Sweetwater Fishing Forums
Lure Lunatics => Lure Making => Topic started by: 4weightfanatic on February 19, 2012, 10:18:46 AM
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Inspired by some truly excellent lure creations on another lure making site (Lure Lovers) I decided to have a go at incorporating some bird feathers into the finish of a couple of lures. Seeings it was my first foray into "inlaying" feathers into a lure finish I quickly knocked up a popper shape and a surface stick bait shape as the guinea pigs ('scuse the pun). Guinea fowl feathers were chosen for their great contrasting spots not unlike the coat of our native Quoll the name of which I have given these lures - the Quoll series. I did a 50 mm popper in natural colour with two feathers inlaid one on top and bottom so the quill of the feather acted as a spine and stomach line and the barbs overlapped the sides creating a nice effect. I think with a bit of imagination a "buggy cicada look" could be achieved with a bit of thought going into background colour. I tied up a fly treble to enhance the earthiness palmering a grizzler hackle over six small hackles tied in two to each treble hook points. A thin layer of epoxy was applied then the feather laid down using a combo of a bodkin needle and a small artist brush to apply the top coat and position the barbs as it was brushed in. A top coat was applied over this. I tried something slightly different on the stick bait painting it white to give a more "stand out" contrast only using one feather. After being epoxied it has the look of a piece of china a very "vitreous" lustre look to it. I love the way the barbs of the feather give a sort of folded wings or legs like a butterfly chrysalis not long before a butterfly emerges so again with some though I'm sure you could get a realistic cicada underside look using this method. This could also be applied to flies as well maybe small surface flies carved from balso or even fixed to foam cylinders. I tested the popper yesterday which also has a homemade rattle inside made from some brass TV aerial (rabbit ears) and two glass beads and found the popper sinks slowly. A retrieve soon as it lands keeps it up top but it doesn't look bad swimming just below the surface either. A more bouyant timber and maybe less epoxy will address these issues. If worse comes to worse I could set up a market at Eumundi and sell them as charms alongside dream catchers.!!!! Pat.