My DIY Projects and Great Adventures

Great day.
Be safe out there!!


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Size O ball bearing swivels arrived today. $15 for 100. They have split rings on both ends, which is what I thought I wanted, but in size O they are hard to play with getting that blade on. I used roller swivels earlier today and they were spinning like crazy, so it is possible these will spin even faster but I don’t see how they could.

I bought swivels for surf fishing and would order ones that were very swivelly. To test I laid them on the hood of the truck and watched. If they rolled right off as if greased, I knew I had a good supplier. The loops do not rotate in that kind of test so it really is a good test. They came 37 million for a dollar or something like that, but you have to wait for the boat to get here from China. True shame that all the best machines are there and not here. I see items that claim to be American that are in fact from China. They also just out right copy things as if patents don’t exist. Still as bad as it is to buy Chinese, some things are best gotten from them.

Looking at the stack of hacked up pieces of flesh formerly swimming about, I will need more to make a dinner. So back out there again tomorrow. Same bat time, same bat channel. Only this time I am heading straight for that area where they were today, and start hunting them from there.

This morning as I launched and rode out it was like a scene from Africa. Wild birds making crazy sounds. Saw the largest snail I have ever seen. It appeared to be laying eggs on the dock. 3” across maybe. Forgot to take picture. Dock is underwater and kind of tricky to negotiate. Anyways the mornings are my favorite time of the day. God walked his garden in the cool of the mornings.

Great report. Jigs look great too. Those tiny split rings are impossible. Thanks for sharing.

Something took a chunk of that crappie

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Originally Posted by skiptomylu

Not sure what lake you guys are using, but some of these places have things in them that can do damage. Of course gators are there, but there are other biting things in these lake also including snakes that can have nest of water moccasins floating along the surface so tell wife she need to look really good before going in.

Just for kicks I found something in this lake that I never knew existed, but found one trying to fill a hold behind the bulkhead with concrete I got a little too wet so let it sit half full and then went back and there to finish filling and two-towed was siting on top of the concrete. Have read their bite is second only to the snapping turtle.
Species Profile: Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means) | SREL Herpetology

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Mean looking critter

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He thought he was a sport fish. Bowfin and I heard they are not very good to eat.

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These when added to yesterday’s catch will make her a nice dinner. Yes I had to clean them. Anyways I plan to blacken their flesh and lay it inside …….wait for it……wait…..TACOS !

Snapped rod tip by bending it. It was so hot and I was mad that the stupid line had wrapped up again. Lesson learned. Just set it down and take a break.

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After I unhooked one fish I noticed something laying on the deck.

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He got regurgitated but it was far far too late to save him. I wondered what kind of fish he is. Right at 2” long.

I had a swivel between the braid main line and the flouro leader, but that little itty bitty teensie tiny swivel was wrapping up the line. It would swing. So now I re-rigged using Nail knot to Nail knot- 10lb braid to 6 lb flouro. I am considering switching to 20 lb braid and 8 lb mono leader.

Made up some new jigs based on what I saw today. The size 1 french blade seemed too large but it spun beautifully. Also the roller swivels were definitely outperforming the ball bearing swivels. Might have something to do with tolerances and angles and such. I didn’t care for the small split rings anyways.

White jigs have done very well both days. That little minnow was white. Hmmmmm

I am using spinning blade jigs on all my rods based on what the fish have suggested.

Did not lose a single fish yesterday, but lost two nice ones today. It is cool landing the larger fish. Of course. I mean you already knew that. Silly.

Headed to another lake tomorrow. Going to Newnans where the lake is very shallow for a long ways and has a muddy bottom and tannic stained water. The temperature will be close to 90 degrees I imagine. Tough to be a fish, in that you have to endure the same temp all day every day.

My friend caught a bunch of fish and told me about where to begin my hunt. I plan to fish the middle of the lake. The other boats are against the shoreline and think me odd.

Old man asked me what I caught today and I told him and he was surprised. I would have been more chatty but was landing the boat.

Interesting lake in that hydrilla is everywhere and thick and just barely under the surface. Like mowing the lawn going through. I try to keep up speed so the engine doesn’t get bogged down. Really odd feeling.

Left the lake at about 11 again today. Five hours is enough when it is starting to get hot. Lost a water bottle as zi was headed back in and circled back and wished more folks would do the same. I hate to see “stuff” floating past. I net more garbage than fish it seems, even though I did net the bowfin.

Time to cook.

Bowfin should have been a good fighter. Slab did a clean up contest a few years ago. I probably picked up 2 pickup loads of trash during that time. It was a shame to see within a month you couldn't tell I had picked up anything. It is always good to bring back more than you take when it comes to trash

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Jerome sure does like my homemade jigs. Now I get to make all new ones. He thinks I know what I am doing. LOL

I read some about my underspin wire issue and DrNip had some advice, and lots of experience. I also read where the Do-It wire form for the 3/4 ounce Hammered Spoon lure fits my Herring Head mold. Two loops, cut stainless wire in half, bend ends at 90 degrees, insert and pour. Enough wires to make 200 jigs for $4. Crossing my fingers.

I ordered some of these wire forms and also got the next size down French Blade. Size 0. Also size 0 Indiana blades.

Tonight I poured about 25 jigs and bent the little wires at 90 degrees. It helped but still no where near what I want. Some still were loose. I powder painted them white with a second dip in UV powder. Glued on eyes and dobbed on Atomic Yellow nail polish and neon orange for a dot behind the eye. UV resin goes on in morning and curing in the Sun all day. Then add thread, add blades, and sharpen hooks and glue on my plastic baits.

This week I should get my willow leaf blades. Those will be interesting.

Fished dark until 11 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Today was my best day. I basically cruised around looking to stumble upon a fish. Once I found a bite I cruised around and tried to stay at same depth. All my lures were in close, maybe 40 feet behind. Two heavies were maybe 15 feet back directly behind boat. The fish didn’t care that a boat passed over. Amazing.

Yeah I was never really satisfied with this type of wire insert. I bent them as you stated but later on got a batch that when I tried to bend they would break. As previously stated I started using a harder lead as well as switched wire insert I was using. Of course this means modding the mold but is really easy. Here is type of wire insert I solely use now for underspins. They don't come out. You can simply place insert where you want it, close mold and tap with a rubber mallet. It will put an imprint of wire insert in the mold. Then take a Dremel and barely Dremel out. Doesn't take much.

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