), sealed them with some wood filler and sanded down, sealed with some clear fingernail polish.  

When floating they should have more of a minnow profile verses a sphere or cylinder and have an open gap.  They are designed to "cam" into the jaw when pulled past the "lips".  

Now, when I have that thing they call time (I know I use to have some of that), I'll get the material ready and make molds.  I have two different floating foams, one hard and one soft, both more boyant then EVA but only time will tell if they are strong enough.  I'll add pictures of the molds as they are made.  Once the mods are created, I can pour 4 jigs in about 5 minutes so cranking them out will be easy.  Will take longer to paint them.

TD, I know the Santee Cooper rigs catch fish, but I'm not sure that they are better then FLIGS (do you have FLIGS copyrighted yet, I'm pretty sure it is your creation? lol  Am I allowed to use that name?).  If I decide later to make them I'll have to decide if it's worth the effort.  They are fairly easy to buy on-line as peg floats.

You know, I feel I am a pretty good lure designer, good maker, LOUSY painter.  I many never post that picture.  

[fast_randy]

I didn't have any copper to make a hole cutter. So I cut the foam pad to length. And then just cut them in strips so you have little rectangles. And then I just trim the corners with scissors. And then take the rotor tool to it for final shaping.

[TubeDude]

I just don't have the time for all of my hobbies so I have to look for semi-production ways to crank stuff out.  

I got some Gamies in 4/0 (couldn't get TD's 8/0 over the counter), some wine corks from a hardware store, and cut the grove.  Glued them in with some epoxy, shapped them to the shapes and sizes I wanted (4 different floatations), sealed them with some wood filler and sanded down, sealed with some clear fingernail polish.  

When floating they should have more of a minnow profile verses a sphere or cylinder and have an open gap.  They are designed to "cam" into the jaw when pulled past the "lips".  

Now, when I have that thing they call time (I know I use to have some of that), I'll get the material ready and make molds.  I have two different floating foams, one hard and one soft, both more boyant then EVA but only time will tell if they are strong enough.  I'll add pictures of the molds as they are made.  Once the mods are created, I can pour 4 jigs in about 5 minutes so cranking them out will be easy.  Will take longer to paint them.

TD, I know the Santee Cooper rigs catch fish, but I'm not sure that they are better then FLIGS (do you have FLIGS copyrighted yet, I'm pretty sure it is your creation? lol  Am I allowed to use that name?).  If I decide later to make them I'll have to decide if it's worth the effort.  They are fairly easy to buy on-line as peg floats.

You know, I feel I am a pretty good lure designer, good maker, LOUSY painter.  I many never post that picture.  

My philosophy is that if the fish vote for it, it doesn't matter how purty your paint jobs are to other fisherfolk.  I don't believe that fish (especially catfish) have to have an anatomically accurate paint job of their fave food before they will munch something.  Truth is that if they like the sweetener (bait) the flig or float is just a "BDS"...bait delivery system.  But I have proven to my own satisfaction that there are times and places where one color pattern works better than some others.

I like the idea of molding your own foam bodies.  It costs a bit to get set up with materials and molds, but if you are going to be making a lot it can be a worthwhile investment.  I have the cutting, shaping, hooking and painting "down Pat", but it would still be nice to shorten the process.

We have quite a few Utah cataholics fishing a variety of rigs...including the Santee.  Like everything fishing, these things are a subjective subject.  Some swear by them.  Some swear at them.  I know they work, but somehow I just prefer fishing fligs, and getting those hard hook-setting strikes.

And yes, "FLIG" is my original term for floating jigs...but I have not trademarked it.  Never planned to go commercial.  Don't care of anybody else uses it...unless they try to trademark it away from me.  Then I might get rankled.

If you would like a few of the 8/0 hooks, I can "hook you up".

[Anglinarcher]

I didn't have any copper to make a hole cutter. So I cut the foam pad to length. And then just cut them in strips so you have little rectangles. And then I just trim the corners with scissors. And then take the rotor tool to it for final shaping.

You did well. 

You can take a rotor tool (Dremel for the rest of us) and insert a drill bit down the center of the foam, then insert the drill into the Dremel (a little rubber cement restricts the turning a little) and take a piece of 80 grit sand paper adn lightly apply and it works like a lathe.  You can make a cylinder pretty quickly.  I like TD's method, but getting scrap copper is not always easy and new copper plumbing pieces from Home Depot and the likes can be expensive.

---

I just don't have the time for all of my hobbies so I have to look for semi-production ways to crank stuff out.  

I got some Gamies in 4/0 (couldn't get TD's 8/0 over the counter), some wine corks from a hardware store, and cut the grove.  Glued them in with some epoxy, shapped them to the shapes and sizes I wanted (4 different floatations), sealed them with some wood filler and sanded down, sealed with some clear fingernail polish.  

When floating they should have more of a minnow profile verses a sphere or cylinder and have an open gap.  They are designed to "cam" into the jaw when pulled past the "lips".  

Now, when I have that thing they call time (I know I use to have some of that), I'll get the material ready and make molds.  I have two different floating foams, one hard and one soft, both more boyant then EVA but only time will tell if they are strong enough.  I'll add pictures of the molds as they are made.  Once the mods are created, I can pour 4 jigs in about 5 minutes so cranking them out will be easy.  Will take longer to paint them.

TD, I know the Santee Cooper rigs catch fish, but I'm not sure that they are better then FLIGS (do you have FLIGS copyrighted yet, I'm pretty sure it is your creation? lol  Am I allowed to use that name?).  If I decide later to make them I'll have to decide if it's worth the effort.  They are fairly easy to buy on-line as peg floats.

You know, I feel I am a pretty good lure designer, good maker, LOUSY painter.  I many never post that picture.  

My philosophy is that if the fish vote for it, it doesn't matter how purty your paint jobs are to other fisherfolk.  I don't believe that fish (especially catfish) have to have an anatomically accurate paint job of their fave food before they will munch something.  Truth is that if they like the sweetener (bait) the flig or float is just a "BDS"...bait delivery system.  But I have proven to my own satisfaction that there are times and places where one color pattern works better than some others.

I like the idea of molding your own foam bodies.  It costs a bit to get set up with materials and molds, but if you are going to be making a lot it can be a worthwhile investment.  I have the cutting, shaping, hooking and painting "down Pat", but it would still be nice to shorten the process.

We have quite a few Utah cataholics fishing a variety of rigs...including the Santee.  Like everything fishing, these things are a subjective subject.  Some swear by them.  Some swear at them.  I know they work, but somehow I just prefer fishing fligs, and getting those hard hook-setting strikes.

And yes, "FLIG" is my original term for floating jigs...but I have not trademarked it.  Never planned to go commercial.  Don't care of anybody else uses it...unless they try to trademark it away from me.  Then I might get rankled.

If you would like a few of the 8/0 hooks, I can "hook you up".

Once I get my mold complete, we can trade some completed 4/0 fLIGS for a few 8/0 hooks. 

I agree on the BDS.  I just don't like the way the bait hangs directly below the float.  I feel I get interference from the line and sometimes get hooks bumped out of the way.  You did say "sware at" didn't you.

I actually wish I could get some 8/0 circle jig hooks to make some specility fFLIGS out of.  I love the results I get with circle hooks when I don't have to gut hook them.  It takes some practice to learn to let them turn and move away, and it is not a method to be used everyplace, but......

You wouldn't have some circle jig hooks laying around would you.  LOL

[TubeDude]

I didn't have any copper to make a hole cutter. So I cut the foam pad to length. And then just cut them in strips so you have little rectangles. And then I just trim the corners with scissors. And then take the rotor tool to it for final shaping.

You did well. 

You can take a rotor tool (Dremel for the rest of us) and insert a drill bit down the center of the foam, then insert the drill into the Dremel (a little rubber cement restricts the turning a little) and take a piece of 80 grit sand paper adn lightly apply and it works like a lathe.  You can make a cylinder pretty quickly.  I like TD's method, but getting scrap copper is not always easy and new copper plumbing pieces from Home Depot and the likes can be expensive.

---

I just don't have the time for all of my hobbies so I have to look for semi-production ways to crank stuff out.  

I got some Gamies in 4/0 (couldn't get TD's 8/0 over the counter), some wine corks from a hardware store, and cut the grove.  Glued them in with some epoxy, shapped them to the shapes and sizes I wanted (4 different floatations), sealed them with some wood filler and sanded down, sealed with some clear fingernail polish.  

When floating they should have more of a minnow profile verses a sphere or cylinder and have an open gap.  They are designed to "cam" into the jaw when pulled past the "lips".  

Now, when I have that thing they call time (I know I use to have some of that), I'll get the material ready and make molds.  I have two different floating foams, one hard and one soft, both more boyant then EVA but only time will tell if they are strong enough.  I'll add pictures of the molds as they are made.  Once the mods are created, I can pour 4 jigs in about 5 minutes so cranking them out will be easy.  Will take longer to paint them.

TD, I know the Santee Cooper rigs catch fish, but I'm not sure that they are better then FLIGS (do you have FLIGS copyrighted yet, I'm pretty sure it is your creation? lol  Am I allowed to use that name?).  If I decide later to make them I'll have to decide if it's worth the effort.  They are fairly easy to buy on-line as peg floats.

You know, I feel I am a pretty good lure designer, good maker, LOUSY painter.  I many never post that picture.  

My philosophy is that if the fish vote for it, it doesn't matter how purty your paint jobs are to other fisherfolk.  I don't believe that fish (especially catfish) have to have an anatomically accurate paint job of their fave food before they will munch something.  Truth is that if they like the sweetener (bait) the flig or float is just a "BDS"...bait delivery system.  But I have proven to my own satisfaction that there are times and places where one color pattern works better than some others.

I like the idea of molding your own foam bodies.  It costs a bit to get set up with materials and molds, but if you are going to be making a lot it can be a worthwhile investment.  I have the cutting, shaping, hooking and painting "down Pat", but it would still be nice to shorten the process.

We have quite a few Utah cataholics fishing a variety of rigs...including the Santee.  Like everything fishing, these things are a subjective subject.  Some swear by them.  Some swear at them.  I know they work, but somehow I just prefer fishing fligs, and getting those hard hook-setting strikes.

And yes, "FLIG" is my original term for floating jigs...but I have not trademarked it.  Never planned to go commercial.  Don't care of anybody else uses it...unless they try to trademark it away from me.  Then I might get rankled.

If you would like a few of the 8/0 hooks, I can "hook you up".

Once I get my mold complete, we can trade some completed 4/0 fLIGS for a few 8/0 hooks. 

I agree on the BDS.  I just don't like the way the bait hangs directly below the float.  I feel I get interference from the line and sometimes get hooks bumped out of the way.  You did say "sware at" didn't you.

I actually wish I could get some 8/0 circle jig hooks to make some specility fFLIGS out of.  I love the results I get with circle hooks when I don't have to gut hook them.  It takes some practice to learn to let them turn and move away, and it is not a method to be used everyplace, but......

You wouldn't have some circle jig hooks laying around would you.  LOL

I would be happy to trade you some of my 8/0 hooks just for the completed lure bodies...without the hooks.  Or I could provide some hooks in advance and you could pour the bodies on them.  See the attached pic for the type and size of the hooks I use.  Believe me, they are tough.  Can't bend them with 50 pound line.  And even at about 50 cents apiece they are still less costly than Gammys...especially in that size.

I have had mixed results with circle hooks.  I find them to be a better option when using a Santee rig than with fligs.  Almost all of the fish I catch on fligs are hooked in the corners of their mouths...just as with circle hooks.  The incidence of swallowing the whole bait and flig are about as rare as having them swallow a circle hook.  And the angle of pull on those big 60 degree bend flig hooks makes them "cam" into the corners of the mouth almost as well as circle hooks.  The attraction quality of the fligs on bait seems to make the fish chomp hard and head away from you perfectly.  One second the rod is straight and the next bendo. Most strikes  result in self-hooked fish...and in the corner of the mouth.

---

I didn't have any copper to make a hole cutter. So I cut the foam pad to length. And then just cut them in strips so you have little rectangles. And then I just trim the corners with scissors. And then take the rotor tool to it for final shaping.

As with all journeys, it matters less how you get there than that you make it to the desired destination.  Sounds like a workable solution to me.  I recall my own first efforts at "fligonometry" and I assure you I tried some pretty whacked out ideas until I found the best ways to get 'em done with the materials and tools at hand. 

Since I build rods I usually have a lot of different sizes pieces of rod blanks available for plug cutting.  But I also have some odds and ends of metal tubing...accumulated over the years as a homeowner and tinkerer.  If ya got it...use it.  If ya don't got it, find a workaround.

[Anglinarcher]

An update on making fLIGS from pourable foam.

[TubeDude]

Definitely looks like a good way to get formed foam bodies.  My only concern would be for the density and rigidity of that foam.  Not all foams are created equal.  And big kitties are not kind to wimpy fligs...or even to sturdy ones.

[Anglinarcher]

Ya, I agree.  I have three different foams, two rigid and one flexible.  I have used all before for some pretty nasty creatures, including some Wolf Fish lures and some Peacock bass lures.

Still, some of the Kitties have about broke my hand if I get it inside and they clamp down, so ..........

Will have to give them a test.  Got to break some eggs to ...... I mean foam.

[Anglinarcher]

OK, ready to start pouring.  It turns out I have three foams I can test. 

One is a flexible foam that will bend and flex, yet float well.

One is a ridgid foam, about the density of balsa, but a bit stronger.  It will be interesting to see if this one works.

The third, AlumiFoam, is stronger then most wood, floats well, but not as well as the other two.  I have tested this with a hammer and it almost can't be broken.  Strong stuff.  If it floats well enough, this one will work.

Close, very close.  I will let the silicone cure one more day.
any driver policy

[Anglinarcher]

OK, I could not stand doing nothing today, so I molded early, not waiting the full cure time for the mold.  It works, but may cost some long term durability.

The top left two are the original cork boddied jigs, sanded to shape, sealed with wood sealer, coated with clear nail polish so they release better when molded.

The ones below them are made with Alumifoam.  That stuff is super tough.  It has a density of about .47 g/cc.  Two have hooks but two will be for cutting and inserting other hooks.  It is rated at 20 pounds per cubic foot.

The row to the right is made with Alumilite 610 foam.  It has a density of about .24 g/cc, or about half that of Alumifoam.  My testing of this stuff shows that it is at least as strong as tough Balsa.  There are different grades of balsa and this stuff is not the cheep model airplane balsa.  Think of floating Rapalas and the stuff they are made of.  It is rated at 6 pounds per cubic foot.

Third row is Alumilite Flexible foam.  I have not done density test on it, and toughness is going to be hard to compare.  I guess fishing is the best test.  The stuf is like a super light, closed cell, very very small cell foam.  Think a firm bead topper, but smaller poors.  It is rated for as heavy as 8 pounds for cubic foot, but as light as 3 pounds per cubic foot.  It is probably in the middle.

[TubeDude]

OK, I could not stand doing nothing today, so I molded early, not waiting the full cure time for the mold.  It works, but may cost some long term durability.

The top left two are the original cork boddied jigs, sanded to shape, sealed with wood sealer, coated with clear nail polish so they release better when molded.

The ones below them are made with Alumifoam.  That stuff is super tough.  It has a density of about .47 g/cc.  Two have hooks but two will be for cutting and inserting other hooks.  It is rated at 20 pounds per cubic foot.

The row to the right is made with Alumilite 610 foam.  It has a density of about .24 g/cc, or about half that of Alumifoam.  My testing of this stuff shows that it is at least as strong as tough Balsa.  There are different grades of balsa and this stuff is not the cheep model airplane balsa.  Think of floating Rapalas and the stuff they are made of.  It is rated at 6 pounds per cubic foot.

Third row is Alumilite Flexible foam.  I have not done density test on it, and toughness is going to be hard to compare.  I guess fishing is the best test.  The stuf is like a super light, closed cell, very very small cell foam.  Think a firm bead topper, but smaller poors.  It is rated for as heavy as 8 pounds for cubic foot, but as light as 3 pounds per cubic foot.  It is probably in the middle.

Lookin' good.  Now paint 'em up purty and introduce them to some cantankerois catfish.  I have no doubt they will work.