Handmade fishing lures - Through wire construction

As part of my ongoing exploration of different methods of making handmade fishing lures I thought I'd give this a go.

Through wire construction simply means you have a wire connection from the tow point to the hook hang points. It's considered the strongest method for making handmade lures, and I have already tried it in my hot glue shrimp lure. This time I thought I'd try it in wood.

I found some wood that was roughly cimi-circular in cross section, so it looks like half a bracket if you look at the end "   (    " it also had a trench cut down the length of it. The trench should allow the wire to sit inside nicely.

From memory the wood cost around $6 Australian for 2 meters or something.

I pinned the 2 halves temporarily together by drilling holes and inserting a section shashlik sticks, or whatever you call "sticks to BBQ meat on" in your part of the world, as dowels. you could probably get away with a match stick or two.

I then shaped the wood making sure the length was correct so I could fit one of my wire harnesses into  it.

I then made a new harness a bit longer because I had failed to make the lure the correct size.

I struggle a bit to cut the slots for the bibs straight. What I probably need is some kind of tool. I think there is just such a tool, used to cut the angles on the corners of picture frames etc. that would suit.

As in both the harness and PVC experiments,  I only lightly glued the halves together so I could shape them accurately, but still separate them to fiddle about with wire afterwards.

Because I struggle with cutting the bib slots, I thought I would try a different idea for a change.

I ground the nose off on the bench grinder so that the bib would sit on the correct angle. I found this a bit easier.

I glued it all in place with superglue, making sure there was a long loop of wire sticking out the front so I could adjust the swimming action. A lure's action is largely enabled by the selection of tow point. Making the tow point long allows the fisher to change where that tow point sits on the lure by bending the wire. I hope.

Another thing that might need adjustment is buoyancy.

The finished lure in some odd way, simultaneously looks both normal and strange, and measures 90mm in total length..