# Harness blades... where do you buy?



## Bad Bub

This is for those like me without the artistic talent to paint our own blades.... I just started tying my own harnesses, and I've been looking to expand my blade selection. I bought a few different packs of Colorado's at Cabela's... along with an assortment of beads, quick clevis', gamakatsu hooks and I'm using a roller swivel instead of a loop at the top. I was pretty confident that I would just order my blades through Jann's Netcraft... but holy crap the prices seem really high! I'll mainly be using these on the Ohio River, and casting them instead of trolling. I've got interest in the "hatchet" style blades along with Colorado's. Looking for "perch" and shad variations more so than the solid colors. Anybody have any favorite online retailers? I plan to see what Fin, Feather, Fur has on my next trip to Boardman... but I'd like to just order them now if possible. 

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## fishforfun

I have ordered from FishUSA and Gale Force tackle....Erie Outfitters have a good selection too plus what i did was searched the internet I put in Colorado Blades for walleye harness and searched like that for different sites good luck.
WalleyeSupply.com,,


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## hailtothethief

Do you guys just put your blades on the line or do you use the little metal piece to attach the blade to the line? Having a hard time finding those little metal pieces that connect the blade to the line.

I watched a utube video of a guy using bottle caps in place of blades. Gave me some ideas for new lures. Thought about running a wire to the hook like on a erie dearie and attatching the bottle cap to the wire using one of the small clips.


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## Had a Bite

hailtothethief said:


> Do you guys just put your blades on the line or do you use the little metal piece to attach the blade to the line? Having a hard time finding those little metal pieces that connect the blade to the line.
> 
> I watched a utube video of a guy using bottle caps in place of blades. Gave me some ideas for new lures. Thought about running a wire to the hook like on a erie dearie and attatching the bottle cap to the wire using one of the small clips.


Bass pro and cabelas have plastic ones to attach the blades to the line. A bunch of different sizes.


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## sherman51

you can get some great blades ad galeforcetackle.com be sure and get dr death and reverse muffin. those 2 colors have been the best we've used.

you are talking about a clevis to attach the blade to your line. the solid metal ones keeps the blades from coming off. but the plastic ones with the quick change lets you change out the blades. and the plastic doesn't wear the line as fast as the metal ones.
sherman


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## hailtothethief

Yeah ive noticed the metal clips chew up mono. Didnt know there were plastic. Ill check em out. No one could remember they were clevis. Been bugging me. Shermans got the top personality on the board and is very knowledgable. Reminds me of a version of jim brown if he were a fisherman.


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## night vision

WalleyeSupply.com They have everything you need!


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## Bad Bub

sherman51 said:


> you can get some great blades ad galeforcetackle.com be sure and get dr death and reverse muffin. those 2 colors have been the best we've used.
> 
> you are talking about a clevis to attach the blade to your line. the solid metal ones keeps the blades from coming off. but the plastic ones with the quick change lets you change out the blades. and the plastic doesn't wear the line as fast as the metal ones.
> sherman


O.k... that Gale Force site is amazing! One question though... is the price listed "per blade"? Or do they come like 2-4 in a pack?

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## night vision

Bad Bud I've been tying my own for the last 8 yrs. I've spent hrs online looking for supplies and I just don't think WalleyeSupply.com can be beat. Great selection of everything you need, blades, beads, hooks, clevises, floats and more. I haven't order for Galeforce but a quick look at prices and it makes me like WalleyeSupply all the more. Example quick change clevises GF $2.25 for 10 - WS $2.49 for 25. Plus $5.00 flat rate shipping.


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## HappySnag

hailtothethief said:


> Yeah ive noticed the metal clips chew up mono. Didnt know there were plastic. Ill check em out. No one could remember they were clevis. Been bugging me. Shermans got the top personality on the board and is very knowledgable. Reminds me of a version of jim brown if he were a fisherman.


use 30# mono with metall clevis.


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## Yeada

sherman51 said:


> you can get some great blades ad galeforcetackle.com be sure and get dr death and reverse muffin. those 2 colors have been the best we've used.
> 
> you are talking about a clevis to attach the blade to your line. the solid metal ones keeps the blades from coming off. but the plastic ones with the quick change lets you change out the blades. and the plastic doesn't wear the line as fast as the metal ones.
> sherman


I started using Dutch Fork plastic clevises.they are made for mono and flouro and haven't lost a blade since. They have a locking clasp and don't hurt the line- 25 for 4.99


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## Bad Bub

O.k.... before I start placing orders... do you guys use the floats on your rigs much? And do they do a good job of floating a double hook, 7 bead, quick clevis and Colorado blade combination behind a 3/8 walking sinker? Lol... and is there a good "all around" float size so I don't have to buy 4 different sizes... I'd rather just buy 4 different colors all the same size to get started here. (Keep in mind I'm not trolling.... I'll be either casting and winding in moderate to slow current... or wind drifting.)

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## Bad Bub

Also... I've been tying on 15# flourocarbon, but I believe I'm going to step up to either 17 or 20# for durability purposes... anyone ever use 7 strand wire and crimps? Muskie and pike aren't much of an issue on the Ohio river... but I'm sure I'll be running them on mosquito and the MWCD lakes eventually. Plus, the added strength won't hurt my feelings anyway. Is it more hassle than it's worth?

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## night vision

Have used with and without floats. Never noticed a difference in catch rates. I use #20 fluorocarbon. I also run them behind bottom bouners.


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## Bad Bub

I don't have any bottom bouncers, just the basic lead walking sinkers as of now, and they don't hold the rig up out of the rocks very well... that's why I was wondering how well the floats floated the rig. It's more for snag avoidance to me than an attractor.










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## night vision

Just my opinion but I think bottom bouners would probably help cut down on snags. Best deal I've found on Bottom bouncers was at Scheels.


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## snagless-1

Janns Netcraft Ohio


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## Bad Bub

How are they with casting?

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## night vision

Not made to be casted. Been a couple years since I bought any, but Scheels had the best price by far. If I remember right they had 6 packs or 12 packs


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## Pooch

Barlow's tackle. Good bulk pricing, especially on economy Colorado's.


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## hailtothethief

Got a couple of those worm harnesses and some extra blades off gale force. I tried biting through the line very strong. They got the plastic clevis. Also have two hooks which the ones i tie ive only used one hook. I imagine you put the worm on the hook closer to the blade, and let the other hook dangle. Of course im slammed at work the next month to try them.


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## Bad Bub

I tied most of mine with 2 hooks, and a few with one hook... I haven't caught enough fish to make a decision on hook up percentages... but the single hook does hang up on th bottom considerably less.


hailtothethief said:


> View attachment 266391
> 
> 
> Got a couple of those worm harnesses and some extra blades off gale force. I tried biting through the line very strong. They got the plastic clevis. Also have two hooks which the ones i tie ive only used one hook. I imagine you put the worm on the hook closer to the blade, and let the other hook dangle. Of course im slammed at work the next month to try them.


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## sherman51

hailtothethief said:


> View attachment 266391
> 
> 
> Got a couple of those worm harnesses and some extra blades off gale force. I tried biting through the line very strong. They got the plastic clevis. Also have two hooks which the ones i tie ive only used one hook. I imagine you put the worm on the hook closer to the blade, and let the other hook dangle. Of course im slammed at work the next month to try them.


those look a lot like the reverse muffin. now get some dr death and you'll be using my 2 favorite colors from gale force.
sherman


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## sherman51

oops now I see the dr death in the background.
sherman


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## HappySnag

Bad Bub said:


> How are they with casting?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


for casting anything,harnes,spoon crank bait,
make casting harnes
from 18" to 36" ,20 lb mono line,tie 3" loop with one beeds inside the loop on one end,tie quick snap on second end,now you can put any size slip sinker on the loop and atach to main line,on quick snap you put ,harnes,spoon or crank bait or spiner.
now you can change the bait and size sinker with out tying.
if you have problem with snags and do not wanet to lose bait,use 3 way swivel on main line and drop sinker from 1' to 4'.


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## Bad Bub

Thanks everyone so far! This has been a much more thorough discussion than I ever dreamed it would be... one more technical question... as a bass guy, the floating/sinking characteristics of mono vs flourocarbon are pretty evident with certain baits/rigs... now, will mono provide enough "float" to make a difference when running a harness as to help keep the hooks out of the rocks? Or do you think the short length of line makes that negligible vs flourocarbon which tends to sink?

Also, does anyone use Erie Deries any more? I've got a box of about 30 of them (and some of the spin off brands) and thought they may be a viable cast and wind option for me... especially on the river with the current flows as they've been this year.

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## HappySnag

Bad Bub said:


> Thanks everyone so far! This has been a much more thorough discussion than I ever dreamed it would be... one more technical question... as a bass guy, the floating/sinking characteristics of mono vs flourocarbon are pretty evident with certain baits/rigs... now, will mono provide enough "float" to make a difference when running a harness as to help keep the hooks out of the rocks? Or do you think the short length of line makes that negligible vs flourocarbon which tends to sink?
> 
> Also, does anyone use Erie Deries any more? I've got a box of about 30 of them (and some of the spin off brands) and thought they may be a viable cast and wind option for me... especially on the river with the current flows as they've been this year.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Erie Deries work all time,if you need more weight,put them on casting harnes,
mono has efect only on suspended bait.


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## Bad Bub

I've got mostly Erie Derie brand... but a few Parrish (my grandfather's favorite back in the day), a couple Mepp's and one Hot N Tot rig that I remember being my "go to" on our Erie trips. Weights ranging from 3/8, 5/8 3/4, and a couple that arent stamped that im going to say are 1 oz or more. For being in the top of my dad's garage for probably 20+ years, they're in amazing shape! Now, I also have some "Erie Drifters" by Erie Derie, and I don't remember those from my childhood, but the two wire arms that come off the main body for the small Colorado blades are a bit bent up and out of shape. I've straightened the ones that I could straighten with just my hands, but a few may need a bit more surgery done to them to bring them back. These feel considerably lighter in weight than the standard weight forward spinner. I feel like I can really put those to use in the river without them constantly wanting to dig the bottom.


HappySnag said:


> Erie Deries work all time,if you need more weight,put them on casting harnes,
> mono has efect only on suspended bait.


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## Bad Bub

I kinda butchered that last paragraph... I have one "Dearie Drifter"... it has two arms with small Colorado blades, and 3 snelled hooks like a worm harness below it.... the others are stamped ""Dearie twin"... single hook, Usual molded Erie dearie style weight, jointed to a second tubular body that houses the wires for the 2 small Colorado blades. I'm sure I'm way more interested in these things than I should be... but it almost feels like I'm unearthing dinosaurs... and a lot of my childhood in the process. 

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## hailtothethief

Tried dr. Death for a little bit from shore last night. Got a couple bass a couple walleye and a fishohio cat. After netting him he flopped around like a much smaller fish and snapped my line and donated the dr. to erie. Cant have nice things lol

Found some beads in my drawer and threw on a walleye wide gap hook with some 20 pound test and wala dr death back in action!


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## sherman51

Bad Bub said:


> Also... I've been tying on 15# flourocarbon, but I believe I'm going to step up to either 17 or 20# for durability purposes... anyone ever use 7 strand wire and crimps? Muskie and pike aren't much of an issue on the Ohio river... but I'm sure I'll be running them on mosquito and the MWCD lakes eventually. Plus, the added strength won't hurt my feelings anyway. Is it more hassle than it's worth?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk



I have the ones I get from gale force tied up on wire and double blades. they use wire and manage to tie them up something like a harness tied with mono or fluro. I don't know if they will tie up small orders or not. I usually get a couple of dozen at a time. I just contact vicki by email and ask her to tie them up for me. she has some new colors thats not on the sight that looks hot. just ask for a few samples of the new colors when you make an order.
sherman

if I was going to tie my own i'd use seaguar premier 20# test. it has a smaller diameter than other fluro lines.
sherman


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## Jann's Netcraft

Jann’s Netcraft offers an abundance of Walleye trolling blades. All paint patterns are applied over a tarnish proof Gold, copper, nickel or silver plated blade. Our ProEye Colorado harness blades are the same size as regular Colorado blades but with a large deep cup on the trailing edge. This allows the blade to start spinning faster and continue to spin at lower retrieve speeds, making it great for trolling or casting for walleye. Available in a wide variety of colors our crawler harness blades will help you cover any color combination you can think of. 
Good Fishing! 
Devon- Jann's Netcraft
https://www.jannsnetcraft.com/netcraft-proeye-spinner-blades/310476.aspx


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## c. j. stone

You can get some very reasonable prices on multi packs of blades at just about any of the "smaller" Sportsman's Shows in late winter, early spring like the Niles one as an example. I've found plain and painted in packs of 4-5 for considerably less than half what they sell for at the big "Outdoor Stores". Another suggestion, buy cheaper plain ones and paint them yourself. Look up colors you like in the online catalogs and paint them to match using "fingernail lacquers". They won't perhaps be as "pretty" as the expensive airbrushed ones, but if you have a steady hand and a little imagination, they can turn out quite well(and the fish really won't care)!


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## abritton

HAGENSFISH.COM has everything you need with bulk pricing,phone 800-541-4586 located in South Dakota.


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## Drm50

I use a DO-It Weedless Flippen jig mold to make a lot of Walleye / Sauger tackle. We like the Dual
Gold Nugget so I needed to come up with a home made replacement for them. We loose a lot of
them and that gets expensive. I take .028 wire and bend it double and put it in the channel for
the weed guard. We use long shank jig hooks when pouring these. You just separate the wires
after you pour and put swivel and spinner blade on each wire and you have a nice snag less bait.
If needed we put a stinger hook on just as you would a spinner bait.

I use this mold to make bottom bouncers too. You "eye" a short piece of .035 wire to replace what
would normally be the hook, put a j bend in other end to be enclose when you pour. Put a doubled 
piece of .035 the length you want over j bend , close with pliers and run out hook channel. Separate the tails and you have a Gapen style bottom bouncer for harnesses. 

I have the Do-It bottom bouncer mold but don't like it unless in deep water.


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## HappySnag

hailtothethief said:


> Tried dr. Death for a little bit from shore last night. Got a couple bass a couple walleye and a fishohio cat. After netting him he flopped around like a much smaller fish and snapped my line and donated the dr. to erie. Cant have nice things lol
> 
> Found some beads in my drawer and threw on a walleye wide gap hook with some 20 pound test and wala dr death back in action!
> 
> View attachment 268263


i like your harnes but do not like the snap and swivel,
i prefer quick snap and plain swivel 30 lb test and up.


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## Slatebar

night vision said:


> WalleyeSupply.com They have everything you need!


 Yhanks Night Vision for that site.. I found a few good deals... BTW, what size Colorado blades do you all use for Erie. It has been 2-3 years since I made any harness and I don't remember the exact size I used,,, But I am sure hoping it is #3,,lol


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## Slatebar

sherman51 said:


> you can get some great blades ad galeforcetackle.com be sure and get dr death and reverse muffin. those 2 colors have been the best we've used.
> 
> you are talking about a clevis to attach the blade to your line. the solid metal ones keeps the blades from coming off. but the plastic ones with the quick change lets you change out the blades. and the plastic doesn't wear the line as fast as the metal ones.
> sherman


 Sherman, can you post a couple pictures of how you have the Dr. Death and Reversed Muffin dressed, (color beads used) . I am going to place an order for a couple each of them.. TIA


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## hailtothethief

HappySnag said:


> i like your harnes but do not like the snap and swivel,
> i prefer quick snap and plain swivel 30 lb test and up.












Confused how to add weight. I assume swivel goes to mainline and snap to lure. 

Unless i put weight on mainline above snap
And put swivel on leader


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## hailtothethief

I figure it out with just swivel took me a second


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## HappySnag

hailtothethief said:


> View attachment 283575
> 
> 
> Confused how to add weight. I assume swivel goes to mainline and snap to lure.
> 
> Unless i put weight on mainline above snap
> And put swivel on leader


it depend how you fish.
i put on main line swivel then 18" to 36" mono leeder and dual snap at the end.my casting harnes has 3" loop with beed inside,this way i can ad more or less weight just to take dual snap off add weight and put the snap on.it is quick.


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## bigragu

jannsnetcraft.com has a great selection of blades & other lure making components.


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## Dan1881

A bit late to the thread but off of Ebay there is a seller called "Rock Island Sports / Customs" and they have a very wide selection of floats and blades with great prices. Additionally free S&H if you order 10+ item (which comes to about $20-$30) depending on what you order. jannsnetcraft.com and walleye supply are also good as noted by others in the thread.


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## TRIPLE-J

hailtothethief said:


> Do you guys just put your blades on the line or do you use the little metal piece to attach the blade to the line? Having a hard time finding those little metal pieces that connect the blade to the line.
> 
> I watched a utube video of a guy using bottle caps in place of blades. Gave me some ideas for new lures. Thought about running a wire to the hook like on a erie dearie and attatching the bottle cap to the wire using one of the small clips.


hail get the lil spring looking type from janns net craft they are awesome...
don't run them without some type of clevis or they will cut your line


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