Bait Tuning and Mods - Tackle Porn

R2S S Waver 168 Repaint

triple_illusion — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:57:09 +0000

Never really liked this bait. Decided to do a repaint. White crackle over black pearl with green pearl flake in the clear. Might actually fish it now. 🤣

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Tiny Klash Paint Upgrade

triple_illusion — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 19:05:55 +0000

Before:

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After:

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This is what it should have looked like from DRT in the first place! 🤣 Time to go fishing!

Megabass Vatalion Repaint–Form Follows Emotion

triple_illusion — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 01:51:42 +0000

Hey TP,

I saw an all white Vatalion on eBay, but the price was horrendous, so I decided to do my own version. I havn't painted anything in over 3 years, so it was nice to open up all my airbrush equipment again. I had a loose plan and just went with the creative flow. Hope you all enjoy the process. 🙏🏻

-triple_illusion

$171.99 on eBay

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"This is where the fun begins"

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Base layer white pearl:

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Megabass-Martini anyone?

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I painted several colors but forgot to pause for photos, so this is a big jump forward:

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A little more brown than I originally intended, but it was fun seeing the layers develop so I just went with it:

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Original eyes were re-installed, rotated to give it that looking-back effect:

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Time for clear coat:

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The gill plates got the most attention by far:

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After drying a couple days and putting the hardware back on, it was time for a little photo shoot:

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Did my best to capture the detail, but that white side is tough to photograph:

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Thanks for viewing!

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God Bless you all!

Mini chatter-creature and finesse jig

dragon1 — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:03:46 +0000

These little dudes always slay just about anything that swims...cheap and easy to put together. Ya just need the 1/8 oz skirtless blades jighead. The other is a standard finesse Keitech tungsten with Xcite Baits Raptor Tail Chunk.

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Modified Tokyo rig deep water slow roller

dragon1 — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 18:45:53 +0000

I just put together this bait and tested it. It should allow me to slow roll a smaller paddletail and keep the bait keeled and prevent spinning and twisting line. The dropper weight design is a modified Tokyo rig.

I should be able to slow roll 5-12 feet and have the subtle flash of the Mepps French spinner.

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Need New hooks

Goldrod — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:54:47 +0000

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Megabass Magdraft Freestyle belly treble hook harness

dragon1 — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 02:50:39 +0000

I finally got some Owner 8/0 weighted underbelly Beast Hooks in and they pair great with the 6" Magdraft freestyle. I also wanted to figure out a braid harness to a single treble hook stinger for the ones that swipe, head butt and bite just the rear area of the bait. Does anyone have an opinion as to the stinger hook placement? I was thinking on bottom behind the bend of the 8/0 and just in front of the bottom rear fin, which should also have enough clearance the willow blade on the 3/8 oz 8/0 flashy swimmer.

I'll mostly be slow rolling deeper open water and hope to keep the bait in 5'-10' depth over 15-20 fow for suspended fish.

So follow up today after doing some online research:

I ended up using 30lb Domin8 x4 fold, ran a loop knot and cinched it in front of the belly weight, then measured the braid and tied off a #2 treble hook with enough line length so that pegging one of the tangs right in front of the bottom rear fin, created a taught line and allowed two tangs to hang open to the sides.

Should work well enough.

Spinnerbait tuning and mods

dragon1 — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 04:03:10 +0000

Spinnerbaits have accounted for some of my biggest largemouth and smallies, and in the coldest of waters, and during the most aggressive bites.

The mods seem endless with these sometimes forgotten baits in a world of sexy-over-the-top Johnny-come-lately offerings. I like to change blades to better match up to desired running depths, reinforce the R-bend, add trailers, paint blades, trim/change out skirts, add weight to the hooks to run deeper, remove the skirt and run a twin tail spider grub or paddletails...and a few more tricks.

Here are a few mods to a newly introduced bait from Freedom Tackle...I think these will be very effective during the late summer/fall shad runs and when the rivers run higher and faster again.

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Calais 200/200A MG Spool

dragon1 — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 19:39:23 +0000

Does anyone have hands on experience as to how low this spool will handle, and is it a noticeable upgrade versus the 200A wiffle spool?

TIA.

Gan Craft Jointed Claw 178 Glide Baits

Blksheepfishing — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 11:33:32 +0000

Regarding the Gan Craft Jointed Claw 178 Glide Baits (floating version) those of you fishing these....what modifications do you make to these baits to improve the performance.....change hooks?......use snap swivels....split rings for line attachment? Any weights added such as the stick on or wire around treble hooks?

Also, what colors are generating more bites for you folks....West coast areas and East coast areas?

What are you storing these baits in...what containers? Please inlcude photos with your replies.

Thanks