Making / rebuilding worn harness'

[Hoytman86]

I recently bought blanks from "lake erie walleye candy" but the site Wakina mentioned seems to have better prices. Thanks for sharing Wakina!
I have yet to fish with them, but I have been painting spoons / blades with fingernail polish and they look really nice. A glitter clear coat over each painted blade really turns the colors on. I plan on having my spare blank blades and paint collection with me on the water so that if a color gets hot I can make up some new ones in less that a half hour or so.

I'd have never thought I'd see "Nail Polish" on the checklist for a fishing trip, but I like the thought of making my own (especially with the cost of the Michigan Stinger spoons). How well does the nail polish adhere to the blanks? Do you leave the back of the spoon bare silver or paint that as well?

So much to take in, but I'd be very interested in doing this as I felt like it was a crapshoot when I was picking out spoons, plus I've only got one of each color so if that's the only one picking up fish I can't put more of it out.

[ebijack]

Nail polish works, just not as full coverage/tint as paint and holds pretty good. If the walleye are hitting the spoon it's self, they can chip/tear the polish off. I use nail polish to tint more than cover. Because of my wife , I have found the Sally Hanson's hard as nails lasts longer and has some great colors, purples, pinks, oranges etc.

[Hoytman86]

Nail polish works, just not as full coverage/tint as paint and holds pretty good. If the walleye are hitting the spoon it's self, they can chip/tear the polish off. I use nail polish to tint more than cover. Because of my wife , I have found the Sally Hanson's hard as nails lasts longer and has some great colors, purples, pinks, oranges etc.

Mmmhmm, it was the "wife" that tipped you off, huh? Just joshin' ya. All good information. Now that I think about it, that stuff doesn't spread very thick at all. Maybe I'll get Dad to get some touch up paint from work (service manager at a car dealership), has anyone ever tried that? I'm pretty sure it spreads thicker than nail polish, just more expensive and less color options.

[DoubleD]

I bought mine at Walgreens for about $2 /bottle. I have not had them in the water but they look great. I paint them up similar to the store bought ones, leaving the backs the color of the metal. I have found that gasoline (and most likely polish remover) removes it so if they chip I will just RE pain them. Make sure you buy some beer when you buy the polish so you don't look too eh hem, "feminine" buying a dozen bottles of nail polish. LOL. I have some lowes spray paint that I have used as a base color on some but I don't really know if that is necessary.

[Hoytman86]

I guess I'll have to send in the wife because beer is too expensive at Walgreens down here, about a $2 markup. Of course, it's not going to look much better when I say "Hey honey, can we go buy some nail polish?" I might have to steal some of my daughter's, she got some of that glittery stuff for Easter, might make for a nice-lookin spoon.

[DoubleD]

Ebijack, what are those crimps you have between the first hook and the spoon? Earlier dialogue says to have the first hook as close as possible to the spoon and as I am trying to hand tie traditional knots, I am learning that it is not that easy to get that first hook close to the spoon. Tying a palomar knot w 17 p test is getting me over an inch away at best after 5 tries. Thx.

[Hoytman86]

Ebijack, what are those crimps you have between the first hook and the spoon? Earlier dialogue says to have the first hook as close as possible to the spoon and as I am trying to hand tie traditional knots, I am learning that it is not that easy to get that first hook close to the spoon. Tying a palomar knot w 17 p test is getting me over an inch away at best after 5 tries. Thx.

I have been looking into that as well. I thought about tying the standard knot that you'd use to tie a crankbait, but that's not always reliable on a split ring. I considered a perfection knot and palomar, again with little luck (perfection knot because I'm worried about wearing it out trying to slide it through the split ring). I am just having trouble finding the right size crimp to use as well as I'm worried about crimping too tight to the mono and shearing through it just enough that a fish can break it off.