# First of '08



## eyesman_01 (Jan 4, 2007)

As promised, here is my first batch for '08. 









In my haste, a couple touch-ups were in order. But all in all, and considering the circumstances, I'm happy with the way they turned out. 

The "Count" is black over epoxied textured foil. The thin coat of black lets the foil show through and gives a neat effect and depth.

The purple backed one started out with base coat of Krylon white, then several thin coats of Apple Barrel (Walmart) yellow glow in the dark. Using the netting for the overcoats lets the glow show through most of the bait. Will have to see how the 'eyes like it.

The stripes on the red one are Christmas foil wrapping paper. This one gave me a little trouble applying and will be doing this process a little differently next time.

The top one's stripes were easier than the foil, only done with a Sharpie, but don't look as good as the paint or foil.

Well, that took the last of the bodies I had formed. Time to get the sawdust flying again. Have several more to do to get my box filled before spring.


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## Wolfhook120 (Oct 17, 2007)

Congrats on your first batch, they look awesome! Wish my painting skills were half as good as yours. :B


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## hazmail (Oct 26, 2007)

Love them 'Eyes', how deep do these go?- you may need a decompression chamber when you bring them up.

I know what you mean about little mistakes- I have just finished a Brown Trout pattern this morning, has about 6 colors and I was just about finished and forgot to put the cap on the paint cup (it was pretty full), started spraying and tipped the paint from the cup all over the nearly completed lure, then I got a phone call- I was ready to cut my throat - this is pretty basic stuff, but I suppose we all make mistakes, it's cost me an hour of work time though. Again great work, I would love to see these 'shakin'. pete


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## rjbass (Aug 1, 2007)

Eyes,

You are rockin now....nice colors!

Rod


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## eyesman_01 (Jan 4, 2007)

Thanks guys. A killer head cold left me a little fuzzy around the edges this past week, and working on these did the same for them.

Wolfhook120, I'd only played around with my airbrushes a couple times before this last year when I took up making these baits. I experiment a lot, and not everything looks good. A lot of mistakes lead up to what you see here. All I can say is practice. I still want to do better. I want to paint like TIGGER when I grow up. 

Hazmail, I have no idea how deep they go yet. I've only tested a couple from shore before ice-on. All my baits are made for trolling, not casting, so I'll have to wait and see after ice-out. I'm hoping they dive to the 20-25 foot range on a hundred feet of line. We'll see when they start picking up zebra mussels from the bottom of Erie in the spring. 

Thanks Rod, I'm trying to get a good variation and something different. Anyone who fishes for Erie 'eyes knows how unpredictable they can be. Just trying to better my odds for taking home a limit every trip. 

I see from everyone's posts, you guys are also getting busy on your own. Great job. Love seeing your work, gives me inspiration to do better each time. Looking at wind chills of -24 in the morning. You can bet my butt will be down in the cave cranking out more cranks.


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## goolies (Jun 28, 2007)

Nice work eyes. I really like the red firetiger.


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## mcess (Jan 20, 2008)

eyesman, are these airbrushed? Have painted a few simple baits with spray cans but am considering airbrushing. How much practice would it take to get decent results do you think?


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Those look like walleye killers, Eyes. How long are they? My favorite is the black one.

I know what you mean about mistakes. Two weeks ago, I had taken about an hour and half getting one bait to the final stage. It went so smoothly that I didn't even have to clear between stages. I had applied about 6 different shades of green, done the stripes in gold and silver and faded in the gills and some silver eye details. It was done and I was ready to blast it with clear to set the paint and take it in the house...only I grabbed the wrong airbrush, cranked up the pressure and blasted the whole one side of the bait with chrome silver.

Another question; did you weight those?


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## fugarwi7 (Sep 20, 2006)

Sweet looking batch of eye slayers you got there...I actually like the sharpie look...but I have messed around with those and if you mess up, I think they are harder to clear off than paint...and I mess up alot...seems it is unavoidable from the sounds of it...but for every one of your lures that had an error, you sure did recover nicely...Good job on this batch...and with this weather, doubt if we have to wait too long for the next round...I like the purple/glow combo...can't wait to hear how that one works.


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## TIGGER (Jan 17, 2006)

Wow those look great! Man I really like those shapes. I also like how you use all the different materials. Those poor walleyes aren't going to have a chance this year! I can't wait to see the next batch!


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## Swede (Jan 17, 2008)

Nice ones eyesman ! Our zanders here would like theese too that i´m sure of


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## socdad (Jul 25, 2005)

Is there a stripe on the bottom of the purple bait? What size hooks?


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## eyesman_01 (Jan 4, 2007)

Thanks again guys. The head cold had me kind of spacey and some of the mistakes were avoidable if I'd have thought it out and taken my time. I was in a rush trying to get these posted by the weekend. Head colds and concentration don't mix.

*mcess*, welcome to the site. All the baits I've made so far have been airbrushed. As far as how much practice, that is different for each individual. I've been into art of one kind or another since I was a kid. I use to draw a lot when younger, then starting in my mid-20's I started an 11 year career as a tattoo artist. Airbrushing is a whole new medium for me, and I continue to learn something new every day. I started practicing on cardboard to get the feel of the gun and the controls (I use dual action guns). Best advice I can give is take your time. My first pieces of work had a lot to be desired. Though looking a lot better, my current pieces still have a lot to be desired.

Not selling anyone else short, the two guys who got me started in baitbuilding are who I've looked up to in my learning process. This site has grown tremendously since then, and there are some great artists here. Vince's craftsmanship and ingenuity is top of the line, while (I think we all have to admit) TIGGER's realistic paint work is awe inspiring. While some compare their artwork to mine, I compare mine to his and see I have a long way to get where I want to be. I still have so much to learn. And the only way I will get there is to keep practicing.

Vince, (ouch!) the three lengths I've been making are 4", 5.5" and 6.5" bodies without the lips. In the "tub testing", I've found the two longer ones shown here haven't needed weighting. I think the three #4 hooks seem to be enough. The 4" ones in an earlier post I added an eighth ounce weight just behind the front hook hanger. They only have 2 #6 hooks and with the deep lip they needed some balance. However, with the shallow lip in the same body seemed to do fine without the added weight when I tried them from shore before ice-on. I'm anxious for spring so I can try these all out at trolling speeds here on my local lake and work out any bugs before taking them to Erie.

Fugarwi7, yes, the sharpie is a pain to clean off and does leave a residue. I too have found this out by experience.

TIGGER, you showed such an interest in this shape, I posted my patterns just for you buddy (and anyone else that would like to use them). Feel free to do what you like with them. 

Swede, I've seen pics of your zanders. That is one huge walleye. My largest so far is 10 lb. 12 oz. I wouldn't know what to do with a 40 pounder on my line (though I wouldn't mind finding out ).

socdad, there is only an orange spot ahead of the front hanger, like a sunfish. The rest of the belly is the chartreuse color. Using #4 Gamakatsu EWG hooks on these baits.

I spent yesterday cutting out a dozen more 5.5" bodies, got the holes drilled and the lip slot cut. Time to start shaping on the sander. I'll be watching here every day for everyone else's posts, and post more of my own when I get the next batch done.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Another question, Eyes. Are you using 1/8 polycarbonate or 1/16 inch? I can see that you do a very clean installation for the lip on those. That's an important part of the process and a good thing to be able to do like that.

I made my the lip line ties for a few of my 3 1/2 baits yesterday using the process where you spin the wire after chucking it into a drill. Lol, I'm still wrestling with these smaller scale baits. I can do it, but it requires that I mentally scale down all the parts before I build and install them. 

But I just keep telling myself, "These tiny little parts are my friends."


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## eyesman_01 (Jan 4, 2007)

Friends. LMAO  They can be a pain in the ..... 

I'm using 1/16 inch Lexan. 1/8 just seems way too thick for this size bait. As for the line tie, I'm doing just what you explained to me long ago, except instead of heating the wire, I'm drilling a pair of holes just big enough to slip the wire in. I have a wire bender/form tool, which helps keep a consistent bend in the loop. Once through I hold the loop with pliers and bend the "legs" to line with the hole I drill in the bait just below the lip slot, and epoxy (5 minute) it in place. That jig saw table I made makes a nice square cut, and with a couple swipes of folded sandpaper the lip fits firmly in place. Of course, I'm cutting the lip slot while the bait is still in the squared form. When installing, I also add epoxy along the length of the wire tie legs to help connect it firmly to the lip and leaves nothing for weeds to get caught on there. I'm adding the lip after all the paint is done and just before the last clear coat of epoxy. Hopefully it's strong enough should I latch onto another hawg.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

mcess, check your email.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Eyes, you're a character. We've got to do some fishing together sometime. 

I drill the two holes also for the wire on larger baits. I sometimes use 1/16 inch Lexan for musky baits when I want to get a bait with a lot of vibration without using stainless steel. 

You should try stainless sometime. You might light the look and the action it provides.


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## eyesman_01 (Jan 4, 2007)

Would love to get together sometime. I'm hoping to get to Erie more than the 7 days I made it last year. Never knowing whether work and weather are going to cooperate, most trips are spur of the moment decisions. I'll have to give you a holler and see if you want to meet up. I usually launch out of Turtle Creek in the spring.

I think I have some thin stainless laying around somewhere. I'll have to give it a try.


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