Podcast #5 of the 2009 IceLeaders season, Today I am talking to Jason Schade about spearing. He gives some great tips and talks about the Get To Gator which is this coming weekend.

HSO SHOW: Staying in a sleeper..

 HSO Podcast 2009/Podcast #5 Spearing Chat!: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Podcast #4 of the 2009 IceLeaders season, We talk to the general manager of Appledorns Sunset Bay resort, a good friend of mine, Paul Waldowski. I ask him about some tips on how to make a stay at a resorts sleeper house more enjoyable.

HSO SHOW: Staying in a sleeper..

 IceLeaders How to make a stay at a sleeper more enjoybable.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Podcast #3 of the 2009 IceLeaders season, This podcast we talk about how to go about attacking a piece of structure. I talk to guide, Drake Herd, who gives great advice.

HSO SHOW: Pre Ice Scouting..

Podcast #2 of the 2009 IceLeaders season, This podcast we talk about early season fish location, and what techniques to use to catch them. Special thanks to the ProStaff for giving up the great information. Dave Weber, Chris Haider, Scott Mackenthun.

HSO SHOW: Pre Ice Scouting..

I’m BAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaack. Sorry for the vacation I took, but I am back doing HSO podcasts. This weeks podcast is with Mr.Joel Nelson, we talk on how best to pre-scout for the upcoming ice season! We also talk a little about how to get your gear ready.

HSO SHOW: Pre Ice Scouting..

 Scout Now for Early Ice!: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Well what do you do with those crank baits that looked great in the store but have been a disappointment on the end of your fishing line?  Well you have a few choices as far as I see it.  You can leave them in your tackle box using up valuable space and let them collect dust.  You can try to sell or give them to another unsuspecting fisherman to see if you can get one last bite on them.  You can do what I’ve been doing for about a while now and attempt to breathe some life back into them with a make over that catches the attention and appetite of the fish you’re targeting.

Let’s look at some very simple make over techniques.

First thing I do is look at the lures action when it’s not catching fish.  Is it running true?  How does the action look?  If the lure runs to one side or the other you can bend the lures eye slightly in the opposite direction and test to see if it runs straight when it runs through the water.  This can make a big different in whether you catch fish or not.  Then there’s the action.  At times even new lures just don’t have much for action.  Kind of like pulling a colored stick through the water.  By bending the lures eye down slightly you create a wider wobble and thus more action.  I’ve had several unproductive lures that were suddenly the “HOT” lure after making this type of adjustment.

Then there’s the color or pattern of the lure.  Just remember that just because it looks good to us doesn’t mean the fish will hit it.  A couple of very simple ways to make minor changes to a lure’s appearance is to use colored sharpie markers or dig through the fingernail polish drawer in your house.  Then simply add colors or patterns to lures that need help.  If you find something that works and you want to protect it you’ll need a clear coat that is hard.  Be aware that some clear coats will make sharpie’s color run.  Use Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy or even finger nail polish clear coat in a pinch.  You’ll need to turn the lure frequently to avoid runs and drips from setting on the surface of the lure.

First off I’m not an expert on painting lures and I’m just sharing with you what has worked for me.  I’ve been using spray cans, automotive touch up paint with the brush in the cap and airbrush as of late.  I really like the airbrush for painting lures.  It gives a nice soft edge and blends nicely.  You can pick then up from $20-$150 depending on what you want to spend.  Some basics for the airbrush.  You can use a CO2 canister, compressed air can or air compressor to create the pressure needed to get the paint from the bottle onto the lure.  If you use a compressor you’ll want to invest in a water separator or run into issues with water in your paint eventually.  Also add an inline pressure regular to make making adjustments in air pressure easier and more accessible.  Gravity feed brushes are more forgiving with paint consistency and you waste less paint.  Bottom feed brushes tend to run a bit cheaper in price.  Take all hooks and split rings off the lure and tape the lip before you start any painting.

Now what paint to use?  I like Krylon Fusion spray paint for a sealer/base coat.  It bonds well to plastics and clear coats from previous paint jobs.  Most folks use water based acrylic paints for this purpose.  The price and quality of these paints vary a lot.  I use a lot of cheap paint that needs a lot of thinning to get it to work.  Brands like Apple Barrel and Folk Art fall into this category.  They work but are more temperamental in many airbrushes.  It usually takes several thin coats to get the effect you’re looking for but it works fine.  I really like the Auto Air paint.  It requires very little thinning and gives good coverage with nice hues.  You pay more but you’ll also have few headaches especially when you start out.   For thinning waterbased paint you want to use Windex or simuliar product.  Water doesn’t work as well as you get more blobs and drops when you spray.  There are several ways to make eyes.  From hole punches of colored electric tape to dipping the ends of drill bits into the paint and dabbing on the lure.  What ever works for you!

What other equipment will I need to paint the lures?  Well, a hair dryer is a must.  First for flash dry the thin coats of paint and later when you clear coat.  Some masking tape, light weight wire for handing lures, forceps or vise grips to hold lures, a few small paint brushes, a hobby knife set and a drill bit set.

Clear coating you paint job is very important and can make or break the whole process.  First you’ll need something to rotate the lures so the epoxy or other clear coat dries to a smooth glass like finish.  I’ve been using a portable drill with a heavy wire clothe hanger bent so I can hang up to two lures to dry.  I then use tape on the drill’s trigger to rotate the lures slowly.  Others use rotisserie motor to drive a drying rack.  It’s up to you.  I do a few lures for myself and friends so the drill works for me with my very limited production. For lure prep I wipe the lures down lightly with an alcohol wipe to clean off any oils that I make have got on the lure during handling.  Oils will comprise you clear coat.  Don’t wipe it too hard though or you won’t have any paint left!  I use Devcon 2 ton Epoxy glue which is available in a two part syringe at many stores.  Although there are a lot of clear coat products out there and many have the added benefit of UV protection for you paint jobs and are less likely to yellow over time.  I Like this for my use as my baits don’t sit out in the suns for weeks at a time.  Plus there little to not vapor issues with this product, and it cheap and readily available.  Mix the epoxy thouroughly and enough to do the lures you’re going to turn right away.  I usually get 6-8 lures out of a tube depending on the size of the lures and how thick I want the clear coat to be.   The epoxy has a 30 minute work time but for this purpose you’ll have about a 10 minute window depending on humidity and temperature.  Warming the glue a bit will give you a little more time.  This epoxy lays down nice and most bubbles will work their way out for a very glossy finish.  I use a flux brush to brush the epoxy on the lure and just throw it away when I’m finished.  Pull on the bristles a bit to remove any loose ones before they lay down on your lure.  Once you have the entire lure body covered start up the motor to rotate the lures for 30 minutes.  If you see drips, air bubbles or brush lines get out the hair dryer and use on hot setting while rotating for 10-30 seconds.  Let the lure set for a total of 2 hours from the application time.  After that time the lure should be set enough to handle and clean epoxy and paint out of the hooks hangers, eye and off the lip of the bait.  I use a Dremmel tool with a small drill bit of thin grinding/shaping bit to help with clean up.  Replace hooks and split rings and you should be able to try it out after about 8 hours.

Good Luck and have FUN!

This time of the year, Trolling Crank Baits for walleye can be as productive as anything. This week we talk to Dave Weber about just that. Dave gives us a ton of tips to help your learning curve speed up, to you boat more walleyes this fall.

HSO SHOW: Trolling Crank Baits for Walleye..

In the heat of summer, fishing can be difficult at times. Pleasure boaters, fishing pressure, and just plain out hot weather can make fishing less fun. Maybe look to an evening of fishing. Dtro- Darren Troseth, talk about how to be prepared for a night on the water.

HSO SHOW: How to get ready for a NIGHT on the water..

 HSO Podcast how to be ready for a NIGHT on the water.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of the reasons we fish is to have a meal. But do you really know how to handle them from the time you catch them till you cook them? This week I talk to Chef Jay Vassil about that, and he gives us a fancy recipe at the end of the show as well.

HSO SHOW: Pod How to handle fish for the table..

 Podacst 66 Preparing your catch for the table.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The 2008 deer regs are out, and I talk with Lou Cornicelli, Big Game Program Coordinator with the MN DNR.. Lou is a great guest and talke about all the changes made this year and why they decided to give them a go. Enjoy and feel free to coment on the show. Thanks!

HSO SHOW: Pod #64 New MN Deer Regs Chat..

 HSO podcast 64, Deer Regs Chat.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download