Brrr, winter is here - It's plug building time

Sudsy · #1 12-07-2005, 03:33 PM

Here are a few in process

Sudsy · #2 12-07-2005, 03:34 PM

What a crap picture - I gotta get a better camera

merrillizer · #3 12-07-2005, 04:33 PM

Nice. That ones in the middle, bottom, looks interesting.

How bout an Alewife/Herring surface swimmer, that can be thrown to rocks that are lined across the suds at the bottom of a dam/fish ladder? Something delicious looking for Bassy's that are stationed up behind these rocks on the outgoing? A "short-range" offering, only needing to go 50 yards max, for target fishing, and only stays in the strike zone for short periods of time? I been lookin for tha "perfect" Spring time plug. Husky made a few prototypes for me to test last Spring. But without enough weight in the ass-end, I was unable to get them up into the rocks/suds. The swimming action of them was great however, but I knew if I added any weight for better casting, it would affect its motion in the water. Something durable is definitely key, as I bounce plugs right off the rocks so they bounce into the nooks, hitting the fish right in tha nose. This will often be when the strikes happen most often, as soon the offering hits the water up against the rocks, or with a few cranks of the handle. Like I said, very short strike zone, but the fish are concentrated :)

There are all sizes of fish that corral in this spot for the Spring run, with a good number of quality fish ranging from 15-30 pounds, and then ofcourse there schoolies that play on the sandbar formed by the wash of the water coming outta the dam/fish ladder, and then the big 30+ pounder coming in here and there to gulp up those Alewives.

I've blown a few plastic plugs in half up there lol, including one of Stevie Beanbottoms Bluefish Bombs. Exploded HAHA. So wood be what I'm wantin'

Any ideas? I would be willing to barter for something to test this Spring

Roccus · #4 12-07-2005, 04:59 PM

good lookin stuff there suds.. a little to neat dont yas think

I'm always in a disaster.. 15 things going at once, reels apart, rods ripped appart, plugs drying, furniture being finished... but it all gets done in the end! it must be nice to be neat and orginized, doing one thing at a time... I should try it!

BTW do you buy your rod blanks local or order them?

I do both, but you may have a better sorce, you do more of it than I do.

Sudsy · #5 12-07-2005, 05:14 PM

Length, weight, hook size, swimming depth, action (Tight fast wiggle, slow wide wobble, roll and flash, little roll) ???????

Or how about a 5 1/2 inch Jitterbug in AYC?

Like this (still waiting for eyes and epoxy)

Again the picture sucks - it's a blueish green scale over yellow fading to yellow on the lower sides to pearl white on the belly. Throughwired, 2 3/0 hooks one on each side and a 3rd on the tail.

Sudsy · #6 12-07-2005, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roccus

good lookin stuff there suds.. a little to neat dont yas think

BTW do you buy your rod blanks local or order them?

Yeah right ! I've been fishing all fall neglecting everything else and my cave looks it. The picture you commented on is the ceiling and that's packed with stuff.
Here's the view of my tying bench a few feet lower. This should make you feel better (and don't ask about my garage/woodshop)

As for blanks I've never bought one from a retail establishment. I've bought/traded for a few from friends, was sent one from the distributor to demo, and I find and rebuild classics (Harnell, Yellow Fenwick....)
At a fishing flea market 3 weeks ago I just scored origional Gary Loomis made (before Rogue screwed Loomis and he split, taking his mandrels with him (1 of each) 8' and 9' Rogue surf blanks right from the hands of Lou Tipple

And I'm far from a pro at this. I can get the job done but don't ever expect to see any of my sticks with fancy butt wraps and such.

Roccus · #7 12-07-2005, 05:45 PM

wew... I feel better now... kinda looks like my shop!

I'm like you, " find em where I find em" Surfland always has a good selection of blanks, and if I look hard I can find some sevisable seconds, I've tried ordering them, but unless I know the EXACT blank I'm looking for I find it scary...

My wraps are OK, but not too fancy, I've made stand up tuna rods that "stood up" but they are a far cry from some of the beauties I've seen others produce, I just seem to find it a waste of time to spend all that time on multiple diamond wraps on a rod that I have every intention on beating the crap out of!

merrillizer · #8 12-07-2005, 05:55 PM

Wow, that thing looks interesting. Lets see, it's somewhat shallow up in the rocks there, and I never run things that track under 3', cuz you'll just lose it lol. Its safe to say this is not a jigging spot. Rocks, stumps, logs, whole trees undah theya. Lots of obstacles. So I have had the most luck with things run from the surface (poppers) to about 2' MAX. Anything in between seems to work very very well. Hmmmm, action.....I want to say slow, wide action, only because the time in the strike zone is short, but I am trying to match the Alewives, which the fish are wholey concentrated on, so its tough to say definitively and choose one action. Roll N flash sounds very interesting though. Length...6" would be max I think. I'd say 5" would be a good start. Weight...hmmm, 1.5 - 2 oz.? Hook size....whatever you think is best on that size plug for fish in the 15-30 pound class lol.

BTW, is that a Crack I see up there on the ceiling?

Sudsy · #9 12-07-2005, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny Bolt

BTW, is that a Crack I see up there on the ceiling?

Yup

Crack 200 with a custom Mitchell pancake knob, stock Luxor 300 (same as Crack but before they changed the name), Cardinal 6, Mitchell 386, 2 models of Dam Quick 500, Penn 710 amd 704 greenies and a 450 SS.

BostonBoy · #10 12-07-2005, 07:27 PM

I've built a couple of rods and I'm planning to build a Cod jigging rod this winter...I see people with guides that start on the top and wrap around so the tip is on the bottom...Whats the purpose of wrapping guides around?

Sudsy...I'd also like to buy a heavy surf swimmer from you too (if you're willing) to send soaring over the breakers.

I'm planning on hitting the surf Hardcore next season.

Last question...does anyone know how to build eelskin plugs or where I can get some? I heard that nothing beats an eelskin in the surf...

Sudsy · #11 12-07-2005, 08:01 PM

I've never sold them before (they take too long to make - there's no profit in it) but I'm starting to run low on wood, hooks, lips, eyes, wire and all the other bits and pieces that go into a plug. Plus I'd like to upgrade my airbrush. I just might sell a few over the winter to raise a bit of cash just to resupply my stash.

I'll let you know.

Roccus · #12 12-08-2005, 08:40 AM

luckily for me I work in a machine shop, lip and wire supplies are endless.

Dan,
I can help you with the eel skin plug, I also have a mold somewhere for eeskin rigs that are a type of leadhead...

I think there was a post somewhere on making eels skin plugs in the Striper room...

BostonBoy · #13 12-08-2005, 07:53 PM

Roc...I'd love to discuss it overlooking some tip-ups :)
Now that I have my license, I'm looking foward to some early mornings on the ice.

Roccus · #14 12-09-2005, 08:21 AM

BB ... now that sounds like a plan!