Hab-a-clone - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

numbskull · 02-06-2008, 07:37 PM

Traded away my last real one. 2.5 oz'ers

Flaptail · 02-06-2008, 09:01 PM

Down in RI they are sticking pins in a voodoo doll that looks like you!

I will take the black and gold, what do you want for it?

I got some extra Sluggos.

Skitterpop · 02-06-2008, 10:37 PM

Nice ....you honor him

Tagger · 02-07-2008, 04:38 AM

very Hab like ...

Rockfish9 · 02-07-2008, 08:10 AM

you are a needle turning fool... you do the design proud...

Biteme · 02-07-2008, 09:48 AM

Very nice George

Where do you find the time?

luds · 02-07-2008, 11:08 AM

hot pink is the only color two oz. i like to fish but don't have.

just curious, your needles are 2.5 oz. but hab's needles in that size were always labeled 2 oz but felt heavier. have you found that the needles you cloned were 2.5 oz.?

numbskull · 02-07-2008, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luds

just curious, your needles are 2.5 oz. but hab's needles in that size were always labeled 2 oz but felt heavier. have you found that the needles you cloned were 2.5 oz.?

The Habs of this size that I copied weighed 2.45 oz rigged with a 5/0 ss siwash and a 3/0vmc treble. In truth, I never liked the plug much...it sank too quickly and required a faster retrieve than I liked to stay near the surface, in contrast to his bigger needle which would plane to the top nicely. Guys who fish deeper, rougher, or faster water probably like this model more. For my use, I suspect it would be a better plug at 2oz and might drill out the weight on a few of these to find out.

luds · 02-07-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

The Habs of this size that I copied weighed 2.45 oz rigged with a 5/0 ss siwash and a 3/0vmc treble. In truth, I never liked the plug much...it sank too quickly and required a faster retrieve than I liked to stay near the surface, in contrast to his bigger needle which would plane to the top nicely. Guys who fish deeper, rougher, or faster water probably like this model more. For my use, I suspect it would be a better plug at 2oz and might drill out the weight on a few of these to find out.

definitely agree. i like that needle alot in rougher water but also fish it in calm water but like you said it requires a much faster retrieve. i've been surprised to find larger bass sometimes don't seem to mind a fast retrieve whether it be a needlefish or a swimmer.....especially if there is some whitewater. some of the better fish i've taken on a hab's in that size have come while i was ripping it away from whatever it was hung to on the bottom.

NIB · 02-09-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

The Habs of this size that I copied weighed 2.45 oz rigged with a 5/0 ss siwash and a 3/0vmc treble. In truth, I never liked the plug much...it sank too quickly and required a faster retrieve than I liked to stay near the surface, in contrast to his bigger needle which would plane to the top nicely. Guys who fish deeper, rougher, or faster water probably like this model more. For my use, I suspect it would be a better plug at 2oz and might drill out the weight on a few of these to find out.

Nice nerdles.. First thing I noticed was that they are mostly light in color...
Is that preferance or thats what U needed to fill out ur stock..
I was surprised to find that my self a few yrs ago..The weight will vary but most where close to 2.5 oz..
Like most plugs I fish especially needles.Weight can be the most important factor..
I have taking some an decreased the lead in the tail for NJ fishing where we often don't have lots of pull or deep water in close proximity to the surf.Had some decent nights this fall with em..

numbskull · 02-09-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

Nice nerdles.. First thing I noticed was that they are mostly light in color...
Is that preferance or thats what U needed to fill out ur stock..

Built 'em mostly for the plugfest. I usually fish blk/orange, blurple, yellow, flo green/white. I prefer the BM needles (although Habs big needle has been good to me as well), and now have a design of my own that I prefer. Eddy and KarlF make excellent needles as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

I was surprised to find that my self a few yrs ago..The weight will vary but most where close to 2.5 oz..

That's because Habs poured his weights into the plug. There is lead running all over the place inside some of his, the nose weight must vary by 2-3 grams on some......which is a lot on a thin needle. I never owned many, but I'd be very suprised if the action was consistent plug to plug.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

Like most plugs I fish especially needles.Weight can be the most important factor..
I have taking some an decreased the lead in the tail for NJ fishing where we often don't have lots of pull or deep water in close proximity to the surf.Had some decent nights this fall with em..

I'm sure NIB knows this, but for those who don't, the trouble with pulling weight out of the tail of a heavy thin needle, is that the plug sinks more level, so it looses the plane effect of the body that works to bring it to the top. Once tail light needles sink, they are hard to get back up. Needles are all about balance. There is MUCH more to them than you would think (though the fish don't seem that fussy about which ones they hit).

Ake G · 02-09-2008, 12:10 PM

Agree 100%

Hab's needles never suited the waters I fish most. Floating or slow-sink all the way. Your plugs look amazing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

The Habs of this size that I copied weighed 2.45 oz rigged with a 5/0 ss siwash and a 3/0vmc treble. In truth, I never liked the plug much...it sank too quickly and required a faster retrieve than I liked to stay near the surface, in contrast to his bigger needle which would plane to the top nicely. Guys who fish deeper, rougher, or faster water probably like this model more. For my use, I suspect it would be a better plug at 2oz and might drill out the weight on a few of these to find out.

Tagger · 02-09-2008, 01:06 PM

no secret ,, I like slow sink . most versatile needle imho... slow or slightly increase retrieve to fish different levels . I like fishing a needle low when possible . A slow drop or slow rise can be the ticket .. Thanks for compliment with Karl F. ,,, George .. means alot .. unless you were talking about the other eddy .. I changed the nose on my already good needle to a cup shape on a few last year .. screwed the plug up.. useless stick .. I changed the whole lead/wood ratio ,,changed sink rate ,, made junk .. Can't agree more ... A finely tuned slow sink needle is a tough plug to make .

wahlie · 02-11-2008, 03:47 PM

Very nice looking Numbskull... Also noticed your stash of banana plugs... How hard are they to make? I was reading an old article in the fisherman that has the blueprints...

-Chris