Made some lures yesterday. - The Hull Truth

HullSlap · 08-06-2006, 12:08 PM

I made a 1 1/2 year supply of spoons yesterday and photographed the process just in case anyone is interested. These spoons cost me about $.50 each to make so the cost savings isn't really substantial. I make them because they out-fish commercially available chrome spoons in a big way. I trolled one of these spoons and a "Clark" spoon side by side two weeks ago. Same distance back from boat and identical setups. My spoon caught 26 mackerel and the Clark spoon caught 2 during three hours of trolling. I also caught 6 bonita (little tunny) on the same trip with my spoons.

A crusty old pier fisherman taught me how to make them years ago so I thought I'd share his secret.

Trace the template on the .025 aluminum sheet metal.

Rough cut each spoon out with sheet metal shears.

Round the edges of each spoon and remove all rough edges with a bench top belt sander. Punch the hook slot on one end of the spoon with hammer, old screwdriver and a block of very hard wood (cocobolo).

Drill the front hole on a drill press.

Bend the spoons 3 or 4 at a time on a very cheap bending brake.

Bent and ready for center hook hole.

Drill center hook hole on a drill press.

Bend the rear of the spoon down with a pair of pliers.

Split rings, hooks (notice the large hook eye) and copper (or aluminum) tacks. Purchased everything at Wal-Mart and Home Depot including the sheet metal.

Insert the tack (rivet).

Cut off tack with wire cutters. Leave about 3/32" of tack on the top of spoon.

Flatten the protruding piece of tack (rivet) on an anvil with a small ball peen hammer.

View of underside of spoon.

Finished spoons. Some with aluminum rivet some with copper rivet. Put one small split-ring on the front hole on each spoon.

I know that better equipment is available (shears, bending brakes, etc.). Please don't recommend that I buy expensive tools. I only make 40-50 spoons every two years so I want to keep the setup as cheap as possible.

UrbanRenewal · 08-06-2006, 12:52 PM

Nice work HullSlap and thanks for sharing the 'how to". It looks like an fun project on those down days.

Tom

Gmack · 08-06-2006, 01:23 PM

Sweet! I love seeing the different ways people make their own lures. I'm sure it must be great catching fish on a lure you made!

Gary

John @ TackleDirect · 08-06-2006, 01:38 PM

Very cool to see this, nice spoons!

warthog5 · 08-06-2006, 02:33 PM

HullSlap They are very Nice.

A little FYI. When you put copper in contact with alum, it will eat the alum up.

Not that it make's much diffrence here.

You might check net time for some solid alum rivit's like this.
http://www.rivetsinstock.com/rivet15.htm

They should be soft enough to hammer easily and you can get them in the correct length.

I think I'll make some. Thank's

chip · 08-06-2006, 03:46 PM

Hullslap, excellent photos and descriptions! Thanks. chip.

Tireless · 08-06-2006, 10:26 PM

Nice job Hullslap.

If I can make a suggestion......slap some prism tape on a few of those and run them with the standard model and let's see what happens.

TrollnHeel · 08-06-2006, 10:28 PM

Very cool Hullslap!! I might give it a try!

HullSlap · 08-06-2006, 11:12 PM

Thanks for the compliments guys. Hope some of you give them a try and enjoy them as much as I do.

Gmack,
I've caught thousands of spanish mackerel, ladyfish, king mackerel and bonita on my spoons over the years. Even caught one 42" redfish on one a few years ago. It's pretty cool to catch lots of fish on homemade lures. There's an extra sense of accomplishment that makes it special.

warthog5,
Never had a failure with the copper in over 10 years. Only had 2 hooks pull out of over 300 spoons so far. That was after 15-20 decent size fish on one spoon. I like the copper because it's less brittle than the aluminum and seems to hold up better. The only two that failed were aluminum rivets (cut tacks). Thanks for the link I plan to give some real rivets a try. Perhaps a real softer aluminum rivet will work better. I may even drop a few $$ on the rivet tool.

Tireless,
I've tried different shapes, paint, and even prism tape (silver, gold and red) over the years. Nothing seems to work better than regular old bare aluminum. The aluminum isn't as reflective as chrome and that's why it works better. Chrome spoons are mirror-like and reflect the light too effectively making them blend in like camouflage. Aluminum has a bright soft reflective glow that looks remarkably like the sides of a scaled sardine when they roll and flick in the current. The prism tape is better than steel but the aluminum is even better. The aluminum flutters down slowly to the bottom when casting. Amazing how many fish I hook on the slow fluttering drop. Steel just sinks to the bottom like a rock.

Good luck and let me know how you did if you make some yourself.

Tireless · 08-06-2006, 11:26 PM

Quote:

HullSlap - 8/6/2006 10:12 PM

Tireless,
I've tried different shapes, paint, and even prism tape (silver, gold and red) over the years. Nothing seems to work better than regular old bare aluminum. The aluminum isn't as reflective as chrome and that's why it works better. Chrome spoons are mirror-like and reflect the light too effectively making them blend in like camouflage. Aluminum has a bright soft reflective glow that looks remarkably like the sides of a scaled sardine when they roll and flick in the current. The prism tape is better than steel but the aluminum is even better. The aluminum flutters down slowly to the bottom when casting. Amazing how many fish I hook on the slow fluttering drop. Steel just sinks to the bottom like a rock.

Good luck and let me know how you did if you make some yourself.

Roger that.

RollerGuide · 08-07-2006, 02:54 AM

Excellent stuff

nothing like the pleasure of landing a fin out of a home made peice of steel

i'm also gonna try this out and see how it goes

thanks

baitkiller · 08-07-2006, 05:03 PM

This is the same rush the feather flingers feel when they land that big old brookie on a wooly bugger they tied that morning on the bank of a stream. Satisfaction of a job well done and all skill , not money. That rocks. Great job Hullslap.

2 thumbs up.

fishie1 · 08-07-2006, 05:09 PM

Very cool idea- great job and thanks for sharing.

HOTSPOT · 08-07-2006, 05:12 PM

Cool post HullSlap!!

BarryD · 08-07-2006, 05:32 PM

Nice spoons. Good therapy.

Barry

Reel Boobs · 08-07-2006, 06:00 PM

Hull Slap,
Nice job. I still may be too lazy to make them, but that is COOL that you have found something you enjoy making and catches more fish than a Clark!

I enjoy making sailfish and marlin flies. You don't save that much money, but it is nice to know you can catch fish without buying every lure at the store!

Thanks for the 411.

Elusive · 08-07-2006, 06:08 PM

I am the Ches Bay Regional Sales Rep for Tireless Tackle. I thought you might be interested in some of our custom finishes for your spoons.

Seriously, I am impressed with anyone who can actually make something that works. Nice work

HullSlap · 08-07-2006, 06:47 PM

Boredom kicked in on Sunday so I made a few modifications to my spoon design.

I found a local source for .032 sheet aluminum which works much better than the .025 used above. I used the .032 aluminum for years but couldn't find any the last time I made spoons. Removing the hook from a fish is much easier with the thicker material because it's less likely to bend. It also works better with the new "rivet" that I used below.

The new "rivet" is a Malin 50 lb. sleeve for coated SS leader cable.

I modified a small "C" clamp.

Put the clamp it in a vise, insert the sleeve through the hook and hole in spoon then clamp it down to flare the tube on the top and bottom at the same time.

A couple of whacks with a ball peen hammer to really flatten the sleeve. This rivet is much stronger than the copper tack and it's easier to install. I tried to destroy one with pliers and a screw driver and it just wouldn't let go. The copper tack is tough but eventually gave way to the screwdriver.

It's a sickness!

prockvoan · 08-08-2006, 07:22 AM

Pretty good!Very nice post!I make my lead jigs for tuna and aj's.When I get some time,next time I make some,I will take some pictures.Got tired paying $6 for something I can make for .50 too!Oh,I make my own weights too!Tired of paying $1.00-$1.50 each for them were it cost around .02.I get my lead for free!

capt hook · 08-10-2006, 09:53 PM

Thanks for the info Hullslap. I have made some spoons before but with thin stuff. Like the sutton spoons. Never thought about making them out of thicker Mat. I will try that for sure.

Great post.