GEAR
13 DIY TACKLE PROjECTS
DIY TACKLE
PHOTOs BY MATT PACE
EAsY HARDWARE sTORE TACKLE TWEAKs THAT ARE INExPENsIvE, BUT EFFECTIvE
1. Create a Trailer or Stinger
Hook with PVC Tubing
Want to turn any hook into a trail-
er or stinger hook? Head to the
plumbing department and buy some
clear tubing. Cut off a small piece
and put it around the eyelet of the
hook you want to use before pierc-
ing it on the main hook.
– Sean Ostruszka
2. Add a Scale Pattern with
Drywall Tape and Spray Paint
A fancy scale pattern can make
any hard bait, blade bait or spinner-
bait blade look good, but if you’re in
a pinch and want to replicate a color
pattern or convert an oddball pat-
tern into something better, just pick
up a roll of drywall tape and some
spray paint. stick the tape to the
lure, cover anything you don’t want
to cover with painter’s tape, spray
over it, remove the tape and your
bait now has scales.
– Sean Ostruszka
1.
2.
3.
3. Use GREAT STUFF to Repair
And Modify Lures
GREAT sTUFF expanding foam
can seal a leaky hard bait, turn a rat-
tling bait silent or even enhance the
buoyancy of a plastic crankbait to
make it act more like a balsa one.
simply drill a small hole in the bait’s
body, tightly snug the nozzle into the
hole and spray in a small amount.
GREAT sTUFF expands A LOT, so a lit-
tle is more than enough. Just let it
expand and dry, carve off and sand
the excess, and you’re done.
– Sean Ostruszka
42
4.
5.
4. Contain Umbrella Rigs with
O-rings
One of the quickest and least
expensive ways to make an umbrella
rig more manageable to store is to
use a small, rubber O-ring (frequent-
ly used to fix a leaky faucet) to
retract the wires and hold them in
place.
To use it, hold the ends of the
wires together, and slide the O-ring
down to keep them in place. To
deploy the wires, slide the O-ring up
so it rides at the base of the head. It
won’t affect the action of the rig, but
it’ll be there when you need it.
Umbrella rig head and O-ring
sizes vary, so it’s a good idea to bring
your rig of choice to the hardware
store to make sure you get the right
size. The ring should fit snug as it
slides over the head, but loose
around the “neck” area. An O-ring
with an inside diameter of 3/8 inch is
a good starting point, but you might
need to go slightly bigger or smaller
depending on the rig. A large split
ring works too.
– Sean Ostruszka
5. Weight Jerkbaits with Solder
Wire
solder wire makes a great
“weight” for dialing in the suspend-
ing action of a jerkbait. Just wrap it
around the shank of a treble hook.
Adding weight to the middle hook
will make the bait suspend horizon-
tally, while putting it on the front
hook creates a nose-down position.
Multiple sizes and metal combi-
nations are available in solder wire.
Look for a thin, pliable electrical sol-
der that is easy to wrap and won’t
end up too bulky. For really small
hooks, buy some lead wire wrap
from a fly-tying retailer.
– Tyler Brinks
FLWFISHING.COM I WINTER 2019