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[cool]Hey, gang. I know we have a lot of creative types who hang out on the BFT boards. I am soliciting input from anyone who is anything liKe I am. I just can't leave anything well enough alone. No matter how good something is "right out of the box", I usually have to mess with it.
I make a lot of my own lures, so I obviously am opinionated as to what a lure should look like or how it should work. I change split rings and hooks, tweak the blades or change them altogether. I bend or shorten wires and thin or trim skirts. On hardbaits, I fine tune the way they run before I ever send them down to talk to the fishies. Sometimes I add spinner blades to lures that were never designed to have spinner blades...or remove them from lures I do not think need them.
I go whacko on plastics. I snip and trim the vibrating tails to create different actions, and I have boxes of permanent markers and plastic paints that I use to add stripes, spots and slashes. In fact, I often buy clear sparkle or plain white or pearl and make my own color combinations.
I am in the process of outlining and writing a piece on lure modifications and just wondered if I have been missing any opportunities. How about it? What are your favorite lures and how do you modify them to work better? I'm not looking for fancy airbrush painting or anything. Just something as simple as subsituting a rear treble for a single hook...or adding feathers...or whatever.
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Hey TD,
With your experience why don't you just solicite them folks that make all this stuff to begin with show them your mods and experiences and get them to make a line of TubeDude specialties? Or start one of your own. I know the folks here would benefit from your expertise.
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[cool]The good news is that I have helped develop several new ideas over the years...especially in colors for plastics and jig heads. The bad news is that I have never received a nickle for it. Kinda like me and Cabelas. I own stock in them...with all my investments...but they don't send me the certificates or dividends.
Seriously, the costs to develop and patent a new lure, and to tool up and go into production, and then packaging, shipping, etc., etc., it is tough to get an idea commercially successful. The only way to put out something new is to take it to the "big boys" and let them steal it from you...for the glory of being able to say it was your idea.
Nope. I am happy fooling around and making stuff for myself and a few friends. No aspirations of fame and fortune.
Do you do anything special with any of your lures or flies?
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TD, yeah I tinker a little, touch up paint, bend the spinner a little, snip off a little of a too long curly tail, but other than that, I'm pretty much a stock user. Since I'm fairly new to fishing technology, but no to fishing. Until I discover BFT, I never gave it all much thought. Now I've got lots to think about...
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Ive got a simple one. On plastic baits that are scent impregnated you can snip off a tiny piece at the end to let the scent out more easily. Ive done this with Senko's and that's the bait I have in mind. It works! I put the time in to test it out. Then again I get better results when I spray the plastic down with bass attractant.
Hope this helps,
Al
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[cool]And, if the fish aren't biting, just snort a couple of lines of crawdad scent.
Here's a hint. Instead of spraying or squirting juice all over your baits all the time, keep a small plastic bag with some attractant inside. When the scent begins to wear off, just dunk the bait in the bag and shake it a few times. You will save a lot of juice and it is not as messy, either.
Some guys put a half dozen of their favorite lures in the scent bag to soak overnight before a trip. Makes "scents" to me.
Just be sure to keep the scent bag separate and don't dunk your cookies in it.
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[cool]Don'tcha just love modern technology?
Just remember. Love is grand. Divorce is ten grand...or more.
Had a buddy once that found out the hard way that fishing and "awful wedded bliss" can be difficult to keep under tha same roof. He used the family washing machine to dye some fur and feathers, for his fly tieing and jig making addiction. Didn't go a good job of cleaning out the washer when he was through. The next load of his wife's "dainties" came out a different color than she put them in...and, well, you can guess how popular my buddy was around that house for awhile. Had to max out his plastic buying new stuff to settle the rough waters.
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Crayfish colored Fruit of the Looms. Now there is one of those ideas you're looking for. LMAO
Good Dying, Kayote
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Hey guys(gals)..If you like tinkering with tackle check out:
[url "http://www.Tackleunderground.com"]WWW.Tackleunderground.com[/url] There is a catagory for what ever lure you mess with!!..Nathan
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[cool]Now, that's my kinda website. Thanks, Nathan.
And, Kayote, about those crawdad BVDs. I ain't gonna go there. How you fish and what you fish for are your own business. Not a good visual to imagine getting a "piercing" to add a split ring and a treble hook. Too kinky for this kid...and I lived in Californy for a long time too.
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