Sand eel swimmer... How to.

[Rockfish9]

remove your plug from the lathe and remove both sqaure ends, I use a band saw, but a back saw works well also...

now slide a #1 lefty high slot into the lip slot, center it and lark it with an awl...remove the lip and using a hand drill. drill at an upward angle into the front hole, you want to be as near the top of the hole ( as if the plug were belly down) as possible, this will keep the #1 swivel from hanging down too low.. if your drill did not reach the front hole, now is the time to connect it... test fit all your parts...if all is fitting properly, lighly sand the plugs ( with the grain) with #320 to remove finger prints and any lingering roughness, lightly round the edges around the nose and tail , this will help paint and top coat to adhere to the plug...dip in your chosen sealer and paint them up..

the finished product should be fitted with 2/0 VMC and either a 3/0 siwash, sparcly tied or flag..

with the sand ell explosion and lack of larger baits in some locals.. slim profile plugs just may be the ticket to a few more hits...

tight lines
Roc

[Slipknot]

That is a great how to Joe
I like that plug, I have one and caught fish on it too.

remind me to add this to the How to forum above

[Mokes]

Rockfish let's all his great secrets out here. I shoulda known...

[GooGoo Man]

I can say first hand that this plug catches,
I was lucky enough to get a mackerel painted sandeel at last years plugfest, was really too beautiful to fish, but I did & it caught a bunch last fall in Rhody.

Thanks again Joe, love your tutorials.

[numbskull]

Nice post, Joe. Very interesting to see how you set the plug up.

Just a question, when sanding do you go 80-220-320 or is it a typo and actually 80-120-220? I usually go 80-120-seal-150-prime-220. 320 for unfinished softwood seems pretty fine.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Nice post, Joe. Very interesting to see how you set the plug up.

Just a question, when sanding do you go 80-220-320 or is it a typo and actually 80-120-220? I usually go 80-120-seal-150-prime-220. 320 for unfinished softwood seems pretty fine.

I go 80 - 220 .. the 320 is mainly around the edges where i dont want the "rough stuff" to splinter the edge, same goes around the belly holes, lip slot... so the plug gets a quick "once over".. .. after sealing I give it another quick one over with the 320 and again after priming, I hit the plug with 320 before the final paint..my finishes wear like iron.. so I'm happy with the results...