Big Danny Help - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

numbskull · 02-03-2006, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead

A 1/2" slug in the belly? That's a chunk of Lead!

I'll try to xray one for you to see at the plugfest. When Beachmasters were hard to find, I would drill out the weight on a Gibbs and put in a 1/2" x 1/2" slug. You can pour em yourself if you drill out a piece of maple.

steelhead · 02-03-2006, 10:58 PM

That would be awesome! I don't pour lead, so I'll have to come up with some other solution on that end of things.... Also know what color this first one is going to be :-) Can't wait to hammer Large from the Yak! I assume at night they were black?

The Dad Fisherman · 02-04-2006, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead

That would be awesome! I don't pour lead, so I'll have to come up with some other solution on that end of things....

John, Take a ride up to the Kittery trading Post....They have Muzzleloader balls in Various sizes that are perfect for weighting. No F.I.D. needed to buy...hell its Maine they didn't even ask for a Drivers license.....

I picked up a 100 of the .40 cal. at about $6 that weigh in about 1/5 of an ounce. Plenty of sizes to choose from.

nightfighter · 02-04-2006, 06:54 AM

TDF and Steel,
Pouring is pretty straightforward, in the shop. When you need, we will take the maple or poplar and drill out the size you need. I heat in a ladle normally used for setting in toilet flanges. (I need turned bodies

)

steelhead · 02-04-2006, 07:26 AM

Yooo. Nightfighter!!! I smell a trade! 1/2" x 1/2" slugs for bodies!Smells good to me! TDF, Hitting Kittery Trading Post on their kayak demo day in March. I'll take a look at the musket balls as well!

NIB · 02-04-2006, 07:52 AM

I'm a big hook guy.There are a few things u should know 1 3/8 is to far forward for the front hook its gonna tangle on the line I go 1 1/2 back min.then 2 7/8 -3 " to the back hook.Thats plenty of rm for 4/0's.Some like to tighten up on the front or back hook some to keep the weight in the plugs axis but i like to make sure the big hooks don't tangle. U gotta be carefull U don't want the weight to kill the action of the plug.U put that tail hook to far back an the lip don't wanna drag it.In old days the big hook was also the keel weight in alot of plugs thats why 5/0 where so well used.If u go 4/0 a 1/4 by 1/4 piece of a nj tackle tail wieght will be more than enough lead.Especially bein u are usin what looks like pine which could be slightly heavier.I like to make the tail thinner this enables em to work easier.If u notice the pic of the beachmaster danny the body has more taper from midsection to tail.I take that a little further.I love big danny's.There's nothing like slingin big wood an havin it get killed.

steelhead · 02-04-2006, 11:20 AM

Nib, You're right, That's pine. that's what I've got lying around right now. I have no idea how old it is. Came from my Mom's basement.
Only got enough to do one more, maybe two. It sure drank from the well when I dipped it this AM. My final hook holes are 1 3/4" back from the from the front and 4 7/8" back from the front. Centered the belly weight hole.

Also have a piece of mahogany that's thick enough. What do you think? Or should I save that for something else?

numbskull · 02-04-2006, 01:08 PM

NIB, what were Dannys originally made from? I'd always assumed it was pine, but why I don't recall.

numbskull · 02-04-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead

That would be awesome! I don't pour lead, so I'll have to come up with some other solution on that end of things.... Also know what color this first one is going to be :-) Can't wait to hammer Large from the Yak! I assume at night they were black?

Go with yellow back/white belly, if you've got to pick one. Also, you might find these plugs a bit heavy to cast from a kayak, on the end of a rod they have some heft.

thefishingfreak · 02-04-2006, 01:33 PM

weight looks BIG, like .50 cal

save em if ya want, cause i ain't leaving them up forever.
mike

steelhead · 02-04-2006, 01:42 PM

That looks like a giant Donny Musso swimmer! Cool!

Was wondering the same thing about the wood... Musso used several different kinds from what I've been able to gather, depending on whether he wanted surfwce or subsurface.

Was throwing 3 ounces from the yak last year. Don't haver to toss far cuase you can get so close :-)

NIB · 02-05-2006, 10:49 AM

NIB · 02-05-2006, 10:51 AM

The lighter the wood the easier it is to get it to swim.Of course it also means it's not as dense or durable.Pine is a good choice.red cedar is lighter.It's easy to work from a light base piece u can always add weight.U have to make sacrifices to remove wieght.I think the musso pinchney/Beachmaster clan used some kinda pine. I also got some Smaller 6" Danny's that he must've made out of maple.Obviously made for special ops fishing.Turn one in the mahogony an save it fot the big water.I have found that some of the ayc goes heavier (sap wood) i save these for when I want something heavier.Bassmaster like to use ayc for his danny's the six inch models went close to 3 once but still swam pissa.He exaggerated the girth in the middle of the plug to make it bouyant.He taught me alot about metal lips.Without tellin me anything.we learned together but I learned just from lookin at all his creations. I miss him he was the man.

steelhead · 02-05-2006, 11:34 AM

He was good to me as I got started in this a few falls ago. Traded some wonderful emails full of advice, helpful hints, encouragement and support! Never have had the chance to turn a plugs or fish with him. Hope to some day... BM,if you're out there, PM me. I got a plug for you :-)