Wake Bait Project

[dtrs5kprs]

Few notes and pics from the big balsa wake bait project.

Things I learned:

1) Big jointed baits are a royal pain to through wire. Wired the first one, then went to eyes for initial builds so as to actually get more than one completed.

2) Redfin factory tails are solid, sinking, plastic! Adding a balsa tail is easy and floats the bait higher, but...also floats the back of the front section, which may not help. Thinking this tweak needs to be combined with a lip tweak for the fin, foaming the head (which I have not yet tried), or additional weight at rear of head section. Still hoping to replace a lip, but have other things more pressing.

3) The solid body baits were fairly easy to build, probably should have wired them vs. eyes. Have real hopes for those two. Have a couple of other solid minnow styles I purchased last year that wake surprisingly well, especially if you have tried waking a solid fin or Long A.

4) The jointed bait I wired with SS wire produces a significant rubbing squeak. Closest comparison would be a very well loved and squeaky buzz bait. Interesting.

5) Took an educated shot, basically, with regard to lip style and width. Have a couple baits I am happy with on face value, but have concerns about their lips impairing the action.

6) Now know more than I care to about the anatomy of a jointed redfin, and am still not sure why it does what it does, in the way it does. It seems like a bait made for trolling, that sort of accidentally works for waking. It is such a "solid" bait, obviously designed for big fish like stripers.

Have not had a chance to do more than float test them yet. Will follow up when that happens. Hope it is an interesting local topic, if not feel free to let me know.

In the jointed pic, the top fin has had a tail transplant. Would have liked that tail to be a little longer and perhaps thinner in hindsight. Also have a shot that compares size, design, etc. to a couple of the high $ balsa baits available. Did not want to post that publicly from concern of perhaps outing someone's secret bait. In fact, there is one of those baits I would prefer folks not see at all because it runs like its price, and I have high hopes for it this spring.

Maybe it will take our minds off the f&f for a while. Go warm rain and mid 40 degree nights!

[abkeenan]

Dude those look awesome, especially the jointed ones you custom made. That bill angle should wake real nice without diving even at a faster retrieve. The redfins I have are a pain to get them to wake, you have to pull them just at the right speed or they dont run correctly. If you did some field testing with your jointed balsa and got them to wake right I would totally buy a few off you rather than giving Buckeye $20 bucks for a non-jointed Wake Up. Don't know what you would charge for one since I'm sure I am clueless as to the amount of time it takes to make one of those beauties but its something to maybe think about. Anywho keep up the good work and let us know how the field testing goes when you get around to it.

[Flysmallie]

Those look nice. I would throw one of those.

[magicwormman]

Very interesting! I've played around with redfins for years, looking for the magic bait. It's always amazed me how different the action is from bait to bait. I have had the most luck removing the rattles, changing to lighter split rings, and lighter hooks. I've tried several other known tricks, with very little success.

Good report.............keep us posted.

[dtrs5kprs]

Very interesting! I've played around with redfins for years, looking for the magic bait. It's always amazed me how different the action is from bait to bait. I have had the most luck removing the rattles, changing to lighter split rings, and lighter hooks. I've tried several other known tricks, with very little success.

Good report.............keep us posted.

Have to ask...how did you get the rattles out? Can think of a couple of ways but am afraid both would require band aids. That is sort of the same direction I was heading with the float foam that did not happen.

[Ham]

Good looking baits.

[magicwormman]

I just drilled a hole large enough to remove the rattles and than epoxied them. I think I've had better luck without the rattles.

[dtrs5kprs]

I just drilled a hole large enough to remove the rattles and than epoxied them. I think I've had better luck without the rattles.

That was the easiest idea I had. Will have to try it, can't be any more disastrous than heating lips...

[Hughesy]

I too have played around with Redfins for what seems like forever. Seems like you buy 5 and get 1 that does what you want it to. I developed a lure Bass Pro Shops is now selling that is very similar to a Redfin. It is called the Double Take. When fishing a Redfin it is very common that bass blow up on it 2 or 3 times before they get a hold of it or you get a hold of them. When this happens, most people pick up a grub or something and throw it in where the blow up occurred. With the Double Take you can just put slack in your line by extending your arms out, and the back bait will slowly sink in a zig zag motion usually catching the fish that blew up or another fish that was following close by.The Double Take looks like two minnows. The front minnow (which floats) is larger than the rear minnow (which sinks). You feed your line through a tube in the front lure and tie it to the back lure. Beck has one and said he wore them out on it last year. I did make the prototypes out of balsa and they did perform better than plastic. I just couldn't get Bass Pro to make them out of balsa. Keep at it dtrs5kprs. They look great and you should end up with a great wake bait. If you need any help, let me know.

[dtrs5kprs]

I too have played around with Redfins for what seems like forever. Seems like you buy 5 and get 1 that does what you want it to. I developed a lure Bass Pro Shops is now selling that is very similar to a Redfin. It is called the Double Take. When fishing a Redfin it is very common that bass blow up on it 2 or 3 times before they get a hold of it or you get a hold of them. When this happens, most people pick up a grub or something and throw it in where the blow up occurred. With the Double Take you can just put slack in your line by extending your arms out, and the back bait will slowly sink in a zig zag motion usually catching the fish that blew up or another fish that was following close by.The Double Take looks like two minnows. The front minnow (which floats) is larger than the rear minnow (which sinks). You feed your line through a tube in the front lure and tie it to the back lure. Beck has one and said he wore them out on it last year. I did make the prototypes out of balsa and they did perform better than plastic. I just couldn't get Bass Pro to make them out of balsa. Keep at it dtrs5kprs. They look great and you should end up with a great wake bait. If you need any help, let me know.

Good to see you over here Tim, and thanks. Beck has all the cool toys, including that darn garage. Have to look at all that room every time I am at Schooner.

Expect to do a ton of adjustments to these animals, lips, size, angles, stock (flat vs. round), weight and balance, etc.