Made my first attempts at darters last year. Effed up about a dozen bodies till I got my jigs set up. Then made this prototype out of Spalted beech (shaking my head). Hadn't given it much of a thought. Until last week. Decided to give it a test swim. Well she swam beautifully and cast well to boot. Unweighted. Not bad for a first finished darter. I am thrilled.

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t506/markpirani/60E1A35B-3799-478E-9156-22335596114D-341-00000025F61D1A2F_zps9c1f4afb.jpg

Nice!!!

Is the plug laminated? Cool looking.

Is the plug laminated? Cool looking.

No that is the natural grain of the wood.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

looking good.
I had pretty good luck with a large white Pichney copy in the canal early summer around the slack stage. Not much luck since.

Sexy
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

looking good.
I had pretty good luck with a large white Pichney copy in the canal early summer around the slack stage. Not much luck since.

This really had a nice sweep to it I am not really thinking the heavy canal current. But more of a beach plug.

To be honest when I first tossed it out I was expecting it to come in twirling out of control. It had a nice action in fact. Now I gotta
Check it in a more normal wood. Spalted Beech is cool for a one of. But not using that stuff for many plugs.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

never heard the term Spalted before... and i took dendrology at Paul Smith's :huh:

what's it mean? the plug looks pissah

It is in reference to the irregular grain the black marking in it is I beleive due to a reaction between the sap and moisture in the wood. Could be washed up in that theory. But you also see Spalted maple etc.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Spalting is from a fungus in the wood

nice plug