Whiggly won't

Questions about Making Your Own Lures

Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:14 pm

I made a whiggly about 8 inches long. Proportions for length and width are very close to 10 incher I got from Rver2Sea. My tail has a wider fork. I built it with the wire tie around the eye support. I took them out tonight and they don't whiggle much. Tendancy to roll onto side. I don't have any weight in the body and my hooks might be a little light. My bait is also thinner from side to side than original proportions. I used straight alumisol with dye but no hardener or softner.
Any help? Please
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby dahlberg » Wed Apr 01, 2015 5:51 am

keep trying!
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Mike - Alumilite » Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:06 am

If it were me ... I'd add some weight to the belly (either bb's when you pour under the gill plate or even a finishing nail or two afterwards) ... then pour the head with straight Alumisol (tilt the mold vertical so the head is solid to about the gill plate) ... allow that to cool just enough where it won't move ... then pour the remaining whig with 2 parts straight alumisol, 1 part softener (this is really soft). This should make her dance.

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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Wed Apr 01, 2015 10:54 am

Thanks to both of you.
I had thought of the finishing nails.
I did cast one with some birdshot in it, but didn't take that one out for the test. I also am looking at my rigging a bit.
The body is more flexible that the commercial wiggly, but I wasn't sure if was too soft. The body tapers from head to tail with nothing at the head to cause extra turbulence.
May the goop be with you.
Kirk
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby dahlberg » Wed Apr 01, 2015 11:18 am

k
try a larger hook and position it so the eye of the treble is touching or almost touching the bottom of the connecting ring. also make sure it is totally straight. don't be afraid to bury the treble to the bend of the shank or more.
the tuning issue is the reason we didn't offer it that way from the factory!
one other thing; very important: most people, 99%, think it should swim and it should. but, really, you catch more fish is it swims at slightly higer speeds but not lower. The reason is that the sharp short twitch, slack, twitch thing actually causes the stiffer guys to store a bit of energy when they bend and release it on slack. also do some cool things when they go from burn to dead stop.
anyhow, my two cents.
best
L
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:37 am

Thanks for the continuing though on my problem. I went out last evening again and tried finishing brads in the belly, helped some. I think my wire tie has some problems. They do turn 90 degrees or more on the stop or on the twitch. Really cool in that way. And when I give it a hard pop it does wiggle as it turns. but it will not when I move it faster. Maybe my rig is not capable of moving it fast enough. I don't have a high speed gear ratio.
I did notice that my edges are sharp. Those edges on back and belly. So, although it is slight, I think that edges causes the bait to torque. I thought a sharp square edge would cause it to move more. It might, but it moves in one direction.
Trying to change only one thing at a time so that I don't confuse what is really making a positive change. I appreciate the constructive comments. Spent a nice evening on a backwater of the Mighty Missouri with the moon coming up, Thinking about fish and lure design.
It is hard to imagine not getting a perfect mold and bait the first time-Just kidding.
Kirk
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Mike - Alumilite » Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:09 am

If the swimming action is important to you, play with the hardness of Alumisol. The softer it is the more it will swim however as Larry mentioned, the less glide you will get on the twitch/pause.

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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:25 pm

Mike,
I want it all! whiggle! turn and glide! tough as nails! Peacock bass, muske, tarpon, redfish all in the North Dakota Missouri River and area lakes.
Actually, I get your point. Saw one other thing as I stared at my school of Whigglies instead of talking to my wife during supper. Too much drag along the backline. With a scissors I can fix it, but again, back to the mold making.
Thanks again. Kirk
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Fri Apr 03, 2015 7:28 am

I should have said that the current whigglies turn 0ver 90 degrees to the retrieve line. They actually will do 180 degree turn on the second twitch. Thanks again for the thought and comments.
Kirk
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Kpete » Sat Apr 04, 2015 6:00 pm

I cleaned up my tie, added some birdshot, poured a bait with some softner in the tail end. It wiggled.! I also used some more streamlined eyes and birdshot in the belly.
I reworked a couple other ones and got some wiggle from them and better darting action on the stop. Thanks again.
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Re: Whiggly won't

Postby Mike - Alumilite » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:12 pm

Great job Kpete!!!! That is awesome. Now go catch em'.

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