Working with wire

[TubeDude]

A few weeks ago I put up a post about "Making your own spinner lures".  And I included a LINK TO YOUTUBE .

And then I put up a post earlier today about making and using your own flasher lures for ice fishing.  Had a request for a simple written diagram on wire bending, so I did some screen captures from the video and made the attached PDF file showing how to do the wire work.  Hope it helps for those who wanna get started.  And, again, I will be happy to perform an in-person demo for anyone who is really serious about learning it.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Pat, this is some of the tackle craft that I have been enjoying this year... Where is a good source for the wire and blades that could be used for slow trolled walleye spring rigs? Thanks Jeff

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat, this is some of the tackle craft that I have been enjoying this year... Where is a good source for the wire and blades that could be used for slow trolled walleye spring rigs? Thanks Jeff

Almost any worthy tackle outlet should have beads, blades and wire.  But most walleye chasers seem to prefer putting their rigs together on mono or fluoro.  But I use wire.  The biggie these days is to use the quick change clevices for blades...so that you can change out your colors without tieing a whole new rig...as shown in the pic below.


I get my wire and most of my other spinner components from https://barlowstackle.com/

[Cowboypirate]

When I read the title my mind flashed back to Dad and his fencing pliers. He would say the same thing but the invitation to join him did not evoke the same response from me. This looks like a lot of fun to try. Thanks for the info

[TubeDude]

When I read the title my mind flashed back to Dad and his fencing pliers. He would say the same thing but the invitation to join him did not evoke the same response from me. This looks like a lot of fun to try. Thanks for the info

Yeah.  My dad was an electrician.  And when he wanted help with "wire" it usually meant pulling wire through conduit...or something else just as tough and tiring. 

Yes indeed.  Getting "wired" can mean different things to different folks.  It helps to stay "current".

[Bduck]

When I read the title my mind flashed back to Dad and his fencing pliers. He would say the same thing but the invitation to join him did not evoke the same response from me. This looks like a lot of fun to try. Thanks for the info

Yeah.  My dad was an electrician.  And when he wanted help with "wire" it usually meant pulling wire through conduit...or something else just as tough and tiring. 

Yes indeed.  Getting "wired" can mean different things to different folks.  It helps to stay "current".

"Watt" did you say?

[TubeDude]

When I read the title my mind flashed back to Dad and his fencing pliers. He would say the same thing but the invitation to join him did not evoke the same response from me. This looks like a lot of fun to try. Thanks for the info

Yeah.  My dad was an electrician.  And when he wanted help with "wire" it usually meant pulling wire through conduit...or something else just as tough and tiring. 

Yes indeed.  Getting "wired" can mean different things to different folks.  It helps to stay "current".

"Watt" did you say?

Shocking...but electrifying...and enlightening.

[SkunkedAgain]

Yuk yuk yuk, thanks for the info on those components... I'll have to get some stuff and start playing... Thanks for the thoughts... Later J

[jjannie]

Thanks, Pat, for the 'refresher' info. Enjoyed the one-on-one session (actually it was more like a two-on-one) we had.  We'll be making some up this spring.

[TubeDude]

Yuk yuk yuk,  thanks for the info on those components... I'll have to get some stuff and start playing... Thanks for the thoughts... Later J

Got some good new colors on the "whirly" fligs too.  Have done well on them when made up into crawler harness rigs.  But I have also caught a fair number on regular single hook rigs with a couple of short pieces of worm...each hooked through the end to make them flutter. 

     
   

By the way, in case you haven't checked, there are a ton of videos on YouTube about making walleye rigs...and fishing them.  A good place to start.

[SkunkedAgain]

I was kind of wondering about a cross between your whirly fligs and the walleye harness... I love that interchangeable blade deal, now if I picked the right color flig body and had a walleye blade on it I might have something else to try...

Been dreaming of some way to do better on Cutler cats while trolling... In the past the s-turns in my toon worked pretty well, but I haven't done well from my boat at all... So I'm wondering if a side planer with my fligs trolled out to the side might help me start to catch them again... It's so shallow, I'm sure the boat is scaring the fish away from it, since the motor probably almost hits the fish... but I'm not sure I can get the new boat into the shallows where I have been catching them in the toon... Too bad my toon has to be licensed, and take so long to get ready to go and clean up... I like the boat because it doesn't take a lot of time to get on and off the water... I guess by not needing waders and rigging up everything for each trip it gives me more fishing time... Plus I can get to other spots a lot more quickly too... but it's sure hard to beat the finesse of the toon... time and place for both of them for sure... Later Jeff

[TubeDude]

I was kind of wondering about a cross between your whirly fligs and the walleye harness... I love that interchangeable blade deal, now if I picked the right color flig body and had a walleye blade on it I might have something else to try... 

Been dreaming of some way to do better on Cutler cats while trolling... In the past the s-turns in my toon worked pretty well, but I haven't done well from my boat at all... So I'm wondering if a side planer with my fligs trolled out to the side might help me start to catch them again... It's so shallow, I'm sure the boat is scaring the fish away from it, since the motor probably almost hits the fish... but I'm not sure I can get the new boat into the shallows where I have been catching them in the toon... Too bad my toon has to be licensed,  and take so long to get ready to go and clean up... I like the boat because it doesn't take a lot of time to get on and off the water... I guess by not needing waders and rigging up everything for each trip it gives me more fishing time... Plus I can get to other spots a lot more quickly too... but it's sure hard to beat the finesse of the toon... time and place for both of them for sure... Later Jeff

I could fix you up with some (floating) flig bodies and you could rig them with regular blades.  I have been playing with those the last couple of years.  The Colorado blades take a little more speed to get them whirling than the propeller blades.  But they give off more "thump" and you can use the full range of available colors. 



About using a planer board for shallow water trolling.  That is a proven tactic on Utah Lake...which is the epitome of shallow lakes.  Walleyes are notorious for being boat bashful, but even cats can be spooked by boat noises...especially if the boat is going directly overhead.  And I just got a single planer board to use with my float tube...for shallow presentations in Utah Lake.  So, I'm a believer.  Two years ago I was fishing out in about 5-6 feet of water just south of Lindon.  I noticed a boat moving slowing back and forth in much shallower water between me and the shoreline.  Eventually I moved in close enough for communication and he admitted he was catching walleyes in only about 3' of water...but was using planer boards well out to the side of his electric motor powered small boat.  Said he had been fishing the post spawn fish that way for years.   

I learned a long time ago that catfish are a lot more noise conscious than I might have thought.  I had hooked up to a modest size cat while fishing beneath a big bobber.  I had a nick in my line or a sharp spot on a guide or something that caused my line to break above the bobber.  I figured "no problem"...that I would just chase down the bobber in my float tube.  Yeah, right.  I couldn't get anywhere close to that bobber.  Every time I got within about 10 feet it would shoot off to the side...away from me.  Even with just using my fins to try to chase it down it would hear me and move away.  Eventually I picked up a rod with a lure on it and cast across the line to snag it and bring in the evasive cat. 

On the "flip side", I have hooked both cats and walleyes directly beneath my tube in only a few feet of water.  So some of them are evidently less spooky than others.  But over time the stealth approach will likely get more fish.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Pat, i'll have to get some of the goodies from you and try putting together something similar to those crawler rigs... they sure look like they will work well...

On the side planer for your tube, I tried it on my toon a couple years back and it seemed to work, but I'm not sure it was any better than the frequent S turns... However, it was much easier to just drive straight and still get some bites out to the side... I think I'm going to take my side plane stuff from my toon and beef it up so it will work from my boat... I used PVC on the toon, but I have a piece of steel tube I think I'll use on the boat, so I can get it up a little higher and still have plenty of strength... Man I'm going to be wishing for the ice to go away if I keep this up... Thanks for the help and ideas... I need to find time to come down and visit and stock up for the summer... Maybe next time we need to take my MIL down to the hospital by you, I'll have to come visit while she's into her appointment... I'll have to start a list of things I need to replace or add to my collection... Those cats really chewed up a few of my fligs last summer, they held up, but the paint jobs starting to show some wear... Didn't catch much on the really big Kong fligs, but that next size down was great for me... fire tiger and pale perch seemed to catch the most for me over the season... purple perch got some as well, along with the straight purple one... but I really got to liking the whirly stuff last fall and unfortunately I lost 3 or 4 of them, so that's the main area I need to stock up in... few smaller perch size fligs got stuck on bottom as well, so need to replace those... Do you use the larger wire sizes for hanger weights when you fish the floatier whirly fligs? I don't like to use too long of wires on the hanger size wire and the regular sinkers were snagging too much for me... Just need a less snag able weight for dragging fligs.. Thanks Jeff

[TubeDude]

Thanks Pat, i'll have to get some of the goodies from you and try putting together something similar to those crawler rigs... they sure look like they will work well... 

On the side planer for your tube, I tried it on my toon a couple years back and it seemed to work, but I'm not sure it was any better than the frequent S turns... However, it was much easier to just drive straight and still get some bites out to the side...  I think I'm going to take my side plane stuff from my toon and beef it up so it will work from my boat... I used PVC on the toon, but I have a piece of steel tube I think I'll use on the boat, so I can get it up a little higher and still have plenty of strength...  Man I'm going to be wishing for the ice to go away if I keep this up... Thanks for the help and ideas...  I need to find time to come down and visit and stock up for the summer... Maybe next time we need to take my MIL down to the hospital by you, I'll have to come visit while she's into her appointment... I'll have to start a list of things I need to replace or add to my collection... Those cats really chewed up a few of my fligs last summer, they held up, but the paint jobs starting to show some wear...  Didn't catch much on the really big Kong fligs, but that next size down was great for me... fire tiger and pale perch seemed to catch the most for me over the season... purple perch got some as well, along with the straight purple one... but I really got to liking the whirly stuff last fall and unfortunately I lost 3 or 4 of them, so that's the main area I need to stock up in... few smaller perch size fligs got stuck on bottom as well, so need to replace those...  Do you use the larger wire sizes for hanger weights when you fish the floatier whirly fligs?  I don't like to use too long of wires on the hanger size wire and the regular sinkers were snagging too much for me... Just need a  less snag able weight for dragging fligs..  Thanks Jeff

I use hanger wire sinkers up to about 8" long...without seeming to spook any fish.  Sometimes takes a bit longer leader.  But if you need more weight and less wire you might try crimping on a couple of split shot on the hanger wire.  You can open up the gap in the split shot with a screwdriver and a hammer...or a small chisel.  Then pound it on tight with the hammer.  Doesn't seem to mess up the snag resistance much but will add some weight.  Another option is to use a 3-4 foot length of lead core line.  Just tie it in between your main line and your leader. 

You will be welcome to visit any time.  Just give me at least a half hour notice so I can get rid of all the empty bottles...and the girls.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds good, and I'll give you a little more lead time than that so you can take the pole and disco lights down as well... I noticed Cutler ice is starting to crack and open up by the marina last night, may not be too much longer before the naval return... I'm still hoping to get on Bear Lake one more time at least... Willard was open from the north marina channel out around the shallows a little last night... Don't think it was open to Rocky's knoll yet, but probably won't take too long to get there... Later Jeff

[Gone Forever]

Hey Pat, this is some of the tackle craft that I have been enjoying this year... Where is a good source for the wire and blades that could be used for slow trolled walleye spring rigs? Thanks 

For blades and such I also use Janns Netcraft.  Smaller quantities and on many items better pricing.  ($2.62 for 10 striped #3 vs. $4.45 for 10 #3 striped)
I've decided to take up Kokanee fishing this year and am making up lots of squids and shrimp on leaders, many of the same materials but size 2 where most Walleye guys like size 3 and 3.5.  Also be aware of different cups in the Colorado blades, deeper cup gives more vibration, but also takes more speed to spin well.
Something I have been playing with is the Mac's s m i l e  blades.  They turn at super slow speeds and are available in many colors.

One other difference is in the spacing of the hooks on the leader.  For Kokes they are fairly close, for wallies they should be spaced farther if you plan to use as a worm harness.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey thanks for that info, that will save me a lot of errors to learn it... not to mention expense... Starting to sound like a whole lot to learn in the tackle craft hobby... Can you get better stuff custom built verses commercial? I'm assuming yes, just like building your own rods... I was amazed at how much better my home built ice rods were verses almost anything I had bought before... I do have some 13 Fishing rods that were pretty good, but my self built rods were amazing for how much more sensitive they were... I expect you can tune your kokanee squid and worm harnesses the same... Looking forward to trying a few... Thanks for the help and info... Jeff

[TubeDude]

Hey thanks for that info, that will save me a lot of errors to learn it... not to mention expense... Starting to sound like a whole lot to learn in the tackle craft hobby...  Can you get better stuff custom built verses commercial?  I'm assuming yes, just like building your own rods... I was amazed at how much better my home built ice rods were verses almost anything I had bought before... I do have some 13 Fishing rods that were pretty good, but my self built rods were amazing for how much more sensitive they were... I expect you can tune your kokanee squid and worm harnesses the same... Looking forward to trying a few... Thanks for the help and info... Jeff

Rod building is somewhat different than lure making.  You can't compare a spendy St. Croix quality rod to a homemade cheapy fiberglass rod.  Lots of optional differences in rod composition, action, guides, guide placement, etc.  So, yes, it is possible to make your own rods better than SOME of the rods you might buy already made...and to save a few bucks too.   But there is no reason to make your own simply to save money.  You should strive to make something that best fits you and your style of fishing rather than just something that costs less.

But when it comes to making your own lures,  there are a lot of options and considerations.  And your choices of what components to buy can be bewildering.  That's why it's a good idea to watch some YouTube videos and to consult with local fellow anglers who have already done some experimenting and have some favorite colors, styles and presentation techniques.  Once you have a better understanding of the real issues you will be better informed when buying up any quantities of materials for future use. 

When making up your own spinner rigs...for kokes, trout or walleyes...there are innumerable colors and color combinations from which to choose for blades.  Ditto for beads, squids and other components.  Then there are the sizes and styles of blades.  More new options on the market every year.  After that you need to decide on leader lengths, size and type of hooks, size and types of clevices and which knots to use.  So, again, it will pay to do some homework before beginning to work at home on your own lures. 

The emergence of YouTube has been great for newbies and experienced anglers alike.  That one educational resource has really helped a lot of fisherfolk shorten their learning curves. 

And you know you are always welcome to visit my playroom for some hands-on show and tell.  For a lot of folks the see-feel-and do sessions sink in a lot faster than videos.

[SkunkedAgain]

I agree Pat, for me the hands on is much better than any other type learning and I totally agree the tackle craft is pretty over whelming for a newbee just looking into it.... I realize from the onset that it's not about saving money, like I did with building my own ice rods, i could have bought them way cheaper than I built them, but like you said being able to customize your rod to what you want is what makes it great... My first ones I didn't know what i wanted so I trusted the company knew what ice anglers were looking for and for 3 out of 4 in my original kit they hit a home run... The other one was the same as I already had in a shorter version, which I wasn't really into... but in came in handy as my original build so i made my screw ups on that one, which really weren't too bad... worst problem I had was one batch of epoxy must not have had a proper amount of hardener so it's kind of sticky... Anyway I need to find a way to sort of dip my toe in building my tackle without going full in to a new hobby, I don't have time for the master of the tackle trade, but I'd like to be able to do what I'll use, which really isn't too much, since farming limits my summer fun... Anyway, I'll check out YouTube when I get a chance, since I cancelled my Netflix, I need something besides ice fishing videos to spend all my YouTube time... thanks for broadening my understanding... Later J