[ecduzitgood]

I really dig the carving more than just the painted gills and mouth I used and it is seeing how pronounced you have yours and wondering if that would create low pressure areas that would in turn promote movement/action. I also like the idea of using foil and have seen some amazing plugs done using that technique and hope I'll find the time to get back to tinkering with plug building again and will have that on my list of things to do.
Then that squid idea: I was toying with a hinge type idea but I think that would get too complicated and might not hold up well over time with potential salt/corrosion too many moving parts issue.What I am leaning towards is finding some type of material (rubber, feathers or some type of leather or even a textile/cloth) that when pulled into the body about 1" would cause the tenticles to close. Kinda like taking a feather duster and pulling it inside of a tube if that helps with a visualisation. I'll try and sketch up what I am thinking and see if anyone might be able to fill in the blanks (unanswered questions in my mind).
The place I'm at now is to have the weighted head (with the tenticles) fixed on the thru wire and have the body slide on the wire, one potential problem is the thru wire sticking out in front of the body if too long may bend and impede the body moving forward*when the rod tip is dropped. The weighted head would then drop down and back allowing the tenticles to open. When the rod is lifted or line retrieved the head would then enter further into the body causing the tenticles to close and the plug to move foward allowing the resistence of the water to push the body back. I might even try a willow blade drilled towards the middle outside edge to simulate a captured meal within the tenticles. I might be going overboard again but cabin fever is sure to set in and this seems like a new challenge to keep me busy.
I think I may have to break down and actually get a lathe and dedicate some space to pursue some of the ideas I have. Although I'm a little concerned that I might become too addicted to this little hobby though.
Ed
*The body would have to have enough buoyancy to have it rise above the head up the thru wire while the tenticles drop down and out to open. Might be crude but maybe even an egg sinker inserted inside a piece of white latex tube with the end cut in strips...