Mushroom-Style Tail Weights

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Just a thought, but wouldn't the lead be too soft to get a tight tailwrap? I would think you would dig right into the lead as you kept turning....wouldn't you still need to put some metal piece there for wrapping?

Thanks for bringing this up.

In the picture, you can (barely) see that I have a nose grommet in the opening (to the left). Although I've tail-wrapped without a grommet, you do get a tighter wrap with one. I had to drill the opening a little to get the grommet in.

A grommet also helps in another way: This weight was used in the back of a bluefish skipper and I wanted a swivel at the attachment point. To accomplish this I ran wire through the swivel ring and crimped the wire and the ring flat, then thread the wire through the plug backwards. The body of the swivel seats nicely in the cup of the grommet. I "tail-wrap" at the nose of this plug.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by Eric Roach

...A grommet also helps in another way: This weight was used in the back of a bluefish skipper and I wanted a swivel at the attachment point. To accomplish this I ran wire through the swivel ring and crimped the wire and the ring flat, then thread the wire through the plug backwards. The body of the swivel seats nicely in the cup of the grommet. I "tail-wrap" at the nose of this plug.

Here's a picure of what I'm trying to describe. It's a 4" Ranger-style bluefish skipper made from Ipe. Weighs about 1.4 oz.

[Eric Roach]

Originally Posted by Eric Roach

Here's a picure of what I'm trying to describe. It's a 4" Ranger-style bluefish skipper made from Ipe. Weighs about 1.4 oz.

Just FYI: Two swivels have broken off while using the plug to land blues. Both broke at the ring that was crushed to slide the swivel into the mushroon weight. I think I might have to give up on this, or at least wait until I get around to having a Do-It mold made for this purpose.