Between a crazy work schedule, been playing with eel plugs all summer. I got the small one pretty well figured out. The bass up here seem to like it pretty good. Been struggling with the big Creek Chub profile. I've got several original ones that swim scary good.... (They scream Cutty Hunk....) I seem to do a great job at turning "wounded ducks" at this size. Any advice on the original wood, weighting, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Also, how did they get the joint between the two sections so tight? The way that the tail hinges, touches the front section and then pulls the front section of the plug down into the water as it sits neutral I believe has an affect on how the plug ultimately swims. Without that tight joint and the contact between the two sections, I feel I have to artificially make the front section settle using weight which in turn affects how the plug swims. Does this make sense? Or am I crazy?

One method might be the front section wire is a normal 'eye' then the mid section end if folded so it can pass throught the swivel eye and protrude enough showing a small >
O(front sect)> + o{rear}O ...

to have the rear 'eye' fed onto before the rear section is inserted and twisted at the tail as usual.... I re-wired a few like that ??? :spin:

Good to see you back and learn you're still building. I recall an article from the last winter or two in the Fisherman about building this plug and I 'll try to dig it out for the weighting info later (chasing Albies this Am). As for the wire, I think they advised folding the wire in the front section, passing it through the plug folded, then reopening it with a prick punch, which elimnates the need for a wrap. CapeSam also posted a method using a bicycle spoke and notched plate to entrap the nut some years ago, that allows you to build jointed pikies similar to the regular sized model (which used a plate in the back of the plug and a threaded rod to attach it). Good luck.

Found it faster than I'd expected. The article was by Dave Anderson /Fisherman no9 march2 2006. He uses AYC (I suspect the original was white cedar) He says the original had a long weight in the front section inserted from the rear beneath the through wire. He weights his with a chin weight 1 '' back and a weight in the front of the tail section 3/4 " back. He is vague on how much weight (1/4" holes to near the centerline into which he pours lead). Also sounds like he uses a 1/4 " drill for his front section through wire hole to allow him to pass the doubled wire. Some chance I can xray an original soon. PM me your fax # and I can send you the article.

You can take a Drill bit (I wanna say 3/8) and kinda countersink the front loop on the tail section. that will tighten it up a little in between.

I use the double wire method.

I drill the front body through hole 3/16, this will allow the wire to go through and remove as little material as possible.

Once drilled, I test fit the wire for measurement, with the lip in place and the wire securely seated, measure 3/8" from the body and mark it with a sharpie, with draw the wire and bend it double, the mark will be the center of the loop, I like to bend the wire around a 1/8 drill bit, to form my loop, then pinch the end tight enough to still fit through a swivel, at this time I make a washer by drilling out a tail grommet to fit over the double wire, this will help the wire to become extra snug... now assemble your plug, things will be tight and it takes practice to know just how tight you can cinch the wire before it wont form a nice loop or break, always take care to not fracture the wire, anneald 304 seems to work best.
Now seat your wire,slide your "washer" over the double wire,using a block of hard wood ( I pre drill aseries of holes to accomodate the widening of the loop and taper of the awl) I then work an awl inbetween the double wire and hit it with a hammer thus spreading the wireif done correctly, it makes a nice round, very tight loop.. practice makes perfect.

Weighting.... I do mine a few differant ways, the ones I want to dive are not drilled off center and chin weighted right up front the amount of lead is related to how big I makle the jointed, some of mine go over 5 ounces... again, experimenting is key, I use 1/4 ounce on a 12" jointed...

On my surface swimmers, I drill offcenter and weight by drilling the rear section of the front half, just below the through wire, coming in from the back, agaain 1/4 ounce is a good starting point...

On ulta thin (1" diameter) eel pikies, I drill offcenter and pour a put 1/2 of a 3/8 tail weight in the chin ( I pound it flat so I dont drill too deep) then I put the other half in the tail section half way between the middle hook and the front of the rear section of the plug, this gives the plug a more poronounced tail kick and tends to swim more snake like, just whatr I wnt in an eel imitation...

I thiught i had some pictures of the process here here, but I dont..