Making Stick Baits with Shigenaga of Japan

For me the perfect holiday would be spending a week locked in another lure makers workshop; I would be happy just to brush up and catch the odd glimpse of them working. On the other hand it is great when lure builders make videos of what they do, saving me from all that nasty travelling and hanging about in airports. This is a two part video from Shenanigan a Japanese lure maker, it really gets into the detail of how he works. I think there is always a fear with lure makers that sharing a process will somehow give the competition a foot up. Watching these videos and the way he makes lures I kind of realized no matter how much he gives away, there will be few who can give the commitment required to produce these amazing lures.



check out the action



Link to Shigenaga Facebook page

Brendan's Fabulous World of Fishing

I am a bit of a Youtube amateur fishing show junky and there are a fair number made in America that are always worth a watch. Brendan's Fabulous World of Fishing is one that sticks out because it is more about fishing and less about big boats,big engines, high fives and fist bumping. So if your looking help whatever Christmas leftovers you have managed to cram onto a sandwich digest, put your feet up and lets go swamping for bass.

Fire Tiger with Mr Craft and Mad Lures

This is a paint tutorial showing Mr Craft's very own take on the popular fire tiger lure pattern. Mr Craft of Mad Lures has a truly unique style, it is almost a little like grunge mixed with modern graffiti  and graphics. Check out his Facebook page if you looking for some lures you wont get off the peg or to see some inspirational paint work. Viva La france    link to Mr Craft website 

Making a PVC spoon lure you don't mind losing

This is an interesting project using some old spoon lure making techniques with some mondern materials and a little skill with a knife from Les Dyer. He also has great slideshow below of carving a large fish reproduction with some more interesting techniques. Happy boxing day

Its Christmas, well almost

Santa's Cajun Sleigh Ride from Team Hookedonyak on Vimeo.

Father Christmas and a reindeer enjoy a well earned rest before the big night

The Hidden Stream

I love this film as it reminds me of the type water I started lure fishing on, a small forgotten stream a short walk from where I used to live.   Check out the you tube channel The In Depth Angler  for other great videos

Discovering - Harley Ragan making Decoys

Fish spearing is not really for me but fish decoys are one thing I can appreciate, this is a great look at some top carving and painting.

Marlin Baits Striper Crankbait

Another epic film and lure from Marlin baits, this is one big chunk of good looking wood.

Country and Western fishing crimes

Its wrong, just plain wrong, I need a drink after this lot.

Ludovic Auzou

For one Frenchman homemade fishing lures are not the kind of things carved out a piece of cedar with a favourite knife. Ludovic Auzou has taken his passion for making lures into the world of 3D modelling and cnc machining injection moulds.  His soft and hard plastic lures would not look out of place amongst the expensive imports on a tackle shop display. As the world moves towards making these technologies more accessible to the man in the street, it still takes an unusual talent and a great deal of work to be able to create lures of this calibre.

Hopefully his shop will follow soon, and we can all get our hands on them, in the mean time there is no charge for staring.

Viva la France

Fishing It Aint

A beautiful film showing the work of a Chinese wooden bowl turner

Clog Fly Fishing, Asp streamer

This is a little fly tying video of a spinning fly for Asp, but it looks something I could knock up for a bit of ultralight perch fishing on spinning set up. Check out the channel and the blog http://clogflyfishing.blogspot.co.uk/

Niggas On Da River

Warning very strong language

There are lots of English words I have trouble spelling but one of the most difficult words I have had to write is in the title for this Blog post. This is the first episode of a youtube fishing series from Oregon, the camera works isn't great, the sound, isn't always good, the music is a little patchy and I think they could do something with the editing, but I could watch this and have until it has hurt my eyes and sides.  Please share and subscribe to their channel,  I want these guys to kick  Duck Dynasty into oblivion.

Antonicont Handmade Lures

Italy has had more than its fair share of old masters, Botticelli, Michelangelo but what about some new ones. Antoni Conteddu of Antonicont Handmade Lures is one of those artists who takes, wood, paint and shiny things to some other place most of us can just dream about. It is hard to find one point alone that stands out about his creations, it is all a master work, the internal engineering and weight shift, external form, carved details and paint work is on a line of perfection.

When looking at someone’s work at this level I can only be inspired, and also a little bit jealous but I take comfort in thought that something else has to suffer for this greatness and maybe he is a terrible cook who’s pasta is always overcooked, or maybe not. Check out his facebook page Antonicont Handmade Lures, you may wish your keyboard had its own like button to save precious time while viewing.

Test Tank Tuesday with Mikko

I do not normally post Mikko's (Solarfall Baits) stuff on this blog, because If you don't already know who he is, his website and videos then you are probably living under rock or you have finally been released after serving a long prison sentence. So for those ex-cons and Martians I give you Mikko's latest soft plastic monsters, and what a test tank. This is really a combination of his wood carving skills, mould making and a special soft plastic paint in the hands of a master from CAB paints of Finland. Oh yeah and just to rub it in he goes and catches a nice pike. BLOG LINK http://solarfallbaits.blogspot.co.uk/

Dutch Masters, Pike On The fly

Purple Madness - Pike On The Fly from Willem Romeijn on Vimeo.

Kick off your shoes, forget about your blues, let the day job melt away its Friday and I am not fishing I am watching a Dutch Master instead.

Abu Garcia The story

I have a love hate relationship with Abu Garcia, there older reels like the buttleproof 7000 are the standard that others are measured by but some of their newer low profile far eastern imports have not lived up to their reputation. Still I am sure there are very few lure anglers who don't have a long love affair with an Abu.

Drop shotting with Steve Collett

I have watched a fair amount of how-to catch fish videos in my time, and often they are short on the how-to bit and little more aimed at shifting gear off a shelf or promoting a personality. This video from Steve Collett and Ecogear is really a great look the catching part and the techniques he uses to make himself one of the best lure anglers in the country. Let us hope this the start of something good.

Urban Lures

Urban Fishing Lures - Making of from Giorgio Nasti on Vimeo.

From a basement in Italy, Urban Lures has started a little empire based on quality handmade balsa fishing lures. This is a really beautiful glimpse into his workshop by Giorgio Nasti a film maker based in Rome, lets hope he keeps pointing is camera at fishy subjects.

Currently Urban lures is selling through his facbook page (https://www.facebook.com/urbanfishinglures/) ,but a website is in the making. Meanwhile if the video doesn't wet you appetite enough check out the lure porn below.

Gunki Rotterdam

I am not one for publicising brands especially ones that have a budget enough to do it themselves, but I have to be honest I like this video. Maybe there is too many gang signs and a little to many high fives but it made me want to grab my drop-shot box and jump on ferry to Rotterdam.

Tank Tuesday BRKT a swimbait that will bite you

I remember the first time I saw this lure, you know when something is so good you have to pause for a little while and just say dam, and then pause some more and say dam again, and then a few more times until your tea gets cold. This is from BRKT baits of France it is a couple of years old but very fresh, dam it is good (I have said it again). Check out his blog for more dam fine originals http://bait-et-mechant.over-blog.com/ , Vive la France !

Fishing For A Living

Yep she is a person, makes fishing tackle and misses her home and her family.

3d printing Lures

It will get there one day but that may be a little way off yet.

That Japanese Amish Swimbait

Some baits just do the business, they work because of craftsmanship, attention to detail, technical ability and some baits are a pile of shit but work anyway.

St Clair Bait Co.

Alumilite take us to meet the ST. Clair Bait Company

Zombait Fishing with the undead

Some things are just evil and wrong and others are plain clever, this little kick-start gadget claims to breath life into your dead baits long after the sell by date is up. Follow the link to their appeal Zombait

Tank Test Tuesday Pesca Hecha en Casa

This a little of both, construction of a soft plastic swim bait and in the test tank later, from Mexico. He also runs a great blog http://pescahechaencasa.blogspot.mx/ with lots more videos, templates and other fishing information.

Longin Making a Metal Jig

A little video from Longin Lures of Japan giving a glimpe of jig making. Check out their site http://longin.jp/

Splish Splash Plastic jerks

Having given up Danish bacon for breakfast in the hopes that one day I will be able to see my feet again, I feel I have some Danish-ness missing from my life. Luckily Splish Splash from Denmark is doing his bit to fill that gap by making these great films about a subject closer to my heart than cholesterol, lure making.

Once again folks please subscribe to his channel and share the sh*t out of his videos.

Rinaldi Studio, A lure without hooks

I want one, I don't care if it will catch fish or even if it is designed to, it is just cool.

This an image from a new book from Michael Rinaldi who is better known for how to books on model tank making and finishing, but in this book he is concentrating on a fish shaped submersible model. After a bit of digging it turns out the model was designed by Michael Fichtenmayer an america model making fanatic. He named it, FichtenFoo's Fantastical Fish-Shaped Submersible, which I kind of think sums it up. Check out his blog for more bonkers ideas that should have fish hooks attached http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/ and also the book people http://www.rinaldistudiopress.com/

Tank Test Tuesday Love Bait Spoons

I have to be honest, I have a bit of thing for spoons they are one of those baits that kind of drive pike a little mad. These little pike look-alike spoons from Love Baits of Poland not only look great they have a twisting jerky motion in the water that almost begs to be bitten.

Check out their cranks baits as well, they have some great designs and a definite
style of their own. Website Love Bait

Monday morning at the office for some lucky barstools, Carl and Alex

If this is not their day job it should be, Carl and Alex are brothers, fishermen, film-makers, and still at an age that does not require them to use glasses to read ingredients on food packets; dam them. As someone who dabbles in fishing and fumbles through film making I have some understanding of the time, effort and in their case the talent required to make films at their standard. So even though unfortunately they are big carp fishing fans (no one is perfect) I still come back to their films looking for inspiration and a stonking great story, told with enthusiasm and care; they never fail to disappoint.

Their latest adventure is a tale from both sides of the pond, I mean the big pond which sees them teaming up with another pair of siblings (I cannot even get my brother to come fishing with me, or make me toast) to take up carp fishing challenges both at home in England and the USA.

I know there is a great future in this field for these guys but lets help them get there a little sooner by adding our support and subscribing and sharing the sh*t out of their videos.

P.s. When I grow up I want to be Carl or Alex

The holiday is over

It has been a few months since I posted a blog, but the break has given me a chance to think about and try other things. In August I took a trip back up to Scotland and Mull where I used to live and made a short fundraising film with some friends who have a croft there. I stayed in the off grid camping hut they were hoping to be able to complete with funds from the film. When the film was complete It took a little over a day for their campaign to raise the money needed and a little over what they expected as a bonus. The hut itself is just a short walk from a phenomenal fishing spot where previously I had filmed the end of the “Making a Coffee Packet Mackerel Rig”, so let's just say I spent some time when not filming fishing.

I always seem to be going backwards and forwards between the future and the past, and although Mull is largely the past for me it was great to be part of something and also to be inspired again by a landscape and the people like my friends who are making a life there. Seeing Celia’s nervousness about appearing in front of the camera for the film really made me face up to actually dealing with my own unease at being in front of the camera for my lure making films.

So for my next project the ‘Five Minute Epoxy Trout Glider’ I stuck my ugly mug up front and also as a first decided to work with my wife for the film. I think when we had finished the video it almost felt like the first complete film I had been involved in; it had a real sense of story not just ‘look at this pretty lure’. After getting featured on Field and Stream’s website in the USA it quickly picked up some viewing figures.

For the future the blog is back and I will posting every few days again about lure making, fishing, and filming and just other shit that makes me feel happy. Well at least until something comes along to give me another break. Film wise I am working on a knife inspired lure which should be out in a week or so and then I think I want to finally make a swimbait.

If you have any content you would like included Paulpadam@aol.com

Gone fishing

This blog will be temporarily out of order while I go fishing and filming in Scotland, should be about a week. This was a advert I made a few years ago when I thought I would make and sell fishing lures.

Life in a Balsa Tree

It is not often you get this close to life in a tree that has been the backbone of lure making since Mr Rapala began using it to churn out foil wrapped twigs.

Balsa Trees - Behind the Photo from Anand Varma on Vimeo.

In 2009, photographer Christian Ziegler asked me to help him photograph a story about balsa trees for National Geographic Magazine. Here is a video I shot over three months of fieldwork in Panama that shows a behind the scenes look at how we got the shots for the story. Narrated by Christian Ziegler.

No Tanks No Testing just some fishing, Nuffinbutfishing and Willem Romeijn

If tank test Tuesday is about anything for me it is about not feeling alone. There is a comfort in knowing that around the world other lost souls are throwing things they have made in water in the hopes that what ever has occupied their thoughts and hands for the previous weeks, months or even years makes sense when wet.

But as someone who is also burdened with the desire to makes short films about fishing I need some assurance that there are others equally obsessed with dragging cameras about along with their landing nets and then when it is time to leave the water editing into the early hours. It is fair to say I am not alone, so I get a choice of where to find comfort and some inspiration and so for today's tank test I am visitng a couple of those places, the youtube channels of Nuffinbutfishing from the UK and Willem Romejin from Holland, a couple of young (yes I feel Old) fishing film-makers. As luck would have it both of them have managed to upload their latest videos today. I don't really want to say too much about these videos other than if the future of fishing is going to be carried on anybodies shoulders I rather it was people like these.

I try and keep away from telling other people what to do but if you have enjoyed these films click on the youtube icon and subscribe to their channels, even make the effort to press the like button and then if you haven't worn your fingers to the bone share them on your facebook because other people might also enjoy them and they are probably sick of you posting pictures of your dog or selfies. thanks

Monday morning at the office for one lucky barstool

This is trailer for an upcoming film about an Irish river guide and already it made me a little damp in good way so I am expecting great things. Check out the website Seetheriverman.com

The River Man - Trailer from RICHARD GORODECKY on Vimeo.

Totally Awesome Pike Art with Dusto

This a video from my favorite Youtube fishing show, The one, the only, Totally Awesome Fishing Show.

Painting lures with Steve Vandemon

Steve Vandemon, what a cool name sounds like the alter ego of a super hero but does know a thing or two about airbrushing lures.

Fishing It Aint

Thanks Mr Fisher for this one, it not fishing but its my blog and I like it

Tank Test Tuesday Bettencourt Baits

There is a fine line in puppetry where the inanimate springs to life, it is not just movement but movement that is recognisable as that of something living or in this case dying. Nathan Bettencourt of Bettencourt Baits has not only managed to add some lively swimming action to some of the swim baits he makes but he has also captured a little glimpse of the afterlife. When paused on the retrieve these lures roll onto their sides and gently float up to the surface as if they are staring down that long tunnel towards the light. For years lure companies around the world have been telling us that their lures have that wounded minnow action; Bettencourt's Dying Trout and Dying Bluegill lures on the other hand have a more compelling, mortally wounded action. At one point while watching these videos I was reminded of one of those events all adults face who have children that keep goldfish as pets, as his lure rose in its death throes to the surface I found myself wondering if I had a match box spare to bury the deceased. Check out his website at Bettencourtbait.com

Image above:Dying Bluegill

Monday Morning At The Office for some lucky Barstools

Patagonia, if only it was just next to Wales and above Devon. No, second thoughts they would of ploughed it up by now to make space for an Ikea and a shit office development.

Fly Fishing Vibes with Hooké in Patagonia from HOOKÉ on Vimeo.

A Look Inside Strike King's Factory

There is a lot in here that is familiar to me even as a home builder

Fishing Lures It ain't,

It is not a fishing lure but I don't care, great film making and amazing "penmanship", a word I thought I would never get to use.

The Trouble with Trout Parr

The first fish I ever caught on a homemade lure was a brown trout just a little bigger than a parr but with the attitude of a tuna.

Test Tank Tuesday Gaudo's Trout Swimbait

It is not often I get stopped in my tracks by something; the last time was a tranquilizer dart and a case of mistaken identity, although as a species we are closely related to the gorillas, someone believed I was a little more closely related than most.

So to Gaudo a lure maker from Lithuania. It is not often I use the acronym WTF as I am probably too old, but I defy you to watch this video and not find yourself using it as well. Sometimes words are just a little superfluous, so go check out his Facebook page and pack some more WTF’s you will need them. Link to Gaudo's Facebook

Monday Morning at the office for some lucky barstools

Muskie Fever from Gregory Lowe on Vimeo.

Muskie Fever produced by Greg Lowe and Jake MacDonald for the Northern Ontario Sportfishing Centre in the Township of Sioux Narrows - Nestor Falls. Video and Music by Greg Lowe. Script and Narration by Jake MacDonald.

Mr Wilson Goes Lure Fishing

A bit of lure fishing from John Wilson who was driven out of Britain by a gang of otters

Fly Tying from the dark side

I think Isaac Walton would be turning in his grave if it hadn't been ripped open and his bones used in some ritual by this guy.

HCFT 27 - NotaGotcha from chase hancock on Vimeo.

NotaGotcha - Great Variant for a traditional Gotcha, works well on bigger fish. For Deep water sub out the bead chain for lead eyes.

Materials

- Gama L11S-3H
- Tan Craft Fur
- Estaz Glissen Gloss
- silly legs
- bead chain (gold)
- fire finnish racoon

Test Tank Tuesday: Carpe Diem (seize the carp)

It seems like everywhere on earth has a largemouth bass population apart from this lump of wet rock just off the coast of France that I call home, amongst other things. So test tank Tuesday is heading south, very far south to South Africa where luckily for some , largemouth bass were introduced in the 1920's. Apparently Craig, this weeks master of the tub has been a bit busy making jointed glide baits to keep him going through the "winter" and prepared for the up-coming season. (Do they have winter in South Africa? Do they even know what winter means? I might just get the head of the snowman from last winter that the kids made me keep in the freezer and post it too them, my Grandfather used to say it isn't a proper winter until you can kick frozen dog poo across the street)

I digress. These are handmade jointed lures with photo real finishes and epoxy. For me they hover on the right side of what a good bait should be, they have a pinch of uncertainty about their action which only makes it that bit more real rather than a lure out of packet that moves with all the joy of somebody packing chicken wings in boxes. I also really like the Carolina type rig which keeps the lure near the bottom and I may have to try this in the winter (yes a British Winter, damp but with the bonus of being cold and miserable) for pike when they start sleeping on lake bottoms. Check out the rig below

Cheers Craig thanks for sharing

Monday Morning at the office for some lucky Barstools

Dam, I wish I had of made this

The Friday Float: Tench and the Northwest Fisherman

I once described Tench as the ugliest fish in the pond, this was probably because at the time I was not catching many. As My catch rate has improved so to has my appreciation for these green sumo wrestlers that lurk at the bottom summer ponds. But more importantly is the discovery that pursuing them on a sunny morning by a quiet pond is as close to heaven as some of us mortals are likely to get.

Vinny also know as the Northwest Fisherman as he is based in the Northwest of England has found a little time between float making and work to make this very beautiful film about summer tench fishing. I know when summer is over and the tench have all buggered off to Tench land for the winter I will be putting my feet up, finding a wee dram of something and reliving morning glories by watching this probably too many times. Also check out his blog The Northwest Fisherman, his writing aint half bad either and he takes some great photos and there is always his Facebook Page

Image Below: A few of Vinny's homemade Wagglers (there is no Innuendo here)

A Summer Tench from Vincent Coulson on Vimeo.

Sweetgrass Rods

My last attempt at fly fishing resulted in me nearly blinding a child, so I think I may just limit myself to watching

Cane is Cool....thanks for all the great feedback on this video! And thanks again to Headhunters in Craig, MT for putting the video together.

Posted by Sweetgrass Rods on Tuesday, June 18, 2013

How its made Penn fishing reels

When I grow up I want a job on How Its made

Test Tank Tuesday Vodkaman's Opus

Not all test tanks are made equal, I personally have the bath or a shallow stretch of pond but there are some of us who dream a little bigger. This is Vodkaman's set up and when he is not using it to test his own lures he rents it out to the French navy so they can test half size models of their latest frigates. As someone who has spent a lot of time dragging things through water watching these baits in close up is both mesmeric and an education without a fat ugly teacher asking you where your homework is (you know who your are).

Vodkaman (Tackleunderground user name) despite the name is not made of fermented and distilled potatoes, his alter ego Dave has day job, background in automotive engineering and aerodynamics and when he is not working for the man in his spare time he builds and tests baits. But rather than just throwing them in a bag after testing and going fishing he is really interested in studying why they move as they do and that murky world of hydrodynamics that some of us have nightmares about.

By his own admission other activities have taken him a way from serious bait making for a couple of years but he is soon to be back in the saddle with new ideas and possibly a bit of enterprise. He just needs to get the tank back from the local school who have been using for diving lessons. Also check out Tacklunderground.com which I suppose for a lot of us is this on-line home of lure crafting and you may see Dave, I mean Vodkaman there.

Monday Morning at the office for some lucky barstools

A great and great job and the office isn't bad either

In Current from YETI Coolers on Vimeo.

Making a Basic Plastic Glide Bait

Underneath the skin of this slightly overweight, lazy, middle aged man is another slightly overweight, middle aged man who has just ordered pizza. I am it is fair to say blessed with a reluctance to do anything much, after all my middle name is Inertia. So when something comes along that makes lure making less about making and more about the lure I kind of like it. Plastic may be killing our oceans but it is great stuff to make lures out of especially quickly. So for this video I put away the balsa (well left it where it was) and made the long walk down to the cellar to make a quick lure out of polyurethane. The results you can see for yourself, it was a bit heavy and broke the handle on my crap jerk bait rod (this is a hint to a jerk bait rod maker for a freebie, Don't judge I am as broke as my rod) so I my need another one to use in future videos where I may let the camera linger over the label and refer to it a few times (it is worth a try). Enjoy, and as always share the shit out of it. For the rod people my e-mail is paulpadam@aol.com (yes I am that cheap)

The Jerk, well making one

Do you remeber that film with Steve Martin, well this is not that film it is much better it's Danish Jerk Bait time with Splish Splash

Test Tank Tuesday Rats

This is the first time Test Tank Tuesday is heading State-side to Texas to take a look at Chandler Johnson's major water rat infestation. Michael Phelps has nothing on these little beauties, check out the rubber tail action on the 5" prototype, after watching briefly I found myself hypnotized and when my wife asked me to the dishes I went right ahead without a second thought (luckily it does ware off). This lure is hand carved from cedar and Chandler also makes and sells other lures under his brand name Limit Lures Link to Website.

Monday morning for some lucky barstools

Well this might of been a Monday Morning but I suspect it was good while back when Mermaids used to regularly lure fishermen from their boats and there were plenty of fish in the seas.

Sunday Book Club: Fishing in Utopia

I always find it hard not fishing on the weekend but still having access to windows, so the fact that the weather would be fine for a day's fishing never escapes me. If I cannot fish myself being transported in an armchair to some distant water is perhaps the next best thing and for this little review I got to travel through Sweden with Andrew Brown, although we have never met.

Fishing in Utopia, is a memoir of life,love, politics and fishing in Sweden viewed through the eyes of a young man coming to terms with adulthood and beyond. What I have enjoyed about this book is the seamless blend of life with fishing as only one aspect rather than a stand alone character. There are no measurements of the anglers greatness or ineptitude, no wide gaps between palms or stories of catching the biggest fish in the lake just a greater depth.

There is a tangible sadness about the book that almost makes some of pages a little heavier than paper ought to be. Loss is written up with a hand that almost makes it feel like a very beautiful surgery, painful none the less. Then there are also the passages where the words effortlessly render that sublime beauty of being by the waters-edge. It is fair to say I often feel I have lived a little after reading this book, I am not sure it will make me a better fisherman but that is a big ask for any author.

Making Spider Web Lure and Kite fishing

This is a little bit clever, I may have to try it, I just need a kite a canoe and some spider webs, I think this still counts as a lure

Kite fishing from Jonathan Clay on Vimeo.

Test Tank Tuesday

From the UK Barry Robinson with a new tench bait, and already it has got the fish interested. This is a polyurethane casting from a hand carved original. Barry not only makes for himself he also sells and makes other stunning lures (RobisonLures.co.uk) as well as finding time to write articles which you can find on his website.

Is that one pissed looking pike or what?

Monday Morning at the office for some lucky barstool

Norway a bit like the Uk only much better

Far Out Fishing - Norway from Johnny Saunderson on Vimeo.

Mikelindo Lures a well framed lure builder

I have been told that I spend a little too much time on the internet but I think it is all worth it when I find things that inspire me. These little collections of frames from Mikelindo of Northern Italy seem to sum up that process of making lures both in terms of process and aesthetics. So I am going back down to the cellar with some inspiration and maybe carve something myself. Thanks

Check out his facebook page Mikelindo Lures and once again share the love or at least the post

Annoying Pike Underwater with the River Piker

One of my favourite places to visit while stuck editing and dreaming of fish is the Youtube's River Piker channel, this is one man's predator obsession in Vlog form and if I cannot get out myself it is great to tag along with him for the ride. This is his latest collections of clips mainly showing pike ignoring his lures underwater which I find great to get a glimpse into that other wet world. There is no fist bumping, no 250cc outboards and no high fives on his channel, just an honest guy doing a bit of honest fishing mainly with lures. Enjoy and as always share the shit out of it River Piker Channel Link

Popper Maker

Not even sure where this one is from but somebody will put me right

Making A solid Titanium Glide Bait Leader (Trace)

I am in the middle of half a dozen things at the moment project wise so I thought I would just make a simple video in the hopes that it would let people know I am still alive. I have been testing these leaders for just over a year now and I think to be honest I cannot see myself going back to stainless steel other than for special lure rigging like stingers. Sadly for lighter lures these are a little on the heavy side so they tend to kill the action of wobblers but are great for large baits and obviously glide baits.

Monday Morning at the office for some lucky barstools

Guiding at Blackbay Lodge in Ireland is the kind of job that makes overseeing major infrastructure improvements to data services and your companies intra web seem a little sh*t in comparison.


4. BlackBay life from BlackBay on Vimeo.

A Weekend Break from Fishing Lures

Ricky and Doris playing with bits of wood

Slinky Kate, Making a Soft Plastic Mould on the CNC machine

Part of me always fancies the computer generated lure route and this guy makes it look all too easy

Test Tank Tuesday

From France and the hands of Stephane Fisher of S.Lures this soft weedless stick bait is first up. Also go check out his website for some more unique creations finished with his own personal style Link To S.lures

From Croatia Filip Strahija finally putting a bath tub to proper use with his wooden hand carved lures.




From Germany Manu Coman with four centimetres of balsa that vibrates like something you would buy form an adult shop.





Remember if you have something in the test tank to share it is paulpadam@aol.com

Mikko Invades Britian

So I am watching Fishing Britain a Youtube fishing channel when guess what pops up in one of the host's tackle boxes one of Mikko's creations. Check out the video below at 6:27, dam these are good obviously for more lure action check out Mikko's blog.  Link to Solarfall Baits

Dam these people to hell, the Bluetooth fishing float

  I shall be in the cellar making toothless floats out of stick and stuff.

Tank Test Tuesday

Another weekly round-up of testing videos from the world of home lure makers

 From France Yannick Hrbiscus of Hebiscus Lures has like Doctor Frankenstein created a monster but this time a fish catching one



From Poland and the hands of Marcin Ziemba a wooden jerk bait

Making a wooden lure with All Day I'm Fishing

Neto Icas Bait Pen

If only Mr Biro had been Brazilian he may have created something a least one hundred times cooler than a pen. Thankfully we have  João Neto Iscas a man who does not just think outside the box but would probably recycle it into a boat. The pen lure, his creation is a killer for Peacock Bass and I suspect many species. I personally cannot wait to see what he would do with the rest of the rubbish we have on our desks like staplers and hole punches never mind the executive toys.

Oh yes and he sells them so you don't have to cut up your own stationary https://www.facebook.com/joaoneto.netoiscas

Tank Test Tuesday

A weekly round up of test tank action from around the globe



Check out this Beauty from Ireland via Mel Handmade Lures and for further inspiration there is a link to his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/melhandmadelures. Hand carved original that he is resin casting, painting and coating with epoxy.

From Romania and the hands of Totoianu Mihai come the the Killer B, this thing although tiny at 2.5cm or an inch has got to drive trout or even chub wild, at one point I found myself licking the screen.



And finally for this week from Switzerland via Mark Balmer a little bit of balsa with some nice but action.

If you have tank test video you want to add e-mail me at paulpadam@aol.com using the title Tank test Tuesday and send me a link to you youtube video,  include a picture of the bait and some details about yourself and where your from

Monday Morning at the office, for some lucky barstools

When I worked in an office in a city my friend who worked on lobster boat in Cardigan Bay used to ring me regularly to update me on how many dolphins were riding the bow wave of the boat, the bastard.

Two trips to the Rapala factory one in English the other in Russian

Not sure which one of these films I prefer but if there was ever a God of lure making it would have to be Lauri Rapala and his work needs no introduction in any language

Flying Fish, well almost

Found this rare insight into the world of hand carving wooden toy planes, but I feel the world would be a better place if people just put hooks on the things they make.

Eric Ross Making A crawdad Soft Plastic Lure

Simple quick but very effective

Making a Minion Fishing Float or Bobber

Sometimes I get the feeling when I explain to people what or how I am making something that they switch off because it does not make sense in their world or they view me as a person in need of mental health services. "I am making a fishing float from a gas bottle and some babybel cheese skins." To me this sounds like a great idea, why wouldn't it? Just don't ask me where I got the idea from that is a little more complicated and includes giant dogs and legal highs.

Kermett Adams Making A Wooden Lure on the Lathe

He ain't a frog and we are not related even though we both build lures and have a second name in common.

antonio999us Making Weight Shift Lures

This is the first video in a series from Antonio but check out his youtube channel for more lure making, fly tying and a bit of fishing. I liked this video because he uses aluminium cans to make the lining for his weight shift tube and also because I get a mention which cheered me up no end after a miserably day waiting for parcel that never arrived.

Chuggers from Germany

This is a slide show of building chuggers from my German lure making friend Dieter. Although we have never met I feel I know his bathtub a little better than my own as it regularly features in his videos as a test tank for some of his more wild creations.

DIY - Frog Lure from cork with rubber legs

I love this video it just makes perfect sense, well to me anyway. I think what really makes it is the bit action at the end.

Fish Hunter, Making A popper

A great video showing the process of making a wooden popper lure on the lathe and putting it through its paces on the water.

Slavnatik, Making lead weights and moulds

This is great video about making moulds for pear and other lead weights, this technique or forming sheet aluminium into moulds is inspired and I may have to give it go. This is also from a great youtube channel from Slavnatik and while his videos are not in English the processes he uses are clearly demonstrated. As always give him some likes and share the hell out of his videos

Mepps, mepps, mepps so good they named it just once

Tour of Mepps Fishing Lures from Sportsman on Demand on Vimeo.

Another little factory tour with some history and squirrel tail

Swedish Pimple

Swedish Pimple from Hegedus World on Vimeo.

An american fishing lure that speaks Swedish and would probably vote for Norway in the euro-vision song contest

Making Reed Fishing Floats (bobbers) with the hand cranked lathe

I am never really sure with any video or project exactly where I am going to end up, scripts and storyboards if I bother to make them, can only do so much in steering but there are always surprises. I think what started me down the track of making my own floats was the disposable way mass produced floats tend to get treated almost like bic pens. It seams I am always finding their snapped plastic stems stuck in the mud or the margins of ponds or lake.  I have devoted a fair amount of my free time to stirring at fluorescent blobs of paint in lakes or ponds, long enough for it to be considered semi religious and with any relic there has to be some kind respect. So I wanted to make a float that if it decided to take up residency in a snag it would return to dust without doing to much damage to the pond on route, but it had to start out looking somewhere between a candle and an incense stick.

Mr Sebile

Lured from Gate Seven Entertainment Group on Vimeo.

Jealous I am not jealous, who wants spend all their time travelling the world and fishing?

A simple electric drill lathe

Of all the electric drill lathes I have seen this one is pretty simple and would be great to make some cork floats with or even the odd lure with a bit of modification

Fishing it aint

Peter Brings the Shadow to Life from predatory bird on Vimeo.

No water hear but just a little bit of something else equally inspiring

Where the F**k I am going to live and fish?

I went back to the local lake to film some 'B' roll, this is the nice fill stuff of films, like ripples on water or clouds, things to cut to and set the scene rather than tell a story. This is all to finish the final reed float film of the series so I can get back to making some lures. My usual fishing swim had been decorated by the last fisherman to use it with the wrappers of all the things he had eaten, smoked and drunk on the previous day, laid out at arms length from where he had sat. I found a bag and filled it with the rubbish while wondering if he had read a heart disease advise leaflet and somehow in confusion took the list of things to avoid as the basis of a healthy lifestyle.  The walk to the bin was an arduous twenty paces on mown grass and I could see this being a challenge to a man who guessing from the wrappers had eaten a cold ready meal and a full multi pack of Dorritos amongst other things.

I was the only fisherman on the lake, even though I was not exactly fishing for fish just footage. It did not take long for the surrounding city to realize it had left a small patch of grass, lake and trees at peace so a guy on a stolen motorbike was sent to tear things up a bit. He brought with him the police helicopter and some pursuit cars for good measure and they had some fun playing chase as the sound levels on my camera went off the scales. I though it best to leave and wondered why the F@@k I was living here and what the f@@k I was going to do about leaving.  Still you would never know from the editing.

Yoshihiko Ando, Serious Silly Style

A.H.P.L / Yoshihiko Ando Lure Exhibition 2015 from devilhead on Vimeo.

In Japan they queue for lure makers, but who wouldn't to meet this guy. My own little skull jig head owes a lot to his work. When the fun stuff is over he can carve and paint replicas that have a breathe of life about them.

Plastic Spoon Lure Revisited, Brendan Miller

Sometimes you put ideas out there and the best case is they come back but with someone else's spin on them, Thanks Brendan

Salmo Lures a little look behind the scenes

I would love to visit and have a factory tour here or even make a video

The Hook and the Cook, Making a Surface Lure

A nice set of Vids and lure from Australia

Foiled Again, Lure Passion

I am sure I was a magpie in a former life, cause I can look at shiny things all day

BIg jig heads big fish fish

Another great vid from Splish Splash, and this time it is in English and just when I had started to learn Danish.

Alabama Rig homestyle

Rebel Lures a look inside a US factory

Bass Fishing Lures from Talkin Outdoors on Vimeo.

If only he made lures

Karakuri from Matthew Allard ACS on Vimeo.

Well it ain't fishing but sometimes I need to go to other places for inspiration or just to be amazed.

Make a Lure with Larry Dahlberg

The thing about Mr Dahlberg is, it's all good apart from the beef jerky he likes so much which is bad on so many levels but luckily in this episode he steers clear of it.

Duo lures, there is only one or possibly two

I like the title of this video most which includes "There is only one," despite the fact that Duo means a pair. But never the less even after watching this I get the feeling this is just a bunch of home crafters in a rather large garden shed, with maybe a few more bits of kit but not much, nice all the same.

Murray Cod Surface Walker

Making a Musky Creeper Lure with Sam Larsen

One day I hope to meet a musky and introduce him to a lure like this

Seaducer Fishing Lures Big Game Love from Hawaii

Resin, shell veneer and brass tube sounds like love potion for big game and big water

Maciej Dukacz Making Lure Eyes

Not only does he catch far too many pike (more than me by far), he makes dam fine videos, it is just not fair

Homemade Shad Rap style bait

A nice little demo fromSpin Predators

Custom Baits Magazine

This is a review by skip  the Bart lure man on a new online magazine for custom lure freaks


Custom Baits Magazine for Smart Phones/Devices:
https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...

Custom Baits Magazine for PC: http://joom.ag/j1mb

Making Reed Fishing Floats with Plastic Parts

I could of picked a better day to go fishing but with a video complete and uploaded I felt like I deserved a little me time, or me and hopefully some fish time.  I expected with the weather to have the local lake to myself give or take the odd truant but It wasn't to be. As I set up my tackle I noticed some rather large swirls out in the water and then a group of police men on the bank. The polce divers had gone in for a dip and  when I asked one member of the crew if I could fish he said the rest of the lake was mine. I wondered  whether to ask about the possibility of them looking for some of the lures I had lost but I am guessing they had other things on their minds. I didn't give it too long the water was quickly turning to mud which was drifting down towards me.

Megabass These guys are serious

They are big but do the still have soul?

Splish Splash its the Codinator

Europe has lots of languages and I can just about handle English but I may have a go at learning Danish just so I can get a little more out of these lure making Videos from Splish Splash a native of Denmark.






Once again check out his channel, share, like, tweet or even learn Danish