This "Is" The Place!

[numbskull]

No, I didn't. My weights are high (3/4" x 3/8" I think) and drilled thru. I don't, however, think that the location of the belly weight makes much difference in roll (I could easily be wrong). I think most of it is from the width of the lip and line tie location.

Those lefty lips hanging low below the chin seem to create a lot of roll in thin swimmers. I wouldn't sweat it, however. Your plug is very close to the ones I've been fishing for the last 4-5 years. They are so unstable they will barrel roll with a twitch, and most won't stay on top like I had intended (altough widening the belly a bit changes that), but man oh man do they fish well in quiet water and have taken several fish over 40 lbs (there is a pic of one in this past years fish/plug thread) as well as a handful of fish in the thirtys.

I've found that solid white or solid purple fish particularly well.
You may have trouble keeping them slow enough with spinning tackle.
Skinny is good. I think mine are mostly about 1.17" mid section, but I've built several closer to 1.25 that swim much better (on top) with a little less weight (1/2 x 3/8 I think) and have proven better daytime plugs. At night I stick with the unstable slightly subsurface stuff....and don't have any reason to change.

[eskimo]

Originally Posted by numbskull

No, I didn't. My weights are high (3/4" x 3/8" I think) and drilled thru. I don't, however, think that the location of the belly weight makes much difference in roll (I could easily be wrong). I think most of it is from the width of the lip and line tie location.

Those lefty lips hanging low below the chin seem to create a lot of roll in thin swimmers. I wouldn't sweat it, however. Your plug is very close to the ones I've been fishing for the last 4-5 years. They are so unstable they will barrel roll with a twitch, and most won't stay on top like I had intended (altough widening the belly a bit changes that), but man oh man do they fish well in quiet water and have taken several fish over 40 lbs (there is a pic of one in this past years fish/plug thread) as well as a handful of fish in the thirtys.

I've found that solid white or solid purple fish particularly well.
You may have trouble keeping them slow enough with spinning tackle.
Skinny is good. I think mine are mostly about 1.17" mid section, but I've built several closer to 1.25 that swim much better (on top) with a little less weight (1/2 x 3/8 I think) and have proven better daytime plugs. At night I stick with the unstable slightly subsurface stuff....and don't have any reason to change.

Interesting info. Did you tail weight the slimmer version you made? I tapered the tail down rather then weight it. I made some tail weighted last season and preferred them as the plug swam a little more level. Although the non tail weighted version seemed a little better in stirred up conditions as the lip was able to bite better being faced down. Both had their place.

I was actually thinking of bumping up the lip a little more then original 1/16". maybe getting a few pre-bent lefty lips from M&D's would allow it be bent lower leaving less hanging below the plug. Just a thought.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by eskimo

Interesting info. Did you tail weight the slimmer version you made? I tapered the tail down rather then weight it. I made some tail weighted last season and preferred them as the plug swam a little more level. Although the non tail weighted version seemed a little better in stirred up conditions as the lip was able to bite better being faced down. Both had their place.

I was actually thinking of bumping up the lip a little more then original 1/16". maybe getting a few pre-bent lefty lips from M&D's would allow it be bent lower leaving less hanging below the plug. Just a thought.

No, I didn't tail weight any, but the weight is somewhat back from midline (I forget how much). I also built them out of ayc so they are a bit heavier than pine and weigh about 3oz. They cast well for what they are.

This thread has a picture at the end of an early version of the plug
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...numbskull.html

[eskimo]

wow, I never saw that thread G. A belated congrats.

The reference plug is a large BM danny right? 8" or so not the 6.5"?

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by eskimo

wow, I never saw that thread G. A belated congrats.

The reference plug is a large BM danny right? 8" or so not the 6.5"?

Right, the 8" (actually they're 7.5" I think) BM danny.
Here is a better photo of some from a few years ago.

[nightfighter]

Snow and rain tomorrow... so not opening a house to frame for eight new windows... Planning to get the lathe going for the first time in three years A batch of spooks is first up on the list. Have some modifications in mind, but would like to hear some thoughts on weighting and placement. Want to make sure they cast well... Thoughts?
Pencils and darters to follow, I hope.

[numbskull]

As long as the head of the plug is lighter and wider than the tail the plug will work. The fat head is help up by the water as it glides and the weighted tail tries to swing by it.

There are two ways to weight them. Ballerina/howdy style will float vertical with the nose about 1-1.5" out of the water. Zara/Jigman style is to weight them about 2/3 back with a fatter tail so they float at about 45 degrees with the line tie near the waterline (dropping the line tie below the center of the nose helps with this style).
The howdy style casts further, the jigman style works slower. Both work well.

[eskimo]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Right, the 8" (actually they're 7.5" I think) BM danny.
Here is a better photo of some from a few years ago.

I do remember the photo.
I'm going to try to bend the lip so its flush to the plug. Had better luck with the those vs. the shape they are prebent to.

[the greek]

Got to finish a couple more. Mostly handcarved stuff but some lathe turned stuff also. I have been trying to paint a mullet pattern for a while now and think these are the best I have come up with yet, for me anyway. I am almost totally color blind and have a very hard time telling the difference in shades of certain colors. I have to have my daughter help me when I paint. I ask her if she can see the pink or blue in here and she points me in the right direction. I know mullet looks real good with scales but I hate doing them and mess them up real bad.










A few more handcarved.





And one I owe to someone for a favor. Thanks Billy.

[BigFish]

Every cloud has a silver lining huh John? Hope the boy heals quickly! Give him tomorrow off!

[BILLC]

Haven't got the urge to break out the airbrush so far this year. Not sure why just felt like canning some. These will definately make it and hopefully about a dozen more. Some needles, swimmers,(fresh and salt), some luckys, and some pencils.

[BILLC]