You can use the surface popper plugs above as they are, or you can tie some white or yellow bucktail hair around the treble hook at the tail. Do not put on too much hair, especially on the smaller and lighter plugs, or you won't get as much distance on the cast.

Other surface salt-water plugs include the swimming type shown in Fig. 43. This plug can have a body about 6 1/2 in. long and a diameter of IV* in. at the head. It tapers at the tail to about 5/8 in. This plug has a metal lip of the type and size shown in Fig. 44, which can be cut from sheet brass or stainless steel. If you use stainless steel, you can use a lighter gauge than if you use brass because it has more spring. The metal lip is bent and a hole is drilled as shown. For this plug the through-wire construction is most prac-tical to hold the metal lip and the three 5/0 treble hooks in place. The wire used for this construction is bent into a loop to form the eye in front of the lip and plug, as shown in the illustration. To assemble this plug, first cut a slit at the head of the plug body to accept the metal lip, then drill a hole for the wire to run through the body. This hole is slightly off center at the head of the plug and through the center at the tail.

Still another surface plug is the flaptail type with a revolving tail. This is shown in Fig. 45. It can have a body 6 1/2 in. long and a diameter of l 1/8 in. The tail tapers to about 5/s in., and the head is cut slightly at a slant on top. This plug has a metal tail of the type and size shown in Fig. 46, cut out of  sheet brass. To attach this tail to the plug, use a small metal bracket about 1 1/4 in. long and V4 in. wide. This can also be cut from sheet brass. After it is cut out, it is bent about 3/8 of an inch from the end, after a hole has been drilled. A long brass wire nail is inserted in this hole. Before you do this, however, add a small brass nut or washer next to the head of the long nail, to serve as a bearing. Then slip the metal tail on the nail and form an eye with pliers to hold the tail. Next, drill two holes in the bracket and fasten it with two screws at the tail of the wooden plug body. The details showing how this part is made are in Fig. 47. To finish off this plug, add two treble hooks at the belly and a screw eye at the nose to which you tie the fishing line.

Another very effective salt-water surface plug is the "torpedo" type shown in Fig. 48. This plug can be about 4 1/2 in. long and 7/8 in. in diameter at its thickest part. It tapers at both ends and has two treble hooks in sizes 1 /0 or 2/0, one attached at the tail and the other at the belly. A screw eye is at­tached to the nose for the fishing line.

Salt-water anglers have also found the "darter" type plugs very effective for many fish. You can make a small one to use with light spinning or casting tackle in the same size as the fresh-water darter shown in Fig. 11, page 17. But for the salt-water model, you should use longer and stronger screw eyes with heavy wire hooks.
To make a larger darter plug for surf fishing or to use with heavy salt­water tackle follow the dimensions shown in Fig. 49.  The body can be 6V2 in. long and an inch in diameter. The tail tapers to about 5/8 in. The top of the plug slopes downward toward the nose, where there is a triangular cut. A screw eye is screwed in this cut to hold the fishing line. Three treble hooks in size 5/0 are attached, two at the belly and one at the tail.

A large "wobbler" plug suitable for surf fishing is shown in Fig. 50. It can have a body 7 in. long with a diameter of l 1/8 in. at the head and taper­ing to about 5/8 in. at the tail. The head is cut at a slant of 45 degrees. This plug also carries three 5/0 treble hooks, two at the belly and one at the tail. A large screw eye at the head holds the fishing line.

Finally, we have the "underwater" plug shown in Fig. 51. This has a body 7 in. long and a diameter of 1 3/8 in. at its thickest part. It tapers sharply toward the head and more gradually toward the tail. This plug has a metal lip of the size and shape shown in Fig. 52. If you use the through-wire con­struction method all you have to do is bend the lip as shown and drill a hole for the wire loop which will form the eye.
 
Another way to attach this lip is shown in Fig. 53. You make and bend the metal lip the same way, but drill three holes as shown. Then get a long brass wire nail, insert it into the single hole in the center of the lip, and bend with round-nosed pliers to form an eye for the fishing line. To attach this lip to the plug body, cut a slit to take the metal lip and drill two holes through the nose of the plug to meet the holes in the metal lip. Use two round-head brass screws to fasten the metal lip in place. See Fig. 54. This plug also takes three 5/0 treble hooks, two at the belly and one at the tail.

Figure 51. Underwater plug.

Salt-water plugs can be painted or sprayed in the same way as the fresh­water plugs, using the methods described in previous chapters.  Choose any color combinations you like, but for surf fishing you'll find the "blue mullet" finish one of the best. To get this finish, the plug is first painted white, then a blue back is added blending into the white along the sides.

Another pop­ular salt-water color combination is blue and silver, the blue on the back and the silver along the sides. A silver scale finish can also be sprayed. Or it can be a solid silver finish.

When making your salt-water plugs it is very important to use the best quality and strongest salt-water treble hooks you can obtain. Strong hooks are the only ones which will stand up any length of time in salt water. Light wire hooks are easily straightened out by big fish, and rust weakens them in a short time.

The basic salt-water plugs described above will take care of most fishing needs. But don't let that stop you from experimenting with different shapes, sizes, or weights. Although it is easier to duplicate existing models of plugs, more satisfaction is obtained if you design your own. And there is always the chance that it will turn out to be a better fish-getter than existing plugs on the market.

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