Bye bye BLO....

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

I'll have to report again in the fall on my final findings..

Joe,

Anything to report on the tung? I just purchased some after reading your post about switching to tung and want to try it out on my next batch of plugs.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Joe,

Anything to report on the tung? I just purchased some after reading your post about switching to tung and want to try it out on my next batch of plugs.

yup... although I did not fish plugs as much this season ( fussy fish = eel use) I soaked them enough to be convinced that this is the way to go..
One "go to" plug in particular got hook scarred and blue fish attacked pretty good, most of the epoxy and paint was removed from the exterior of the hook areas....I had planned on cutting it appart to check for water stain/intrusion when I was done fishing at the end of the season... but last Saturday a freight train took me through the mooring field.. she shoud be entering the canal post haste.. towing about 20 yards of 15lb Ande and my PLUG!...

Aside from that, I've got a few goo-goo's that stood up to about 20 hours each of wire line trolling and a hundred fish or so between them... the plugs are beat up but do not appear to be soaking any water...I'll be giving them the " band saw Eddie" treatment when I hang up my rods for the season..

The only thing that has not had a good test are the darters, which are birch and maple, but the boat's coming out of the water Sunday... so the rest of the season I'll be rock hopping and jetty jumping and will beat them on the rocks( and hopefull some fish beat them as well)...I'll know by the end of the month for certain..

as an aside/benifit... the plugs sealed in tung oil ( I leave the cases in the boat and they are subjected to heat and cold more than the ones hanging or packed in bags in the shop) showed no sign of bleed through.... sommething I can say happend to quite a few plugs I sealed in BLO.. as the Clorox comercial said " the whites stay whiter"

[Rockfish9]

This is the set up I used for seailng with the Tung once i commited to it...Each set of tubes are connected, thus allowing for lesser amounts of "product" to be used...and compensating for different dispertion of the liquid... each wire has a slight bend in it to hold the plug in place, this also allows for adjustment to the length of the plug...

I've gone to a double dip, 24 hours appart... it seems to give the best coverage and hardens the softer woods..

for short term storage, i slide the plexi cover over the tubes, I have test caps that I put in each tube for long term storge....

just last night I was cleaning the shop ( and rods and reels) I checked the mixture to see if it had "crusted".. the solution was as good as the day I put it in... I did top off each tube ( to aid in locking out air) before calling it a season... I plan on stealing the wifes turkey baster to remove excess before sealing any plugs to avoid spill over....

[Mugz]

Great tips as always Joe....

[Back Beach]

Thanks for the update. Gonna be doing some experimenting with the tung next week.

[Back Beach]

One more thing, do you wipe the plugs after dipping, or just let them hang and drip dry?

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

One more thing, do you wipe the plugs after dipping, or just let them hang and drip dry?

I dip them twice... no wiping....after the second dip, a glaze will form from the varnish resins.. I give that a light sanding before i prime...