Jointeds

[afterhours]

some inspired by mureels and larry eels... taggers inside out eel skin color?

[numbskull]

God, I love jointed eels. Beautiful job. You might try building one with a second belly hook in the aft section (positioned forward even if they occasionally hang), then tie in some unarmed hackles for the tail. I think you'll like the result. I've also found that downsizing the trebles 1 size can improve the action quite a bit.

[Tagger]

too nice ... that skin color is a perty blue ..

[BigFish]

I will take one on a bun please!

[afterhours]

like the way they swim with only two hooks, reason for oversize. swim right on surface with a slow retreive and down to about 3' a little quicker.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by afterhours

like the way they swim with only two hooks, reason for oversize. swim right on surface with a slow retreive and down to about 3' a little quicker.

Considering how well everything else you build works, it's a good bet the bass will agree with you.

[Slipknot]

wow those look great Don

I could sure use a white one this weekend

[NIB]

Nice I have to agree with NS
Its alot of space without a hook.

[Finaddict]

Gotta believe if a big girl is ready to gulp it down, the two trebles will be more than enough ... but the only real way to find out is to use 'em.

[riverrat2]

Nice Don! Are we gunna have those in the shop???

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by NIB

Nice I have to agree with NS
Its alot of space without a hook.

Actually, I don't fret too much about the number of hooks on a plug. As Finadict points out, big fish usually inhale the thing. Rather, I'm more interested in the way the plug floats. Jointed plugs usually float with the tail hanging down, and swim with the head down, which brings it through the water in bent back shape (at least at slow retrieve speeds). Works fine, just think of a jointed bomber. By chance, however, years ago I built a jointed swimmer that seems to be a real "magic" plug" for me............one that consistently catches fish, even when things are slow. I've had trouble reduplicating it. Two things I've noticed about it are that it swims more level than the others I've built, and it's bouyancy is very close to neutral (its made out of maple), which lets it suspend when I pause my retrieve. I also like long hackles on the tail of this type plug. They act like a third jointed section and give the plugs a seductive sinuous action.

Don, I'm sorry to hijack your thread (and meant my comments as something else to try, not criticism). Your plugs are beautiful and likely will work great in their own right. It is just that I've puzzled for years as to why this one plug I own works so well. Recently, and partly because of fishing your Afterhours needle, I'm staring to think a lure's shape, bouyancy, and attitude of float when paused, can be as important as it's action during the retrieve. I've got an idea that a well balanced jointed eel may combine the best features of a swimmer and a needle in one plug.........then at last I can outfish that pituitary freak, Flap.

[afterhours]

george, i like the idea of hackles. might try a siwash with long saddles on a few. level altitude jointeds could easily be built- think internal weighting, like my needle.

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by numbskull

By chance, however, years ago I built a jointed swimmer that seems to be a real "magic" plug" for me............one that consistently catches fish, even when things are slow. I've had trouble reduplicating it. Two things I've noticed about it are that it swims more level than the others I've built, and it's bouyancy is very close to neutral (its made out of maple), which lets it suspend when I pause my retrieve.

It is just that I've puzzled for years as to why this one plug I own works so well.

Maybe you accidently have the 2 pieces hydro orientated.. talk about a hyjack ... I'll shut up .

[Backbeach Jake]

Very nice jointeds, AH. One of the first I ever made was a jointed out of two NJT swimmer kits. You just made me want to jump back in.