They are only 2 months late :smash:
These are kind of working prototypes. I turned 15 or so bodies and I finished about 1/2 and I'm putting the others aside until I actually get to fish them to see if I like them.

I had a few ideas i've been wanting to try on some needlefish. I wanted some that sank level and some that sank head first.

These have head and tail weights. The ones with the 'extended' nose & tail have a little more lead in the nose than in the tail and weigh 2.5 oz. The others have the same amount and are about 2.25. There's no belly weights in them, just the hanger, and belly treble...

These are made from some of the white cedar fishdoc had at plugfest last year. Its nice working with true 2" wood, you can rip it and get 4 needles from each piece. The bodies on all of them are 7" although the extended ones I intentionally let the nose lead stick out past the end of the body so I could try & get a tapered look. the olive one came out good, next time i'll turn the nose a little smaller so I don't have as big a transition from the end of the wood to the wire...

They sound like needle gliders (head /tail weights....slow near level sinking I presume). Be curious to hear how they work for you.

I like your weight scheme to get the even sink and the fast head first sink but that one may not cast well.

Great colors!

the head weighted one should "swim" pretty cool, diving down headfirst then popping back to life with the retrieve, I agree with blondterror though, might not cast that great.

Thats exactly how I weight my skin needles, but fore and aft.

The ones that sink level basically have the same 'tail' weights in both the head and the tail. The heavier ones have a little biggger tail weight in the head but they both cast fine. They don't flip over or anything. Its really not that different than the standard tail weight and bunch of belly weights distributing the lead along the body.

The more I started thinking about needles the more I wanted to start trying to work them more like a jig and bounce the bottom with them.

Its funny when I jig I throw lead heads with sluggos a lot and those cast a Long way even though they end up flipping and going out head first. Makes me wonder if you could do the same thing with needle....

nice work

Very nice stuff,should catch fine.

OOOOH sweet

better late than never. I didn't have much time for many but I did paint up a few of my small flatish maple ones as I still have a few from my last run of them a few years ago. 1 jointed I ended up finishing. The Stezko type ones I did turn this year from a nice soft maple pallet I found at work. Thanks to Grapenuts for the shape. He gave me several small turned blanks. I up sized them and made a few fatter and one thinner. I really like the shape and will give them a go this summer. The small ones are light, bottom belly weighted , but from the tin boat should be fine and sand eelish was my paint scheme. The larger ones are drilled 1/4" dia. to the belly hook and then weight was distributed with 1/4" dia. plastic tubing taking up any space I didn't want weight to make up the total length. A Slip and Assmaster technique. A belly shot of lead in front of the hook too.

Paul, your stuff looks perfect as always. With the tapered noses and the flaired tail you have me wondering if they swim ?

Professor...great looking needles.

worth the wait even tho being late - very well done





Paul , you Zappa'd those needles something ......Sweet

Thank you peoples. I wish I could take credit for the shape but not my design, although it was a machinist who came up with it. DJ I have swum the small version and it did have a slight wiggle to it but not as much as most would hope for when building needles. I will have to see what the larger ones do this summer but I would imagine it will be similar
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device