The Fishing Line April 6

I start this week’s article while crossing Delaware Bay on the ferry. I’m on a boat, yet I can’t fish. Oh how that pains me.
Anyway, I hope to do some fishing when we get to Myrtle Beach, S.C. We hope to be watching baseball when Cape May Tech takes the field, fishing in the off times, sightseeing, and eating some good food. Not a bad way to spend the holiday week with the four F’s. (Family, friends, food, and fungo’s (the baseball people amongst our fishing family will get that). Let’s get to this week’s report.
I want to start this week with a deeper look at a topic I touched on last week. In the March 30 report about 4-H public presentations, one presenter spoke about the hobby of plug making. I spoke to this person about what they did from start to finish to make the plug.
It wasn’t that tough as the young man in question was my son, Zachary. I know the process, but as part of the project he knows I would cover the process just as I do when speaking to anyone else who explains their hobby to me.
First step was buying some kits of plugs to make. An Internet search accomplished this. After identifying what style plugs to build, five kits were ordered, four for the project and one for me.
Other supplies needed were boiled linseed oil, primer, paint, two-part epoxy, toothpicks, spar varnish, a 220 grit sanding block, mesh netting, and a pair of pliers.
Second step was to seal the plugs from the water environment that they will be employed in. The boiled linseed oil accomplished that. A thorough coating, and 18 to 24 hours to dry, and he was ready for…
 Step three, or priming the plugs with a base coat. The primer comes in light or dark colors depending on the color going on top. Another 24 was needed to ensure proper drying.
Step four was the fun part, painting. This can be very basic with one color, or more complex with multiple colors, and then the blending of those colors as one ends and the next begins.
Zachary chose to blend colors on two, with one of those getting a scale look. He said he places a mesh strip from the top of a box of clementines over the plug, and then paints it. The mesh is left in place till the paint dries. The third plug was painted with red and yellow stripes over the primer.
Next, came putting the hard ware on each plug. This consists of the “through wire” which goes from end to end, through the body, and also a loop end of a swivel if used on that model. The swivel sits roughly at the mid-point of the body and is used to hold a split-ring which then has a hook joined to it. Small weights may be attached to the wire, or epoxied into a recess on the plugs body.
Finally, the through wire is looped and twisted at one end to finish off the anchoring of it to the plug body.
At the wire loop at the end another hook is placed. The eyes are also epoxied into place at this time. Even though they are considered hardware the split-rings and hooks are not yet attached, because they would get in the way during the final step.
The final process is coating your plug with a protective coating. The coating is protects against the salt water, and abrasions from contact with rocks or bulkheads. Zachary said he used Spar Varnish because it was a suggested item, and because he found a can in the garage that was used on another project.
He put four coats on each lure. Between each coat he used the 220 grit sanding block to sand the varnish. He cleaned the plug off with a dust rag after sanding, and before the next coat. Each coat was given at least 24 hours to dry properly. After the last coat and the drying period, the split-rings and hooks were added. The plugs were now ready for use.
The final numbers were a build time of seven to eight days. Actual work time was 10 to 12 hours, but the drying times of the paints and varnishes’ extend the build time.
He said the cost for a finished plug would be over $20, but the fact that some supplies are used multiple times, and others were already around the house, helps to bring the cost down. As you build more, the cost per plug will go down.
When I asked if it was worth it, he stated “yes”. The reasons were for the experience, and challenge of building them, and for the satisfaction of actually catching a fish on something that you made. Job well done, son.
Out and about: The charter boat “Stalker” with Capt. Skip Jastremski at the wheel, is in the water, and recently did a shakedown cruise. He also has his skiff ready for some backwater fishing.
We also have a new contributor as Cameron from Boulevard Bait and Tackle has joined us. I look forward to working with him. Welcome aboard, and thanks for helping to grow our community.
Grassy Sound Marina announced that June 25 is the date of their 10th annual flounder tournament. Save the date as it will sneak up on us quickly.
I also heard that the Miss Avalon is at the dock, fueled, all cleaned up, and ready to head out after tog April 9 at 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, down in Cape May the Sea Star III is set to head out April 8th to get their “2016 campaign” started. Captain Chuck is ready, and he and the crew “can’t wait to test the waters”. Finally, a quick reminder to register, if needed, for the salt water registry. It’s free, and quick.
It seems that all of the sudden things are happening quickly. The boats, captains, and crews are ready, and hopefully, so are the fish.
The excitement is building, the gear is ready, I know I am, and from those I’ve spoken with so are many of you, so let’s get the 2016 fishing season started. Paraphrasing different racing organizations, ladies and gentlemen, start your fishing.
Submit your fishing news and photos to mrobbins@cmcherald.com.