The Unpatented Spindle Popper
A while in the past, I got here throughout a how-to article on how you can construct your individual pencil popper. Many saltwater anglers consider the pencil popper to be the deadliest lure ever for striped bass and bluefish. I used to be wanting to see the plans within the article, however disenchanted to find they had been expensive and complex.
The blueprint for the selfmade popper was as detailed as an architect’s drawing and concerned utilizing costly particular gear similar to a lathe and a drill press with a sanding drum connected. I assumed there should be a neater, extra accessible methodology for making the lure.
The popper is 8 inches lengthy, has a skinny, barely tapered entrance part and a bulbous rear, with a concave face, sunken eyes and one or two hooks. The extra I checked out it, the extra I noticed its profile very intently mimicked the define of the turned spindles and leg helps of Windsor chairs. I knew I may discover outdated Windsors for just a few {dollars} at yard gross sales, church gross sales, and flea markets. One chair would supply sufficient hardwood blanks for a dozen poppers in a number of sizes.
Step 1: Reduce, Whittle and Sand
Utilizing a turned spindle eliminates all the lathe work. All that’s wanted is to chop the clean to the specified measurement. The attention sockets, the place sanding drum work is concerned, can as an alternative be carved into the clean by any competent whittler; likewise, the concave face.
Step 2: Implant and Check Your {Hardware}
I used long-shaft chrome steel screw eyes for my hook mounts and entrance eye, which eradicated the troublesome job of drilling an 8-inch, very skinny tunnel for the by means of wire. I then examined the screw eyes for energy and located that my line snapped and my 5/0 hook started to bend earlier than the screw eyes ever pulled out or broke.
That was the simple design. Nevertheless, I selected to strive a tougher possibility and used a 12-point handsaw to chop a kerf lengthwise about midway into the spindle from the stomach aspect.
Step 3: Make Tweaks and Changes
Subsequent, I laid a stainless-steel by means of wire into the deep groove with small loops twisted into both finish, and stuffed the kerf with a strip of #12 copper wire glued in place with a two-step epoxy. The copper wire supplied stomach weight to maintain the lure upright on the retrieve.
This methodology can produce a dozen sturdy lures for nearly no price, and with this methodology, you possibly can construct your individual pencil popper 5 instances as quick because the lathe and drill methodology. Mine turned out ok to draw the eye of any discerning bass or blue.
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Tips on how to Fish Pencil Poppers for Striped Bass
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WATCH: Tips on how to Fish Pencil Poppers for Striped Bass
