Fly & Lure Making!

[bigjim5589]

I have been very busy lately, so have not posted much. This is what I've been doing, making various lures and flies. Combination of jigs for Bonefish and other inshore species, flies for Baby Tarpon, Spinnerbaits & Underspin jigs for bass. 

It's supposed to be around 80 degree's here today. I have managed to go fishing one day, and the last time I had done that was before Christmas, but all I did was practice my casting as the lake levels are still low. 

So, at least I'm getting something accomplished! 

[bigjim5589]

More! Spinnerbaits in various weights, but most are 1/2 oz. A few of them are up to an ounce in weight.

[bigjim5589]

Made some buzzbaits too, all in 1/2 or 3/8 oz. Some dressed and some are frames that will be fished with plastics, like frogs. 

[acesover]

 I make these poppers out of soft foam cylinders. Use rattle cans to paint them and coat them with Liquid Fusion[img]

[apenland01]

Those look awesome!  Would be great to throw them out in the sticks and work around...

[bigjim5589]

I make these poppers out of soft foam cylinders. Use rattle cans to paint them and coat them with Liquid Fusion[img]

Those are superb! Poppers are certainly one of my favorite fly types to fish with! I generally just keep mine with single color bodies and most often a black hackle collar. I have two air brushes and never spent the time using them. 

The tails I'll vary sometimes, but still generally they match the body color. I used to spend a lot of time making cork, balsa or basswood poppers, but the various pre-made foam bodies are what I use most now. 

These were all made using pre-made foam bodies that I had purchased.

[acesover]

I have a bit that goes in a dremel that I use to turn down the bodies using an emery board, then I cut the face and use another stone bit that I modified to cup the face.  I stretch some fine mesh around the body to get the scales.
Been tying up a couple of bass and tarpon flys to use when the weather warms back up.

[bigjim5589]

Good looking fly! Looks like a Seaducer style with bead chain eyes?

I fish many old styles of flies still, and will tie some of the newer stuff, but frankly have not seen many that are any more productive than what I've used for many years.

I also will make poppers with foam cylinders, but don't spend the time shaping them like you're doing. Most of the poppers that I've shown here, the bodies were probably made similarly to what you're describing, but I bought them and someone else made them. I really did enjoy making poppers from scratch, but when various popper bodies became readily available, I just went with them. There are some super nice poppers on the market now.

I have stashed away in my supplies, various types of plastic netting, such as the bags that onions are often sold in, with the thought that I would someday use them for painting scales on poppers. I just never spent the time doing it! Maybe I will, someday! 

In fact, some in these photos, I got from a young fellow who lived in MD and was selling them on Ebay for awhile. I bought them from him because at the time we both lived in MD and I thought he was doing a great job making them, plus his prices were good and I wanted to help him succeed. I guess he finally figured out making them was a lot of work and time, for not a lot of money,  and I'm glad I bought what I did, when I did. 

This popper is made with a 1" foam cylinder, and wrapped with holographic scaled tape, and epoxied over the entire body. I like how using a cylinder allows me to make some longer & larger poppers. I used to make these for an outfitter who took trips to S. America for Peacock Bass & other large exotics and it's made using a 7/0 Gamakastsu Heavy Wire jig hook.  It's got two glass worm rattles in the body, another reason I like using the cylinders. 

[Capt. BassinLou]

This popper is made with a 1" foam cylinder, and wrapped with holographic scaled tape, and epoxied over the entire body. I like how using a cylinder allows me to make some longer & larger poppers. I used to make these for an outfitter who took trips to S. America for Peacock Bass & other large exotics and it's made using a 7/0 Gamakastsu Heavy Wire jig hook.  It's got two glass worm rattles in the body, another reason I like using the cylinders. 

You got my attention!! 

[bigjim5589]

This popper is made with a 1" foam cylinder, and wrapped with holographic scaled tape, and epoxied over the entire body. I like how using a cylinder allows me to make some longer & larger poppers. I used to make these for an outfitter who took trips to S. America for Peacock Bass & other large exotics and it's made using a 7/0 Gamakastsu Heavy Wire jig hook.  It's got two glass worm rattles in the body, another reason I like using the cylinders. 

You got my attention!! 

Thanks Lou! I told you that you should consider learning to use fly tackle! 

You know how things have been with me this year, but I have been thinking about something like this that can be cast with spinning or baitcasting gear.

This popper requires a heavy fly outfit to cast it, ( I can cast it with a 10 weight) but I think it may be possible to make something similar, and heavier that can be cast with other tackle too. 

[Capt. BassinLou]

This popper is made with a 1" foam cylinder, and wrapped with holographic scaled tape, and epoxied over the entire body. I like how using a cylinder allows me to make some longer & larger poppers. I used to make these for an outfitter who took trips to S. America for Peacock Bass & other large exotics and it's made using a 7/0 Gamakastsu Heavy Wire jig hook.  It's got two glass worm rattles in the body, another reason I like using the cylinders. 

You got my attention!! 

Thanks Lou! I told you that you should consider learning to use fly tackle! 

You know how things have been with me this year, but I have been thinking about something like this that can be cast with spinning or baitcasting gear.

This popper requires a heavy fly outfit to cast it, ( I can cast it with a 10 weight) but I think it may be possible to make something similar, and heavier that can be cast with other tackle too. 

Now you're talking my language!! You know me, I love experimenting with your tackle inventions . 

[acesover]

Going to give this one a try for bass when it warms up

[bigjim5589]

Going to give this one a try for bass when it warms up

That's a great looking fly! I would toss that for Bass or Redfish given the opportunity.  Over the years, I've often used "saltwater" type of flies for bass and vice versa. I actually gave up tying typical crawfish flies, because the shrimp patterns worked just as well and were quicker & easier to tie.