ok heres the deal. i now have an 8" peice of round wood with the tail and head cut correctly(just needs to be sanded) and NO joint. how do you cut your joints? do i just make a triangle lookin cut and match that with the other side out in that shape?
thanks,
patrick OH and what do you use to pour your tails with? do you have a mold? and where do i get the lip?

Patrick,

I'm not Brian but I can be helpful...

Align the grain of the dowel (while looking at it end-on) so that the layers are parallel with the work bench surface. You will want your eye screws to penetrate THROUGH layers and not go between layers of wood. This orientation will help retain the eye screws for the hooks. For the front eye (where you tie on) drill a pilot hole angling through the layers of wood (also for joining two sections)and install eye screws.

Mark cuts before cutting. Measure twice, cut once. Use safety gear. Turn the dowel 1/4 turn (now layers are oriented vertically) and place into a miter box. Using the 45 degree guide in the miter box, cut one side of the "V". Turn over and cut other side of "V".

If the outcome was not precise, correct with Dremel or file.

For tail: Do this at your own risk. Wear eye protection and be careful of burns. Purchase plastic modeling clay. Shape a mold to your liking using clay. Bake the mold (oven 10 minutes at 325 degrees). Slowly cool mold. Spray inside of mold with silicone spray. In a heat resistant glass (I use a heavy glass shotglass), chop up old plastic worms, grubs, etc. of your color choice. Put glass and plastic in microwave (cover with small piece of paper). I "cook" on HIGH for 1 minute. Don't let melted plastic boil (just well melted). Using a heat proof glove, remove glass from microwave, stir melted plastic to equally distribute color. Quickly pour melted plastic into mold starting a the "high volume" end and finishing at the "low volume" end. Allow plastic to solidify and cool. Gently peel from mold. Trim excess.

To retain the tail on the wooden bait, drill small holes sideways through the bait and tail. Insert short brads. I use copper brads (no rust).

Thanks for the info Bill, you helped me out too, more than you know