| As the surface of the water explodes, adrenaline | | | | of pride to add to the patina of your work |
| shoots through your body. Your muscles lock you | | | | Lure Assembly Procedure |
| into position for a fight against whatever has just | | | | The procedure is simply to whittle down the |
| smashed your top water plug. No doubt about it, | | | | wooden plug into a minnow-like shape, then sand |
| you're in for a scrap. You sweat, ache, curse and | | | | the plug body to a smooth finish. Screw in the |
| pray you'll get the fish into the boat. Your heart | | | | screw eyes, back them out, fill the holes with |
| pounds as you wonder, "Will my knots hold? Did I | | | | super glue then immediately screw them back in. |
| set the hooks deep enough? Will everything hold | | | | You'll need one screw eye in the head, one in the |
| together long enough for me to get this fish in?" | | | | belly and a tail screw eye. Paint the lure with a |
| The eventual catch is made all the sweeter by | | | | color pattern of your choice. The lure assembly |
| one outstanding fact - YOU hand crafted this plug | | | | should thoroughly dry for at least a day in good |
| yourself. It was you who dreamed it, whittled it, | | | | sun. You want solvent odors and residue gone |
| sanded it, painted it, and fabricated its every | | | | completely. |
| facet. Now you have your dividends in spades. | | | | Make big, bug-eyed lures |
| There's a fish on. But first, let's hand craft a | | | | Attach lure eyes with super glue. Use the largest |
| minnow-imitation, Rapala type lure. | | | | doll eyes that you can for the lure size. Yes, the |
| Hand Crafting a Lure | | | | bigger, the better. They drive the fish nuts, so |
| To hand craft wooden top water fishing plugs | | | | you want a big-eyed lure. Attach hooks to belly |
| requires minimal equipment. Here's what you | | | | and tail screw eyes using split rings. Wrap a buck |
| basically need:o 5" long Wooden plug blanks, | | | | tail on to the tail hook shank using the sewing |
| sawed off from an old broom or mop handle You | | | | thread. I like red thread with a white buck tail. |
| can also use wooden dowel stocko A whittling | | | | Coat the thread with rubber cement to seal it. |
| knife or a box-cutter with break-off bladeso Small | | | | Use a fine comb to "comb out" the buck tail so |
| cans of white, red, yellow and blue enamel paint | | | | it's nice and fluffy. It should be just a bit longer |
| to color the lureo Two Plastic doll eyes for each | | | | than the hook. I use a moustache comb and small |
| lure (the kind where the black eye part moves | | | | scissors to trim it up just so. |
| around)o 3 or 4 Long-threaded screw eyes in | | | | Attaching Terminal Tackle |
| brass or stainless to attach hooks and leaderso A | | | | Clip or tie on your leader or leader material. For |
| small spool of red or white sewing thread for | | | | strictly salt water use, I always use stainless steel |
| wrapping on buck tailso 3 or 4 number 5, 6 or 7 | | | | wire leaders which are wrapped or double-looped |
| stainless steel split rings to attach hooks and | | | | and hand-tied on. The lure assembly should |
| leaderso Barrel swivels to help prevent line twist | | | | thoroughly dry for at least a day in good sun. You |
| above the leadero A few 3" to 4" square pieces | | | | want solvent odors and residue gone before its |
| of medium to fine sandpaper to finish the lure | | | | baptism in seawater. |
| surfaceo 4" lengths of nylon ribbon or nylon rope | | | | The final step is to test your lure by trolling it a |
| to make the buck tailo A tube of Super glue to | | | | moderate speed about thirty yards behind your |
| cement in the screw eyes into the plug bodyo | | | | boat. Just be ready for an explosive strike. Then, |
| Rubber cement to seal the thread wrapping of | | | | as the surface of the water explodes ... |
| the buck tailo A little love, patience and a sense | | | | |