Sometimes, when I’m looking for plugs to turn I look for something new. There are always the proven lures and proven colors of the past, like all the examples on http://www.bassdozer.com/articles/surf_plugs.shtml and other websites or books. I’ve found when I need a kick start to fire my imagination. I copy or save a picture from a website, and using photo editor, resize height and or width allowing distortion, or pasting it into Word or some other software program and screw with the picture box by stretching or shrinking it in one or both axis’s or sometimes just using zoom to get it into original size (they usually tell you how long the original is). Once I get a likeness that looks promising (sometimes just a fuzzy image because of pixels, magnification and distortion) that works in my head I print it. When turning I usually get close to lure size, pull the blank and roll it on a flat surface the heavy side goes down and I get a gut feeling for final cut. Recently I did a comparison with the float test and it is very accurate. The rest is physics. I try not to think (my first instinct is usually the right one). Most lures like to pivot on the widest part of the body but you can enhance this by weight slightly offset (fore and aft) or to get a different wobble, roll or other actions by weights at various points. I like to use a dremel with a little burr bit and hollow out the weight holes a little and using a soldering iron melt lead into the hole thus the wood lip and dremeling inconstancies will keep that weight in place. Turning, drilling weighing, sealing, painting, reshaping grommets, wiring, all of the work turning an idea into a reality, ultimately to the final test of catching fish. I love a plug that performs the way you want it to without exerting excessive force. From a log or limb into fish foolery sometimes amazing results, sometimes disappointing failures. I guess it’s all a labor of love and an ongoing learning experience.
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