Show us your tackle craft skills

A couple of my hand tied jigs:







I've also got some killer flys that I tied up. I'll have to take some pictures of them.

Speaking of rods.

Here's a couple of rods that I've built.

Im mainly a fly guy but heres a couple jigs of mine, I'll post more tomarrow

Jig n those are some awesome jigs, got to love hand crafted tackle.

Dr. Hook I could only wish my work area was that clean. Glad to see your still building some sweet rods.

Any one else make their own flashers?

A couple years ago my brother in-law and I caught 4 halibut while downrigging for salmon at Hein Bank in February, using a flasher and Coho Killer lure. That motivated me to develop techniques specifically for trolling for halibut. Knowing what I knew about halibut, I decided that I needed a larger flasher that was all white on one side. Since there was no such flasher available I decided to make my own.

Since I could not find any flasher making instructions, I winged it. I started by building a flat template out of 1/16� polycarbonate by taking an 11� flasher and proportionally enlarging it to 18�. Then I traced the template outline on an 18�x6� piece of 1/8� polycarbonate, and cut it out with a jigsaw and finished shaping with a belt sander. Next I traced the outline of the template on a 24�x6� piece of sheet metal, and using the 11� flasher as a guide, determined front and rear angles as the bend locations, and then bent the sheet metal to match. After aligning the polycarbonate on the sheet metal, I formed the polycarbonate to the sheet metal with a heat gun. I finished my first flasher by drilling the front and rear holes, installing brass grommets, split rings and swivels, and adorning it white tape on one side and glow tape on the other.
After making two flashers I headed to Hein Bank for the halibut opener. The first morning, after just 30-minutes of trolling, I got my first strike, but did not bring in anything because it broke my 60lb leader.

I tied the next Coho Killer with a 120lb leader and lowered the rig to the bottom again. Soon after I had another strike and a short battle before bring lost the fish when it straightened the hook. I replaced the hook with a larger one, put some bend back in the lure and lowered it again. The next strike was much like the one before, a little longer battle but then another straightened hook.
So once again I increased the hook size, using a 5/0 this time and wondering if the large hook and heavy leader would kill all of the action of the lure. Apparently it doesn’t because I proceeded to catch and bring to the boat 5 halibut.

The thrill of catching halibut with homemade flashers was so addictive, last year I started making my own salmon flashers too.

Pictured here is my very first halibut flasher with a Coho Killer. The Hot Spot flasher in the background illustrates the size difference.d of the Mag sizes.

For real clear water, try a productive array of metalic colors and smaller sized plugs (#30-n-#50 Hot Shots, and Wee Wart's). There's a lot of great killa patterns for that "low and gin clear water"! I personally think the all-time best 'stock' pattern for that is the 'Dark Green Metalic', in size #30 & #50 Hot Shots by LJ -- absolutely deadly effective with a stealthy approach on unspooked fish! That's a Hall of Fame lure for sure! I also like them colored in what I refer to as 'mild copper', with either a black or bubblegum pink bill. If you can't find them, paint your own. I commonly pick up several all chrome plugs for the purpose of painting.

<---Ay guys, post about your fav plugs. Pictures of custom painted ones would be great!--<<<<

SOME may be article candidates - but no customs will be re-printed by me without specific permission. Thanks.
...................................................

Steve Hanson
http://www.reeltruthfishing.com ( book info & fish pics ) a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her- are you sitting down? - $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

Are we, as a society, getting more stupid...or are we applauding irresponsibility?
Makes you wonder .....

I just wonder if Bruce and others with a motorhome will take heart at reading about the last story. An easy way to make a buck and get a new motorhome, you could always quote the case as it has set a president.

Wow! There is some very impressive tackle! I don't even come close but here are some things I've made:


Some musky killers, with hand-tied trebles.


I can't recall if these were the ones I made for our own Dr. Hook! Tup:


These puppies went to Iraq for the troops to go fishing.


My patriot.


Some homemade, hand-shaped plugs.


My trademark sharkteeth!


Created out of necessity, a rod leash.




My little girl putting the rod leash in action


My favorite creation, my homemade rod quiver. Allows me to carry 3 rods with one hand and they don't bang around either.


I just love my rod quiver!!