Another surface plug which has proven effective over the years is the "propeller" type, Fig. 8. This plug has one or two propellers, usually one at the head and another at the tail. When it is retrieved or jerked the propeller blades revolve and throw a spray. Although screw eyes can be used to hold the propeller blades, a much better and stronger method is to rig this plug with a wire running through the center, as shown in Fig. 9.  When making this plug, drill a hole through the center, from the head to the tail. If you have a drill press, do this with an extra long drill and a jig which will hold the plug body in the correct position. You can also drill such a hole very easily with a hand drill—if you do it before the plug is shaped. In other words, drill the hole in the rectangular block of wood through the center, then rasp and file to finish the plug. To find the center of the block of wood, draw an X from corner to corner.

The propellers for this plug can be cut out of sheet brass, as shown in Fig. 10. You can do some of the cutting with hand snips, then use flat and triangular files to finish the job. A hole must then be drilled in the propeller. Finally, twist the blades in opposite directions and slant them back so they will spin.

To assemble this plug you need some wire such as the heavier gauges of stainless steel wire. Cut a short length of about 7 or 8 in. Then, using the round-nosed pliers, form an eye on one end (instructions for doing this can be found in Chap. 12). But before you complete the eye, slip on a treble hook. Then slip on a washer, which will act as a bearing for the propeller blade. This can be a disc or cup washer, a grommet or a bead, whichever is handy. Next, slip on the propeller blade, add another washer, and run the wire through the wood plug body from the rear or tail. Slip on another washer, then the second propeller blade, and finally the remaining washer. Now form the second eye in front, to which the line will be attached. To complete the plug, screw in another treble hook at the belly.

Another effective plug is the "darter" type shown in Fig. 11. This plug is 3% in. long with a head about 3A in. in diameter and tapers to a tail 3/s in. thick.  The head slopes downward, starting about one inch from the end.

Then a small notch is cut or filed at the nose of the plug. This plug also has three treble hooks attached, two at the belly and one at the tail. The screw eye for holding the fishing line is screwed in at the top of the head where it slopes.

The strictly "underwater" plug shown in Fig. 12 is an old-time favorite that has taken fresh-water fish consistently through the years.  The large bait-casting size in this plug consists of a body about 4 in. long, 3/4in. in dia­meter, and the tail tapers to 3/8 of an inch. The head part is round with a concave cut on top. This can easily be done with a half-round file or by holding the plug against a revolving grindstone.

The underwater plug requires a metal lip which makes it dive, wriggle, and travel under the surface. The shape and dimensions of this lip are shown in Fig. 13. It can be cut out from sheet brass, and two holes are drilled to take small screws for fastening the lip to the wood body. Although a straight metal lip will give the plug some action, better results are obtained if the lip is bent like a shallow plate or saucer. This can be done by hammering the metal lip gently with a ball peen hammer. The hammering can be done against a block of hard wood which has a depression gouged out to take the metal lip.

When assembling the underwater plug, start by screwing in a screw eye under the head to which the line will be attached. Then fasten on the metal lip with two small screws just behind this screw eye. Next, about an inch be­hind the metal lip, screw in one of the treble hooks. A second treble hook is attached about mid way between the first one and the tail, and the final treble hook is attached to the tail.

The "jointed" plug is easily made by using the same body as the under­water plug described above. Only here you cut the wood body in half, as shown in Fig. 14. The two parts are then connected by screw eyes. The rest of the plug is assembled the same way as the underwater type, except that only two instead of three treble hooks are used.

As mentioned before, the dimensions given here are for the larger bait-casting size. These plugs will run from about 1/2to 3/4ounces in weight. You don't have to follow the dimensions given here; make the plugs smaller if you want to! The small spinning-size plugs can be made one-third smaller and these will weigh between 1/4and 1/2 oz.

The treble hooks used on the larger bait-casting size plugs should be either sizes No. 1 or 1 /0. For the smaller spinning size, plugs No. 2 or 4 are more suitable. Such hooks can be bought in fishing tackle stores, of order them by mail.

If you haven't got the time or desire to turn out the plug bodies with hand tools you can order different types and sizes of finished wood bodies from some of the mail-order houses. These wooden bodies are already shaped and sanded smooth so that all you have to do is assemble the parts, such as the hardware and hooks. If you want to make plastic plugs, order such bodies from the mail-order houses. Some of these plastic plugs come complete, all ready for adding the hooks and other metal parts. Others come in two sec­tions and must be cemented together.

Before making the wooden plugs described above, decide how they will be painted. If you plan to dip the plug bodies in enamel or lacquer or spray them with an airbrush, this should be done before they are assembled. If you plan to paint them with a small brush, assemble the plugs first and paint them later.

If several wood bodies are to be painted at the same time, you'll find the quickest method is to dip them into a can of white lacquer or enamel. Be­fore you do this, screw in a small screw eye or hook into the tail for holding while dipping and hanging while drying. See Fig. 15. For best results, the lacquer or enamel should be fairly thin and after the plug body is dipped once it should be allowed to dry, then dipped again, as many times as is necessary for a good, thick coat. Usually this base coat will take three or four dippings.

You can also spray on solid colors such as white or silver with an airbrush, or by using one of those pressurized paint cans which can be bought in al most any hardware store.  These are handy to use and the colors dry fast.

If you paint the wood bodies by hand with a brush, you'll find enamel is best. It can be applied fairly thick and usually two coats of white will do the job.

After you have applied the white base coat and it is dry, you are ready to apply other colors. A simple way to make a red-and-white plug is to use a strip of masking tape all around the plug about an inch from the nose. See Fig. 16. Then spray or paint the head part with bright red. When it dries you can remove the masking tape and you'll have a clean, sharp dividing line between the red and white.

Another good color combination for fresh-water plugs is a lure with a light blue or green back and silver sides. This looks like many of the min­nows found in fresh-water rivers and lakes. To apply these colors, start with an all-white plug and brush on light blue or green enamel. When the color is still wet, brush on silver or aluminum paint along both sides of the plug. Where the silver meets the light blue or green, blend colors until they are well mixed.

To make a natural fish scale finish on a wood plug, spray blue, green, or brown over the top or back and sides of the basic white-coated body. Leave the belly of the plug white. When this dries use a cloth netting tacked loosely on a wooden frame to apply the scale finish. Hold the plug against this net­ting from the opposite side while you spray on the silver with an artist's air brush. To get the best results you need an artist's airbrush such as the Paasche type (Fig. 17). With the airbrush you'll need a tank of compressed air or a compressor motor. The artist's type airbrush results in fine work and you get the best results with it when making scale finishes or other patterns. With such an airbrush, also, you can work out various color combinations on your plugs and give them a real professional look. But if you have no airbrush, don't despair—with a little practice you can do a pretty good paint job with a brush.

After the plugs are painted you may wish to give them a more complete look by adding eyes, although eyes are not necessary to catch fish. Most store-bought plugs have glass eyes. These are similar to the eyes used by taxidermists and can be obtained from them. They are mounted on wire which is clipped off with cutting pliers, leaving a short length of wire of-about V* in. long. Then drill holes in the plug, put in some quick-drying cement, and insert the glass eyes into the holes. You can also paint the eyes with a small, pointed brush or dab them on with a flat head nail dipped in yellow paint. After the yellow dries use a smaller flat head nail dipped in black to apply the pupil of the eye.  See Fig. 18.

The fishing plugs described above and suggestions for making them are just a starter for the ambitious "do-it-yourself angler. Many different kinds of plug can be made or created. The angler can experiment with plug weights and shapes and work out a lure most suitable for the waters he fishes. One angler may want big, strong plugs to use for such large fish as muskellunge, pike, Pacific salmon, etc. Naturally, he will use larger plug bodies, stronger, heavier hooks and heavy hardware and fittings. Another angler may want small, light lures to use for such small fish as trout, bass, and panfish. He will make much smaller plugs and use lighter hooks and hardware. Still another angler may want to create a plug which resembles some particular minnow or small animal which fish feed on in the waters he fishes.

All of these anglers can usually meet such demands more exactly by making or designing their own fishing plugs.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...