spook tail weight ?

[Jigman]

Originally Posted by PNG

... Wind picks up I want a spook. Tail weight punches the wind better. More wind a pencil.

I agree. A spook will cast well, but its really not a distance plug or something that will cut the wind well. A popper or a pencil are better for that purpose.

Tail weight will give you better distance, belly weight will hold better in rougher water. Action is a little different, even if they sit the same in the water. Belly weight give more of a glide. Best way to know for sure is to do up a couple, one with a tail weight, the other belly weight and compare.

Jigman

[Lower]

Thanks PNG and Jigman. Took a few picture...this will help. I started by turning a spook shape while looking at a picture of a bunker. Was looking for a little shorter fatter profile than a ballerina or spook. Once I got that I was playing around with how I would finish the plug (weights, line ties, etc). I understand how ballerina's differ from howdy's differ from a traditional spook. What I couldn't quite grasp is how the exact plug would differ with the different tail weighting schemes.

[Lower]

The first picture is of the two weighting schemes on matching plugs. The second is of the two line ties I'm going to try. So there are 4 plugs. 2 low line ties and two regular. One tail weighted one belly of each. I have plenty of howdy (heavy tail weight) type plugs. I'm kind of looking for a more slow glide type walk.

Anyway...just thought this might make for some interesting discussion.

[Jigman]

Nice looking plug. For more of a glide, move the belly weight up closer to the belly hook.

Jigman

[numbskull]

However you weight it, I'd keep it floating at an angle. I built something similar a few years ago that was heavily tail weighted (and convex shaped/central line tie) and floated straight up and down with the nose out about 2". It sucked. Did more porpoiseing than anything else on retrieve. I think that sort of weighting scheme works better with narrower profile plugs. I also think the profile of the back half of the plug becomes important when you weight it. For plugs that float at an angle I like convex (hump of curve out), for plugs that float straight up and down I like straight or concave (curve in). I think as you pull the plug, the shape of the back portion briefly acts like a rudder/planer. With the heavier tail you want it to push the nose down, with the lighter tail push the nose up. I definitely like the lower line tie on plugs that float at an angle. I haven't tried them on plugs that float vertical, but I suspect it wouldn't work as well.

[BigFish]

My "Blitzseeker" is tail weighted and has a shot of "00" in the chin. Rests in the water at about a 45 degree angle and the chin weight comes into play upon retrieve. It walks the dog easy as pie and if you lower the rod tip below your waist and give a tug it goes subsurface and will stay there through the retrieve if you keep the line tight and pop the tip! I wanted the plug to stay chin down more than most "spook" plugs do.....did not want it to pop back up like a pencil when you pause. The chin weight acts as an equalizer keeping the tail from slumping quickly down when you pause.

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by Jigman

I agree. A spook will cast well, but its really not a distance plug or something that will cut the wind well. A popper or a pencil are better for that purpose.

Tail weight will give you better distance, belly weight will hold better in rougher water. Action is a little different, even if they sit the same in the water. Belly weight give more of a glide. Best way to know for sure is to do up a couple, one with a tail weight, the other belly weight and compare.

Jigman

What ever Jiggy says ... Bernzy will tell you about his Howdy . "Its Not a Spook",,, Orig. Cordell Boy Howdy was a stick bait ... sits near vertical like a PP .You can walk it like a PP and catch tons of fish ..Your talking about optimun spook glide ..sit like jiggys ,,

[Lower]

Thanks guys...I guess this was more of the conversation I was looking for. Pictures always help I guess.

I've caught hundreds of fish on the "howdy" type design. Long, thin, lots of tail weight. I guess with this one I was going for a bit more for a traditional spook. Maybe tail down 10-20 degrees and sit more horizontal. As numbskull said, I think loading the tail with too much weight wouldn't work with this shape. I'll take a couple more pics with them in the water.

Tagger...I don't have a jigman spook or a jigsmith to compare. So I'm just going on what you guys tell me.

Jigman...I'll turn one more and move the weight closer to the belly hook. Belly hook placement is just a starting point too.

Bigfish...Didn't realize the blitzseeker was weighted that way. Neat idea.

The hardest part is that its fun to try some new designs in the winter, but then testing them is impossible when everything around you is frozen!

[BigFish]

Hope this helps? Try it...I like it and so do the fish! There are folks on here who will testify......"Blitzseeker"= Bass Candy! Just something different...try them all and see what works for you!

[redneck24]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Hope this helps? Try it...I like it and so do the fish! There are folks on here who will testify......"Blitzseeker"= Bass Candy! Just something different...try them all and see what works for you!

very close to how i weight mine, great results.

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by BigFish

"Blitzseeker"= Bass Candy!

You got me ... Larry put aside one of those Bass Candy Blitzseeker's for me .. pearl white .. I'll buy at 1st show your at .. please .. one with a belly grommet ...

[stripercrazy]

chris I got a spook like yours that glides nice w/.24 tailweight...its just enough weight to bring the tail around...I build a bunch of huge spooks last year 4-6 oz I like to glide them, all center drilled and tail weighted...they'll roll alittle...seems when I was testing...to light you get no action then as the tail is alittle down they glide....more weight they walk and then more weight there duds.bringing the linetie and the weight 2/3...help stops roll......with the chin weight and a tad more in the tail stops it too

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Hope this helps? Try it...I like it and so do the fish! There are folks on here who will testify......"Blitzseeker"= Bass Candy! Just something different...try them all and see what works for you!

I'll testify, That plug works itself, a real pleasure to fish!

[Lower]

Some great ideas here. Thanks.

Ed...that's how #2 is weighted right now. .24 oz in the rear. I like how it sits in the water (especially with the low line tie.)

Goldenbear...I've thought about that a bit too. You think by doing that you get a little more glide out of it? Kind of goes along with what Jigman was saying about moving the weight more toward the hook. I will admit I like tail weights as it skips that drilling, filling, etc step. Think I might try that too, just to see.

Look at that Larry, I helped sell a plug... Not that they need much help...I've heard great things about them.

Feel free to keep kicking around ideas. Fun to hear the different ideas.

[BigFish]

You got it Ed! See me at PlugFest! You going??