Pakulas do not have lead inserts. The suction from the concave face helps keep the lure stuck to the water. I would also think if you weigh down the head it can slow down the head shaking movement of a cup face lure which is part of their attraction to fish. But anything with a slant face, if you want to fish it in rough water, a lead insert helps. A slant face lure swims straighter and more cleanly through the water. The exact weight depends on how rough it's going to be. Although you do have some longer heads like plungers that fish quite well in moderate conditions even with no weight.
TM - I would make each mould separately. It's easier to work with them that way.
My stuff has done well for myself and friends, I don't want to toot my horn but let's just say I'm normally very confident fishing with my stuff, once it is tuned right anyway because I do still occasionally turn out a duff one that won't run correctly, that's the nature of hand production I guess. I normally run just one or two of mine in a four or five lure spread. That way you can get some kind of comparison how the lures are working.
cheers - dustin
I would really like to find a black marker pen that allows me to write custom stuff on the bottom edge of the insert. But all the ones I've tried the ink disappears once the resin is poured. Any recommendations?
cheers - dustin
Quote: Originally posted by dustin on 06 April 2006
I would really like to find a black marker pen that allows me to write custom stuff on the bottom edge of the insert. But all the ones I've tried the ink disappears once the resin is poured. Any recommendations?
cheers - dustin
Yeah, I know about those, but what I really want is to be able to write something personally for the custom touch. But thanks anyway mate..
Saturday one of my mates fishing Madeira had 2 hookups on a mini-peanut lure I made for him and released one white marlin about 65 lbs. It's a tiny little jet black head which I often use to dump excess resin from big lures. It fits a 6 1/2" skirt, ideally a thin "featherlite" like a Yamasheeta or Korean skirt, you can even skirt it with a 5 3/4" and most NZ guys would probably consider it just a skippy lure but this sort of thing is real effective on mahi, white marlin and spearfish.
cheers - Dustin
Great stuff guys, thanks for that idea, I'll try it out this weekend. I was a little worried about resin leaking under the sellotape but it seems to work so we'll see how it goes.
cheers - Dustin
I've been looking at how to make my own heads for awhile now and this is awesome stuff! But I have to say I'm gonna try shaping some out of wood. May not look as good but me thinks I could get creative with some of the shaping a lot easier that way. Does anyone else do this?
Cheers Stefan
This used to be the way lures were made before plastics. Poke around Peter Goadby's "Big Fish and Blue Water" and you can see old Hawaiian wooden heads with assorted skirting materials including rubber from tyre inner tubes, vinyl seat cover material and feathers.
Wood is a relatively light material so you'll need to consider shapes and skirting that will hold the water well. Cup faces should be good and so should lures with a flatter or blunt face. A longer head (super plunger style) also helps stability. If you give the lure a more aggressive cut you may need to use heavier skirts, hooks, leader etc to keep it tracking properly in the water. I don't see why a lure head lathe turned from good heavy hardwood and given a good marine varnish finish shouldn't look and perform well. <SCRIPT language=javascript>postamble();
Cheers Dustin thats just the sorta stuff I need to know. Am looking for a lathe at the moment can't wait to start having a go!
Stefan
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