Shad Imitation

[Micanopy]

I got bottom pour pot and started making jigs. This one was dipped into clear powder paint with UV enhancements, then baked, then white and black nail polish eyes, then propeller neck with blade out back. The chenille is car mit.

The clear powder keeps the jig head shiny silver. That fresh poured lead look.

Here with a UV light to show reflectivity.



I figured out how to add the wire keeper thingie to the mold. Poured a bunch with those keepers to use for plastic baits. Also made ones without keepers for the tying vice. Trick was to grab top of wire with pliers then push bottom into mold and release. Worked about same effort as inserting hook. Those heads with keepers will be painted bright colors that will better match up with plastic baits.

Painting the eyes was easy peasy because jig head has indentations. These make it easy to make round eyes. I plan to use wild colors for the eyes on some. Glitter polish eyes look great with white or yellow chartreuse for example. UV glow orange with green UV pupil. Nail polishes come in interesting colors.

Bottom pour pot was not easy, and they put one of the legs right where I want to place mold. Hard to keep lead contained to just one hole. Later I was getting the hang of it. Better than my one pound Rowell ladle though.