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Winter tackle upgrade - Arts and Crafts style!
Like many of you, during the winter months I spend countless hours preparing for the next years fishing adventures. I wanted to share a recent weekend project where I upgraded my in-line crescent weights! Now for those of you that troll for walleye, there are many different trolling weights out on the market. I went with Crescent style due to the fact I could buy the mold from Do-It molds along with the powder paints fairly cheap. I must admit, seeing I'm on the Canadian side of the boarder, and in Amherstburg, I also make my own Jigs. Yes Jigging in the D!
But lets get back to trolling in the western basin. So I started with pouring the weights. I made 3 different size for the areas I typically fish. 1.5 oz for 15'-25' (Holiday Beach, Lake Erie), 2 oz for 20' - 45' (around Pelee Island, Lake Erie), and 3 oz for 40' - 70' (Wheatley, Lake Erie). I went with glow and standard color patterns for 6 different styles.
Styles are;
Voodoo; (Purple Bottom/Black Top w/Orange Tail) No Glow
Pimp Daddy (Glow Green Bott/Purple Top w/Orange Tail)
Blue Punk (Glow White Bott/Sparkle Blue Back w/Orange Tail)
Fire Tiger (Glow Yellow Bott/Glow Green Top w/Orange Tail) or Grass Hopper (Glow Yellow Bott/Brown Glitter Top w/Orange Tail)
Jerry Springer (Glow Yellow Bott/Orange Top w Green Glitter Stripes)
Pink Lady (Pink Bott/ Brown Glitter w/Orange Tail)
I dress them out with a 7mm split ring and Stainless Ball Bearing Swivel.
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They Glow like this, please note, this was "charged" with a cheap Harbor Freight free LED flash light.
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Let me know what you think. I made three sets, one for a buddy, one for actual in-line usage, and one set for Snap Weight application.
I'll be posting what upgrade I made to the fish style downrigger weights next....
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More picture of the next step - Spinner Blades
Just posting this past weekends painting of the blades that match the in-line weights. Again I prefer Rust-o-leum Gloss colors in neon if available. Note to others though, you don't use much to paint these. A can will last years, I have been using the same cans for over 4-5 years. Make sure to purge the nozzle clean after every use, or you will be going thru spray tips.
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The detail is just sharpie paint pens. I did end up ordering the glow ones from Luremaking.com, so most of the neon color that is paint pen is glow.
The back stop I received from an old time painter that used to paint Flatfish in Windsor Ontario back before they went out of business/bought out. It has side that hold it up at a 30 degree angle and close it off to the Walmart box fan I put behind. I also hang this expanded felt material to the front side of the fan to collect the excess paint.
My game plan this year is to run the matching in-line weights as decoys and these spinners. As you can see I have a variety of blade types and sizes. Depending on what i fishing for and why, I pick accordingly. Hatches are flat water, Colorado's and Deep cup for wave days. I know there are better flashier blades available, but the engineer brain of mine tells me there is not much difference when the blade is spinning at 50-200 rpm in the water. Does the detail really make a difference other than attracting the Fisherman to it.
I again tie my own Leaders as well. I run a 3 hook string behind my beads and blades. I use a 1/0 hook, then a 1, and last a 2 regardless of where I am fishing. I tend to make the space between the first and second hook an 1" and the last hook at 1.75". I use the whole worm and cut off the last 1/2" of worm so it is bleeding in the water. Seams to attach the bite a bit more. Scent wise.
If you want I'll post the tied spinners when I get them done. Just ask...